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Goals: Driving the Narrative

  • James "Doc" Mason
  • .November 18, 2024
As with every story element described in this series, the goal relates directly back to the idea of conflict. To reiterate, in its most basic form, conflict is when someone wants something and another person doesn’t want them to have it.More specifically, narrative conflict is typically when one character proactively pursues a g...
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11 Writing Quotes You Should Take Notice Of (Part 2)

This entry is part 2 of 2 in a series on Writing Quotes.6) A story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, but not necessarily in that order. ~ Jean-Luc GodardNon-linear storytelling is a difficult technique to pull off and it varies greatly. From Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol which starts at an event and the rolls f...
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The Truth About Contests and Education

Max Timm and The Story Farm offer all of his Substack content to ISA members for free, but a week or more after the original post was sent. If you would like to receive his most up to date Substack posts, as well as participate in a community of writers through his subscription and the Substack app, you can do so by going here, ...
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Writing Morally Gray Characters, Part 2

This article is a continuation of Writing Morally Gray Characters, Part 1. Politics Is A Dirty Gray“Politics is a dirty business, but if you do not do politics, politics will be done to you.” So states novelist Will Shetterly.Many movies and TV series about politics shows the absolute compromising nature of politics. Gray charac...
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Navigating Your Story

  • Salva Rubio
  • .September 16, 2024
Since its inception over twenty years ago, the methodology of Blake Synder’s Save the Cat has been as synonymous with storytelling as Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey and Syd Field’s Paradigm Worksheet.Many screenwriters can’t help but spot the moment when “Bad Guys Close In”, or the “Dark Night of the Soul” whenever they sit do...
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Your Screenplay or TV Pilot: How Long Should it Take to Write?

Okay, I admit it, I’ve been in denial. I did not think that this blogpost would need writing. Which, let’s face it, is nothing short of stupid on my part because, well, I have this conversation ALL. THE. TIME.Even as I write this, I think to myself: This blogpost is going to be a short one. There isn’t that much to say; the mess...
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The Psychology Of Creativity For Screenwriters

Screenwriters, and all creatives for that matter, frequently grapple with the constant and tiring task of – creating. We have all suffered from writers’ block, a lack of inspiration and motivation, or a paucity of good ideas at some point in our careers. Self-flagellation and self-doubt don’t help. They cause stress and anxiety ...
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The Self-Imposed Deadline

  • Roy Peter Clark
  • .April 29, 2024
The Power of The Self-Imposed Deadline:With lots of activity around the publication of my new book “Murder Your Darlings: And Other Gentle Writing Advice from Aristotle to Zinsser,” I have been fielding lots of questions about productivity. It often comes in this form: “How did you ever write six books in a dozen years?”When I h...
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The Thematic Argument

  • Michael Welles Schock
  • .April 1, 2024
Theme is an abstract concept by nature, and thus has always been difficult to define or comprehend. To put things most simply, the theme is what the story “believes in.” It contains the underlying values, principles, or beliefs the story intends to express. A clear and recognizable theme will guide the choice of story content, d...
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What Is a Table Read? How to Set Up a Table Read, Including Who to Invite

  • March 21, 2024
A table read is one of the most important steps in the production process for any feature film or TV series. It offers an opportunity for your cast, crew, and other members of your creative team to gather together to hear the script read aloud. Whether you’re a first-time writer or a film industry veteran, table reads can give y...
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How to Write a Vomit Draft (And Why It’s So Important)

For me – and I think for many writers – the most intimidating part of the writing process is typing the first words of the first draft of a new film or TV script. It’s terrifying. I will procrastinate at that point of the writing process longer and with more steadfast dedication than at any other point.Why? Because as soon as yo...
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Portrait of a Promising Young Screenwriter

Don’t worry, this is not going to be another one of my venting, finger shaking, scolding blog posts. Which probably means that no one will be reading this but… what the hell. The bottom line is that for this one, no one angered me, frustrated me, or said something I wish he did not. For once, I am pretty sure that this is one bl...
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The Length and Look of Your Pilot or Screenplay

First impressions: The Length and Look of Your Pilot or ScreenplayIt was a long day. I had just finished 9 client meetings back-to-back. I had a bunch of emails that I still needed to answer, and, just as importantly, a screenplay I needed to read that night for a meeting the next day. All, for the record, great problems to have...
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Turbo Charge Your Dialogue

  • J.D Smith
  • .October 24, 2023
Screenwriters are often told that actions speak louder than words, or the time-honored adage, “show us, don’t tell us.” But carefully constructed dialogue is vital to make your screenplay pop. Dialogue expresses the thoughts of your characters when actions can’t fully do so. Dialogue reinforces or contradicts actions. Alternativ...
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Reality Check

  • Dave Trottier
  • .October 17, 2023
(REPOST) In working with screenwriters for nearly three decades, I’ve noticed three writing issues that arise over and over again. In each case, a reality check should prove empowering.1. Appearance is importantAfter a tweet that touted my book, Two Screenplays, someone tweeted back, "DT sold perfectly formatted scripts that nev...
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The Ten Commandments of Brainstorming

  • Steven Barnes
  • .September 18, 2023
Life is trying things to see if they work - Ray Bradbury.Creativity is a matter of both self-expression and problem solving. In both arenas, the ability to generate vast quantities of ideas is essential: “The only way to have a good idea is by coming up with a lot of bad ideas!”One way of approaching this is the process known as...
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How to Write Great Loglines

  • Brianne Hogan
  • .September 18, 2023
REPOST - Lane Shefter Bishop isn’t kidding when she laughs, “I have such an eclectic background.” Not only is she a multi-award winning producer and director (including an Emmy and six Telly Awards), but she’s also the CEO of Vast Entertainment, a production and development company that focuses exclusively on fostering book-to-s...
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How to Save the Cat

  • Brianne Hogan
  • .August 28, 2023
(REPOST) “I first learned how to tell effective stories…selling a shampoo or household cleaning product. But isn’t that what storytelling is all about – selling the hero’s story?” From this prosaic storytelling education, José Silerio became Save the Cat! author Blake Snyder’s Development Director. Now Silerio actively works wit...
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Creating Believable Characters

  • Carla Iacovetti
  • .August 21, 2023
Carla Iacovetti explores the importance of good characterization, and discusses the issue with award-winning scriptwriter Glenn Benest.“Structure is very important to a story, but you’re really missing the boat if you think structure is the only reason that a movie works. The big difference is character. The heart of the movie i...
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Streamlining the Story

  • James Napoli
  • .August 21, 2023
There are many screenplays available online, but one in particular has some terrific lessons in it regarding the streamlining of a story, and what decisions are made between the page and the screen that can be particularly instructive to writers.That screenplay is Groundhog Day, the second revision by the late (and hugely lament...

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