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Screenwriting 101: Scott Frank

"The best writing is also subconscious where you don't know that you're doing it, and you don't realize you've done it. That's a few...

writing

Sep 11, 2025
Dialogue-Writing Workshop

My one-week online workshop focusing on writing dialogue begins September 22.

writing

Sep 11, 2025
Page One: "Prey" (2022)

Screenplay by Patrick Aison, story by Patrick Aison & Dan Trachtenberg, based on characters by Jim Thomas & John Thomas

writing

Sep 11, 2025
Script Analysis: "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Sep 10, 2025
On Writing

"A writer who has never explored words, who has never searched, seeded, sieved, sifted through his knowledge and memory, dictionaries...

writing

Sep 10, 2025
Page One: "Predators" (2010)

Written by Alex Litvak & Michael Finch, characters by Jim Thomas & John Thomas

writing

Sep 10, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Scott Frank

"What I do is read and re-read the book [he's adapting], then read it again, only this time marking it out with thoughts as to what I want...

writing

film

Sep 09, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Renee Pillai

Renee Pillai wrote the original screenplay "Boy With Kite" which won a 2019 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. I had the opportunity to...

Sep 09, 2025
Page One: "The Predator" (2018)

Written by Fred Dekker & Shane Black, based on characters created by Jim Thomas & John Thomas

writing

comics

Sep 09, 2025
Script Analysis: "Flight" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Sep 08, 2025
On Writing

"To gain your own voice, forget about having it heard. Become a saint of your own province and your own consciousness."

writing

Sep 08, 2025
Page One: "Predator 2" (1990)

Written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas

writing

Sep 08, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Joe Forte

"There's a phrase you hear in Hollywood: 'It's a movie.' I didn't really understand that phrase when I first came into the business. It's...

writing

film

Sep 07, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Wenonah Wilms

Wenonah Wilms wrote the original screenplay "Horsehead Girls" which won a 2018 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. I had the opportunity...

Sep 07, 2025
Page One: "Predator" (1987)

Written by Jim Thomas & John Thomas

writing

Sep 07, 2025
Script Analysis: "Destroyer" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Sep 06, 2025
On Writing

"The most beautiful things are those that madness prompts and reason writes."

writing

Sep 06, 2025
Page One: "Porky's Revenge" (1985)

Written by Ziggy Steinberg, based on characters by Bob Clark

writing

Sep 06, 2025
Page One: "Porky's Revenge" (1985)

Written by Ziggy Steinberg, based on characters by Bob Clark

writing

Sep 06, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Grace Sherman

Grace Sherman wrote the original screenplay "Numbers and Words" which won a 2018 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. I had the opportunity...

writing

Sep 05, 2025
What to do when you feel out of touch with your creative energy

When a creative spark seems so very far, far... FAR... away...

creativity

writing

Sep 05, 2025
Page One: "Postcards from the Edge" (1990)

Written by Carrie Fisher

writing

Sep 05, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Invitation" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Sep 04, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: What to do if your movie sucks

"I don't care how expensive your shrink is or how good they are, when confronted with a story — your story — as a movie and it both sucks...

writing

Sep 04, 2025
Page One: "The Post" (2017)

Written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer

writing

Sep 04, 2025
TED Talk: J.J. Abrams

In 2007, J.J. Abrams (Alias, Lost, Super 8) gave a TED Talk. I'm sure some of you have seen it. However, like many great presentations...

creativity

writing

Sep 03, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Joey Clarke, Jr.

Joey Clarke Jr. wrote the original screenplay "Miles" which won a 2018 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. I had the opportunity to chat...

Sep 03, 2025
Page One: "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972)

Screenplay by Stirling Silliphant & Wendell Mayes, novel by Paul Gallico

writing

Sep 03, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Joe Forte

"If you just define yourself as a screenwriter, and you have a bad day as a screenwriter, then that's your whole world. You're building...

writing

Sep 02, 2025
Script Analysis: "Elvis" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Sep 02, 2025
Page One: "Police Academy 3: Back in Training" (1986)

Written by Gene Quintano, characters created by Neal Israel & Pat Proft

writing

Sep 02, 2025
How To Read A Screenplay

If you're serious about learning the craft, here are some ways to dig into scripts.

writing

Sep 01, 2025
On Writing

"The bad novelist constructs his characters; he directs them and makes them speak. The true novelist listens to them and watches them act...

writing

Sep 01, 2025
Page One: "Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment" (1985)

Written by Barry Blaustein & David Sheffield, characters created by Neal Israel & Pat Proft

writing

Sep 01, 2025
Script Analysis: "Dallas Buyers Club" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 31, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Cesar Vitale

Cesar Vitale wrote the original screenplay "The Great Nothing" which won a 2017 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting and made the 2017 Black...

Aug 31, 2025
Page One: "Porky's" (1981)

Written by Bob Clark

writing

Aug 31, 2025
Script Analysis: "Big Eyes" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 30, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Sarah Jane Inwards

Sarah Jane Inwards wrote the original screenplay "Jellyfish Summer" which not only won a 2017 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, it made...

Aug 30, 2025
Page One: "Police Academy" (1984)

Screenplay by Neal Israel & Pat Proft and Hugh Wilson, story by Neal Israel & Pat Proft

writing

Aug 30, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Carl Foreman

"I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. I know in advance that my so-called first draft will be in fact my tenth draft."

writing

film

Aug 29, 2025
Script Analysis: "Logan" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 29, 2025
Page One: "Poetic Justice" (1993)

Written by John Singleton

writing

Aug 29, 2025
Script Analysis: "Gravity" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 28, 2025
On Writing

"One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time."

writing

Aug 28, 2025
Page One: "Pixels" (2015)

Screenplay by Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling, screen story by Tim Herlihy, short film by Patrick Jean

writing

Aug 28, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Carl Foreman

"When I first came out to Hollywood, it never occurred to me that the story had to be about something. I just thought a good story had a...

writing

film

Aug 27, 2025
Script Analysis: "Celeste and Jesse Forever" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Aug 27, 2025
Page One: "Pitch Perfect 2" (2015)

Written by Kay Cannon, based on the book by Mickey Rapkin

writing

Aug 27, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Kristen Gray-Rockmaker

Kristen Gray-Rockmaker wrote the original screenplay "Last Days of Winter" which won a 2017 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. I had the...

Aug 26, 2025
On Writing

"All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind."

writing

Aug 26, 2025
Page One: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (2011)

Screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, screen story by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, based on characters created by Ted Elliott & Terry...

writing

Aug 26, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Meg Gardiner

My conversation with the Edgar-winning novelist about the craft of writing, how she won 'Jeopardy' three times, why she is an "escaped...

writing

Aug 25, 2025
Script Analysis: "Glass Onion" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Aug 25, 2025
Page One: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" (2017)

Screenplay by Jeff Nathanson, story by Jeff Nathanson and Terry Rossio, based on characters created by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and...

writing

Aug 25, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "With The 8th Pick"

Warner Bros. acquires sports drama spec script "With the 8th Pick" written by Alex Sohn and Gavin Johannsen. Via Deadline:

writing

film

Aug 24, 2025
Script Analysis: "Bros" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 24, 2025
Page One: "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" (2007)

Written by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, characters by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Stuart Beattie and Jay Wolpert

writing

Aug 24, 2025
Script Analysis: "Beasts of No Nation" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 23, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Vigil Chime

My conversation with the writer who won the 2017 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.

Aug 23, 2025
Page One: "Picnic at Hanging Rock" (1975)

Screenplay by Cliff Green, novel by Joan Lindsay

writing

Aug 23, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Bald Eagles"

Paramount buys comedy spec script "Bald Eagles" written by Brandon Cohen. Via THR:

writing

film

Aug 22, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "The Survival List"

Lionsgate acquires action comedy spec script "The Survival List" written by Tom Melia. Via Deadline:

film

Aug 22, 2025
Page One: "Phantom Thread" (2017)

Written by Paul Thomas Anderson

writing

Aug 22, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Fixation"

New Regency acquires thriller spec script "Fixation" written by Erika Vazquez and Siena Butterfield. Via Deadline:

writing

film

Aug 21, 2025
On Writing

"Throw up into your typewriter every morning. Clean up every noon."

writing

Aug 21, 2025
Page One: "The Phantom of the Opera" (2004)

Screenplay by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Joel Schumacher, book by Andrew Lloyd Webber, novel by Gaston Leroux

writing

Aug 21, 2025
Scene-Writing Workshop

I'm reprising my one-week Scene-Writing Workshop which starts Monday, September 8th.

writing

Aug 20, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "The Pirate"

Amazon MGM acquires action thriller spec script "The Pirate" written by Will Dunn. Via Deadline:

film

Aug 20, 2025
Page One: "The Phantom" (1996)

Written by Jeffrey Boam, characters by Lee Falk

writing

Aug 20, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Big Sick" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 19, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Amy Tofte

My conversation with the 2015 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Aug 19, 2025
Page One: "Pet Sematary" (1989)

Screenplay by Stephen King based on his novel

writing

Aug 19, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Incidents"

Searchlight acquires psychological thriller spec script "Incidents" written by William Gillies. Via Deadline:

film

Aug 18, 2025
On Writing

"Remember, it's better to create something and be criticized than to create nothing and criticize others."

writing

Aug 18, 2025
Page One: "Personal Best" (1982)

Written by Robert Towne

writing

Aug 18, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Elizabeth Oyebode

My conversation with the 2016 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Aug 17, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Horton Foote

"For me there was a whole period of unlearning the bad habits I had picked up in my conventional training as an actor, which was to be very...

writing

film

Aug 17, 2025
Page One: "The Perfect Storm" (2000)

Screenplay by Bill Wittliff, book by Sebastian Junger

writing

Aug 17, 2025
Script Analysis: "Barney's View" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 16, 2025
On Writing

"One doesn't have a sense of humor. It has you."

writing

Aug 16, 2025
Page One: "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986)

Written by Jerry Leichtling & Arlene Sarner

writing

Aug 16, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Sam Regnier

My conversation with the 2015 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Aug 15, 2025
The Incurable Disease of Writing

"In psychological terms, it seems that drive is more important than talent in producing creative work."

writing

Aug 15, 2025
Page One: "The Passion of the Christ" (2004)

Screenplay by Benedict Fitzgerald and Mel Gibson

writing

Aug 15, 2025
Script Analysis: "Birdman: Or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 14, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Do you know your stuff?

It's one thing to write a script. It's another thing to understand the craft.

writing

Aug 14, 2025
Page One: "Paradise" (2013)

Written by Diablo Cody

writing

Aug 14, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Naomi Foner

"From the beginning, I did this because I thought there were stories that had nothing to do with me, but needed to be told, and that if I...

writing

film

Aug 13, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "This Could Be Our Night"

Sony acquires comedy spec script "This Could Be Our Night" written by Justin Shipley and Jordan Shipley. Via Deadline:

writing

Aug 13, 2025
Page One: "Papillon" (2017)

Screenplay by Aaron Guzikowski, based upon the books "Papillon" and "Banco" by Henri Charrière, based upon the 1973 screenplay "Papillon"...

writing

Aug 13, 2025
Go Into The Story interview: Selwyn Seyfu Hinds

My conversation with executive producer and showrunner of the new eight-episode TV series "Washington Black" which is on Hulu now.

writing

Aug 12, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Tyrant"

Amazon MGM acquires thriller spec script "Tyrant" written by David Weil. Via Deadline:

film

Aug 12, 2025
Page One: "Paddington 2" (2017)

Written by Paul King and Simon Farnaby, "Paddington Bear" created by Michael Bond

writing

Aug 12, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Big Short" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Aug 11, 2025
On Writing

"What will keep people reading is a desire to spend more time with the characters you're presenting on the page."

writing

Aug 11, 2025
Page One: "Overlord" (2018)

Screenplay by Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith, story by Billy Ray

writing

Aug 11, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: Express Your Voice

On August 11th, I'll be offering an important one-week online class. It's called Scene Description Spotlight which sounds super practical...

writing

Aug 10, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Anthony Grieco

My conversation with the 2015 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Aug 10, 2025
Page One: "Overboard" (1987)

Written by Leslie Dixon

writing

Aug 10, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Artist" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Aug 09, 2025
On Writing

"A notepad by the bedside accounts for half the earnings of my livelihood."

writing

Aug 09, 2025
Page One: "The Outsiders" (1983)

Screenplay by Kathleen Rowell, novel by S.E. Hinton

writing

Aug 09, 2025
Writing Tip: To Write, Stop Thinking

Think character. Think plot. Think theme. But when you sit down to write, don't think... feel.

writing

Aug 08, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Justin Piasecki

My conversation with the 2016 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Aug 08, 2025
Page One: "Outlaw King" (2018)

Screenplay by Bathsheba Doran & David Mackenzie & James MacInnes, additional writing by David Harrower & Mark Bomback

writing

Aug 08, 2025
Script Analysis: "Boyhood" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 07, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Never send out a script before it's ready

Or how I almost managed to kill my screenwriting career before it started.

writing

Aug 07, 2025
Page One: "The Others" (2001)

Written by Alejandro Amenábar

writing

Aug 07, 2025
Script Analysis: "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Aug 06, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jen Bailey and Max Lance

My conversation with the writing duo who won the 2017 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.

Aug 06, 2025
Page One: "The Other Side of the Wind" (2018)

Written by Orson Welles & Oja Kodar

writing

Aug 06, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Stephany Folsom

"In my outline, I lay out what needs to happen in the scene, and how it's part of the overall plot, and what the characters need to get...

writing

Aug 05, 2025
Script Analysis: "Babylon" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 05, 2025
Page One: "The Other Guys" (2010)

Written by Adam McKay & Chris Henchy

writing

Aug 05, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay

My interview with the screenwriters behind the movies Ride Along, The Invitation, and Destroyer.

