Writing a Logline for a Character Driven Drama “Who’s your Protagonist? What is the distinctive issue they’re confronting, the source of their conflict? What is at the emotional core of…
Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 5) “The good news is that, in talented writers, I think theme comes out organically. It’s not something you have to force. But it is something…
Script To Screen: “There’s Something About Mary” One of the most memorable scenes from the 1998 comedy There’s Something About Mary [screenplay by Ed Decter & John J. Strauss and Peter…
Writing and the Creative Life: 4 Tips On Creativity From The Creator Of Calvin & Hobbes I saw this article in Fast Company a while back and in reading it, I realized how important comic strips have been in my adult life…
Daily Dialogue — June 21, 2019 Kilgore: Smell that? You smell that? Lance: What? Kilgore: Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. [kneels] I love the…
Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 4) “If I think too much about what my themes are, it becomes laborious, over the top, like hitting you over the head.”
Reader Question: How and when is it okay to use voice-over narration? The supposed Hollywood conventional wisdom is NOT to use V.O. narration.
What are you afraid of? The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these voices?
Daily Dialogue — June 20, 2019 Bull Meechum: Okay, hogs. I’ve listened to you bellyache about moving to this new town. This said bellyaching will end as of 15:30 hours…
Tweetstorm: Monica Beletsky on Writing a One-Hour TV Drama Script “This is NOT a how-to. This is just what works for me.”
Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 3) “I don’t necessarily start with theme, but by the time I’m done — I always have one. And often, writing a script shows me what my theme is…
The Persistent Writers Hall of Fame: Adrian McKinty This is an amazing story of a novelist who almost gave up his writer’s dream only to have a pair of established writers encourage him… and…
“When you come to a fork in the road… take it.” Who knew baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra was a writing guru?
Great Scene: “2001: A Space Odyssey” The use of a tool… violence against others… and the dawn of man.
Daily Dialogue — June 19, 2019 “I think now, looking back, we did not fight the enemy; we fought ourselves. And the enemy was in us. The war is over for me now, but it…
Short Films and The Hero’s Journey Pixar shows it’s possible to adapt Hero’s Journey in short form storytelling.
Black List writers on the craft: Theme (Part 2) “I’m personally a big fan of knowing what your theme is before starting. I think they can arise as you tell the story, but writing within…
Screenwriting and Psychology Characters drive Story, therefore, it’s imperative for writers to be ‘armchair psychologists’ when crafting a narrative.
Script To Screen: “Thelma & Louise” One of the most memorable movie endings in the last quarter century: Thelma & Louise (1990), written by Callie Khouri.
Screenwriting 101: Amy Tofte That’s the one thing that screenwriters all understand, I think. There have been people who say, ‘It’s the hardest kind of writing to do…
Daily Dialogue — June 18, 2019 “Keep the sand out of your weapons. Keep those actions clear. I’ll see you on the beach.”
Prep: From Concept to Outline — “It works!” I’m only offering one more Prep workshop this year, so check it out.
