Go Into The Story

The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

My one-week online class begins Monday, January 8th.

Tweetstorm: Jeffrey Lieber on How a Pilot Script Works

“A pilot is a hyper-specific world + a hyper-specific character(s) + incident…”

Script Analysis: “Get Out” — Part 3: Characters

Read the script for the hit social thriller movie and analyze it all this week.

2018 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 2

A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!

Script To Screen: “The Crying Game”

The escape attempt in The Crying Game (written by Neil Jordan).

Daily Dialogue — January 3, 2018

“All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most…

Tweetstorm: Paul Guyot on Writing Plans

“Because it’s not about a new year, it’s about a new attitude.”

Script Analysis: “Get Out” — Part 2: Plot

Read the script for the hit social thriller movie and analyze it all this week.

2018 Dialogue-Writing Challenge: Day 1

A chance for you to work on your dialogue chops and win free prizes!

Screenwriting 101: Charles Brancanto

“It’s very simple: Writers, write. You don’t have to write eight hours a day to be a writer, you have to actually write 10 minutes a day…

Daily Dialogue — January 2, 2018

“I’ve got his trunk all packed. I’ve had it packed for a week now.”

The Golden Globes are this Sunday and for some inexplicable reason, Get Out is nominated for a best…

Granted, there is humor in Get Out, but its exploration of racism is no laughing matter. For background on this issue, check out this…

Quick observation to kick things off: The story structure is classic Hero’s Journey:

Separation: Chris departs his city life, accompanying Rose to the Extraordinary World — her parents’ home.

Complications, Roadblocks, and Reversals

In a story, a reader wants to see the Protagonist overcome obstacles along the way. Here are three ways for you to approach writing those…

2017 Lists

As you attempt to revive yourself after yesterday’s New Year’s Eve festivities, why not take a few moments to get in touch with your inner…

Script Analysis: “Get Out” — Part 1: Scene By Scene Breakdown

Read the script for the hit social thriller movie and analyze it all this week.

Daily Dialogue 2018

All of the Daily Dialogue posts from 2018.

On Writing

“Young writers often confuse dialogue with conversation, under the assumption that the closer you get to reality, the more convincing you…

Daily Dialogue — January 1, 2018

Eve Gill: Any sign of the police? Jonathan Cooper: No, no sign. Looks like we’re getting away with it. Eve Gill: Good. Jonathan Cooper: How…

“Go within yourself…”

Words of wisdom from the poet Rainer Maria Rilke.

The Business of Screenwriting

Free downloadable Go Into The Story eBook by Scott Myers.

More Movies Like This, Please: 2017 List

I started something in 2012. Whenever I saw a new movie I liked, I would jump onto Twitter, identify the movie, then simply tweet: “More…

Interview (Video): Alvin Sargent

Conversation with veteran screenwriter whose movie credits run the gamut from Paper Moon and Ordinary People to Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man…

Daily Dialogue — December 31, 2017

Ted the Bellhop: A block of wood. Chester: [raps it with his knuckles] Continue. Ted the Bellhop: Three nails. Norman: Why three nails…

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Flashback

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 3,516 consecutive days and counting.