Go Into The Story

Update: 2017 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 42 Total!

Get these PDFs now before the links disappear.

Script To Screen: “Cinema Paradiso”

A wonderful scene from the 1988 movie Cinema Paradiso, screenplay by Giuseppe Tornatore and Vanna Paoli.

Writing and the Creative Life: 19 Daily Habits Of Artists…

I don’t usually go in for the numeric lists we see floating around social media with astounding — and sometimes annoying — frequency. You…

Daily Dialogue — December 22, 2017

Ron: Happy Christmas, Harry. Harry: Happy Christmas, Ron. (nods at Ron’s sweater) What are you wearing? Ron: Oh, Mom made it. (looks at…

Writing Goals: 2018 [Part 8] — First Draft

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2017 and will do in 2018.

Reader Question: Do characters “own” a scene?

Ownership is less important than underlying conflict between characters.

11 Free Go Into The Story eBooks

One GITS eBook for every month in 2017… all of ’em free!

Script To Screen: “The Cider House Rules”

The ending sequence from the 1999 movie The Cider House Rules, screenplay by John Irving based on his novel.

The Business of Screenwriting: Chilled White Whine

On March 7, 1988, the Writers Guild of America went on strike. It lasted 155 days and is the longest work stoppage in Guild history. Having…

Daily Dialogue — December 21, 2017

Chris gets into the car of Mr. Green, a drug dealer.

Writing Goals: 2018 [Part 7] — Time Management

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2017 and will do in 2018.

Analysis: 2017 Black List

A deep dive into the scripts named to this year’s annual Black List.

Script To Screen: “Chinatown”

The memorable ending of the classic 1974 movie Chinatown, written by Robert Towne.

Interview (Audio): Aaron Sorkin

The screenwriter turns director with his latest movie ‘Molly’s Game’.

Daily Dialogue — December 20, 2017

Lloyd: Why don’t you just give yourself up? Gus: What’d you say? Lloyd: Well, you’re not going to kill an entire family. It’s over. I mean…

Reader Question: What does a “bidding war” mean and how does that happen?

It can happen when more than one buyer wants a spec script.

2017 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge: Winners!

Some inventive loglines based on key words from 2017 Black List scripts.

Script To Screen: “Charade”

If you haven’t seen the 1963 movie Charade [screenplay by Peter Stone, story by Peter Stone and Marc Behm], you really should, a terrific…

Screenwriting 101: Liz W. Garcia

“I think there are two kinds of spec scripts. If you’re actually writing a spec script that you want to sell, then the story is everything…

Daily Dialogue — December 19, 2017

“What’s this? What’s this? There’s color everywhere! What’s this? There’s white things in the air! What’s this? I can’t believe my eyes, I…

Learn the Craft in 2018!

Start off your writing New Year strong by taking some of my Craft classes.

Writing Goals: 2018 [Part 6] — Schedule

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2017 and will do in 2018.

Reader Question: Do you have advice on handling money after first script sale?

That first deal is a breakthrough, not a career, so it pays to be money-wise.

Script To Screen: “Celeste & Jesse Forever”

A memorable scene from the 2012 movie Celeste & Jesse Forever, written Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.

On Writing

“Writing is not a matter of time, but a matter of space. If you don’t keep space in your head for writing, you won’t write even if you have…