AMBER JONES
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 PictureAMBER JONES
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
California

Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
This story grew out of my own experience with loss and the process of trying to make sense of it. I’ve always been interested in how grief can either leave you stuck or quietly push you toward purpose if you let it. Writing this script became a way to explore that transition: what it looks like when pain starts to turn into clarity, and when survival slowly becomes direction. I chose to tell this story as a script because television and film are the mediums that move me the most. I think visually and emotionally, a look, a pause, or a single scene can say more than pages of description. For me, this story needed to live on screen, where the emotions could be felt as much as they’re understood.

How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
This script took about five months to write, and I still consider it a work in progress. I believe stories keep evolving the more you live with them, so I’m always refining and listening to what the script needs next. In terms of process, I’m very structure-driven. I rely heavily on index cards to map out scenes and track emotional beats, and I often use the Save the Cat framework to shape the overall arc. Once the foundation feels solid, I let myself write more freely—knowing the structure is there to support the story as it grows.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
My ultimate ambition as a writer is to help people see beyond what’s right in front of them. On a personal level, I want to create stories that remind people to believe in things like love, romance, and possibility. Stories that make you feel hopeful, seen, and inspired to want more for your own life.
On a larger scale, I want to use storytelling to expand what’s imaginable for underrepresented communities. Where I come from, many people only know what exists within a small radius of their world. I want my work to show that there are bigger dreams, wider opportunities, and fuller lives available to us. I truly believe that what we watch shapes what we believe we deserve, andwant my stories to help shift that belief.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
I submitted the full script because I really value Wiki’s feedback, and I wanted to give them the complete story to respond to. I felt that sharing the entire piece would allow for more thoughtful, well-rounded notes, not just on the opening, but on the structure, character arcs, and emotional payoff as a whole. For me, the feedback process is just as important as the submission itself, and this felt like the best way to grow the project.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
My all-time favorite show is Sex and the City, and my favorite movie is Love & Basketball. Both stories tap into love and romance, which is what first drew me to television and film in the first place. But beyond that, they both show how important timing is—and how powerful it can be to go after what you want.
Sex and the City especially created a world that felt full of hope. It taught me to trust the process, to believe that things can come together in their own time, and that love—whether romantic, personal, or creative—is always worth the risk. Those are the kinds of stories I hope to keep telling.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
It still feels a little strange giving advice because I consider myself new to this too, but I’ll share the same advice that stuck with me when I was starting out. “There’s real power in collaboration”. You don’t have to do everything alone, and you don’t have to have all the answers before you begin. The people you create with will shape your growth just as much as the work itself.
And most importantly—just start. You don’t need a once-in-a-lifetime concept to write something meaningful. Write the story you’d want to watch. If it moves you, chances are it will move someone else too.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I’m really excited about building my digital studio. Right now, I’m creating short-form content to grow an audience around a television concept I’ve been developing and pitching, and it’s opened my eyes to how powerful vertical storytelling can be. My larger goal is to create a pipeline through the studio where other creatives and writers with strong TV concepts can come to me, and I help them build the world of their shows through short-form series and digital content. I truly believe that today, having a great idea isn’t always enough—you also need an audience and momentum behind it. I want to help other creators get their stories seen, build their platforms, and turn their ideas into something that already has life before it ever reaches a network or studio pitch room.