This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Narrative Tricks:I don’t like storytelling “tricks.” By that I mean voice over, fantasy sequences, flashbacks, dreams, montages, or unnecessary or arbitrary non-linear structure. Sure,...

In 1967, Melina Mercouri Greece’s most famous and patriotic actress, was torn between the two men in her life (husband, Jules Dassin & her brother, Spyros Mercouris) when she spoke out against her home country’s brutal junta...

Even seasoned screenwriters can struggle when venturing into comedy for the first time. Unlike drama, comedy has additional structures and considerations that have to be understood for the work to succeed. Humor is what makes you laugh, while...

The quest for a great story involves chewing through hundreds of ideas trying to find one with that magic something. And not only do you have to find an idea, but you have to evaluate its power because the ability to tell gold from fool’s...

A complete or closed story has a logical ending and satisfying resolution. Once this loop is disrupted, it creates a cliffhanger which piques the audience’s interest and curiosity to continue watching.Cliffhangers are literary devices used to...

Tension is the strained feeling associated with uncertainty of a situation or physical stress. It is created by an uncertainty that something bad might happen. It puts the audience on edge as they anticipate whether the danger will play out or not,...

The career trajectory of every screenwriter is non-linear to put it politely. Accomplishments rarely pan out as originally hoped or planned so it can be difficult to plan a screenwriting career given that so many elements are beyond a...

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series TV Pitch:During part one of this series on pitching, we covered the overall feel of your TV show in broad strokes – the format, the theme, and the overall structure of the season. Here is the...

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series TV Pitch:By all accounts, we are still in the golden age of television. TV writers are in the peculiarly enviable position of being spoiled for choice in terms of studios currently producing television....

This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Female Archetypes:At long last we come to the final of the four major female archetypes – the Maiden.The Maiden is lamented and resented by some and worshipped and fetishized by others....