#4 EMAPTHY
The most successful screenwriters are the ones who show a deep understanding and appreciation for the journey others have taken, a general keenness towards others, internalizing the feelings of others, and the desire to share those experiences with others.
To be able to identify the emotional core of a person’s story, one must be able to identify with the emotional core of the person. Successful screenwriters all have a deep understanding and a great appreciation for the human condition. They question and examine the world around us in ways few would dare. They have a talent and innate ability to recognize what makes us human, and they use that ability like a carpenter uses a chisel. Empathy is an essential tool in the writer’s toolbox.