Go Into The Story

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Hair

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,705 consecutive days and counting.

Daily Dialogue — July 7, 2018

Linus Larrabee: [slow dancing with Sabrina] How do you say in French my sister has a yellow pencil? Sabrina Fairchild: Ma soeur a un crayon…

Reader Question: Is it necessary to have scene description before dialogue?

Another supposed screenwriting ‘rule’ bites the dust!

2015 Screenwriters Roundtable

My conversation with Jessica Bendinger, Lindsay Devlin, Stephany Folsom, Liz W. Garcia, Julia Hart, and Lisa Joy.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 5: “Dallas Buyers Club”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Writing and the Creative Life: “The hard is what makes it great”

Wisdom about writing and creativity from the movie ‘A League of Their Own’.

Daily Dialogue — July 6, 2018

Joe Gillis: I’m not an executive, just a writer. Norma Desmond: You are, are you? Writing words, words, more words! Well, you’ll make a…

Reader Question: How to approach writing a story with multiple main characters?

Exploring three keys to writing multilinear screenplays.

2014 Screenwriters Roundtable

My conversation with Chris Borrelli, Brian Duffield, F. Scott Frazier, Chris McCoy, Justin Rhodes, and Greg Russo.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 4: “Spring Breakers”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

The Business of Screenwriting: Facing the odds

“You have to develop an iron stomach and steel spine: The former to fend off nerves when you take a risk, the latter to keep you unbowed…

Daily Dialogue — July 5, 2018

Ninotchka: Must you flirt? Leon: Well, I don’t have to, but I find it natural. Ninotchka: Suppress it.

Reader Question: What are the keys to a great opening scene?

How to grab the attention of a script reader right away?

2013 Go Into The Story Screenwriter Roundtable

My conversation with Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Chris McCoy, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, and John Swetnam.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 3: “Jane Eyre”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Script To Screen: “Flight”

A scene from the 2012 movie Flight, written by John Gatins.

Daily Dialogue — July 4, 2018

Peripetchikoff: No formula, NO DEAL! C.R. MacNamara: OK, NO DEAL! Borodenko: We do not need you! If we want Coca-cola, we invent it…

Reader Question: How do you handle songs in a screenplay?

Does including the title of a specific recorded song mark you as an amateur?

2012 Go Into The Story Screenwriter Roundtable

My conversation with Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Chris McCoy, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, and John Swetnam.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 2: “Prisoners”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!

Screenwriting 101: Jeff Lieber

“In my opinion, what separates good writers from great writers is the need to look at your own material and figure out what’s wrong with…

Daily Dialogue — July 3, 2018

Professor Bertram Potts: What’re you gonna do? Sugarpuss O’Shea: I’m going to show you what yum-yum is. Here’s yum. [kisses him] Here’s the…

Break your story in prep

My last Prep: From Concept to Outline workshop of 2018 begins July 9.

2011 Go Into The Story Screenwriter Roundtable

Conversation with Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Jeremiah Friedman, Nick Palmer, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, John Swetnam.

30 Days of Screenplays, Day 1: “The Way, Way Back”

Take up the challenge! Read 30 screenplays in 30 days!