Go Into The Story

On Writing

“First you look for discipline and control. You want to exercise your will, bend the language your way, bend the world your way. You want…

Daily Dialogue — June 17, 2019

“What are your legs? Springs. Steel springs. What are they going to do? Hurl me down the track. How fast can you run? As fast as a leopard…

Screenwriting News (June 10-June 16, 2019)

The week’s writing deals and movie project news.

Script To Screen: “The Terminator”

The beginning of the 1984 film The Terminator, written by James Cameron & Gale Anne Hurd.

Reflections on “Constructive Critique”

All the screenwriting classes I teach have some sort of workshop component to them, where participants are invited or depending upon the…

Screenwriting Advice From The Past: The Kinds Of Stories That Sell [Part 2]

“In writing for a producer, try to conform to the type of picture he has been making.”

Interview (Video): Gale Anne Hurd

The Season 8 episode of the PBS series “On Story” with producer Gale Anne Hurd who also co-wrote the original The Terminator.

Daily Dialogue — June 16, 2019

Guy: What dive is he gonna do? Coach Turnbull: The Triple Lindy.

Reader Question: Should I write a science fiction script on spec or not?

I get this question occasionally, something like this:

Daily Dialogue theme next week: Military

Join the Daily Dialogue crew: 4,048 consecutive days and counting.

Interview (Audio): Stephany Folsom

A conversation with the screenwriter of Pixar’s Toy Story 4.

Daily Dialogue — June 15, 2019

Jimmy: You stay under water for three minutes. If you can do it, I’ll just nick you. [brandishes switchblade] But if you can’t, I’ll poke…

On Writing: The Difference Between Personal History and Backstory

As writers, we immerse ourselves in the lives of our characters. We get curious and ask questions about them and to them, searching for…

Great Scene: “Source Code”

The 2011 movie Source Code, written by Ben Ripley, is a good example of a ‘big’ science fiction movie wrapped in a ‘small’ context. No…

Set-up and Payoffs

One of the most important narrative elements screenwriters have available to us is set-ups and payoffs. The basic idea is this: We…

How to Generate and Critique Story Ideas (Part 10): Challenge Yourself

Challenge yourself to come up with a killer story concept. Set a timer. Lock yourself in a room with no distractions. Go away for the…

Writing and the Creative Life: Perspiration and Inspiration

Sometimes it’s all about the work. Sometimes it’s all about the un-work.

Daily Dialogue — June 14, 2019

“Yes, this is Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, California. It’s about 5 0'clock in the morning. That’s the homicide squad, complete with…

The Business of Screenwriting: Your first big check

It is March, 1987. I am here, the Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Blvd. It’s 1PM. I am meeting one of my agents for lunch. For dessert: My…

Sonata Form and Three-Act Structure

Musical echoes of story structure.

Go Inward, Go Onward

“As you unfold as an artist, just keep on, quietly and earnestly, growing through all that happens to you. You cannot disrupt this process…

The Pomodoro Technique: Write More Efficiently

I often get asked how I manage to handle all the stuff I do. I write. I teach, both as an assistant professor at the DePaul University…

How to Generate and Critique Story Ideas (Part 9): Test Your Concept

Here are five questions you can ask about any idea you come up with to help determine if it’s something worth pursuing as a script.

The Business of Screenwriting: You always need more than one in your gun

We are seated in the reception area at the sprawling office of two TV producers. They have a new show in production for CBS and we’re…

Daily Dialogue — June 13, 2019

James Leeds: Sarah… Sarah! I am falling… into the pool with you!