Aug 04, 2025
On Writing

"In nearly all good fiction, the basic — all but inescapable plot form is: A central character wants something, goes after it despite...

writing

Aug 04, 2025
Page One: "Only the Brave" (2017)

Written by Ken Nolan and Eric Warren Singer, based on the GQ article "No Exit" by Sean Flynn

writing

Aug 04, 2025
Script Analysis: "Antebellum" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Aug 03, 2025
Of Beginnings and Endings

Remember when you first came up with the story idea you're currently writing? How great that felt?

writing

Aug 03, 2025
Page One: "Only Lovers Left Alive" (2013)

Written by Jim Jarmusch, adaptation (French version), Marion Bessay

writing

Aug 03, 2025
Movie Script Scene-by-Scene Breakdown: "Annette"

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Aug 02, 2025
On Writing

"Character is the very life of fiction. Setting exists so that the character has someplace to stand. Plot exists so the character can...

writing

Aug 02, 2025
Page One: "Olympus Has Fallen" (2013)

Written by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt

writing

Aug 02, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Who does what in a writer-representative relationship?

Let's assume you get a manager and/or agent to represent you. Then what? What are their responsibilities as a representative? What are...

writing

Aug 01, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Renegotiate"

Lionsgate acquires action thriller spec script "Renegotiate" written by Mark Townend. Via Deadline:

film

Aug 01, 2025
Page One: "Oculus" (2013)

Screenplay by Mike Flanagan & Jeff Howard, based on a short screenplay by Mike Flanagan & Jeff Seidman

writing

Aug 01, 2025
Script Analysis: "JoJo Rabbit" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 31, 2025
On Writing

"The three things that matter most in a story are characters, characters and characters."

writing

Jul 31, 2025
Page One: "Octopussy" (1983)

Screen story by George MacDonald Fraser and Richard Maibaum & Michael G. Wilson, stories by Ian Fleming "Octopussy" and "The Property of a...

writing

Jul 31, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Stephany Folsom

"Don't worry about getting an agent or a manager. When you have enough quality work under your belt, the agencies and management companies...

writing

Jul 30, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Early Action"

Apple TV+ and The Walsh Company acquire comedy spec script "Early Action" written by Sophie De Bruijn. Via Deadline:

humor

comics

Jul 30, 2025
Page One: "Ocean's 8" (2018)

Screenplay by Gary Ross & Olivia Milch story by Gary Ross, based upon characters created by George Clayton Johnson & Jack Golden Russell

writing

Jul 30, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Doppelgänger"

Skydance acquires thriller spec script "Doppelgänger" written by Aneesh Chaganty and Dan Frey. Via Deadline:

film

Jul 29, 2025
On Writing

"It's fashionable now to object on principle to the idea that writing is hard. Writing isn't hard, this camp says; working in coal mines is...

writing

Jul 29, 2025
Page One: "On the Rocks" (2020)

Written by Sofia Coppola

writing

Jul 29, 2025
Script Analysis: "All Is Lost" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 28, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Lindsay Michel

My interview with 2022 Black List writer for her script Caravan.

Jul 28, 2025
Page One: "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge" (1985)

Written by David Chaskin, characters by Wes Craven

writing

Jul 28, 2025
Script Analysis: "After the Wedding" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 27, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Kevin Sheridan

My interview with 2022 Black List writer for his script Colors of Authority.

writing

Jul 27, 2025
Page One: "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" (1987)

Screenplay by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner and Frank Darabont and Chuck Russell, story by Wes Craven and Bruce Wagner, characters by Wes...

writing

Jul 27, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Aeronauts" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 26, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Ben Jacoby

My conversation with the screenwriter whose credits include The First Omen and The Whisper Man.

Jul 26, 2025
Page One: "A Nightmare on Street: The Dream Child" (1989)

Screenplay by Leslie Bohem, story by John Skipp & Craig Spector and Leslie Bohem, characters by Wes Craven

writing

Jul 26, 2025
Script Analysis: "Nightcrawler" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 25, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Daniel Hanna

My conversation with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jul 25, 2025
Page One: "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)

Written by Wes Craven

writing

Jul 25, 2025
The Importance of Character Names

A well-chosen character name can reflect their personality.

writing

Jul 24, 2025
Script Analysis: "CODA" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 24, 2025
On Writing

"Poets need not go to Niagara to write about the force of falling water."

writing

Jul 24, 2025
Page One: "Night of the Living Dead" (1968)

Screenplay by John Russo & George Romero

writing

Jul 24, 2025
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...

writing

Jul 23, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Stephany Folsom

"I always have one project I'm working on in the background that I really don't care if anybody ever sees or if it ever gets made. Of...

writing

Jul 23, 2025
Script Analysis: "The Imitation Game" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Jul 23, 2025
Page One: "Night of the Demons" (1988)

Written by Joe Augustyn

writing

Jul 23, 2025
Write a Worthy Nemesis

Workshop your story's antagonist character in my 1-week online course. Begins Monday, August 4, 2025. Plus, it's on

writing

Jul 22, 2025
Compelling Characters vs. Sympathetic Characters

"Appeal comes from truthful and complex characters. I hate when movie people say, 'Your lead character has to be sympathetic,' which for...

writing

Jul 22, 2025
Script Analysis: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Jul 22, 2025
Page One: "Night Nurse" (1931)

Screenplay by Oliver H.P. Garrett, additional dialogue by Charles Kenyon, based on the novel by Grace Perkinsfrom (as Dora Macy)

writing

Jul 22, 2025
Handling Rejection

It can debilitate... motivate... and take a long time to truly grasp its meaning.

writing

Jul 21, 2025
Script Analysis: "Ex Machina" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 21, 2025
On Writing

"Writing is easy: All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

writing

Jul 21, 2025
Page One: "The Night House" (2020)

Written by Ben Collins & Luke Piotrowski

writing

Jul 21, 2025
This is something you can do because this is something you have done!

I get email:

writing

Jul 20, 2025
Script Analysis: "Short Term 12" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 20, 2025
Great Scene: "There Will Be Blood"

The last scene of There Will Be Blood (2007) is one of the most gut-wrenching finales in recent film history. Written and directed by Paul...

film

Jul 20, 2025
Page One: "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist" (2008)

Screenplay by Lorene Scafaria, novel by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

writing

Jul 20, 2025
Writing Tip: A Playlist to Calm the Mind

A therapist suggests some music to reduce anxiety... and spur creativity.

writing

Jul 19, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Dennis Foley

"Hollywood is the only town where you can not fail. You can only quit trying."

writing

film

Jul 19, 2025
Script Analysis: 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 19, 2025
Page One: "A New Leaf" (1971)

Written for the screen by Elaine May, short story "The Green Heart" by Jack Ritchie

writing

Jul 19, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Tough Guys"

Amazon MGM acquires action comedy spec script "Tough Guys" written by Daniel Gold. Via Deadline:

humor

Jul 18, 2025
Script Analysis: "Whiplash" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 18, 2025
On Writing

"As the characters become alive to me, there are things that I think they're going to do that they refuse to do and as I get closer, they...

writing

Jul 18, 2025
Page One: "News of the World" (2020)

Screenplay by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies, based upon the novel by Paulette Jiles

writing

Jul 18, 2025
"What should I do if a project sells similar to a script I'm writing?"

Before you jump, step back from the ledge, and consider the following.

writing

Jul 17, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Trey Ellis

"I noticed that race colors the perception of me in the film community today much more than I would have thought a decade ago. I call it my...

writing

film

Jul 17, 2025
Script Analysis: "La La Land" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 17, 2025
Page One: "New Jack City" (1991)

Screenplay by Thomas Lee Wright and Barry Michael Cooper, story by Thomas Lee Wright

writing

Jul 17, 2025
Writing Tip: What if...

Perhaps the two most powerful words in the creative process.

writing

Jul 16, 2025
Script Analysis: "Crazy Rich Asians" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 16, 2025
On Writing

"An author in his book must be like God in the universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere."

writing

Jul 16, 2025
Page One: "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" (2020)

Written by Eliza Hittman

writing

Jul 16, 2025
Script Analysis: "Coco" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 15, 2025
Springsteen: "I'm a soul miner"

Reflections on the craft of songwriting from New Jersey's own upon the release of 7 new albums.

creativity

music

writing

Jul 15, 2025
"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...

writing

Jul 15, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Ted Elliott

"When I hear aspiring screenwriters who talk about, 'Yeah, I saw Godzilla and it was terrible. I can write better than that.' My feeling...

writing

film

Jul 15, 2025
Script Analysis: '1917' — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Writing TipThe Poetry of Screenwriting

When writing scene description, think poetry instead of prose.

writing

Jul 14, 2025
On Writing

"The great thing about writing is that it can be produced in sub-optimal — even atrocious — conditions. And so many of the most...

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "The New World" (2005)

Written by Terrence Malick

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004)

Written by Jared Hess & Jerusha Hess

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "Nanny" (2022)

Written by Nikyatu Jusu

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" (1988)

Written by Jerry Zucker & Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Pat Proft, television series "Police Squad" by Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry...

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Test 2

Jul 14, 2025
Test

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult" (1994)

Written by Pat Proft & David Zucker & Robert LoCash, television series "Police Squad" by Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker

writing

Jul 14, 2025
Jung quote

The unconscious is not just evil by nature, it is also the source of the highest good: not only dark but also light, not only bestial...

philosophy

Jul 14, 2025
Page One: "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" (1988)

Written by Jerry Zucker & Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Pat Proft, television series "Police Squad" by Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry...

writing

Jul 11, 2025
Script Analysis: "Argo" (2012) — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Jul 10, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Ava DuVernay

"When I write a screenplay, I'm writing for myself. I'm the director and I need to create an emotional map. Not just plot, but a map of...

writing

film

Jul 10, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: "Qualify the customer"

Okay, this week's post is a blast from the past and only comes about due to a recent revelation from a TV producer I know that she has...

writing

Jul 10, 2025
Page One: "The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear" (1991)

Written by David Zucker & Pat Proft, television series "Police Squad" by Jim Abrahams & David Zucker & Jerry Zucker

writing

Jul 10, 2025
Writing Tip: Find Your Writer's Voice

I hear this a lot in conversations with writers, but mostly with managers, agents, and producers. They're looking for writers who cover a...

writing

Jul 09, 2025
Script Analysis: "12 Years a Slave" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 09, 2025
On Writing

"All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath."

writing

Jul 09, 2025
Page One: "My Friend Dahmer" (2017)

Written by Marc Meyers, based on the book My Friend Dahmer by John Backderf

writing

Jul 09, 2025
Script Analysis: "Gone Girl" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 08, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Allan Durand

"If you're going to write a screenplay, it better interest the living hell out of you, either the story or the amount of money you're...

writing

Jul 08, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Kate Marks

My conversation with the 2020 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jul 08, 2025
Page One: "My Demon Lover" (1987)

Written by Leslie Ray

writing

Jul 08, 2025
"The act of storytelling is uniquely human"

A journalist who specializes in tracking A.I. developments has some thoughts about the technology and its impact on film and TV.

film

Jul 07, 2025
Script Analysis: "BlacKkKlansman" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Jul 07, 2025
On Writing

"Begin with an individual, and before you know it, you find that you have created a type; begin with a type, and you find that you have...

writing

Jul 07, 2025
Page One: "My Cousin Vinny" (1992)

Written by Dale Launer

writing

Jul 07, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: The Spirit of the Spec

The creative empowerment of writing a spec script.

writing

Jul 06, 2025
Script Analysis: "Midsommar" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 06, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Kelly Marcel

My in-depth interview with the screenwriter whose screenplay Saving Mr. Banks made the 2011 Black List.

writing

Jul 06, 2025
Page One: "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" (2016)

Written by Nia Vardalos

writing

Jul 06, 2025
Script Analysis: "Parasite" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

Jul 05, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Geeta Malik

My conversation with the 2016 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jul 05, 2025
Great Scene: "Sideways"

Miles on pinot noir. Maya on the "life of wine". Subtext abounds!

writing

Jul 05, 2025
Page One: "Murder on the Orient Express" (2017)

Screenplay by Michael Green, based upon the novel by Agatha Christie

writing

Jul 05, 2025
Script Analysis: "Knives Out" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 04, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Sophia Lopez

My interview with the 2021 Black List screenwriter,

Jul 04, 2025
Why Creative People May Feel More Anxiety

"Why won't the words come? And what if they're the wrong words? Know what? I hate words!"

creativity

writing

Jul 04, 2025
Page One: "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (2008)

Written by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar

writing

Jul 04, 2025
Script Analysis: "Everything Everywhere All At Once" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 03, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: It's not just about the script

Yes, you should focus on your spec script, but there's much more to learn.

writing

Jul 03, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jonathan Levine

My interview with the 2022 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jul 03, 2025
Page One: "The Mummy Returns" (2001)

Written by Stephen Sommers

writing

Jul 03, 2025
The Inward Path of the Protagonist's Journey

Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell remind us that the outer journey of the hero is about the inner journey into the Self.

writing

Jul 02, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Michael Kujak

My conversation with the 2021 Black List writer.

Jul 02, 2025
Script Analysis: "Arrival" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jul 02, 2025
Page One: "The Mummy" (2017)

Screenplay by David Koepp and Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman, screen story by Jon Spaihts and Alex Kurtzman & Jenny Lumet

writing

Jul 02, 2025
Go from Fade In to Fade Out This Summer!

Knock out a first draft of your feature film script project in my upcoming online writing workshop. Starts July 21st!

writing

Jul 01, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Philip Dunne

"If you get an idea in the middle of the night, it's a good idea to get up and write it down, or it's gone. There's a famous story about a...

writing

film

Jul 01, 2025
Script Analysis: "Aftersun" — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Jul 01, 2025
Page One: "Mr. Turner" (2014)

Written by Mike Leigh

writing

Jul 01, 2025
Tarantino, Sorkin, and Dialogue as Purpose

Analysis of long dialogue-centric scenes in The Social Network and Pulp Fiction reveals that underneath the entertaining conversations lies...

writing

Jun 30, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Laura Kosann

My interview with the writer who not only was named a 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting recipient, but also had two scripts make...

Jun 30, 2025
On Writing

"I think that to write well and convincingly, one must be somewhat poisoned by emotion. Dislike, displeasure, resentment fault-finding...

writing

Jun 30, 2025
Page One: "Mr. Right" (2015)

Written by Max Landis

writing

Jun 30, 2025
Plotter versus Pantser

A writer who focuses on novels and short stories asks which approach screenwriters take.

writing

Jun 29, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Philip Dunne

"Never leave a scene by the same door you came in. Every scene should advance the story. The other thing... let the characters tell the...

writing

Jun 29, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Stefan Jaworski

My interview with 2021 Black List writers for his script Mercury.

