Go Into The Story

How to Generate and Critique Story Ideas (Part 1): What if…

The two most important words for generating story ideas.

On Writing

A story is, after all, and before everything else, dynamic: it starts Here, because it’s going There. Its life principle is the same as a…

Daily Dialogue — June 3, 2019

“She was an actress. She did this big movie when she was younger, then she had me. Just the two of us. And the acting wasn’t enough for…

Steven, you’ve contributed a new term to the screenwriting lexicon: Template Guru.

But what about the characters? What about their Psychological Journey? If there is Dialogue, there is Subtext. If there is Action, there is…

Screenwriting News (May 27-June 2, 2019)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

To Write, Stop Thinking

Think character. Think plot. Think theme. But when you sit down to write, don’t think… feel.

Go Into The Story Resources

The very best posts and series from the website’s archives.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The “Interest” [Part 2]

“To inspire emotion in your audience you must have been inspired with emotion yourself… Make yourself feel the things you are writing…

Video: Quentin Tarantino Writing Masterclass (A collection of advice)

A 50-minute video aggregating Tarantino’s ruminations about screenwriting from a variety of sources.

Daily Dialogue — June 2, 2019

Old Joe: Nobody makes strawberry chocolate pie the way you do. Wednesday’s my favorite day of the week, ’cause I get to have a slice of it…

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 393rd installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

This is something you can do because this is something you have done!

I get email:

Spec Script Deal: “Don’t Go in the Water”

Universal Pictures acquires horror spec script “Don’t Go in the Water” written by Peter Gaffney. From Deadline:

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Teacher

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,034 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Video): Mark Frost

The Season 8 episode of the PBS series “On Story” with screenwriter and novelist Mark Frost best known for co-writing Twin Peaks.

Daily Dialogue — June 1, 2019

“You want to hear about our specials? We don’t have any.”

Reading a Screenplay: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

There are multiple layers to any story. The more you dig, the deeper your understanding.

Go Into The Story Resource: Great Scenes

When you boil it down, screenwriting is scene-writing. Hone your scene-writing ability by studying these scenes.

Script To Screen: “Short Term 12”

Sometimes you can say it… not show it.

“When the student is ready, the teacher arrives”

In the Protagonist’s journey, they usually get the Mentor they need.

Writing and the Creative Life: Of Beginnings and Endings

Remember when you first came up with the story idea you’re currently writing? How great that felt?

Daily Dialogue — May 31, 2019

Goldie Wilson: [rushes up to George] Say! Why do you let those boys push you around like that for? George McFly: Well, they’re bigger than…

Beginning. Middle. End.

In Poetics, Aristotle wrote, “A whole [story] is what has a beginning and middle and end.” His articulation of each of these three parts…

Go Into The Story Resource: Screenwriting 101

Hundreds of observations about the craft of screenwriting from professional writers.

Scene Description Spotlight: “The Matrix”

Still for my money, one of the best scripts for action-writing. The Wachowskis use the basic elements of visual writing — strong verbs and…