Go Into The Story

Reader Question: How do I ‘find’ the characters in my stories?

A twist on the old saying, “Seeing is believing.”

Script Analysis: “Mudbound” — Part 2: Plot

Read the script for the critically acclaimed indie film and analyze it all this week.

2018 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 27

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Screenwriting 101: Seth Lochhead

“I think story concept is important to the commercial viability of a screenplay because we all say it is — that’s the culture of Hollywood…

Daily Dialogue — March 27, 2018

“You dirt-eating piece of slime, you scum-sucking pig, you son of a motherless goat!”

Let me kick this off by saying the challenge of adapting this novel as a screenplay was really hard.

If you haven’t seen the movie, check it out on Netflix. And, of course, read the script.

Write a Worthy Nemesis

Workshop your story’s antagonist character in my 1-week online course. Begins Monday, April 2nd.

Script Analysis: “Mudbound” — Part 1: Scene By Scene Breakdown

Read the script for the critically acclaimed indie film and analyze it all this week.

2018 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 26

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

On Writing

“There are no hard and fast rules for writing, and no secret tricks, because what works for one person doesn’t always work for another…

Daily Dialogue — March 26, 2018

“You pompous, stuck-up, snot-nosed, English, giant, twerp, scumbag, fuck-face, dickhead, asshole.”

Go Into The Story Interview: Kristen Gray-Rockmaker

My interview with the 2017 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Screenwriting News (March 19-March 25, 2018)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

2018 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 25

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Interview (Written): Geneva Robertson-Dworet

A conversation with the screenwriter of the Lara Croft reboot Tomb Raider.

Daily Dialogue — March 25, 2018

“Stick with me, I’ll make you a repo wife.”

Saturday Hot Links

Time for the 334th installment of Saturday Hot Links, your week’s essential reading about movies, TV, streaming, Hollywood, and other…

Interview (Part 6): Kristen Gray-Rockmaker, 2017 Nicholl Winner

My 6-part talk with the writer of the script “Last Days of Winter”.

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Trash Talk

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,600 consecutive days and counting.

2018 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 24

One month. FADE IN to FADE OUT. Creativity meets Productivity.

Spec Script Deal: “The Beast”

The H Collective acquires horror thriller spec script “The Beast” written by Aaron W. Sala. From Deadine:

Daily Dialogue — March 24, 2018

Billy: What's the matter with your fucking gun? Charlie: Gets jammed sometimes. Billy: At the fucking standoff? Charlie: Paolo, shoot him…

Dave, I’ve been listening to jazz a lot more in the last several years for a lot of reasons, not…

If you like the jazz series, there’s another I have: Songwriters on Songwriting. You can check it out here.

Writing and the Creative Life: Look… don’t overlook

“We usually don’t look. We overlook.” — Alan Watts

Interview: Joe Kelly

My conversation with the screenwriter of the new movie I Kill Giants.