Go Into The Story

Reader Question: When can you stop tinkering with a script and finally say “done”?

And for a writer, what the hell does “done” mean?

Everything You Wanted to Know About Spec Scripts

Free downloadable Go Into The Story eBook.

Writing and the Creative Life: “The incurable disease of writing”

Did you realize that writers are ten times more likely to be bipolar than the rest of the population?

Daily Dialogue — July 19, 2019

“I can’t be like this, Frankie. Not after what I’ve done. I’ve seen the world. People chanted my name. Well, not my name… some damn name…

Your story’s emotional life

When people watch a movie, they want to FEEL something.

People Don’t Actually Like Remakes, but Studios Keep Making Them

Why, you ask? This Vice article suggests the prime mover is audience nostalgia. There’s another big reason…

The Business of Screenwriting: Anatomy of a Deal (Part 1)

I’ve sold several pitches in Hollywood. This was the first.

Daily Dialogue — July 18, 2019

“It’s past ten. My daughter is in pain. I don’t understand why she has to have this pain. All she has to do is hold out until ten, and IT’S…

Three Things About Screenplay Structure

Do not let page count concerns stifle your creativity… or your story.

Script To Screen: “The Truman Show”

From the 1998 movie The Truman Show, written by Andrew Nichol.

Spec Script Deal: “The Unheard”

Burn Later Productions acquires horror spec script “The Unheard” written by Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen. Via The Wrap:

Daily Dialogue — July 17, 2019

“You and I are gonna move my father to another room.”

Screenwriting Lessons from ‘American Pie’

Specifically the scene featuring an apple pie. Yeah, that scene.

“You just muscle it out”

Advice on writing the first draft from writer-director Darren Aronofsky.

Screenwriting 101: Alfonso Cuarón

“I think as screenwriters we need to recognize that this particular art in which narrative is constraining time, that’s something I find…

Daily Dialogue — July 16, 2019

Perry: How about you, Harry, did your father love you? Harry: Ah, sometimes, like when I dressed up like a bottle. How about yours? Perry…

Deep Work vs. Shallow Work

As writers, we need to protect time for the former from the encroachment of the latter. Here are four strategies to do precisely that.

Black List writers on the craft: Characters

“As I pull the story together, the characters start coming to life and each informs the other.”

On Writing

“We’re all born with an imagination. Everybody gets one. And I really believe — this is just from years of daily writing — that good…

Daily Dialogue — July 15, 2019

Pray God you can cope I’ll stand outside This woman’s work This woman’s world Ooooh it’s hard on a man Now his part is over Now starts the…

Screenwriting Theory

Plot. Concept. Character. Style. Dialogue. Scene. Theme. Time.

Interview (Video): Quentin Tarantino

Several videos featuring the writer-director talking about his new movie Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.

Black List writers on the craft: Characters (Part 5)

“I don’t care if your character is likable — I only care if he or she or it is interesting and entertaining and engaging. That’s all that…

Daily Dialogue — July 14, 2019

“I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel, a free…

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: What to Write and Not to Write [Part 2]

“Almost every conceivable situation has occurred to a writer somewhere in the past. You can, however, get a new story by adding a new…