Rachel Koller Croft is the USA TODAY bestselling author of We Love the Nightlife and Stone Cold Fox. She is also the WGA award-nominated screenwriter of Torn Hearts. She’s currently developing her novels for film and television. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Charles, and their rescue pitbull, Juniper.

What form of writing came first for you? Novel writing or screenwriting (or perhaps a different form) and how did you develop each of these artforms over time?

I’ve been writing stories of all kinds since I was a child, but once I moved to Los Angeles as a young adult, I took screenwriting seriously and found success after selling my first feature script in 2015. I’ve been a working screenwriter since then. Inspired by owning my own IP, I started writing my first novel in 2020, sold it in 2021 and Stone Cold Fox was published in 2023. For me, both novels and screenwriting work in tandem because I wrote the books to adapt them – and ultimately I want to direct as well.

Can you tell us about your journey into screenwriting and what initially sparked your interest in the craft?

I’ve always been obsessed with movies, but to be very honest, I wrote my first script after a gnarly breakup with an aspiring screenwriter purely out of spite. Happy to report it’s working out really well for me!

Frequently, when authors are also screenwriters, it’s as a result of adapting their own novels, but in your case, you chose screenwriting as the medium and not a novel for Torn Hearts, what made you choose film?

I never considered Torn Hearts as a novel. That was always going to be a movie because as a horror movie fan, I started thinking about what type of horror I could offer that felt familiar but with a different twist. I couldn’t think of anything that I’d seen in the country music space and so I ran with that. Also, Jordan and Leigh, the main characters, are very loosely based on my best friend and me when we’d take road trips to Nashville. We love horror movies and country music and the idea of being a musical duo, but unfortunately we cannot sing well nor do we play instruments.

What advice do you have for writers who are interested in a film or TV career? What are some hurdles you’ve faced breaking into the industry?

You have to be your number one fan and be pretty delusional about it, which should work in your favor. It’s a very competitive industry, confidence in your craft goes a long way and finding the right collaborators can be harder than you think. Do your best with following your gut but when you get knocked down – and you likely will more than once – don’t let it deter you. It’s a tough business and it’s never personal, but it can feel personal. Don’t let it. Sounds cliche, but a thick skin is a requirement in my opinion.

The thing about breaking in is that you have to keep doing it in some fashion, even after you’ve done it the first time. You’re only as good as your latest project. Always have multiple things cooking. It’s exhausting, but it’s the only way to do it. I feel like I’m making it sound not fun – it’s actually really fun, even though it’s a lot of politics and sales and things that often have nothing to do with writing, which I admittedly enjoy. Lean into being a business person if you want to be in film and TV. And get an amazing agent and lawyer! I respect and rely on mine so much.

Screenwriting often requires collaboration with directors, producers, and other creatives. How do you navigate the collaborative process, especially when it comes to staying true to your vision?

Be flexible. Movies and TV are group projects. Everyone wants to (and should) contribute. The skill of taking notes is incredibly important and occasionally elements of your vision will be compromised. But everybody wants the same thing – a great end product – so really take the time to hear everyone out and incorporate what you think will work best in the script. It’s a “do your best” situation. The script will change many, many times. That’s just the business. That said, you do have a voice and it’s an important one. Stay in conversation, you aren’t just taking orders. Don’t be defensive, but if you have a character choice or plot point you feel passionate about, you’re allowed to stand up for it and see what the feedback is from the group at large.

It’s more politics, but you have to get comfortable with that and hopefully learn to enjoy it!

Writing for the screen often means working under strict constraints. How do you handle limitations, whether they are budgetary, time-related, or related to the structure of the project? Do you feel the limitations of screenwriting make it more difficult than novel writing or do the parameters help narrow the scope?

I think quite visually as a writer and when I’m writing a screenplay, I’m literally envisioning the movie. Nobody wants to watch a movie that’s too long – typically anyway. So I’m comfortable with killing darlings and getting to the point, knowing that the screenplay is only one piece of the end product. With novels, I’m imagining the scenes as well, but I’m always considering the pacing regardless of the limitless structure. I think professionally screenwriting first influenced how I write novels in that way.

What are some common mistakes you see new screenwriters make, and what would you recommend they avoid when writing their first scripts?

Don’t write about somebody going back to their hometown. It’s not original. To get attention as a new screenwriter, which is getting increasingly difficult, you have to write something very fresh to get eyes on it that will take the project seriously. Really push your boundaries and think of a genre you enjoy as a viewer – what unique spin can you put on it that you haven’t seen before? That’s the script you should write. It has to stand out or you won’t get any traction.

As you are trying to balance projects, how do you manage stress and maintain your creative energy while working in multiple writing fields?

I don’t think I’m great at managing stress but I light candles and go on walks and pretend that I am. As for creative energy, I really do find fulfillment in reading novels and watching movies and going to museums and traveling and reading weird magazine articles, etc.. All that stuff keeps the flame lit pretty much all the time. I don’t worry about my creative energy at all, but I do worry about my blood pressure. But whatever, this is go-time! I’m an ambitious and motivated person. I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. I’m not going to whine about it. Most of the time, I’m having a great time.

Do you have any new projects in the work you can share (film, TV or novels)?

I’m working on my third novel and I’m so excited about it I could scream. I also have a feature film that I’m aiming to produce alongside my husband. Both of these are “marriage thrillers.”

We Love the Nightlife by Rachel Koller Croft

Entangled in a destructive friendship, two vampires spiral toward disaster in this dark and captivating tale set in London’s glittering disco scene. Nicola, a centuries-old vampire, and the free-spirited Amber once bonded over their love of nightlife, but a betrayal now drives Amber to seek escape. As Nicola tries to rekindle their connection by proposing they open a nightclub, Amber secretly plots her perilous exit, knowing failure could mean the end for both of them.

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