NYWIFT Blog

By Kate Dolan

Welcome to NYWIFT, Toni Manohar!

Toni is a passionate creative and writer, working on fiction and non-fiction works, screenplays, and original piano compositions. 

By day, she is a technical writer and project manager in the pharmaceutical industry, but her creative endeavors occupy her nights and weekends. Writing and creating good stories has been a dream of Toni’s since she was a child, and one that she continues to pursue. 

She’s excited to be a part of this community and to connect with the like-minded filmmakers of NYWIFT!

Welcome to NYWIFT! Please introduce yourself briefly to our readers.

My name is Antonia Manohar. By day, I’m a technical writer/project manager in the pharmaceutical industry. By night (and most weekends), I’m a passionate creative—writing nonfiction and fiction books, screenplays, and original piano compositions. I can’t imagine my life without these outlets.

I’m in my forties, but I’ve had a passion for writing since I was a child, and I’m not giving up on this dream to create good stories. What drew me to New York Women in Film & Television was that there are other like-minded independent filmmakers of all ages.

What inspired you to join NYWIFT?

Honestly, what inspired me to join NYWIFT was hearing so many amazing women directors, writers, and producers talk about how impactful this community has been for them. At first, I wasn’t sure if I really qualified, as someone still starting out on this journey. But then I discovered the Next Wave program—and realized NYWIFT is also about championing those who are ready to take the next step forward.

I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this community of women in film and television, and it motivates me to keep pushing forward on my own path.

I want to thank NYWIFT for this incredible opportunity—I feel honored to be part of such an inspiring community.

What inspires you as a writer?

What really inspires me as a writer is the chance to tell stories that matter—stories that feel relevant and can make an impact. After spending a decade navigating the corporate world, I turned those experiences into my comedy Corporate America. I wrote it back in 2021, when “return to office” was the hot topic, this was central to the story, but I wanted it to go deeper than just workplace humor. At its core, it’s also about workers’ rights.

Are there specific projects that you’ve found the most rewarding or challenging?

Rewind back to when I studied writing for my M.A. I chose to write a creative nonfiction book about a girl I met, Erin, who had lupus. It so happens that I was friends with the researchers at Temple studying this disease. I juxtaposed their research with Erin’s personal story. My hope was always that the story could raise awareness and connect with people on a deeper level than just facts on the page.

Also, writing and producing my own short film has definitely been both challenging and rewarding. I took a scene from my feature script Corporate America and expanded it into a short, which gave me the chance to really bring the story to life. I learned so much about what it actually takes to make a short film. It was so much fun and I loved every minute of it.

As a project manager, what tasks do you find yourself working on?

My background as a technical writer and project manager has actually been a huge asset to both my creative writing and filmmaking. I go by a 500-word/day rule when I’m writing a novel: I have to write at least 500 words every day. It may be the worst 500 words ever written, but I go back later and take what is good and throw away the rest and write another 500 words.

When it comes to screenwriting, my project management side kicks in. I tend to break a script down into smaller, manageable outline— whether by act or by key story points, such as turning points. This initial plan goes through many iterations, but working as a technical writer/project manager helps with this organizational writing.

Are there any projects you are currently working on or would like to work on in the future? 

Currently, my main goal is to get my feature script Corporate America off the ground. That project means so much to me, and I don’t want it to just sit on a shelf. Yes, I still am working on a new short film about AI, and I do have more ideas for future features, but the Corporate America feature script is my most imminent goal.

Watch the trailer for Toni’s short RTO on Vimeo, and connect with her on Instagram at  @dibonamanohar and on Facebook at Toni DiBona Manohar.