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style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> I read a lot of scripts, and I’ve noticed a trend.  style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> The average writer’s dialogue is getting better than it used to be.  style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> With so…

style=”text-align: center;”> style=”text-align: left;”> I don’t want you to make this mistake.  It’s a biggie.  > > This mistake isn’t something forgivable like taking too long to get to your inciting incident.  It’s not the unsavory practice of using “ing” words in your description.  It’s not even — gasp — submitting a spec with more…

style=”font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;”> It’s Halloween season, time to turn to spooky stuff.  Going eerie won’t be hard for me at all because the screenplay biz can be downright bloodcurdling.  Here’s my top five countdown of screenwriting frights: style=”font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;”> style=”font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;”> 5. Screenwriters are constantly vanishing…

 Feeling out of creative steam?   It happens to every writer at every level.  There’s so much resistance, so much rewriting, so much everything – it’s easy for any writer to lose momentum. But momentum is everything.   All you really need, to eventually succeed, is to move forward.  All you really need is momentum.    If you…

style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> You’ve been working for months on your latest script, and it’s almost ready to market. Frankly, you’re just about out of steam.  Of course you are.  Screenwriting is hard work – at least if you’re trying to do it well.  But it’s not all so damn laborious.  Here are…

style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> All screenwriters deal with it: the dreaded negative review.  Does it mean you have no talent?  Does it mean you should give up?  Absolutely, positively not!  Here’s why: style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> Every Script Gets Negative Feedback > > I remember…

style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> I’ve had producers mean very different things when they’ve asked me for a “synopsis”.  Some have meant a one page “pitch” for my script.  Others have meant a full-on multi page “summary” of the story (otherwise known as a treatment).  These are very different things, and it’s important to…

style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> A producer wants to develop a new project with you.  It could be on spec.  It could be a paid assignment.  Either way, my advice remains the same.  There is one thing you should never ever do.  style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”>…

style=”font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;”> For a bit of extra motivation to push harder on our screenplays – and as an excuse to spend some time thinking about my favorite Hollywood area hotels – this month’s blog lists five great Los Angeles locales to celebrate a big break. style=”font-family: Cambria; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;”>…

style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;”> When I say cheating on your loved one in this blog, I’m of course referring to cheating on your screenplay’s plot.  Our stories are dear to our hearts, and they depend on us, so in the New Year let’s all resolve to cheat less (in our plotting).  style=”mso-layout-grid-align: none;…