Go Into The Story

How A24 took over Hollywood

A video overview of the successful movie and television production and distribution company.

A Therapist Shares Mental Health Tips for Striking Writers

“Learning to tolerate anxiety, to not know what will happen but still move forward, is a valuable skill for writers, as it’s always been an…

Of Beginnings and Endings

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

Page One: “Duel” (1971)

Written by Richard Matheson

The Protagonist’s Journey: Character Arc

An excerpt from my book The Protagonist’s Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling.

“The only way out is through”

Imagine the process of writing a story as being a journey. Perhaps as you embark on your adventure, you have a map — an outline or beat…

“They’re Scared”

5,000-Plus Demonstrators Rally In L.A. to Support Writers Strike.

24/7/365

When you’re a writer, you’re basically never NOT working.

Page One: “Eighth Grade” (2018)

Written by Bo Burnham

Harrison Ford on why we love Indiana Jones

The cast of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny has been making the rounds to drum up publicity for the latest installment in the…

Reader Question: How to handle the passage of time in a script?

Time management can be a big concern in a screenplay.

Deadline’s Strike Talk Podcast

Episode 7: Billy Ray talks with AI, specifically CHATGPT4, designed — by its own admission — to “replace screenwriters.”

Script To Screen: “The Thin Man”

A scene in the first in a series of successful Thin Man movies and, of course, it features drinking alcohol… or the aftermath thereof.

Page One: “Drugstore Cowboy” (1989)

Screenplay by Gus Van Sant and Daniel Yost, novel by James Fogle

The Protagonist’s Journey: Narrative Imperative

An excerpt from my book The Protagonist’s Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling.

Writing Tip: To Write, Stop Thinking

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

An Apple TV+ Executive Talks Streaming, the Strike & Global Television

This Q&A shows how far removed execs are from the experience of actual human beings who write and create TV and film stories.

Screenwriting 101: Steven Soderbergh

“I may be the Neville Chamberlain of this subject, but I am not afraid of A.I. in this specific context. It has no life experience. It’s…

Page One: “Drag Me to Hell” (2009)

Written by Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi

Tim, what you write is both painful and true.

It may not be many writers, but the fact remains, if you write something the companies want, that is a clear opening to breaking into the…

My Teaching Schedule

Two online workshops this summer… my only ones in 2023! Plus, my series of 10 one-week online Craft classes!

Writing Tips: Deep Work vs. Shallow Work

As writers, we need to protect time for the former from the encroachment of the latter. Here are four strategies to do precisely that.

Why We Strike

Read stories from Hollywood writers about how the companies have broken the business.

On Writing

“Writing can be a very dramatic pursuit, full of catastrophes and disasters and emotion and attempts that fail. My path as a writer became…

Page One: “Draft Day” (2014)

Written by Scott Rothman & Rajiv Joseph