What Makes a Great Antagonist?
Q: What do you think makes a great antagonist? Do they always have to have a legit reason (at least to them) of why they are doing bad things? Is it as simple as having a few quirks that people…
screenwriting tips
Second Act Screenwriting Tip
When people write loglines or a “premise test,” they often write one that misses the meat of the story. Stories aren’t just about the setup of an idea, it’s about the execution of that idea. That execution occurs in the…
Don’t Write in Variables. Commit To Specifics.
When I’m coaching a client, I usually run into some version of this conversation:
Five Ways That Story Coaching Helps Your Screenwriting
Story coaching is the best, most efficient way to get better as a writer. It begins when a writer hires me for a specific project. They’ll tell me what they want to accomplish and what’s preventing them from executing it…
Adding Camera Direction to Your Screenplay — Yes or No?
If you’ve ever read a book on screenwriting, you’ve probably heard that adding camera movements to your script is a no-no. The reason for this is simple: novice writers overuse camera movements to the point that they distract the reader…
When to Use CUT TO: (and When Not To)
The majority of screenwriting books tell you that you should avoid using CUT TO: between scenes because it reeks of amateurish writing and quite frankly, it’s obvious that to go from one scene in a movie to the next, there…
Every Screenwriter’s Toolbox
For every successful screenwriter, there’s a unique story of how he or she made it over the wall. Each one is different, and no one’s journey can be duplicated by anyone else. Some had parents in the industry, some got…
Writing Good Dialog
Some writers have a natural gift for writing dialog. Others don’t. If you’re the latter, here are a few tips to help you write better dialog.
Style vs. Substance
When writing a screenplay, a screenwriter must remember that she has two audiences. First, she has the reader of the screenplay. This reader may be her friend, writing coach, producer, actor, director, distributor, development exec, someone working in product placement,…
