Diane Sismour

Stories have always spoken to me in images first, then in rhythm. As my fiction grew darker and more layered, the screen became the natural place for those stories to breathe. What keeps me writing is the need to understand people, their choices, and the quiet horrors we pretend not to see. The work still surprises me, and that’s enough fuel to keep going.

Most of my stories begin with a single emotional moment: a line of poetry, a flash of fear, a character whispering for attention. I find with the inciting incident and the possible endings to recreate the image provided by the moment. Revision is where the real work happens, tightening, grounding, and shaping the story into something that can live on screen.

I build characters by giving them something to lose and something they refuse to surrender. I listen to their rhythms, their silences, their stubbornness, strength wrapped in vulnerability, or humor shadowed by fear. Their motivations stay grounded, even in horror. What makes them memorable is their resilience. Not the glossy kind, but the scraped‑knuckle, keep‑moving‑forward kind that mirrors real life.

My latest project is grounded horror with a ticking clock. The Doll Keeper is a dark psychological thriller now in development under my production company. It’s the first in a planned three-film franchise. The themes center on identity, survival, and hope, with a dual storyline exploring resilience, maternal instinct, and the unsettling truth that real monsters often look like neighbors. It’s horror with a heartbeat; the dread will linger long after the credits roll.

What sets my work apart is my focus on grounded fear. I’m less interested in monsters than in the everyday choices that lead to danger. My perspective comes from observing people — travelers, neighbors, strangers on the Appalachian Trail — and letting their stories echo through my characters. I write from lived experience and what feels true, even when it’s terrifying.

I approach collaboration the same way I approach writing: with structure and respect. I’m clear about the story’s spine but flexible about the path. My business background helps me communicate efficiently, and my creative background helps me stay open to new ideas. It’s a balance that serves the work.

Transitioning from prose to screen required unlearning habits built over decades. I had to trust the visual medium and let silence carry weight. The solution was practice, mentorship, and a willingness to fail forward. Every script sharpened my instincts.

The role is expanding. Screenwriters are becoming multi-hyphenates—creators who understand not just story but also production, financing, and audience engagement. The industry rewards those who can shepherd a project from concept to screen. That shift is a challenging evolution, allowing storytellers more agency than ever before, and empowering writers to take ownership of their work.

Find your people. Writing is solitary, but the industry is not. Join groups, attend festivals, ask questions, and stay curious. Craft can be learned, but community is what sustains you. Study the business as seriously as you study the craft. And remember: resilience will carry you farther than talent alone.

I aim to grow The Doll Keeper into a full franchise and continue producing original work across genres. I create stories that linger, that make people think twice about the world around them. I hope to contribute stories that feel honest, unsettling, and deeply human, and to help other writers navigate the path I once struggled to understand.