Jun 29, 2025
Page One: "Mr. Nobody" (2009)

Written by Jaco Van Dormael

writing

Jun 29, 2025
"How do I know when I've done enough character work ..."

Great question! One that arose in the current Character Development Keys course in one of our active message board discussions. Here is my...

writing

Jun 28, 2025
"Sorry, Baby": This Summer's Must-See Movie

It hits theaters in North America the weekend of July 4th. Please see this movie. It's wonderful.

film

Jun 28, 2025
Great Scene: "Bonnie and Clyde"

The famous — and bloody — ending of the groundbreaking 1967 film.

film

Jun 28, 2025
Page One: "Motor City"

Written by Chad St. John

writing

Jun 28, 2025
There is no right way to write

Learn all you can, but ultimately it's about your Stories and your Creative Self.

writing

Jun 27, 2025
On Writing

"You don't write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say."

writing

Jun 27, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Look... don't overlook

As writers in order for us to have any hope of securing a meaningful degree of understanding of a story universe and its characters, we...

writing

Jun 27, 2025
Page One: "The Mother" (2023)

Screenplay by Misha Green and Andrea Berloff and Peter Craig, story by Misha Green

writing

Jun 27, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "The Romantic"

Paramount Pictures acquires romantic comedy spec script "The Romantic" written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. Via Deadline:

film

Jun 26, 2025
The Low-Down on High Concept

A high concept screenplay must have a clean, simple, and basic idea.

writing

Jun 26, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: "If it ain't got no soul, it ain't gonna sell"

The time the legendary musician Taj Mahal laid words of wisdom on me.

writing

Jun 26, 2025
Page One: "A Most Violent Year" (2014)

Written by J.C. Chandor

writing

Jun 26, 2025
Writing Tip: What if you fall out of love with a script?

Reader question: "What about a script you fall out of love with after 2–3 drafts, and just can't finish? Put it aside for now or just push...

writing

Jun 25, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Vanar Jaddou

My conversation with the 2020 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 25, 2025
Great Scene: "Thelma & Louise"

The memorable ending of the 1991 movie.

film

Jun 25, 2025
Page One: "Monster's Ball" (2001)

Written by Milo Addica & Will Rokos

writing

Jun 25, 2025
Pound Out That First Draft This Summer!

Go from FADE IN to FADE OUT in my upcoming online writing workshop. Starts July 21st!

writing

Jun 24, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Lena Dunham

"It's amazing to me that Hollywood persists in writing these two-dimensional female characters who don't really exist. No wonder it's hard...

writing

film

Jun 24, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Bill Holderman and Erin Simms

My conversation with the co-writers (Holderman and Simms) and director (Holderman) of the comedy Book Club.

writing

Jun 24, 2025
Page One: "Monster" (2003)

Written by Patty Jenkins

writing

Jun 24, 2025
The Disunity to Unity Arc

Reflections on The Lion King and Simba's physical and psychological journey.

writing

Jun 23, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Spencer Harvey and Lloyd Harvey

My conversation with the Australian-based brother and sister writing duo who won the 2016 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.

Jun 23, 2025
On Writing

"It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with a...

writing

Jun 23, 2025
Page One: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (1975)

Written by Graham Chapman & John Cleese & Eric Idle & Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones & Michael Palin

writing

Jun 23, 2025
Non-Linear Storytelling in "Pulp Fiction"

"Tarantino, whether intended it or not, hit upon non-linearity as the only way he could tell one particular storyline involving the fates...

writing

Jun 22, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Patrick S. Duncan

"Every time I write, I find myself going through a form of self-examination that is almost a kind of therapy. By creating and examining my...

writing

film

Jun 22, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Julia Hart

My conversation with the filmmaker whose credits include The Keeping Room, Miss Stevens, Fast Color, and I'm Your Woman.

writing

Jun 22, 2025
Page One: "Miss Sloane" (2016)

Written by Jonathan Perera

writing

Jun 22, 2025
Script Analysis: "Joker" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

Jun 21, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Byron Hamel

My conversation with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 21, 2025
Great Scene: "Good Will Hunting"

The bar scene. Will's classic putdown. And a spin on the 'meet cute'.

film

Jun 21, 2025
Page One: "Miller's Girl" (2024)

Written by Jade Halley Bartlett

writing

Jun 21, 2025
Writing Tip: We're on the road to... somewhere.

A really long bridge... story outlines... and YOU!

writing

Jun 20, 2025
On Writing

"The only thing worth writing about is the conflict in the human heart."

writing

Jun 20, 2025
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."

writing

Jun 20, 2025
Page One: "Mikey and Nicky" (1976)

Written by Elaine May

writing

Jun 20, 2025
"In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail"

When legendary football coach Vince Lombardi would speak in public, he rarely strayed far from two closely related subjects: success and...

writing

Jun 19, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Aaron Guzikowski

My in-depth interview with the screenwriter whose credits include Prisoners, Papillon, and the TV series The Red Road and Raised by Wolves.

Jun 19, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: They will pigeonhole you (and why this can be a good thing)

The co-star of K-9 was a dog named Jerry Lee.

writing

Jun 19, 2025
Page One: "The Mighty Ducks" (1992)

Written by Steven Brill

writing

Jun 19, 2025
Writing Tip: Inside and Outside the Story Universe

The importance of Receptive Writing and Reflective Writing.

writing

Jun 18, 2025
Script Analysis: "Get Out" — Scene By Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

writing

film

Jun 18, 2025
Great Scene: "Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"

It's one of my five favorite movies: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). Directed by Stanley...

film

Jun 18, 2025
Page One: "Midway" (2019)

Written by Wes Tooke

writing

Jun 18, 2025
What is the point of the scene?

Begin the scene-writing process by asking this fundamental question.

writing

Jun 17, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Brian Duffield

"Interesting things happening to interesting people is basically the only rule of screenwriting."

writing

film

Jun 17, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Kryzz Gautier

My conversation with the 2021 Black List writer for her original screenplay "Wheels Come Off."

Jun 17, 2025
Page One: "The Midnight Sky" (2020)

Screenplay by Mark L. Smith, based on the book 'Good Morning, Midnight' by Lily Brooks-Dalton

writing

Jun 17, 2025
Deep Work vs. Shallow Work

As writers, we need to protect time for the former from the encroachment of the latter. Here are four strategies to do precisely that.

writing

Jun 16, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: John Gary

My conversation with a longtime Hollywood screenwriter.

Jun 16, 2025
On Writing

"The writer's only responsibility is to his art. He will be completely ruthless if he is a good one. He has a dream. It anguishes him so...

writing

Jun 16, 2025
Page One: "Memories of a Murder" (2003)

Written by Bong Joon Ho and Sung-bo Shim, play by Kwang-rim Kim

writing

Jun 16, 2025
What was Hollywood's first spec script?

In 1967, William Goldman wrote and sold Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid for a reported $400,000. While we may consider it the first spec...

writing

film

Jun 15, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Matt Duffer

"The first thing our screenwriting professors taught us was that all stories share one thing in common: there is a protagonist, and that...

writing

film

Jun 15, 2025
What are you afraid of?

The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these negative voices?

creativity

writing

Jun 15, 2025
Page One: "Megamind" (2010)

Written by Alan Schoolcraft & Brent Simons

writing

Jun 15, 2025
Great Scene: "The Big Lebowski"

"Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us."

writing

film

Jun 14, 2025
On Writing

"I write only when I'm inspired. Fortunately, I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning."

writing

Jun 14, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Andrew Friedhof

My conversation with the 2015 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 14, 2025
Page One: "The Meg" (2018)

Screenplay by Dean Georgaris and Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber, based on a novel by Steve Alten

writing

Jun 14, 2025
"My world is not spectacle and explosion. It's two people talking."

Words of writing wisdom from Taika Watiti.

writing

Jun 13, 2025
Three Types of Creators

Perfecter. Innovator. Synthesizer. Which type of creative are you?

creativity

writing

Jun 13, 2025
Writing Tip: The Tactile Experience of Writing

Words. Created. On. Paper.

writing

Jun 13, 2025
Page One: "The Meddler" (2015)

Written by Lorene Scafaria

writing

Jun 13, 2025
Character Development Keys

Starting June 23rd, my one-week online class not only immerses you in five key archetypes, you also use them to workshop one of your...

writing

Jun 12, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "The Worst Man"

Universal Pictures acquires action comedy spec script "The Worst Man" by Matt Altman and Dave Matalon. Via Deadline:

film

Jun 12, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: When you don't get the gig

We are seated in the expansive office of a top Hollywood director and we are having a great time. I mean a really great time. We talk about...

writing

Jun 12, 2025
Page One: "Meatballs" (1979)

Written by Len Blum by & Daniel Goldberg & Janis Allen & Harold Ramis

writing

Jun 12, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Miguel Flatow

My conversation with 2022 Black List writer for his script Viva, Mexico!

Jun 11, 2025
On Writing

"A narrative voice allows you to say things you couldn't otherwise. It frees you from the prison of the ego and the limitations of habitual...

writing

Jun 11, 2025
Great Scene: "Blade Runner" (1982)

The dramatic final confrontation between Deckard and Batty.

writing

film

Jun 11, 2025
Page One: "The Maze Runner" (2014)

Screenplay by Noah Oppenheim and Grant Pierce Myers and T.S. Nowlin, novel by James Dashner

writing

Jun 11, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Guys with No Friends"

Paramount Pictures acquires comedy spec script "Guys with No Friends" written by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. Via Variety:

writing

film

Jun 10, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Lem Dobbs

"Everyone thinks movies are accessible to them, you see, everyone has spent their life going to movies, watching movies on television...

film

Jun 10, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Beth Curry

My conversation with the 2020 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 10, 2025
Page One: "Maudie" (2016)

Written by Sherry White

writing

Jun 10, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Supermax"

Miramax acquires action thriller spec script "Supermax" written by David Weil and David Rosen. Via Deadline:

film

Jun 09, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Karin delaPeña Collison

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 09, 2025
On Writing

"Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I've accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me...

writing

Jun 09, 2025
Page One: "Match Point" (2005)

Written by Woody Allen

writing

Jun 09, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Elizabeth Chomko

My interview with the 2015 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Jun 08, 2025
Screenwriting 101: James DiLapo

"I think act structure is extremely important. The midpoint is crucial. It doesn't have to be as overt as it is in the middle of this...

writing

film

Jun 08, 2025
Writing Tip: Complications, Roadblocks, and Reversals

In a story, a reader wants to see the Protagonist overcome obstacles along the way. Here are three ways for you to approach writing those...

writing

Jun 08, 2025
Page One: "Master" (2022)

Written by Mariama Diallo

writing

Jun 08, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Allison and Nicolas Buckmelter

My interview with the 2018 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

Jun 08, 2025
Writing Tip: "The only way out is through"

Imagine the process of writing a story as being a journey. Perhaps as you embark on your adventure, you have a map — an outline or beat...

writing

Jun 08, 2025
Great Scene: "Barton Fink"

The enigmatic ending of the Coen brothers' 1991 movie.

writing

film

Jun 07, 2025
Page One: "The Matador" (2005)

Written by Richard Shepard

writing

Jun 07, 2025
How They Write A Script: Nancy Meyers

"I think you're only going to get noticed by following your own instincts and doing original work, and writing the thing that only you can...

writing

Jun 06, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: OWA

Three little letters: OWA. But they mean big things for Hollywood screenwriters. What do these letter stand for?

writing

Jun 06, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Structure and Freedom

Words of creative wisdom the great 20th century composer Igor Stravinsky.

writing

Jun 06, 2025
Page One: "Mars Attacks!" (1996)

Screenplay by Jonathan Gems, screen story by Jonathan Gems, trading card series by Len Brown & Woody Gelman & Wally Wood & Bob Powell &...

writing

Jun 06, 2025
Join me for a writers retreat in Spain... for free!

Five mentors. Twenty writers. Six days in a 15th century castle. Apply now for one full scholarship, plus special discounted fees.

writing

Jun 05, 2025
Screenwriting 101: James DiLapo

"Emotional authenticity, even with a period piece, is more important than historical authenticity. If you can get the audience to feel as...

writing

film

Jun 05, 2025
How They Write A Script: Diablo Cody

"I'm not an especially highbrow person, but I have always loved small, quirky, edgy movies."

writing

Jun 05, 2025
Page One: "Monsters University" (2013)

Screenplay by Daniel Gerson & Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon, story by Dan Scanlon and Daniel Gerson & Robert L. Baird

writing

Jun 05, 2025
How They Write A Script: Jay Presson Allen

"She is one of a handful of first-rank screenwriters of the post-1960s who also happens to be female. This has figured into her trademark...

writing

Jun 04, 2025
On Writing

"Dreaming and writing are Adam and Eve of the same process. Long before one ever writes a story...one works a story. You have ideas; and they...

writing

Jun 04, 2025
Great Scene: "Amélie"

The wordless ending of the lovely 2001 fantasy romance.

film

Jun 04, 2025
Page One: "Midnight Special" (2016)

Written by Jeff Nichols.

writing

Jun 04, 2025
How They Write A Script: Anna Hamilton Phelan

"It's the character that usually grabs me. My downfall always is the plot. That's the hardest part for me, plot."

writing

Jun 03, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Gerald DiPego

"Before this interview, I thought I would do a little homework. I made a column of original screenplays called 'Sold and Produced,' and I...

writing

film

Jun 03, 2025
My alliterative definition of Story.

