TOBI INVERSON
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What inspired you to write a script rather than a novel or short story?
I grew up in the '70s and '80s never seeing Native American people or culture depicted with authenticity in movies, TV or even cartoons. It generally made me feel mad and sad as a child and from that embarrassment and shame. The portrayals were either extreme stereotypes—“noble savages," "Indian princesses" or “primitive sub-humans.” When Dances with Wolves came out, it moved me beyond words. It was the first time I saw Native people expressing themselves in their own language and culture, depicted as real. It made me both angry and proud.

I'm from a tribe that isn’t part of the widely recognized “bow and arrow,” “horse culture” tribes often romanticized in film. Tribes like Tsimshian, Nisga’a, Tlingit, and Haida are often unknown or mispronounced, but we are powerful, with a rich, unique cultural history. I vowed to one day see our people’s beauty and story of survival on the big screen, to help others fall in love with our traditional homelands, culture and people.

Was there a specific film, TV show, or personal moment that first made you say, “I want to write like that”?
Although Dances with Wolves has its flaws today, for the time it was made, I deeply respect the writer and director. They were among the first to successfully bring Native Americans to life on the big screen with dignity and respect.

What’s your writing routine like? Do you follow a strict schedule, or are you more intuitive about when and how you write?
I start with a “brain dump” writing freely with pen or pencil, even if it’s just thought doodling. I don’t worry about structure or clarity at first; I just keep going. Later, I go back and highlight any themes or emotions that stand out. Honestly, I don’t always feel like a writer. It’s more like something moves through me, as if ancestors are guiding my hand. I surround myself with reminders of our culture: old totem curios (some beautifully crafted, others crude and sad), a photo of my great-great-grandfather Clah (who features in my script), and Native artifacts. These visual connections ground me. Those small totems, often tourist souvenirs, remind me how our monumental art was reduced to survival items. They fuel my drive to tell our story survival with dignity, pride, and truth.

When you’re starting a new script, how do you shape your ideas? Do you use outlines, beat sheets, or dive right into scenes? What inspires your scripts—characters, plot, theme, action?
I usually start with a brain dump, then move to outlining. I often use construction paper to storyboard characters and scenes, something I picked up from a screenwriting class at the University of Washington.

How do you handle writer’s block or those inevitable moments of self-doubt?
I journal. I follow practices from The Artist’s Way, and The Right to Write, which was life changing for me. Writing freely, without judgment, is liberating. After writing difficult material, I’ll take an Epsom salt bath to purge emotions. Our ancestors used cold baths and sweats, and I find comfort in replicating that. These rituals help me ground and reset.

What tools—software, methods, rituals—do you consider essential to your writing workflow?
I use Final Draft, though I'm still learning the software. I prefer writing with pen and paper an often jot notes in my phone when inspiration hits, especially first thing in the morning or when I’m out and about.

Do you write with production realities in mind, or do you let the creative vision lead first and adjust later?
I lead with creative vision. I'm still learning how to write with production in mind, but I trust the story will guide the rest.

When a scene isn’t working, what’s your go-to strategy for fixing it?
I walk, pray, and set an intention. Sometimes, I ask for answers before I sleep and wake up with fresh ideas. Meditation helps too. I focus on the character or scene, and answers often come naturally.

How many scripts have you completed? How many have you started and not completed (we all have those)... and why are they still unfinished?
I’ve completed one and have three scripts in progress. I'm also developing Wild Woman of the Woods into a series.
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Have you earned recognition in this or other competitions? What’s your strategy when submitting your scripts, and how has contest feedback shaped your work?
Yes, I’ve been a semifinalist in Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival, and a nominee in the Toronto Women’s Film Festival, and official selection in the Carmel International Film Festival, and a few others. I mainly enter contests to use as a litmus test to see what’s working and what’s not. I have basically three versions of my script, and I like to see if the big edits I make are landing. So far, the contests have shown that they are. Plus, the feedback was fantastic in helping me edit the story to make it more powerful. One week, I received two powerful pieces of feedback that launched me into a seven day, non- stop rewrite. I love advice and even the feedback that doesn’t resonate, because it reminds me why I’m writing this story in the first place. For instance, I’ve had more than one judge, anonymously, say some really uninformed and insensitive things about the people, places, and rituals within my film. One judge said they thought “these people” were fantasy, not real Native Americans, because they’d never heard of them. Another compared my heroine, Neshekai, to Pocahontas, probably because there are so few Native heroines to reference. One even suggested my story should be animated for children. I had to wonder, could Schindler’s List have been animated and still had the same effect? Probably not. And finally, one judge just came right out with it: he thought the story, to be commercial, should be told through more of a Western eye not through Indigenous women. And I can’t argue, that’s probably true. But that’s exactly why I’m writing this: to pierce that cinematic wall and bring a culture and world to the screen that’s never been seen before.

Have you done anything at this point to promote yourself or your writing (besides entering online contests)?
Not much yet. I’ve created a website and a pitch deck to visually capture the world of my script especially because many people have no idea what the tribal culture and landscape of the Pacific Northwest looks like.

Have you pitched to producers or taken meetings yet? What have those experiences taught you about the business side of screenwriting?
Not yet. I have no experience in this area.

What do you see as your greatest strengths as a writer? Your greatest weaknesses?
My greatest strength is passion. I love and believe in the subject matter I write about. I want to showcase our meaningful myths, legends, and heritage in a way that builds bridges to the world. My weakness is probably technical. I'm still learning the formalities of screenwriting and production.

How do you balance your writing with your “day job”?
I write in between other obligations or devote entire days or weeks to it. I dream about my characters. When nothing comes, I worry but I purge by writing nonsense until I’m emotionally exhausted. Then I walk, hike, run, go to the beach or the woods. I look into birds’ eyes as I pass them. I sweat, I cold plunge. And if that still doesn’t work, I sleep.

What message or emotional response do you hope audiences walk away with after experiencing your work?
I hope they fall in love with our culture. I hope they’re inspired by the resilience and inherent beauty of our landscape and our history of survival. But most of all, I hope they’re entertained and feel something stir within them.

What are you working on right now the world needs to know about?
That Native Americans have survived the tragedies of colonialism and the generational fallout and we are still here. In many ways, all of humanity is now facing its own version of colonization through AI. I believe Native American history and current cultural values that have sustained our people through good and bad times, offers valuable lessons to help humanity navigate turbulent times and avoid repeating harmful patterns.

Where do you see yourself five years from now as a screenwriter—and how do you plan to get to that place?
I see myself writing comfortably across genres such as TV, film, and maybe even comedy. While I’ll continue writing Native stories, I’m also working on stories about adoption. Adopted, stepchild, or orphan characters are often portrayed as outsiders or even villains. These portrayals carry heavy emotional weight for real adoptees, birth families, and adoptive families. I want to tell their stories with nuance and compassion while entertaining.

What advice would you give to any aspiring writer hoping to follow in your footsteps?
Never give up, no matter what. Write like your life depends on it. Dig deep and find the truth that makes you feel raw, vulnerable, maybe even sick to your stomach when you think about sharing it. That’s the good stuff. That’s the real stuff. That’s the stuff we all share as human beings.