Some of her most famous screen writes turned into productions include Shadows (1922), The Ancient Mariner (1925), The Plastic Age (1925), and The Spirit of Youth (1929).

Although she was most famous for her work in scenario writing she can also be given credit as an adapter, company director, editor, play reader, screenwriter, theatre actress, and writer.

Unsell underwent training as a journalist and magazine writer for the Kansas City Post and graduated from Christian College[3] in Columbia, Missouri.

Blasco, who cast her in the theatrical comedy Excuse Me, gave Unsell two years of on stage experience that would later help in her better understanding of acting and screen writing.

[4] Later that year Unsell signed a contract with Cecil DeMille and Jesse Lasky for what was then the Famous Players Film Company.

Unsell was a feminist and in a time when women had little representation in media she made a point to make both her male and female roles equally important in screen writes and other written works.

"Men are generally more successful in working out intricate plots, and supplying the broad sweeps of action, the masculine logic, and proper balance of the subject."

The women "successfully ‘doctor’ the scenarios, adding little touches that give that emotional values to the dramatic scenes, and the psychology of the character necessary for the ‘popular’ picture.