A character we care about confronts complex challenges created by a compelling crisis with a cathartic conclusion.

writing

Jun 03, 2025
Page One: "McFarland, USA" (2015)

Screenplay by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois and Grant Thompson, story by Christopher Cleveland & Bettina Gilois

writing

Jun 03, 2025
How They Write A Script: Leigh Brackett

"I don't think there's anything better than screenwriting to teach you the construction of a story."

writing

Jun 02, 2025
Great Scene: "Arrival"

How the 2016 science fiction movie uses a bookend to reveal a remarkable truth... and upend our understanding of time.

writing

film

Jun 02, 2025
On Writing

"You sit in back of the typewriter and you work, and that's all there is to it."

writing

Jun 02, 2025
Page One: "The Mauritanian" (2021)

Screenplay by M.B. Traven) and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, story by M.B. Traven, book by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, book editor Larry Siems

writing

Jun 02, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: "That pure part of you"

Writing words of wisdom from the screenwriter of Ordinary People.

writing

Jun 01, 2025
Great Scene: "Amadeus"

Compare screenplay to screen: The wondrous scene in the 1984 movie in which Mozart dictates the Requiem Mass to Salieri.

writing

film

Jun 01, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Stephany Folsom

My 2014 in-depth interview with the screenwriter of Toy Story 4, consulting producer and writer on the TV series The Lord of the Rings: The...

writing

film

Jun 01, 2025
Page One: "Mass" (2021)

Written by Fran Kranz

writing

Jun 01, 2025
"The only way out is through"

Imagine the process of writing a story as being a journey. Perhaps as you embark on your adventure, you have a map — an outline or beat...

writing

May 31, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Humphrey Bogart

"If I ever have to spout exposition, there'd better be two camels humping in the background to distract the audience."

writing

film

May 31, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Brian Duffield

My conversation with the filmmaker whose writing credits include The Babysitter, Spontaneous, Love and Monsters, and No One Will Save You.

May 31, 2025
Page One: "The Mask" (1974)

Screenplay by Mike Werb, story by Michael Fallon and Mark Verheiden

writing

May 31, 2025
Great Example of Handling Exposition

From Season 1 of The Last of Us.

writing

May 30, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Lindsay Devlin

"A lot of people think movies are just sort of, 'Anybody can do it. Anybody can be a screenwriter.' But it's a tough, tough craft. It's...

writing

film

May 30, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Seeing... Hearing...

One day a while ago, I was out with my family for a walk in the neighborhood. As we returned home, I noticed a speed limit sign in the...

writing

May 30, 2025
Page One: "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" (1994)

Screenplay by Steph Lady and Frank Darabont, based on the novel by Mary Shelley

writing

May 30, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait

The bane of a screenwriter's existence: They want the script NOW... then they make you WAIT... and wait... and wait...

writing

May 29, 2025
Writing Tip: Something is Better Than Nothing

"No matter what you write, good or bad, it's an improvement to a blank page."

writing

May 29, 2025
On Writing

"A lesson any writer can use. Don't be afraid. That simple; don't let them scare you. There's nothing they can do to you. If they kick you...

writing

May 29, 2025
Page One: "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" (2021)

Screenplay by Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate and Nick Paley, story by Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate and Nick Paley and Elisabeth...

writing

May 29, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: Feet on the ground... head in the clouds

A twist on a familiar adage speaks to the business of writing.

writing

May 28, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Scott Derrickson

"The Divine Comedy of Filmmaking:

writing

film

May 28, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Lori Evans Taylor

My conversation with the co-writer of the smash hit movie Final Destination: Bloodlines.

May 28, 2025
Page One: "Mary Poppins" (1964)

Screenplay by Bill Walsh & Don DaGradi, based on The "Mary Poppins" books by by P.L. Travers

writing

May 28, 2025
Prep: From Concept to Outline: "It works!"

When you enroll in this online workshop, you will receive a FREE personalized autographed copy of my book The Protagonist's Journey!

writing

May 27, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Craig Mazin

My in-depth interview with screenwriter and co-host (along with John August) of the popular podcast Scriptnotes.

May 27, 2025
On Writing

"Sometimes it's all dialogue with a quick stage note, sometimes it's all descriptive work. The point is getting it all down, even if it's...

writing

May 27, 2025
Page One: "Martyrs" (2008)

Written by Pascal Laugier

writing

May 27, 2025
Know Your Genre

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

writing

May 26, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Ava DuVernay

My in-depth interview with filmmaker whose credits include the movie Selma, the documentary 13th, and the TV series "Queen Sugar".

May 26, 2025
On Writing

"I don't need time. What I need is a deadline."

writing

May 26, 2025
Page One: "Mandy" (2018)

Written by Panos Cosmatos and Aaron Stewart-Ahn and Cheddar Goblin, story by Panos Cosmatos

writing

May 26, 2025
How much of the "iceberg" do we reveal?

My response to a reader question.

writing

May 25, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Eric Heisserer

My interview with one of Hollywood's hottest screenwriters.

May 25, 2025
Great Scene: "Good Morning, Vietnam!"

It's Adrian Cronauer's first broadcast ... and the thrill of watching Robin Williams' improvisational skills.

film

May 25, 2025
Page One: "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004)

Screenplay by Daniel Pyne and Dean Georgaris, based on the 1962 screenplay by George Axelrod, adapted from the novel by Richard Condon

writing

May 25, 2025
The Iceberg Theory of Writing

How much character development is enough?

writing

May 24, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

May 24, 2025
12 Free 'Go Into The Story' eBooks

Nearly 1,000 pages on the craft and business of screenwriting.

writing

May 24, 2025
Page One: "The Man Who Invented Christmas" (2017)

Written by Susan Coyne, based on "The Man Who Invented Christmas" by Les Standiford, inspired by "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

writing

May 24, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: What are you afraid of?

The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these voices?

writing

May 23, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

writing

May 23, 2025
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 first...

writing

May 23, 2025
Page One: "Man on the Moon" (1999)

Written by Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski

writing

May 23, 2025
Write what they're buying or sell them your dream

There are many writing paths. Here are two of them.

writing

May 22, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Scott Derrickson

"Reading a mediocre screenplay is like driving when you're sleepy — every minute is work."

writing

film

May 22, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

writing

May 22, 2025
Page One: "Man on a Ledge" (2012)

Written by Pablo F. Fenjves

writing

May 22, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: Is My Screenplay Big Enough to Be a Movie?

This is a fundamental question screenwriters must ask themselves at all stages of a screenplay's development and writing. Why? Because it's...

writing

film

May 21, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

writing

May 21, 2025
On Writing

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

writing

May 21, 2025
Page One: "A Man Called Otto" (2022)

Screenplay by David Magee, based on the novel "En man som heter Ove" by Fredrik Backman and Hannes Holm

writing

May 21, 2025
Difference Between Scene Heading and Shot

What they are and when each should be used.

writing

May 20, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

writing

May 20, 2025
The Disunity State of Clarice Starling

How the opening of The Silence of the Lambs establishes the Protagonist's psychological starting point for her transformation-journey.

writing

film

May 20, 2025
Page One: "Mallrats" (1995)

Written by Kevin Smith

writing

May 20, 2025
Join me for a writers retreat in Spain!

Plus, a special discount for Go Into The Story readers.

writing

May 19, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Matt Altman & Dave Matalon

My conversation with the writing duo behind the 2024 Black List script Three Hitmen and a Baby.

writing

May 19, 2025
On Writing

"Only the hand that erases can write the true thing."

writing

May 19, 2025
Page One: "Malignant" (2021)

Screenplay by Akela Cooper, story by James Wan & Ingrid Bisu and Akela Cooper

writing

May 19, 2025
Deep Work vs. Shallow Work

As writers, we need to protect time for the former from the encroachment of the latter. Here are four strategies to do precisely that.

writing

May 18, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jon Boyer

My conversation with the writer of the Black List script "Free Byrd."

May 18, 2025
Deep Focus: Film School on the Cheap

Resources put together by members of the Go Into The Story community.

May 18, 2025
Page One: "Malibu's Most Wanted" (2003)

Written by Fax Bahr & Adam Small & Jamie Kennedy and Nick Swardson

writing

May 18, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Perspiration and Inspiration

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

creativity

writing

May 17, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Craig Borten

My interview with the co-writer of the Oscar nominated screenplay Dallas Buyers Club.

writing

May 17, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: You will fuck up

"One day, you will sell your screenplay, and then your problems will begin." — Audrey Wells

writing

film

May 17, 2025
Page One: "Malcolm & Marie" (2021)

Written by Sam Levinson

writing

May 17, 2025
Happy Birthday, Go Into The Story!

Launched on May 16, 2008, here we are 6,210 days of blogging later... but what does it all mean?

writing

May 16, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Callie Bloem and Christopher Ewing

My interview with the 2022 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

May 16, 2025
On Writing

"The best advice on writing was given to me by my first editor, Michael Korda, of Simon and Schuster, while writing my first book. 'Finish...

writing

May 16, 2025
Page One: "The Majestic" (2001)

Written by Michael Sloane

writing

May 16, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Scott Derrickson

"Many filmmakers, especially young ones, are afraid being 'pigeonholed', but that's a pejorative word for 'branding', and branding is...

film

May 15, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Amy Berg

My conversation with a top Hollywood TV showrunner.

writing

May 15, 2025
Page One: "Maggie's Plan" (2015)

Written for the screen by Rebecca Miller, based on a story by Karen Rinaldi

writing

May 15, 2025
Keys to Handling Exposition

Take my 1-week online class to learn ways to make exposition entertaining. Begins Monday, May 26, 2025.

writing

May 14, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Haley Bartels

My interview with the 2021 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

May 14, 2025
On Writing

"A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk."

writing

May 14, 2025
Page One: "Made in Heaven" (1987)

Written by Bruce A. Evans & Raynold Gideon

writing

May 14, 2025
Ctrl, Alt, Del: Three Act Structure

It's right there on your keyboard!

writing

May 13, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Brian Arnold

My interview with 2021 Black List writer.

May 13, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Brian De Palma

"The problem with writing a movie is you've got to have a great idea. I loved the idea for Femme Fatale and it came very quickly. Dressed...

writing

film

May 13, 2025
Page One: "Mad Max: Fury Road" (2015)

Written by George Miller and Brendan McCarthy and Nick Lathouris

writing

May 13, 2025
Carl Jung on the structure of dreams

Subconscious stories revealed in our sleep in four acts.

writing

May 13, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jennifer Archer

My interview with the 2022 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

May 13, 2025
On Writing

"We're all born with an imagination. Everybody gets one. And I really believe — this is just from years of daily writing — that good...

writing

May 12, 2025
Page One: "The Lunchbox" (2013)

Screenplay by Ritesh Batra

writing

May 12, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: Free Association

Sometimes if you're stuck in your writing, it's best just to cut loose.

writing

May 11, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Pen Densham

"Joseph Campbell's studies of myths, legends, and religions suggested that exactly the same story components cropped up in every culture...

writing

film

May 11, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Julia Yorks

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

May 11, 2025
Page One: "Lucy in the Sky" (2019)

Screenplay by Brian C. Brown & Elliott DiGuiseppi & Noah Hawley, story by Brian C. Brown & Elliott DiGuiseppi

writing

May 11, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: It's not just about the script

Yes, you should focus on your spec script, but there's much more to learn.

writing

May 10, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Julia York

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

May 10, 2025
On Writing

"Talent is cheap. What matters is discipline."

writing

May 10, 2025
Page One: "Lucky Number Slevin" (2006)

Written by Jason Smilovic

writing

May 10, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Need writing inspiration? Go to an airport.

All those arrivals and departures represent a non-stop flow of stories.

writing

May 09, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Julia York

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

May 09, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: "God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason"

I'm at lunch with our agents in Beverly Hills. It's February, 1987. The deal where Universal Pictures bought our spec script K-9 is...

writing

May 09, 2025
Page One: "London Boulevard" (2010)

Screenplay by William Monahan, novel by Ken Bruen

writing

May 09, 2025
Theme as Moments

"It should not be surprising that what we most often and most vividly remember about a movie are its key moments. It should also not be...

writing

May 08, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Julia Yorks

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

May 08, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Pen Densham

"You have to look at being a story-writer and let that passion create stories, and see where there's a place you might be able to find...

writing

May 08, 2025
Page One: "Love, Simon" (2018)

Screenplay by Elizabeth Berger & Isaac Aptaker, based upon the novel "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli

writing

May 08, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: Test Your Story Concept

5 questions to ask about a story idea to assess its viability as a scripted project.

writing

May 07, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Julia Yorks

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

film

May 07, 2025
On Writing

"Don't quit. It's very easy to quit during the first ten years. Nobody cares whether you write or not, and it's very hard to write when...

writing

May 07, 2025
Page One: "Love & Other Drugs" (2010)

Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz

writing

May 07, 2025
Reader Question: Can a Protagonist evolve into an Antagonist?

"I prefer to look at it in Jungian terms: The Protagonist's shadow has emerged from latency and because the Protagonist has not confronted...

writing

May 06, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Julia Yorks

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

May 06, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Frank Darabont

"The whole industry of 'we can make you a screenwriter.' I have ambivalent feelings because, ultimately, even though there is some benefit...

writing

film

May 06, 2025
Page One: "Lone Survivor" (2013)

Written by Peter Berg, book by Marcus Luttrell and Patrick Robinson

writing

May 06, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: Stacking projects

One key to the craft: Learning how to manage multiple projects at once.

writing

May 05, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Julia Yorks

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script The Seven Guys You Date Before Marriage.

writing

May 05, 2025
On Writing

"Writing is easy. Being a writer is murder."

writing

May 05, 2025
Page One: "The Lone Ranger" (2013)

Screenplay by Justin Haythe and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, screen story by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Justin Haythe

writing

May 05, 2025
Break your story in prep

My only Prep: From Concept to Outline workshop of 2025 begins June 2nd.

writing

May 04, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: James Acker

My interview with the 2020 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

May 04, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Frank Darabont

"Don't get into this business if it's about trying to make a million-dollar sale. We've got plenty of assholes around trying to achieve...

writing

May 04, 2025
Page One: "Live by Night" (2016)

Screenplay by Ben Affleck, novel by Dennis Lehane

writing

May 04, 2025
The Coen Brothers, Storytelling, and Fate

A poem by Ethan Coen reveals a key clue to the brothers' story sensibilities.

writing

May 03, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Zombieland"

One of the most important things a writer wants to do when they begin a script is establish the story's tone — and this is nowhere more...

writing

May 03, 2025
20 Tips from Martin Scorsese

The writer-director of Mean Streets, Goodfellas, The Age of Innocence, and Casino with reflections on cinematic storytelling.

writing

film

May 03, 2025
Page One: "Live and Let Die" (1973)

Screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz, novel by Ian Fleming

writing

May 03, 2025
Here's to Us Night Owls!

