Screenwriting 101: Haley Bartels

“I come from a prose background. I love language. I love finding the perfect verb, the punchiest verb that doesn’t just tell you what’s happening, but gives you the feel of the language, so as to almost have this onomatopoeia effect and be as visceral as possible.

I take a lot of joy in that, in trying to write as viscerally as possible so that the action lines convey feeling. I feel like, at least in my work, so much of the character is in the action.

Maybe people gloss over it sometimes, but I always appreciate those moments, little moments in a script that are just a glance between characters.

We see that they’re picking at their cuticles or doing some little charactery‑something that informs their state without someone saying, ‘I’m anxious,’ right? I mean it’s Show, Don’t Tell‑101.”

— Haley Bartels

From Go Into The Story interview, February 2022

For 100s more screenwriter quotes on the craft, go here.

The Protagonist’s Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling is a 5-star rated Amazon #1 Best Seller in Film and Television. Endorsed by over thirty professional screenwriters, novelists, and academics, you may purchase it here.