Go Into The Story

The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

My one-week online class begins Monday, May 13th.

Writing Mantra: “The story rules”

The first and last commandment of writing.

Go Into The Story Resource: Conversations With Billy Wilder

A 28-part journey through the wonderful book “Conversations with Billy Wilder” focusing on the master filmmaker’s take on screenwriting…

Reader Question: What to do when you feel out of touch with creative energy?

“Be sure not to overlook an obvious consideration: Do you have a strong emotional connection to the story you’re writing?”

On Writing

“When I’m thinking about these more abstract, philosophical questions, I start thinking about scenarios that might dramatize them, and…

Daily Dialogue — May 6, 2019

Eli Sunday: We have a sinner with us here who wishes for salvation. Daniel, are you a sinner? Plainview: Yes. Eli Sunday: Oh, the Lord…

Good point re Amanda.

Your take on the mahjong game is spot on. The fact Rachel *does* excel at a “complex Chinese game” demonstrates Rachel has in a way…

Great catch, Rose!

This is one of the strengths of dialogue, when it reveals character. And when you can set up where a character is relative to their ongoing…

Cameron and Rose, the point about honesty is noteworthy.

Hmm. More food for thought…

Screenwriting News (April 29-May 5, 2019)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

Script To Screen: “Schindler’s List”

From the 1993 movie Schindler’s List (screenplay by Steve Zaillian, based on the novel by Thomas Keneally).

Go Into The Story Resource: Interviews

Over the years, I have interviewed over 100 screenwriters, filmmakers, and industry insiders.

Go Into The Story Script Reading & Analysis: “Crazy Rich Asians”

The entire 6 part series on the smash hit romantic comedy.

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: Character On The Screen [Part 2]

“Failure to concentrate on this essential of plot making (developing of character) has been responsible for the wishy-washy substance of…

Daily Dialogue —May 5, 2019

“They don’t give a damn for you, not your wife, not the priest, none of your friends, none of your friends, they’d let me blow your head…

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 389th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

Go Into The Story Resource: Daily Dialogue

The Daily Dialogue series not only as great information to aid in our dialogue-writing practice, each daily post reminds us of some great…

Script Analysis: “Crazy Rich Asians” — Part 6: Takeaways

Read the script for the smash hit romantic comedy and analyze it this week.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Baptism

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,006 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Video): John Patrick Shanley

The Season 7 episode of the PBS series “On Story” with the screenwriter of Moonstruck, Joe Versus the Volcano, and Doubt.

Daily Dialogue — May 4, 2019

Man in Black: All right. Where is the poison? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both drink, and find out who is…

The mahjong scene is inspired, no doubt, with the game as a BOB (Bit Of Business) which provides…

“I’m so Chinese I’m an econ professor with lactose intolerance.”

Thanks for that, Steven.

Thanks, too, for your variations on Protagonist arcs. To be sure, there are all sorts of arcs: Negative arcs; stories in which Protagonists…

Mike, that’s a great question, one I’d never considered and would move Lecter into the realm of…

More likely, this falls into the category of “you’re allowed one coincidence per story,” so why not make it a BIG one!

Reader Question: How insane is it for a 46 year-old to try to start a Hollywood writing career?

It’s crazy, but then it’s crazy for ANYONE to expect to break into Hollywood.