It has been widely written that that the cardinal sin of screenwriting is boring your readers – not drilling holes into them, but making them lose interest and disengage from your screenplay. If you bore your reader, imagine how your audience...

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Pitch Doc:Now that we’ve covered the basic components pitch document in broad strokes, it’s time to expand on them.Philosophical QuestionsThese seminal questions arise before the overview of...

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Self-Sabotage:Can’t escape the screenwriter blues? Don’t let them get the better of you. They don’t define you. Purposeful Procrastination We’re all human and some...

The opening scenes of your screenplay are the first impressions a reader will get of your story. They are critical because they invite the reader into your story and encourage them to stay for the duration of your film or TV script. They will...

People who disdain structure in scripts point to the dreaded “Hollywood Formula” as being the death of creativity. My take is different. With good structure you can explore creativity. It’s like saying, I’ll just build my...

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Self-Sabotage:At some stage every screenwriter has sat frozen in front of their computer wondering if quitting their secure career to write stories was a mistake. Searching for your happiness is never a...

Most screenwriters need some guidance to help their careers flourish. Many are advised to get a mentor to coach them towards their career goals.What does a mentor do exactly and why do they do it? Mentors are typically experienced writers with many...

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Pitch Doc:After your initial pitch meetings have piqued a producer’s interest, you may be asked for a pitch document – especially in the case of television series. There aren’t any hard...

The foundation of every good story depends on rich characters that grow in some way by the end. The characters (especially the main one) must experience some internal or external transformation during the course of the story. These changes can be...

We’ve previously published numerous articles on the art and science of pitching. As scary and uncomfortable as many screenwriters find pitching, it’s part of your job. You cannot rely on your writing speaking for itself to build a...