We’re thrilled to highlight Nick Newman as this week’s SoCreate Member Spotlight!
Nick is a dedicated storyteller who brings his imaginative worlds to life through screenwriting and fiction. His journey began at just 16, when a creative classroom assignment sparked his passion for storytelling, leading to his first short film, The Cobra Killers.
Since then, Nick has continued to create, most recently with his novel Tyranny, a dystopian epic that explores the struggles of a young man against a corrupt boarding school. The novel’s immersive world and complex themes have become his greatest storytelling achievement.
Read his full interview to learn about his creative process, how SoCreate makes screenwriting more fun for him, and his biggest storytelling inspirations.
- What first inspired you to start screenwriting, and how has your journey evolved over time?
I started screenwriting when I was 16 years old. I was working on a screenplay based on a book we were reading in class, and since I had already read the book a year prior, when I was at a different school, I already knew the answers to the questionnaires we filled out when we finished a chapter. My teacher asked me to write a screenplay based on the book, and I could do that instead of answering the questions. The basis of that script eventually became an original piece called The Cobra Killers, which became my First Short Film. Since then, I’ve written several short screenplays for several short projects. And have plans for features when I find the time.
- What project are you currently working on? What excites you most about it?
Right now, I’m working on my novel, Tryanny, which is the story of a young man who fights against a corrupt boarding school and its tyrannical headmistress. What excites me about this piece is the world I have built. The book takes place in a dystopian version of America, where organized crime is extremely prevalent in society, juvenile detention facilities are overcrowded, and schools across the country are being shut down. Right now, I’m halfway through the novel; we're looking at 60 chapters once it’s done, as well as several lore books which cover the world I have constructed.
- Do you have a favorite story you've written, why?
Honestly, my novel is the greatest story I’ll ever tell. Initially, it was going to be a film. But the story got so big and complex that it became a book. It remains my favorite because it takes everything I’m passionate about, all my interest areas, life experiences, and it’s interwoven into this complex world I constructed. The main character, though, commits actions that I would never commit myself; this character is highly personal to me. He’s kind of my personal Mr. Hyde.
- Has SoCreate shaped the way you write?
Not necessarily, but it’s my personal favorite screenwriting software.
- Do you have any specific routines, rituals, or habits that help you stay creative?
You know that’s funny, people who know me pretty well, know that I pace back and forth around the house or whatever. And people often ask, “Why does he pace?” My answer is because that’s often how I develop my ideas. When I pace, I’m often daydreaming, or some kind of walking meditation, which is how I come up with my best ideas. Other than that, I don’t have any writing rituals, but it is essential that I don’t have anything else to distract me. I tried writing and listening to music, but it doesn’t work for me.
- What does your typical writing process look like, from concept to final draft?
It all starts with an idea, and then I usually try to figure out what I can do with that idea. Sometimes I can do a whole lot more with one idea than I can with another; sometimes I can blend ideas together. Then I outline the idea, try to figure out how it starts and how it ends, create a structure, and figure out my characters. Then I start writing, but no matter how simple, it all comes down to those three steps: Idea, Outline, Writing. That’s my process.
- How do you handle writer’s block or moments when inspiration is hard to find?
I’m not sure what I do. Funny enough, I think writing depends on what kind of mood I’m in. If I’m not in the mood, my writing will suffer. So, I don’t typically force it. I often just take a break and go do something else or even work on another project.
- What has been the most challenging part of your writing journey, and how did you overcome it?
My writing disability, I’m not 100% sure when I was diagnosed with it, but I have a specific writing disorder known as dysgraphia, which greatly affects my writing, specifically, with sentence structure and punctuation. Other bad writing habits include unnecessary capitalization of letters, I capitalize everything. To be honest, I haven’t overcome it. Honestly, I simply don’t let it stop me from writing. I’m a storyteller at heart. And I want to tell them. So, I do, even if it may be difficult to read them. That’s why there are editors who can help me fix things.
- What do you love about SoCreate?
I like the way it makes screenwriting more accessible and visually appealing, as someone who doesn’t like the screenwriting format. This software helps because it makes the process more “fun” in my own words.
- Have you received any awards or accolades for your screenwriting?
I haven’t, maybe someday.
- Is there a specific milestone in your screenwriting career that you’re particularly proud of?
Um, as a screenwriter, no. But as a filmmaker, absolutely, when my third film, The Circle around JFK (screenplay written by me), was about to come out on YouTube, I had a private screening for family members in Upstate New York. And their responses were some of the best compliments I’ve ever received. The film can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWDdrUb0K_w&t=25s
- What is your ultimate goal as a screenwriter?
To write and direct feature films and win an Oscar for best screenplay.
- What advice would you give to other screenwriters looking to connect with a platform or community like SoCreate?
“Just go for it!”
- What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received, and how has it shaped your work?
Surprisingly, this advice was given to me by my dad, he said to me, “Build your own world” because when you build your own world, you get to set the rules, and give more creative freedom, because you're not working within the constraints of the real world. This has shaped my novel in ways I could never have imagined, and I genuinely think this tip has improved my story.
- Can you share a little about how you grew up and where you came from?
I spent most of my childhood in the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN. playing with toys, I've always said I’ve been telling stories since I could talk. I would build worlds with my toys and give names and backstories to all my characters. So, I started playing with toys, then I got into music, and eventually into film. Seeing the film, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, was the turning point of my life. Seeing the two worlds connected by the magic railroad and seeing the actors green-screened onto the model sets with the trains was genuinely inspirational. I was diagnosed with Autism at age three and had a challenging time at school. Many of these terrible experiences later influenced the stories I would start writing as a teenager and an adult. I guess growing up, I was either playing with toys and using my imagination, watching movies, or playing video games.
- How has your personal background or experience influenced the kinds of stories you tell?
I had a very negative school experience in elementary school, and I had frustration with school in general up until graduating from high school. Has influenced me more than anything else in my stories. As a young boy, I craved control. I wanted to be in control, but I didn’t like it when I didn’t have it. Toys appealed to me because I could control them. Same as stories today. I have total control over my characters and world, and decide what happens to them for good or bad. However, I think my lack of control and the control I desired have influenced my work in different ways. Not only that, but the drama that surrounded my teen years also sneaks its way into my work. Many of my stories involve teenagers or take place in public school and deal with issues of mental health, relationships with friends, and the gossip that floats around the hallways in school. And often these things come with a twist, maybe the rumors are actually true, or are worse than what they seem, perhaps the teacher you have in your third-period class is a serial killer.
- Who are your favorite writers?
George Orwell, Aaron Sorkin, Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch, Oliver Stone, Martin Scorsese, Vince Gilligan, J.R.R. Tolkien, Wilbert Audry
Thank you, Nick, for sharing your journey and inspiring us with your resilience and creativity!