"The conventional wisdom is that morning people are high achievers, go-getters, while late risers are lazy. But what if going to bed in the...

productivity

May 02, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Movie Stars

I am staring at a cardboard standup display of an iconic movie character from an Academy Award winning movie, one of the most famous...

writing

film

May 02, 2025
Page One: "Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

Screenplay by Howard Ashman, based on the musical play "Little Shop of Horrors"

writing

May 02, 2025
My Writing Workshop Schedule

Two online workshops this summer... my only ones in 2025!

writing

May 01, 2025
Writing Mantra: Get the damn thing done!

The one unalterable truth about writing a first draft.

writing

May 01, 2025
On Writing

"I can count on one hand, or possibly one elbow, the number of good writing ideas I've had while straining at the keyboard. When you find...

writing

May 01, 2025
Page One: "The Little Things" (2021)

Written by John Lee Hancock

writing

May 01, 2025
Story Summaries: From Loglines to Beat Sheets

Learn six different types of story summaries and how to use them to develop your scripted projects. My one-week online class starts Monday...

writing

Apr 30, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Richard Curtis

"I tend to do projects I've had in mind for two years, so they're slowly boiling on the stove like stock. And by slowing yourself down, you...

writing

film

Apr 30, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Withnail and I"

This Great Scene was from one of my favorite comedies Withnail and I (1987). Unfortunately, I only had a transcript of the scene to post...

writing

Apr 30, 2025
Page One: "Live Free or Die Hard" (2007)

Screenplay by Mark Bomback, story by Mark Bomback and David Marconi, original character by Roderick Thorp, article by John Carlin

writing

Apr 30, 2025
Page One: "Lion" (2016)

Screenplay by Luke Davies, based on a book by Saroo Brierley

writing

Apr 30, 2025
On Writing

It has often been said there's so much to be read, you never can cram all those words in your head.

writing

Apr 29, 2025
Page One: "The Lincoln Lawyer" (2011)

Screenplay by John Romano, novel by Michael Connelly

writing

Apr 29, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Destin Daniel Cretton

"I do a lot of writing in my head for a while and then I start outlining and just throwing ideas down on the notes in my iPhone or notes in...

writing

Apr 28, 2025
Page One: "Like Father Like Son" (1987)

Screenplay by Lorne Cameron and Steve Bloom, story by Lorne Cameron

writing

Apr 27, 2025
On Writing

"Writing is like driving in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

writing

Apr 26, 2025
Page One: "The Lifeguard" (2013)

Written by Liz W. Garcia

writing

Apr 26, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 25

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 25, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Destin Daniel Cretton

"I do a lot of writing in my head for a while and then I start outlining and just throwing ideas down on the notes in my iPhone or notes in...

writing

Apr 25, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Wall-E"

I have discussed the writing style of the Pixar film Wall-E before here. On the subject of scene description, here's a money quote from...

writing

Apr 25, 2025
Page One: "Lights Out" (2016)

Screenplay by Eric Heisserer, based on the short film by David F. Sandberg

writing

Apr 25, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 24

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 24, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Travis Braun

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script One Night Only.

writing

Apr 24, 2025
On Writing

"Rembrandt and Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Gauguin, possessed, I believe, powerful hearts, not powerful wills. They loved the range of...

writing

Apr 24, 2025
Page One: "Leviathan" (1989)

Screenplay by David Webb Peoples and Jeb Stuart, story by David Webb Peoples

writing

Apr 24, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 23

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 23, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Travis Braun

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script One Night Only.

writing

Apr 23, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Up"

Pixar filmmakers are masters at setups and payoffs as in the script for Up.

writing

film

Apr 23, 2025
Page One: "Letters from Iwo Jima" (2006)

Screenplay by Iris Yamashita, story by Iris Yamashita & Paul Haggis, based on a book by Tadamichi Kuribayashi

writing

Apr 23, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 22

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 22, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Francis Ford Coppola

"When you make a movie, always try to discover what the theme of the movie is in one or two words. Every time I made a film, I always knew...

writing

film

Apr 22, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Travis Braun

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script One Night Only.

writing

Apr 22, 2025
Page One: "Life Stinks" (1991)

Screenplay by Mel Brooks & Rudy De Luca & Steve Haberman, story by Mel Brooks & Ron Clark & Rudy De Luca & Steve Haberman

writing

Apr 22, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 21

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 21, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Travis Braun

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script One Night Only.

writing

Apr 21, 2025
On Writing

"You've got to be prepared to write a load of nonsense to start with and then you can tart it up. The business of getting going, getting...

writing

Apr 21, 2025
Page One: "Life Itself" (2018)

Written by Dan Fogelman

writing

Apr 21, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 20

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 20, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Steve Coogan

"To write from personal experience, you also need the humility to be able to accept that whatever you think might be wrong. I think...

writing

Apr 20, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Unforgiven"

The folksy narrative voice in sync with the movie's Western genre and a clean read with bursts of imagematic writing.

writing

Apr 20, 2025
Page One: "Licence to Kill" (1989)

Written by Michael G. Wilson and Richard Maibaum, characters by Ian Fleming

writing

Apr 20, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 19

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 19, 2025
Update: 2025 London Screenwriters' Festival

Some events added to my schedule Thursday, April 24-Sunday, April 27.

writing

Apr 19, 2025
On Writing

"I keep little notepads all over the place to write down ideas as soon as they strike, but the ones that fill up the quickest are always...

writing

Apr 19, 2025
Page One: "Let Him Go" (2020)

Written by Thomas Bezucha, novel by Larry Watson

writing

Apr 19, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 18

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 18, 2025
Screenwriting Mantra: Minimum Words, Maximum Impact

The origin and importance of one of the best screenwriting mantras... ever!

writing

Apr 18, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: What are you afraid of?

The single greatest inhibitor to creativity is fear. Do you recognize any of these negative voices?

creativity

writing

Apr 18, 2025
Page One: "Leprechaun" (1993)

Written by Mark Jones

writing

Apr 18, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 17

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 17, 2025
Story as Psychological Journey

"To dig up diamonds in our imagination, we must plumb the depths of our own souls and enter our deepest, darkest caves, for it is there...

writing

Apr 17, 2025
On Writing

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely...

writing

Apr 17, 2025
Page One: "The Legend of Zorro" (2005)

Screenplay by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, story by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, based on a character by...

writing

Apr 17, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 16

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 17, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Titanic"

Before Avatar went on to gross $2.72B worldwide, writer-director James Cameron created another movie phenomenon called Titanic (1997) which...

writing

film

Apr 17, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Michele Atkins

My interview with the screenwriter whose screenplay won a 2016 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting.

Apr 17, 2025
Page One: "The Lego Movie" (2014)

Screenplay by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, story by Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman and Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

writing

Apr 17, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 15

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

film

Apr 15, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Spenser Cohen

"Stories are an emotional medium. People always say, write what you know, and I think it's write what you know emotionally. Sometimes I'll...

writing

film

Apr 15, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Elijah Bynum

My interview with the screenwriter whose scripts Mississippi Mud and Hot Summer Nights both were named to the 2013 Black List.

Apr 15, 2025
Page One: "Law Abiding Citizen" (2009)

Written by Kurt Wimmer

writing

Apr 15, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 14

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 14, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "There's Something About Mary"

There are many funny scenes in the Farrelly brothers' movie There's Something About Mary (1988), but the "franks or beans" scene is right...

writing

film

Apr 14, 2025
On Writing

"If someone's on a soapbox saying this is what I am or, more accurately, this what I think you should be, I run for the hills. But if...

writing

Apr 14, 2025
Page One: "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988)

Screenplay by Paul Schrader, novel by Nikos Kazantzakis

writing

Apr 14, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 13

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 14, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Larry Cohen

"When Larry Cohen is writing a screenplay, there are certain things he will not do. He will not rely on an outline. Over the years, he has...

writing

film

Apr 13, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

Apr 13, 2025
Page One: "The Last Station" (2009)

Screenplay by Michael Hoffman, based on the novel by Jay Parini

writing

Apr 13, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 12

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 13, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

Apr 12, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Some Like It Hot"

Many older screenplays from the 40s and 50s are written in a style that makes them hard to read — loaded with directing notes, lots of...

writing

film

Apr 12, 2025
Page One: "The Last Picture Show" (1971)

Screenplay by Larry McMurtry and Peter Bogdanovich, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry

writing

Apr 12, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 11

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 11, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

Apr 11, 2025
"Come to the edge"

Going beyond the edge of the Old World into the New World can be a terrifying experience, but a necessary one for the transformation...

writing

Apr 11, 2025
Page One: "Last Holiday" (2006)

Screenplay by Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman

writing

Apr 11, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 10

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 10, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

Apr 10, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Joel Coen

"Every movie ever made is an attempt to remake The Wizard of Oz."

film

Apr 10, 2025
Page One: "Lake Placid" (1999)

Written by David E. Kelley

writing

Apr 10, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 9

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April.

writing

Apr 09, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

Apr 09, 2025
Spec Script Deal: Untitled Teen Comedy

A24 acquires raunchy untitled teen comedy spec script written by Morgan Lehmann. Via Deadline:

film

Apr 09, 2025
Page One: "Ladyhawke" (1985)

Screenplay by Edward Khmara and Michael Thomas and Tom Mankiewicz, story by Edward Khmara

writing

Apr 09, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 8

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 08, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

Apr 08, 2025
On Writing

"The most important element of any story is to make the reader want to know what happens next. Period. Everything else is gravy."

writing

Apr 08, 2025
Page One: "L.A. Story" (1991)

Written by Steve Martin

writing

Apr 08, 2025
The Coen Brothers and the Craft of Storytelling

My one-week online class begins Monday, April 14.

writing

Apr 07, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Cameron Fay

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Until You.

writing

film

Apr 07, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 7

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 07, 2025
Page One: "Krampus" (2015)

Written by Todd Casey & Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields

writing

Apr 07, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 6

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 07, 2025
On Writing

"Sneaking up on it sometimes helps. I've found I can be very productive for an hour before dinner, because there obviously isn't enough...

writing

Apr 06, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Isaac Adamson

My interview with 2015 Black List writer for his script Bubbles.

Apr 06, 2025
Page One: "Knowing" (2009)

Screenplay by Ryne Douglas Pearson and Juliet Snowden & Stiles White, story by Ryne Douglas Pearson

writing

Apr 06, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 5

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 05, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Dana Coen

"I learned by continually asking myself those essential craft questions. Is the scene driven by the intent of the characters? Are there...

writing

film

Apr 05, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Se7en"

I posted this sequence in the movie Se7en as a Great Scene here and you can go there to see an analysis and commentary about it. But this...

writing

Apr 05, 2025
Page One: "A Knight's Tale" (2001)

Written by Brian Helgeland

writing

Apr 05, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 4

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 04, 2025
On Writing

"Writers spend all their time preoccupied with just the things that their fellow men and women spend their time trying to avoid thinking...

writing

Apr 04, 2025
Psychology of Storytelling: Dark Places

"One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious."

writing

Apr 04, 2025
Page One: "Knight and Day" (2010)

Written by Patrick O'Neill

writing

Apr 04, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 3

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work my...

writing

Apr 03, 2025
Hollywood Tales: Someday someone will beat you to the punch

If you traffic in high concept stories, chances are you'll confront this scenario.

writing

Apr 03, 2025
Writing Tip: Are You a Push Writer or a Pull Writer?

Do you do your best creative work when you're pushed... or pulled?

writing

Apr 03, 2025
Page One: "Kingsman: The Secret Service" (2014)

Screenplay by Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn, based on the comic book "The Secret Service" by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons

writing

Apr 03, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 2

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work...

writing

Apr 02, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Diablo Cody

"I don't have a formal rewrite process. I just compulsively groom and re-groom scenes like a cat with OCD."

writing

film

Apr 02, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Saving Private Ryan"

I doubt anyone who has seen Saving Private Ryan — written by Robert Rodat, directed by Steven Spielberg — will ever forget the film's...

writing

film

Apr 02, 2025
Page One: "The Kings of Summer" (2013)

Written by Chris Galletta

writing

Apr 02, 2025
A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 1

This is the 15th year in a row I've run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I'll work...

writing

Apr 01, 2025
On Writing

"In any story there are three elements: persons, a situation, and the fact that in the end something has changed. If nothing has changed...

writing

Apr 01, 2025
Page One: "Kingpin" (1996)

Written by Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan

writing

Apr 01, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 31

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

writing

Mar 31, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

Mar 31, 2025
"Just write the next word"

Words of writing wisdom from screenwriter Anna Hamilton Phelan.

writing

Mar 31, 2025
Page One: "The King" (2019)

Written by David Michôd by & Joel Edgerton

writing

Mar 31, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 30

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

writing

Mar 30, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Diablo Cody

"I didn't really look at it as teen-speak but more like weirdo language! Ellen Page just presents it in such a saucy way, too, and I'm kind...

writing

film

Mar 30, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

Mar 30, 2025
Page One: "Kin" (2018)

Screenplay by Daniel Casey, based on the short film "Bag Man" by Jonathan Baker & Josh Baker

writing

Mar 30, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 29

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

writing

Mar 29, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

Mar 29, 2025
On Writing

"We need myths to get by. We need story; otherwise the tremendous randomness of experience overwhelms us. Story is what penetrates."

writing

Mar 29, 2025
Page One: "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" (2017)

Written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthimis Filippou

writing

Mar 29, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 28

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

writing

Mar 28, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

film

Mar 28, 2025
18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently

Are you creative? Chances are you do some things differently.

creativity

writing

Mar 28, 2025
Page One: "Killer Klowns from Outer Space" (1988)

Written by Charles Chiodo and Stephen Chiodo

writing

Mar 28, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 27

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

writing

Mar 27, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

Mar 27, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: 24/7/365

When you're a writer, you're basically never NOT working.

writing

Mar 27, 2025
Page One: "Kill Your Darlings" (2013)

Screenplay by Austin Bunn and John Krokidas, story by Austin Bunn

writing

Mar 27, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 26

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

writing

Mar 26, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Jack Waz

My interview with the 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

Mar 26, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Raising Arizona"

I'll always have a soft spot for Raising Arizona as it was the very first industry screening I attended back in March 1987. That and the...

film

Mar 26, 2025
Page One: "Kill the Messenger" (2014)

Written by Peter Landesman, book by Gary Webb, book by Nick Schou

writing

Mar 26, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 25

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

writing

Mar 25, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Tze Chun

"When I want to come up with a new project, I will sit down and I will try to write 25 ideas a day for a week or two. So that I have 100...

