How to start a novel – holiday or chaos?
I’m at that wonderful, scary, exciting, fearful point of starting to plan a new novel. The first glimmerings of ideas are beginning to come. The romantic view would be that they are like whispers in…
Why most people are crap at persuading
GETTING GOOD AT PERSUADING This message was intended solely for writers and film-makers, until I realised that pitching and persuading is something that everyone in the media has to get good at. And then I…
Screenplay reality bites… avoiding the reality kiss of death
Which is the greater problem with a screenplay, reality or lack of it? Tim Crouch has a very interesting article in today’s Guardian about how much reality works on stage, and how much it doesn’t.…
How to write visually for cinema and TV
The pressure to write visually can feel frightening, especially if you’re new to writing or have written for other media, such as novels and plays. What generally happens is that the writer overcompensates, filling the…
Five things they don’t tell you about screenplay structure
There’s a great deal of hot air talked about screenplay structure – much more than about any other area of screenwriting – and most of it entirely misses the point. It’s great fun for the…
Seven ways of writing dialogue that stands out from the crowd
I received an email this week from a novelist who wanted to learn more about becoming a screenwriter and in particular wanted some tips on writing dialogue – whether for his books or for the…
Automatic screenplay query letter generator for screenwriters
Developed by a secret army of specialist software designers, the automatic screenplay query letter generator guarantees you’ll never have to struggle over your screenplay query letter again. Free to use, time and time again.
How to write a script report, and why it’s good for your writing
Check out this excellent article by the always excellent Lucy V. Hay. Right on the money. I’d add three things, if you’re writing the report for your own benefit, to improve your writing. http://www.londonscreenwritersfestival.com/how-to-write-a-script-report-and-why-its-good-for-your-writing/ 1…
Why sometimes you have to write a bad scene
This may sound strange, but did you know that writing a good scene may not be right for your script – sometimes only a bad scene will do. This week I reached a climactic point…
Give your future readers a Christmas present
Christmas is coming and the writers are getting twitchy. Are you planning to use the glorious break from everyday life to do some serious writing on that long-delayed script or novel? Give yourself and your…
Just one trick for screenwriting success
How can the most successful video on YouTube help you find screenwriting success?
Why do we call them Screen – Plays?
Want your script to stand out from the crowd? Want it to be read from cover to cover and passed from hand to hand? It’s time to discover your inner playfulness. Playfulness is not the…
A Clever, Sneaky Way To Hide Exposition
The ability to handle exposition really sorts the professionals from the wannabes, and I’m going to share one of my top exposition techniques with you here.
How not to sell your script
Last night I got a call from a company who I’d bought from before. The previous time, I spent good money with them – this time I put the phone down after a minute. What…
Planning to write over the holidays? Here’s a Christmas tip.
Many writers put aside time to write over the holidays. It can be a great idea, and it can also be a quick way to get writers block! The problem is that squeezing all your…
How to be a screenwriting success – Not just 10,000 hours part 2
All great artists – writers, film-makers, musicians, etc – think outside the box. They learn the rules, and then they learn to master them and break them. They break them so effectively that they make new rules for others to keep.
Tips from Linda Aronson
It was great seeing so many people last night at Euroscript for the conversation I had with Linda Aronson (writer and guru!) – she was in good form and full of useful advice on all…
The 21st Century Screenplay
One of my all-time favourite screenwriting books has been Linda Aronson’s Screenwriting Updated – and now she’s updated it! The 21st Century Screenplay adds 50% more. The breadth is enormous – from the psychology of…