Go Into The Story

Writing Wisdom from Akira Kurosawa

“You need to get used to the task of writing. You must make an effort to learn to regard it not as something painful, but as routine.”

Screenwriting 101: Scott Rothman

“I believe in a very thorough outline, of really cracking the story. I think that’s where you make your money. That’s where the thing…

Page One: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” (2020)

Written by Aaron Sorkin

Go Into The Story Resource: Great Characters

Need inspiration? Here are 100+ articles analyzing great movie characters.

Script Analysis: “First Cow” — Part 1: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

A week-long analysis of the script for the lauded indie movie by writer-director Kelly Reichardt. Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown Tuesday:

Do query letters still work?

The odds are long, but query letters can work if you make it part of a holistic strategy of which the single most important part is this…

On Writing

“Assuming that you are a professional and that you know how to write, why would you be unable to do so? If an electrician said, I have…

Page One: “Tenet” (2020)

Written by Christopher Nolan

Sundays with Stephen King’s “On Writing”

A series featuring reflections on writing from the famed author’s memoir.

Go Into The Story Resource: 140 Scene-Writing Prompts

At a fundamental level, screenwriting is scene-writing. Use these prompts to improve your scene-writing chops.

Scene Description Spotlight: “Unforgiven”

The ‘folksy’ narrative voice in sync with the movie’s Western genre and a clean read with strong bursts of imagematic writing.

Interview (Video): Liz Hannah

From Season 11 of the PBS series “On Story”.

Page One: “Sound of Metal (2019)

Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder, story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance

Go Into The Story Resource: Reader Questions

Nearly 300 questions on virtually any subject related to screenwriting with my responses and feedback from Go Into The Story readers.

What is the conflict in the scene?

Fact: There is almost nothing less entertaining than a scene with zero conflict and the characters all in agreement with each other.

Spec Script Deal: “Stay Frosty”

Warner Bros. acquires action spec script “Stay Frosty” written by Tyler Marceca. Via Deadline:

The Tactile Experience of Writing

Words. Created. On. Paper.

Page One: “Soul” (2020)

Screenplay by Pete Docter & Mike Jones & Kemp Powers, story by Pete Docter & Mike Jones & Kemp Powers

Go Into The Story Resource: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs

A 20 part series, essential reading for anyone who is writing and hoping to sell a spec script.

Screenplays Are Stories, Not Formulas

“If you go in with formula, you come out with formula.”

Screenplay Structure Simplified

“Plot is critical, but how a writer gets to plot is even more critical.”

Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 2: The intriguing thing here is that while we, as writers, are thinking about emotions and psychology, much of it apparently boils…

Page One: “Palm Springs” (2020)

Screenplay by Andy Siara, story by Max Barbakow and Andy Siara

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 and…

The Theology of Cinema: Hell

“What if we think of Act Two as Hell?”