writing

Mar 25, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Jack Waz

My interview with 2024 Black List writer for his script Decoys.

writing

Mar 25, 2025
Page One: "Kids" (1995)

Written by Harmony Korine, story by Larry Clark

writing

Mar 25, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 24

Zero Draft Thirty: Day 24.

writing

Mar 24, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Mikey & Wyatt

A conversation with the creators of the popular YouTube series.

writing

film

Mar 24, 2025
On Writing

"Plot, or evolution, is life responding to environment; and not only is this response always in terms of conflict, but the really great...

writing

Mar 24, 2025
Page One: "Kill Bill: Vol. 2" (2003)

Written by Quentin Tarantino

writing

Mar 24, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 23

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

writing

Mar 23, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Lisa Cholodenko

"I think the most important thing I learned [from editing] is that you start with this huge bear of a film which really has no pacing or no...

writing

film

Mar 23, 2025
Screenplays are stories, not formulas

"If you go in with formula, you come out with formula."

writing

Mar 23, 2025
Page One: "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" (2003)

Written by Quentin Tarantino

writing

Mar 23, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 22

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

writing

Mar 22, 2025
On Writing

"I sit in the dark and wait for a little flame to appear at the end of my pencil."

writing

Mar 22, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Raging Bull"

Sports movie are tough to write for many reasons. Here's one of them: How to describe athletic action without being too specific and...

writing

Mar 22, 2025
Page One: "The Karate Kid Part III" (1989)

Written by Robert Mark Kamen, characters created by Robert Mark Kamen

writing

Mar 22, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 21

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

writing

Mar 21, 2025
Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 5: "We like to be engaged and entertained by what transpires in the plot, but more important we want to find meaning in the...

writing

Mar 21, 2025
4 Sure-Fire Ways to Stimulate Creativity

Sadly, bourbon is not one of them.

creativity

writing

Mar 21, 2025
Page One: "The Karate Kid Part II" (1986)

Written by Robert Mark Kamen, characters created by Robert Mark Kamen

writing

Mar 21, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 20

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

creativity

writing

Mar 20, 2025
Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 4: What Is / What Could Be / What Is / What Could Be / What Is...

writing

Mar 20, 2025
Great Scene: "Rachel Getting Married"

A wedding toast gone awkwardly, painfully awry.

writing

film

Mar 20, 2025
Page One: "The Karate Kid" (1984)

Written by Robert Mark Kamen

writing

Mar 20, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 19

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

writing

Mar 19, 2025
Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 3: "Every storytelling exercise should begin by asking: Who is my audience and what is the message I want to share with them? Each...

writing

Mar 19, 2025
Update: 2025 London Screenwriters' Festival

More information on my appearance at this year's event: April 24–27.

writing

Mar 19, 2025
Page One: "K-PAX" (2001)

Screenplay by Charles Leavitt, novel by Gene Brewer

writing

Mar 19, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 18

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

writing

Mar 18, 2025
Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 2: The intriguing thing here is that while we, as writers, are thinking about emotions and psychology, much of it apparently boils...

writing

Mar 18, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Stan Chervin

"I always try to bang out a first, rough draft as fast as I can. There's a story of George Abbott, the theatre director, coming into the...

writing

film

Mar 18, 2025
Page One: "Just Mercy" (2019)

Written by Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham, based on the book by Bryan Stevenson

writing

Mar 18, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 17

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

writing

Mar 17, 2025
Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling

Part 1: Something about your story, most particularly involving your Protagonist, must resonate with a reader. What that boils down to is...

writing

Mar 17, 2025
On Writing

"Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's...

writing

Mar 17, 2025
Page One: "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" (1997)

Screenplay by David Koepp, novel by Michael Crichton

writing

Mar 17, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 16

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

writing

Mar 16, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Mar 16, 2025
Writing Tip: Free Association

Sometimes if you're stuck in your writing, it's best just to cut loose.

writing

Mar 16, 2025
Page One: "Jockey" (2021)

Written by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar

writing

Mar 16, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 15

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

writing

Mar 15, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Mar 15, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Pulp Fiction"

Quentin Tarantino is noted — among other things — for his ear for great dialogue. However in Pulp Fiction (1994), it's worth noting that...

writing

film

Mar 15, 2025
Page One: "Julieta" (2016)

Written by Pedro Almodóvar, based on stories by Alice Munro

writing

Mar 15, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 14

Write an entire draft of a script in September — FADE IN. FADE OUT. Or any sort of creative goal you have in front of you.

writing

Mar 14, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Mar 14, 2025
Why Creativity Thrives in the Dark

Some scientific props for all you fellow night writers out there!

creativity

writing

Mar 14, 2025
Page One: "Joy" (2015)

Screenplay by David O. Russell, story by Annie Mumolo and David O. Russell

writing

Mar 14, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 13

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

writing

Mar 13, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Mar 13, 2025
2025 London Screenwriters' Festival

The event runt thfough Friday, April 25–27, 2025 ... I'll be there!

writing

Mar 13, 2025
Page One: "Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling" (1986)

Written by Rocco Urbisci & Paul Mooney & Richard Pryor

writing

Mar 13, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 12

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

writing

Mar 12, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Mar 12, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Memento"

With the movie Memento (2000), Christopher Nolan had a challenge when writing the script: How to make clear to the reader — and the...

writing

Mar 12, 2025
Page One: "Jingle All the Way" (1996)

Written by Randy Kornfield

writing

Mar 12, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 11

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

writing

Mar 11, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Damien Chazelle

"I know my strengths, and I know my weaknesses. I'm very good at sitting around and brainstorming, thinking up ideas and mapping them out...

writing

film

Mar 11, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Mar 11, 2025
Page One: "The Jewel of the Nile" (1985)

Written by Mark Rosenthal & Lawrence Konner, characters by Diane Thomas

writing

Mar 11, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 10

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

writing

Mar 10, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Charmaine Colina

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Mar 10, 2025
On Writing

"No scene is ever about the words being spoken."

writing

Mar 10, 2025
Page One: "Jaws 2" (1978)

Written by Carl Gottlieb and Howard Sackler, based upon characters created by Peter Benchley

writing

Mar 10, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 9

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

writing

Mar 09, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Paddy Chayefsky

"Artists don't talk about art. Artists talk about work. If I have anything to say to young writers, it's stop thinking of writing as art...

writing

Mar 09, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "The Matrix"

Still for my money, one of the best scripts for action-writing. The Wachowskis use the basic elements of visual writing — strong verbs and...

writing

Mar 09, 2025
Page One: "Jarhead" (2005)

Screenplay by William Broyles Jr., book by Anthony Swofford

writing

Mar 09, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 9

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

writing

Mar 09, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 8

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

writing

Mar 08, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Lethal Weapon"

There have been many forces of nature impacting screenplay style over the years, but there are only a very few actual screenwriters to whom...

writing

Mar 08, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Jeremiah Friedman & Nick Palmer

In September 2010, Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer who sold their spec script "Family Getaway" to Warner Bros. Turns out, there were fans...

writing

Mar 08, 2025
Page One: "Jagged Edge" (1985)

Written by Joe Eszterhas

writing

Mar 08, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 7

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

writing

Mar 07, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: The Curse of Shiny Object Syndrome

"It's not quite ADD/ADHD. It's more that a new idea captures your imagination and attention in such a way that you get distracted from the...

writing

Mar 07, 2025
"Saving Private Ryan": Minute By Minute Breakdown

A podcast analysis with MovieRob and me about the dramatic scene: What to do with the German POW "Steamboat Willie"

film

Mar 07, 2025
Page One: "Jack Reacher" (2012)

Written for the screen by Christopher McQuarrie, based on the book "One Shot" by Lee Child

writing

Mar 07, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 6

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

writing

Mar 06, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Paddy Chayefsky

"If it should occur to you to cut, do so. That's the first basic rule of cutting. If you're reading through and stop, something is wrong...

writing

Mar 06, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "I Can See You're Angry"

Miramax acquires comedy spec script "I Can See You're Angry" written by Brandon Cohen. Via Deadline:

writing

Mar 06, 2025
Page One: "It's Kind of a Funny Story" (2010)

Screenplay by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, novel by Ned Vizzini

writing

Mar 06, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 5

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

writing

Mar 05, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Filipe Coutinho and Ben Mehlman

My interview with 2021 Black List writers for their script Whittier.

Mar 05, 2025
On Writing

"Writing is like meditation or going into an ESP trance, or prayer. Like dreaming. You are tapping into your unconscious. To be fully...

writing

Mar 05, 2025
Page One: "It" (2017)

Screenplay by Chase Palmer & Cary Joji Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman, based on the novel by Stephen King

writing

Mar 05, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 4

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

writing

Mar 04, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Andrew Bujalski

"Write out the scene the way you hear it in your head. Then read it and find the parts where the characters are saying exactly what you...

writing

film

Mar 04, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Jerry Maguire"

"A beat of silence, then noise returns to its normal commercial roar. A couple of fleas have been swatted off the carcass of an immense...

writing

Mar 04, 2025
Page One: "Isle of Dogs" (2018)

Screenplay by Wes Anderson, story by Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Jason Schwartzman and Kunichi Nomura

writing

Mar 04, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 3

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

creativity

writing

Mar 03, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Inglourious Basterds"

Today let's consider the narrative voice of a drama: Inglourious Basterds (2009), written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

writing

Mar 03, 2025
On Writing

"The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes."

writing

Mar 03, 2025
Page One: "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978)

Screenplay by W.D. Richter, novel by Jack Finney

writing

Mar 03, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 2

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

writing

Mar 02, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Mar 02, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: The Creative Personality

Creative Personality as comprised of 10 dichotomies. How many do you have?

creativity

writing

Mar 02, 2025
Page One: "The Interview" (2014)

Screenplay by Dan Sterling, story by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg & Dan Sterling

writing

Mar 02, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Day 1

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

writing

Mar 01, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Mar 01, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "The Hangover" (2009)

Today, we check out The Hangover, screenplay by Jon Lucas & Scott Moore.

writing

Mar 01, 2025
Page One: "Interstellar" (2014)

Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

writing

Mar 01, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Get Your Head On Straight

It's time to gear up for the latest Challenge which begins tomorrow!

writing

Feb 28, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 28, 2025
Spec Script Deal: "Riding Hurt"

Teton Ridge Entertainment acquires action crime spec script "Riding Hurt" written by Buck Bloomingdale. Via Variety:

film

Feb 28, 2025
Page One: "The Interpreter" (2005)

Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Scott Frank and Steven Zaillian, story by Martin Stellman & Brian Ward

writing

Feb 28, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Character Development

A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

writing

Feb 27, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 27, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: When you don't get the gig

We are seated in the expansive office of a top Hollywood director and we are having a great time. I mean a really great time. We talk about...

writing

Feb 27, 2025
Page One: "The Internship" (2013)

Screenplay by Vince Vaughn and Jared Stern, story by Vince Vaughn

writing

Feb 27, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Gender Bend

A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

writing

Feb 26, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 26, 2025
On Writing

"Fairy tales are more than true, not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten."

writing

Feb 26, 2025
Page One: "Insidious: Chapter 2" (2013)

Screenplay by Leigh Whannell, story by James Wan & Leigh Whannell, based on characters created by Leigh Whannell

writing

Feb 26, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Script Diary

A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

writing

Feb 25, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 25, 2025
Screenwriting 101: William Broyles, Jr.

"Writing really is a process of discovery. The biggest enemy is being satisfied. When I think, 'Oh, this is so great. They can't change a...

writing

film

Feb 25, 2025
Page One: "Inspector Gadget" (1999)

Screenplay by Kerry Ehrin and Zak Penn, story by Dana Olsen and Kerry Ehrin, characters by Andy Heyward and Jean Chalopin and Bruno Bianchi

writing

Feb 25, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — Index Cards!

A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

writing

Feb 24, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Wendy Britton Young

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 24, 2025
On Writing

"I write because I like to write."

writing

Feb 24, 2025
Page One: "Insidious" (2010)

Written by Leigh Whannell

writing

Feb 24, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge: Story Prep — "What if..."

A series to help prepare writers for next month's Zero Draft Thirty writing challenge.

writing

Feb 23, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Gattaca"

The 1997 movie Gattaca is one many Go Into The Story readers have commented on with great affection, either publicly or to me via email.

film

Feb 23, 2025
Page One: "Ingrid Goes West" (2017)

Written by David Branson Smith & Matt Spicer

writing

Feb 23, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Fargo"

When is a kidnapping scene funny? When it's written and directed by the Coen brothers, like in the 1996 Academy Award-winning movie Fargo...

writing

film

Feb 22, 2025
Interview (Video): Michael Arndt

In conversation with the late Syd Field.

writing

film

Feb 22, 2025
Page One: "Infinitely Polar Bear" (2014)

Written by Maya Forbes

writing

Feb 22, 2025
On Storytelling: Thoughts, Feelings, Mentors, and Attractors

Reflections on two primary character archetypes.

writing

Feb 21, 2025
The act of writing provides health benefits

"From long-term health improvements to short-term benefits like sleeping better, it's official: Writers are doing something right."

writing

Feb 21, 2025
Page One: "The Incredible Hulk" (2008)

Screenplay by Zak Penn, screen story by Zak Penn, Marvel comic book by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

writing

Feb 21, 2025
Writing Tip: How to Discover a Character's Humanity

A writing exercise which helps you tap into a character's inner life.

writing

Feb 20, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Commencement of Principal Photography

When your movie officially starts production, that can trigger a writer's payday.

writing

Feb 20, 2025
Page One: "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" (2013)

Screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley, story by Chad Kultgen & Tyler Mitchell and Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley

writing

Feb 20, 2025
What is a movie script's denouement?

