Go Into The Story

Video: Lulu Wang on “The Farewell”

The writer-director of the lauded indie film delves into

Screenwriting 101: Aline Brosh McKenna

“There are two things that are the mark of a great writer: How well you exposition and how well you do your transition.”

Daily Dialogue — September 10, 2019

“You’re on the radio!!!”

2019 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 9

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

The Problem with Script Literalists

“Stories are not a series of widgets. This fact disquiets a certain portion of writers who wish they could reduce writing a story to some…

Rewriting a Screenplay

Free downloadable Go Into The Story eBook by Scott Myers.

On Writing

“I have come to see this fear, this sense of my own imperilment by my creations, as not only an inevitable, necessary part of writing…

Daily Dialogue — September 9, 2019

“My name is Jordan Rivers and these here are the Soggy Bottom Boys outta Cottonelia Mississippi… Songs of Salvation to Salve the Soul. We…

2019 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 8

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

Where to start when developing a story?

As always, my advice is: Begin with your story’s characters.

Interview (Video): Todd Phillips

A Venice Film Festival press conference with Joker co-writer and director Todd Phillips and the movie’s start Joaquin Phoenix.

Script to Screen: “Witness”

The movie’s title exists for a reason: Samuel witnesses a brutal murder.

Daily Dialogue — September 8, 2019

Brodie: After all he’s done to you, you should still kinda stick it to him. T.S. Quint: How do you propose I do that? Brodie: You stink…

2019 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 7

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

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Pictorial Element

“Most tableaus, of course, have been done many times. It is up to you to think up new and unique ways of combining beauty with drama in…

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Radio

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,132 consecutive days and counting.

Spec Script Deal: “The Present”

AGC Studios acquires drama comedy fantasy spec script written by Jay Martel. Via Deadline:

Daily Dialogue — September 7, 2019

Jackie Brown: …the money won’t convict him, guns will. Max Cherry: You’re rationalizing. Jackie Brown: Well, that’s what you do to go…

2019 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 6

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

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Characters

Not every character is created equal, but how we treat each one is equally important.

Spec Script Deal: “Shut In:

New Line Cinema acquires thriller spec script “Shut In” written by Melanie Toast. From Deadline:

Writing and the Creative Life: Think Psychologically

What makes a story resonate emotionally with a reader or viewer?

Daily Dialogue — September 6, 2019

“Get down.”

2019 Zero Draft Thirty September Challenge: Day 5

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

Writer’s Life: Inside and Outside the Story Universe

“Sometimes we are inside the story universe, rubbing elbows with our characters, listening to and watching them. Sometimes we step outside…