by Angela Bourassa (@angelabourassa1) I recently had the opportunity to test drive a new outlining tool for screenwriters called Prewrite. Spoiler alert: it’s pretty great. (Full disclosure: I am not being paid for this review and I don’t get any sort of kickbacks if you sign up. I was, however, given a free lifetime membership... Continue Reading →
4 Changes You Can Make to Reboot Your Story
by John Bucher (@johnkbucher) The end of the year is quickly approaching and more than one writer made a goal to complete that story idea that has been sitting on their desktop since January. Sometimes, stories need a significant shift in approach in order to relight the spark that gave them their start. Here are four... Continue Reading →
Rewriting Your Script Like a Pro: The 3 Step Guide
by Angela Bourassa (@angelabourassa1) Rewriting your script is always a daunting process. Getting to the end of the first draft is hard enough. Now you're supposed to go back through it and pick apart all of the beautiful work you just did? The very idea of starting a rewrite can be heartbreaking. And then there's the... Continue Reading →
Infographic: Words to Use Instead of “Very”
The nice folks over at ProofreadingServices.com shared this great infographic with us -- 128 Words to Use Instead of Very. We hope you find it helpful in your rewriting!
Writer’s Blocks and Remedies: Part II
by Fin Wheeler From time to time every writer is paralyzed by an inability to put pen to paper. Identify what sort of blockage you have and why you have it, and you’re more than halfway to remedying the situation. Act One is A Mess You finished your first draft, put it aside for a... Continue Reading →
The Power of the Radical Rewrite
by Fiona Wheeler Simply changing a scene or two won’t make your screenplay be all it can be. It’s time to take an ax to your darlings. Many screenwriters think of their screenplay as their child: if you’re not gentle as you lovingly smooth its hair, it’ll wake screaming and there will be no placating... Continue Reading →
Quote of the Day: Paddy Chayefsky
If you're reading through and stop, something is wrong. Cut it. If something bothers you, then it's bad. Cut it.
Toni Morrison on Failure, Rewriting, and Experimentation
As this month is Women's History month, we wanted to take a moment to highlight one of the most important writers -- male or female -- of the last century. No, Toni Morrison isn't a screenwriter, but her thoughts on writing surpass form and are completely applicable whether you're writing a broad comedy or an... Continue Reading →
The Brutal Rewrite Process
We could have just as easily called this article, "Don't Get Too Attached to Your Script." After getting the first draft down on paper, the hardest part of screenwriting is having the guts and emotional strength to make huge cuts and rewrites in your script. Whether you know there are problems or you think the... Continue Reading →
Quote of the Day: Jill Remensnyder
First rule of screenwriting: Don’t fall in love with your work. Second rule of screenwriting: Don’t fall in love with your work.