It answers this question: What do you want the audience to feel when they walk out of the theater at the end of your movie?

writing

Feb 19, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Ed Wood"

A period piece. A bio-pic of an enigmatic character. A drama with absurd comic elements. The 1994 movie Ed Wood is all of these — and more.

writing

film

Feb 19, 2025
Page One: "In Fabric" (2018)

Written by Peter Strickland

writing

Feb 19, 2025
My Favorite Five Films at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

Amidst a strong slate of movies, these five films stood out.

film

Feb 18, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Rita Mae Brown

"Character is destiny. The resolution of any plot must come from within the character. The redemption or destruction of any character is...

writing

film

Feb 18, 2025
Page One: "I Think We're Alone Now" (2018)

Written by Mike Makowsky

writing

Feb 18, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "The Deer Hunter"

During the Vietnam War, two American prisoners are forced to play Russian roulette.

writing

film

Feb 17, 2025
On Writing

"Plot is what keeps you going when you first read a story, and character is what stays with you after you have finished reading it."

writing

Feb 17, 2025
Page One: "I Love You, Man" (2009)

Screenplay by John Hamburg and Larry Levin, story by Larry Levin

writing

Feb 17, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Feb 16, 2025
Writing and the Creative Life: Mind Wandering

"What no [spouse] of a writer can ever understand is that a writer is working when he's staring out of the window."

writing

Feb 16, 2025
Page One: "I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore" (2017)

Written by Macon Blair

writing

Feb 16, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Feb 15, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "The Dark Knight"

Today we shine the spotlight on a great piece of screenwriting, the screenplay for The Dark Knight, co-written by Christopher & Jonathan...

writing

film

Feb 15, 2025
Page One: "Tucker and Dale vs Evil" (2010)

Written by Eli Craig & Morgan Jurgenson

writing

Feb 15, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

film

Feb 14, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Movies are a director's medium

"But that's the whole point of the God damn movie!"

writing

Feb 14, 2025
Page One: "Memory" (2023)

Written by Michael Franco

writing

Feb 14, 2025
A Zero Draft Thirty Success Story

You can use the month of March to pound out a screenplay. Maybe it will lead to a movie getting made ... like this writer!

writing

Feb 13, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Feb 13, 2025
Page One: "In the Tall Grass" (2019)

Written by Vincenzo Natali, based on the novella by Stephen King and Joe Hill

writing

Feb 13, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Feb 12, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Chinatown"

The screenplay for the 1974 movie Chinatown is considered one of the best scripts ever written. Its writer Robert Towne received an Academy...

film

Feb 12, 2025
Page One: "The Hustler" (1961)

Screenplay by Sidney Carroll and Robert Rossen, based on the novel by Walter Tevis

writing

Feb 12, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Raymond Chandler

"The challenge of screenwriting is to say much in little and then take half of that little out and still preserve an effect of leisure and...

writing

film

Feb 11, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

Alysha Chan and David Zarif wrote the original screenplay "Miss Chinatown" which won a 2024 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently...

writing

Feb 11, 2025
Page One: "Bookworm" (2024)

Screenplay by Toby Harvard, story by Toby Harvard & Ant Timpson

writing

Feb 11, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Alysha Chan and David Zarif

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.

writing

Feb 10, 2025
On Writing

"The character that lasts is an ordinary guy with some extraordinary qualities."

writing

Feb 10, 2025
Page One: "The Hummingbird Project" (2018)

Written by Kim Nguyen

writing

Feb 10, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: What about the Protagonist and the inciting incident?

"Something. Happens. In my view, that is the essence of an inciting incident."

writing

Feb 09, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Cast Away"

The screenplay for the 2000 movie Cast Away was written by William Broyles Jr. Once the story transitioned to the island, a challenge he...

writing

Feb 09, 2025
Page One: "Hugo" (2011)

Screenplay by John Logan, based on the book entitled "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" by Brian Selznick

writing

Feb 09, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Basic Instinct"

Let's say you're writing a sexy thriller. Per the concept of narrative voice, you should write scene description that is... well... sexy and...

writing

Feb 08, 2025
On Writing

"When in doubt have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand."

writing

Feb 08, 2025
Page One: "Howard the Duck" (1986)

Written by Willard Huyck & Gloria Katz, based on the character created by Steve Gerber

writing

Feb 08, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Barton Fink"

An enigmatic ending, a movie that leaves you hanging, so that as you exit the theater with your date or friends, everyone is talking about...

film

Feb 07, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Hurry up and wait

The bane of a screenwriter's existence: They want the script NOW... then they make you WAIT... and wait... and wait...

writing

Feb 07, 2025
Page One: "How to Build a Girl" (2019)

Screenplay by Caitlin Moran based on her novel

writing

Feb 07, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Park Chan-Wook

"A common beginner's mistake would be to try and be perfect about everything that you write, and each line that you write you want to make...

writing

Feb 06, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: The Nemesis as the Protagonist's 'Shadow'

Want drama? Ask your Protagonist: What do you fear the most? Then put them in a story where they have to confront that fear: Their Nemesis.

writing

Feb 06, 2025
Page One: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (2000)

Screenplay Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman, based on a book by Dr. Seuss

writing

Feb 06, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"

The ending sequence includes a most interesting sentence...

writing

Feb 05, 2025
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...

writing

Feb 05, 2025
Page One: "House Party" (1990)

Written by Reginald Hudlin

writing

Feb 05, 2025
Screenwriting 101: John Cassavetes

"People who are making films today are too concerned with mechanics — technical things instead of feeling. Execution is about eight percent...

film

Feb 04, 2025
Screenwriting Tip: The Value of Three Scripts

You write, you learn. Three scripts is a good minimum number for starting to understand the craft.

writing

Feb 04, 2025
Page One: "Hot Fuzz" (2007)

Written by Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg

writing

Feb 04, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "Avatar"

There are many reasons to read and analyze the script to Avatar (2009), at last count about 2.7 billion of them by one measure.

writing

Feb 03, 2025
On writing

"To do your very best work as an artist, whatever the discipline, takes complete immersion in the work. You need to get caught in the...

writing

Feb 03, 2025
Page One: "Hostel" (2005)

Written by Eli Roth

writing

Feb 03, 2025
Is there a rule as to how many "cuss words" can be used in a script?

Delving into the sometimes mysterious world of the MPA ratings system.

writing

film

Feb 02, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

Feb 02, 2025
Page One: "Horrible Bosses 2" (2014)

Screenplay by Sean Anders & John Morris, story by Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Sean Anders & John Morris, characters by...

writing

Feb 02, 2025
2025 Zero Draft Thirty March Challenge!

One month. Fade In. Fade Out. Write an entire zero draft.

writing

Feb 01, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Feb 01, 2025
Page One: "Horrible Bosses" (2011)

Screenplay by Michael Markowitz and John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein, story by Michael Markowitz

writing

Feb 01, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Jan 31, 2025
Scene Description Spotlight: "The African Queen"

Today a blast from the past: An excerpt from the shooting script for the movie The African Queen (1951), adapted from the C.S. Forrester...

writing

Jan 31, 2025
Page One: "Honey, I Blew Up the Kid" (1992)

Screenplay by Thom Eberhardt and Peter Elbling & Garry Goodrow, story by Garry Goodrow, characters by Stuart Gordon & Brian Yuzna & Ed Naha

writing

Jan 31, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 30, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: "Everyone is here because of us"

It is late spring 1988. I am in San Diego where K-9 is being shot. It's my first day on a movie set. Ever. The scene the crew is shooting...

writing

Jan 30, 2025
Page One: "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" (1989)

Screenplay by Ed Naha and Tom Schulman, story by Stuart Gordon & Brian Yuzna & Ed Naha

writing

Jan 30, 2025
"Raising the Stakes" video series

The entire four-season series of screenwriting videos from Black List screenwriter Jonathan Stokes.

writing

film

Jan 29, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 29, 2025
Page One: "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York" (1992)

Written by John Hughes

writing

Jan 29, 2025
Screenwriting 101: John Cassavetes

"As an artist I feel that we must try different things — but above all we must dare to fail. You can fail in films because you don't have...

writing

film

Jan 28, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 28, 2025
Page One: "Home Alone" (1990)

Written by John Hughes

writing

Jan 28, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Ward Kamel

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

film

Jan 27, 2025
On Writing

"There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before."

writing

Jan 27, 2025
Page One: "The Hollars" (2016)

Written by Jim Strouse

writing

Jan 27, 2025
Reader Question: Do I HAVE to use INT/EXT — LOCATION — DAY/NIGHT in scene headings?

Wherein we consider selling scripts, shooting scripts, conventional wisdom, and writing whatever the hell we want.

writing

Jan 26, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Leigh Cesiro and Erica Matlin

My interview with 2021 Black List writers for their script Cruel Summer.

writing

Jan 26, 2025
Page One: "Day of the Fight" (2023)

Written by Jack Huston

writing

Jan 26, 2025
The Narrative Imperative of the Hero's Journey

"The adventure they are ready for is the adventure they get."

writing

Jan 25, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

Screenwriting duo whose movie writing credits include (500) Days of Summer, The Spectacular Now, The Fault in Our Stars, and The Disaster...

Jan 25, 2025
Page One: "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" (2024)

Screenplay by Mark Burton, story by Nick Park & Mark Burton

writing

Jan 25, 2025
Script Readers: Hollywood's Threshold Guardians

They may not get a lot of respect, but they are important to writers.

writing

Jan 24, 2025
Download Each of the 2025 Oscar Nominated Screenplays

Your chance to read and study 10 Academy Award nominated scripts.

film

Jan 24, 2025
Page One: "Transformers One" (2024)

Screenplay by Eric Pearson and Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari, story by Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari

writing

Jan 24, 2025
Your characters want you to tell their story

Lean into your characters. After all, it's their story.

writing

Jan 23, 2025
On Writing

"Writing is a craft that requires both talent and acquired skills. You learn by doing, by making mistakes and then seeing where you went...

writing

Jan 23, 2025
Page One: "Thelma" (2024)

Written by Josh Margolin

writing

Jan 23, 2025
THR 2025 Writers Roundtable

The Hollywood Reporter's annual sit-down with six screenwriters with notable films from the previous year.

writing

Jan 22, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: Hip pocket representation

The gray area between being signed by an agent... and kinda signed.

writing

Jan 22, 2025
Page One: "Anora" (2024)

Written by Sean Baker

writing

Jan 22, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Leigh Brackett

"I sort of went off into corners and wept a few times at things that made me very unhappy. I think the hardest thing about adapting to...

writing

film

Jan 21, 2025
Great Scene: "Barbie"

In a quiet, reflective moment, Barbie experiences something of what it means to be a human.

writing

film

Jan 21, 2025
Page One: "Small Things Like These" (2024)

Written by Enda Walsh, book by Claire Keegan

writing

Jan 21, 2025
The Importance of Subplots

An in-depth exploration of the value of these mini-stories.

writing

Jan 20, 2025
On Writing

"A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something."

writing

Jan 20, 2025
Page One: "Juror #2" (2024)

Written by Jonathan A. Abrams

writing

Jan 20, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 19, 2025
The Best 25 Films of 2024

A Video Countdown by film critic David Ehrlich.

film

Jan 19, 2025
Page One: "The Innocents" (1961)

Screenplay by William Archibald and Truman Capote, based on the story "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James

writing

Jan 19, 2025
David Lynch's Favorite Films: 10 Movies the Director Wants You to See

David Lynch, who recently passed away, was an eclectic filmmaker, thus, it's no surprise his favorite films reflect that sensibility.

film

Jan 18, 2025
Interview (Part 6): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 18, 2025
Page One: "Better Man" (2024)

Written by Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey

writing

Jan 18, 2025
Interview (Part 5): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Jan 17, 2025
Hero's Journey as Psychological Journey

When we think of the Hero's Journey, what comes to mind is a geographical adventure. The Heroine starts out in their Ordinary World...

writing

Jan 17, 2025
Page One: "I Saw the TV Glow" (2024)

Written by Jane Schoenbrun

writing

Jan 17, 2025
Interview (Part 4): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Jan 16, 2025
Download 2025 WGA Screenwriting Award Nominated Screenplays

10 screenplays. Get them here.

film

Jan 16, 2025
Page One: "Civil War" (2024)

Written by Alex Garland

writing

Jan 16, 2025
Interview (Part 3): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 15, 2025
The Key to Character Introductions

What is it we need to know about a character to help us craft an effective introduction? Their core essence.

writing

Jan 15, 2025
Page One: "Nickel Boys" (2024)

Screenplay by RaMell Ross & Joslyn Barnes, book by Colson Whitehead

writing

Jan 15, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Mark Bomback

"A big misconception that people have about these franchise movies is that all the studios care about is the action. It's very cynical and...

writing

film

Jan 14, 2025
Interview (Part 2): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

film

Jan 14, 2025
Page One: "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" (2024), original title: "Dane-ye anjir-e ma'abed"

Written by Mohammad Rasoulof

writing

Jan 14, 2025
Interview (Part 1): Colton Childs

My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winner.

writing

Jan 13, 2025
On Writing

"Don't write about a character. Become that character, and then write your story."

writing

Jan 13, 2025
Page One: "The Fire Inside" (2024)

Written by Barry Jenkins, based on the documentary T-Rex

writing

Jan 13, 2025
The Iceberg Theory of Writing

How much character development is enough?

writing

Jan 12, 2025
6 Old Grammar Rules That Are Finally Going Out of Style

Writers should feel free to write stories how the stories need to be told.

writing

Jan 12, 2025
Page One: "Moana 2" (2024)

Screenplay by Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller, story by Jared Bush & Dana Ledoux Miller & Bek Smith

writing

Jan 12, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

A deep dive into movie "Easter eggs"

writing

Jan 11, 2025
Best Writing Approach: Routine or Ritual?

I am fascinated by creativity, in particular how creativity manifests itself in the wide variety of people I meet or learn about. That has...

writing

Jan 11, 2025
Page One: "A Different Man" (2024)

Written by Aaron Schimberg

writing

Jan 11, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

Part 5 of the series written by Karen Grube.

writing

Jan 10, 2025
Writers on Characters

Quotes from professional writers about the importance of characters in the story-crafting process.

writing

Jan 10, 2025
Page One: "Memoir of a Snail" (2024)

Written by Adam Elliot

writing

Jan 10, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

Part 4 of the series written by Karen Grube.

writing

Jan 09, 2025
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 58 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Jan 09, 2025
Page One: "September 5" (2024)

Written by Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum, co-writer Alex David

writing

Jan 09, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

Part 3 of the series written by Karen Grube.

writing

Jan 08, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Dan Gilroy

"Anytime you step outside the conventional formulaic bounds of the screenwriting style, it becomes a little scary. We're already vaguely...

writing

film

Jan 08, 2025
Page One: "Wicked" (2024)

Screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, musical book Winnie Holzman, novel by Gregory Maguire

writing

Jan 08, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

Part 2 of the series written by Karen Grube.

writing

comics

Jan 07, 2025
On Writing

"The reason 99% of all stories written are not bought by editors is very simple. Editors never buy manuscripts that are left on the closet...

writing

Jan 07, 2025
Page One: "Nosferatu" (2024)

Written for the screen by Robert Eggers, inspired by the screenplay "Nosferatu" by Henrik Galeen, inspired by the novel "Dracula" by Bram...

writing

Jan 07, 2025
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 1 Returning Script, 56 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Jan 06, 2025
Guest Series: Extend Your Script's Message with Hidden Easter Eggs

A deep dive into movie "Easter eggs"

writing

Jan 06, 2025
Page One: "Dune: Part Two" (2024)

Screenplay by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, novel by Frank Herbert

writing

Jan 06, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Liz Hannah

Sometimes the story behind the story is as compelling as the story itself and that's the case with Liz Hannah, writer of the 2015 Black...

