Go Into The Story

“Make Me Care”

It’s probably the greatest story commandment because if a script reader cares about your characters, they will buy into your story. If they…

Page One: ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ (2010)

Screenplay by Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright, graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Writing Goals: 2020 [Part 2] — Assessing Where You Are

Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2020 and will do in 2021.

Spec Script Deal: “Switchboard”

Newly formed production company Dark Hell acquires horror spec script “Switchboard” written by Devon Grave. Via THR:

Page One: ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)

Written for the screen by Roman Polanski, novel by Ira Levin

Writing Goals: 2021 [Part 1] — Looking Back

Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2020 and will do in 2021.

On Writing

“Writers must labor from a vague feeling, usually some large, old emotion, and in so laboring, come to understand the qualities of that…

Page One: ‘Romancing the Stone’ (1984)

Written by Diane Thomas

Sundays with Ray Bradbury

“I can imagine all kinds of worlds and places, but I cannot imagine a world without Bradbury.” — Neil Gaiman

Dumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: Listen to a Movie

Let’s say you have a moment of clarity. You admit to yourself that your ability to write dialogue could use a boost.

Page One: ‘Roma’ (2018)

Written by Alfonso Cuarón

“Know your genre”

If you want to write in a genre, you’re wise to immerse yourself in it.

60 Second Screenwriter: What is ‘high concept?’

A video series addressing key screenwriting concerns in sixty seconds.

Page One: ‘Rocky’ (1976)

Written by Sylvester Stallone

Writing and the Creative Life: “Why You Should Write Three Pages of Garbage Every Morning”

“Freewriting forces you to keep moving forward, keep creating, without a thought given to quality.”

Dumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: Highlight Your Verbs

I featured this bit of wisdom from screenwriter Larry Ferguson before here, the key quote being:

Page One: ‘ Reservoir Dogs’ (1992)

Written by Quentin Tarantino, background radio dialogue written by Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary

Update: Online Song Lyric Generators

This post may be of interest to a small niche among writers, but if you are writing a script that involves someone who is a songwriter. Or…

The Business of Screenwriting: Cynicism

“In a town built on dreams, all too often they turn into nightmares. Somebody gets screwed. Just the way it is. And that’s why cynicism is…

Page One: ‘Rear Window’ (1954)

Screenplay by John Michael Hayes, based on the short story by Cornell Woolrich

Go Into The Story interview: David Boxerbaum

An extended conversation with one of Hollywood’s top agents

Two Writing Functions: Receptive and Executive

One that allows your characters to come alive. One to craft sentences which draw the reader into the scene.

Page One: ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman

Ha! Yes, maybe making oneself uncomfortable can not only shake up one's creativity, it could also…

Good luck with that, Lawson!

Ana, you raise a good point.

The content is the important thing. From a pragmatic perspective — dealing with script readers, managers, agents, development execs — we do…