Jan 05, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Danny Boyle

"Beyond persistence, the only advice I ever give to young filmmakers is, don't be shy in the way you tell a story. Be bold. There is that...

film

Jan 05, 2025
Page One: "Flow" (2024)

Written by Gints Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza

writing

Jan 05, 2025
Character Development Exercise: Switch Protagonists

After all, every character is the Protagonist in their own story.

writing

Jan 04, 2025
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 55 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Jan 04, 2025
Page One: "Unstoppable" (2024)

Screenplay by Eric Champnella and Alex Harris and John Hindman, book by Anthony Robles and Austin Murphy

writing

Jan 04, 2025
The Business of Screenwriting: The Birth, Life, and Death of a Movie

It's 1997. My writing partner and I are seated in a screening room on the Paramount lot. We are there with a handful of studio execs...

writing

film

Jan 03, 2025
Go Into The Story Interview: Justin Marks

My in-depth interview with the screenwriter of The Jungle Book and showrunner-writer of the hit TV series Shōgun.

Jan 03, 2025
Page One: "Heretic" (2024)

Written by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods

writing

Jan 03, 2025
Prosody: The Secret to Memorable Writing

Another in the excellent screenwriting video series Raising the Stakes.

writing

Jan 02, 2025
On Writing

"You have to be reckless when writing. Be as crazy as your conscience allows."

writing

Jan 02, 2025
Page One: "The Order" (2024)

Screenplay by Zach Baylin and Gary Gerhardt, book by Kevin Flynn

writing

Jan 02, 2025
Reader Question: "What should I do if a project sells similar to a script I'm writing?"

Before you jump, step back from the ledge, and consider the following.

writing

Jan 01, 2025
Screenwriting 101: Jon Boyer

"A bad script written is still better than an amazing one that isn't."

writing

film

Jan 01, 2025
Page One: "All We Imagine as Light" (2024)

Written by Payal Kapadia

writing

Jan 01, 2025
Reader Question: Is it realistic to expect a career as a screenwriter?

My response to an email query.

writing

Dec 31, 2024
Video: Reckless Creatives Symposium

Two hours of yours truly answering questions about character-driven screenwriting and storytelling.

writing

film

Dec 31, 2024
Page One: "Sing Sing" (2023)

Screenplay by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar, story by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar & Clarence Maclin & John Divine G Whitfield

writing

Dec 31, 2024
12 of the Most Popular Go Into The Story Articles from 2024

Jump-start your screenwriting in 2025 with inspiration from these articles which generated the most buzz on my blog.

writing

Dec 30, 2024
"This is the true joy of life..."

A wise quote from George Bernard Shaw.

creativity

writing

Dec 30, 2024
Page One: "Babygirl" (2024)

Written by Halina Reijn

writing

Dec 30, 2024
2024 Go Into The Story Highlights: Interviews with 2023 Black List Writers

To date, I have interviewed 85 writers whose scripts were named to the annual Black List.

writing

Dec 29, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 54 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 29, 2024
Page One: "The Brutalist" (2024)

Written by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

writing

Dec 29, 2024
2024 Go Into The Story Highlights: Interviews with 2023 Nicholl Fellows

I have interviewed every Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting recipient since 2012 including last year's winners. Via the Academy:

writing

film

Dec 28, 2024
Reader Question: What is life really like for a beginning screenwriter?

Some things to expect when you break into the business.

writing

Dec 28, 2024
Page One: "Queer" (2024)

Screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, novel by William S. Burroughs

writing

Dec 28, 2024
What if...

Perhaps the two most powerful words in the creative process.

writing

Dec 27, 2024
"The Story We Know"

Reflections on a poem by Martha Collins.

writing

Dec 27, 2024
Page One: "Nightbitch" (2024)

Written for the screen by Marielle Heller, novel by Rachel Yoder

writing

Dec 27, 2024
Mr. Potter and the Billionaire Class

Current events bring to mind the Nemesis of It's a Wonderful Life.

writing

film

Dec 26, 2024
Screenwriting 101: Craig Borten

"For me, it's the characters, breaking the characters. That's what I spend most of my time with. Once I've done that, character will speak...

writing

film

Dec 26, 2024
Page One: "Hit Man" (2023)

Screenplay by Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, article by Skip Hollandsworth

writing

Dec 26, 2024
Why I keep hosting this blog... and a Christmas wish for you

Because of emails like this!

writing

Dec 25, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 1 New Script, 52 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 25, 2024
Page One: "The Piano Lesson" (2024)

Screenplay by Virgil Williams & Malcolm Washington, based on a play written by August Wilson

writing

Dec 25, 2024
"Why It's A Wonderful Life is the greatest film ever made"

Filmmaker Marshall Herskovitz reminds us about the remarkable power of this holiday classic.

film

Dec 24, 2024
On Writing

"Creativity — like human life itself — begins in darkness."

writing

Dec 24, 2024
Page One: "Dìdi" (2024)

Written by Sean Wang

writing

Dec 24, 2024
How to Write a Marketable Screenplay

Tips from a presentation at the Pittsburgh Shorts Filmmaker Conference.

writing

Dec 23, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 51 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 23, 2024
Page One: "A Real Pain" (2024)

Written by Jesse Eisenberg

writing

Dec 23, 2024
Screenwriting Tip: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek"

Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, and story as psychological journey.

writing

Dec 22, 2024
TCM Remembers: 2024

This year's tribute to those in the Hollywood filmmaking community who passed away is especially moving.

film

Dec 22, 2024
Page One: "Emilia Pérez" (2024)

Written by Jacques Audiard, scenario collaboration by Thomas Bidegain, collaboration by Léa Mysius & Nicolas Livecchi, novel by Boris Razon

writing

Dec 22, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025

10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 21, 2024
"Each scene must be a drama in itself"

This advice from silent movie era screenwriter Jeanie Macpherson still resonates today.

writing

Dec 21, 2024
Page One: "The Room Next Door" (2024)

Written by Pedro Almodóvar, novel by Sigrid Nunez

writing

Dec 21, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 48 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 20, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 10] — Trust the Process

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 20, 2024
Page One: "Daddio" (2023)

Written by Christy Hall

writing

Dec 20, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 5 New Scripts, 46 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 19, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 9] — The Only Way Out Is Through

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 19, 2024
Page One: "I'm Still Here"(2024)

Screenplay by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva

writing

Dec 19, 2024
2024 Black List Word Cloud Logline Challenge!

Check out this word cloud from the 2024 Black List loglines, then write your OWN logline from those words to win some great prizes!

Dec 18, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 8] — First Draft

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

Dec 18, 2024
Page One: "Blitz" (2024)

Written by Steve McQueen

Dec 18, 2024
Reflections of 2024 Black List Project Lab Participants

Writers who participated in this year's inaugural Black List Project Lab reflect on their experience.

writing

Dec 17, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 7] — Time Management

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 17, 2024
Page One: "Saturday Night" (2024)

Written by Gil Kenan & Jason Reitman

writing

Dec 17, 2024
UPDATE: 2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 4 New Scripts, 41 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 16, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 6] — Schedule

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 16, 2024
Page One: "The Outrun" (2024)

Screenplay by Nora Fingscheidt & Amy Liptrot, screenstory by Amy Liptrot & Nora Fingscheidt and Daisy Lewis, based on the memoir by Amy...

Dec 16, 2024
Screenwriting 101: Chris Borrelli

"It's something you should always be doing, in my opinion. You should always be open to ideas and stories. I have an idea file. I look back...

Dec 15, 2024
Tarantino, Sorkin, and Dialogue as Purpose

Analysis of long dialogue-centric scenes in The Social Network and Pulp Fiction reveals that underneath the entertaining conversations lies...

Dec 15, 2024
Page One: "The Substance" (2024)

Written by Coralie Fargeat

Dec 15, 2024
Screenwriting Tip: Aristotle and Three Act Structure

"A whole [story] is what has a beginning and middle and end."

writing

film

Dec 14, 2024
Video: MacGuffins Aren't MacGuffins

Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

writing

film

Dec 14, 2024
Page One: "Conclave" (2024)

Screenplay by Peter Straughan, book by Robert Harris

Dec 14, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 37 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 13, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 5] — Going Public

10 part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

Dec 13, 2024
Page One: "The Apprentice" (2024)

Written by Gabriel Sherman

Dec 13, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 8 New Scripts, 35 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

Dec 12, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 4] — Practical Matters

10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

Dec 12, 2024
Page One: "Gladiator II" (2024)

Screenplay by David Scarpa, story by Peter Craig & David Scarpa, characters created by David Franzoni

Dec 12, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 6 New Scripts, 27 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 11, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 3] — Where Do You Want To Go As A Writer?

10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

Dec 11, 2024
Page One: "The Last Showgirl" (2024)

Written by Kate Gersten

Dec 11, 2024
2024 Black List

All 83 scripts listed in order of votes received including loglines, plus a link where you can download the official list.

writing

Dec 10, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 2] — Assessing Where You Are

Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 10, 2024
Page One: "The Holiday" (2006)

Written by Nancy Meyers

writing

Dec 10, 2024
Writing Goals: 2025 [Part 1] — Looking Back

Over the next two weeks, a 10-part series for writers to consider what we did in 2024 and will do in 2025.

writing

Dec 09, 2024
On Writing

"Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own. Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality."

writing

Dec 09, 2024
Page One: "The Hole" (2009)

Written by Mark L. Smith

writing

Dec 09, 2024
Story and the Question of Self-Identity

Every story inevitably raises this question about the Protagonist: "Who are you?"

writing

Dec 08, 2024
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."

writing

Dec 08, 2024
Page One: "Hold the Dark" (2018)

Screenplay by Macon Blair, based on a book by William Giraldi

writing

Dec 08, 2024
Video: 10 Writing and Directing Tips from Michael Mann

Advice from the writer-director of Heat, The Insider, Ali, and many other films and TV series.

writing

Dec 07, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 8 New Scripts, 21 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 07, 2024
Page One: "Maria" (2024)

Written by Steven Knight

writing

Dec 07, 2024
Screenplays are stories, not formulas

William Goldman has famously written, "Screenplays are structure." That is true in a tangible sense because at some point, a script becomes...

writing

Dec 06, 2024
2011 Go Into The Story Screenwriters Roundtable

A conversation with Chris Borrelli, F. Scott Frazier, Jeremiah Friedman, Nick Palmer, Justin Rhodes, Greg Russo, John Swetnam

Dec 06, 2024
Page One: "Deadpool & Wolverine" (2024)

Written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy

writing

Dec 06, 2024
Video: Why "We're Not So Very Different, You And I"

Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

writing

Dec 05, 2024
Something is Better Than Nothing

"No matter what you write, good or bad, it's an improvement to a blank page."

creativity

writing

Dec 05, 2024
Page One: "Red One" (2024)

Screenplay by Chris Morgan, story by Hiram Garcia

writing

Dec 05, 2024
To Write, Stop Thinking

Think character. Think plot. Think theme. But when you sit down to write, don't think... feel.

writing

Dec 04, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 3 New Scripts, 13 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 04, 2024
Page One: "His Three Daughters" (2023)

Written by Azazel Jacobs

writing

Dec 04, 2024
Screenwriting 101: Jeffrey Boam

"Ultimately, plot is of little importance, more of a mechanical contrivance against which characters come to life. Plot tries to engage...

writing

film

Dec 03, 2024
Scene Description Spotlight: Express Your Voice

On December 9th, I'll be offering an important one-week online class. It's called Scene Description Spotlight which sounds super practical...

writing

Dec 03, 2024
Page One: "Hocus Pocus" (1993)

Screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, story by David Kirschner and Mick Garris

writing

Dec 03, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts, 10 Total

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Dec 02, 2024
On Writing

"If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor."

writing

Dec 02, 2024
Page One: "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013)

Screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

writing

Dec 02, 2024
How to Break Into the Film Industry Without Any Connections

The screenwriters of the smash hit movie A Quiet Place share the ins and outs of their journey to Hollywood.

writing

film

Dec 01, 2024
Go Into The Story Interview: Michael Ballin and Thomas Aguilar

My interview with 2021 Black List writers.

Dec 01, 2024
Page One: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012)

Screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, novel by J.R.R. Tolkien

writing

Dec 01, 2024
Writing Tip: Beginnings and Endings

Remember when you first came up with the story idea you're currently writing? How great that felt?

writing

Nov 30, 2024
Screenplay: The Importance of Establishing Narrative Voice

From Page 1, Line 1, you must convey your story's tone and voice.

writing

Nov 30, 2024
Page One: "The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017)

Written by Tom O'Connor

writing

Nov 30, 2024
The Importance of Persistence in a Writer's Life

"PERSIST on telling your story. PERSIST on reaching your audience. PERSIST on staying true to your vision."

writing

Nov 29, 2024
Video: "The Christ Symbol"

Another in the excellent screenwriting series Raising the Stakes.

film

Nov 29, 2024
Page One: "A Hidden Life" (2019)

Written by Terrence Malick

writing

Nov 29, 2024
Make Words Your Friend

When you bust it all down, writing is about choosing words. A writer can choose them well ... or not.

writing

Nov 28, 2024
2024 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 2 New Scripts

It's that time of year again when studios and production companies make available PDFs of movie scripts for award season.

writing

film

Nov 28, 2024

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