by John Bucher (@johnkbucher) Some seasons in our life are more exciting than others. Many days come and go without a single notable event. The times that do stand out may be full of joy, great sadness, anxiety-inducing drama, or simple gratitude. When telling stories, we generally want to include a day or term of the... Continue Reading →
26 Steps to Crafting a Spec Screenplay - Part II
by Fin Wheeler Made a New Year’s resolution to get more serious about the way you write? Here’s a step-by-step guide to crafting a spec screenplay like a professional. (Read Part I here.) Step 17: Read Your First Draft Twice Now that you’ve had a break, it’s time to read the entire screenplay in one sitting. Then... Continue Reading →
Great Villains Make Great Movies: 3 Things Your Villain Needs
by Gabriel Storment (@SeaStorm24) For every hero, there’s a villain. And for every good villain, there’s a bad villain. Too often in movies, the only reason villains behave badly is because if they didn’t, the hero wouldn’t have anything to do. Every hero needs a foil, but when that foil is nothing more than a... Continue Reading →
Bad Writing Advice from The Worst Muse
My sister recently introduced me to the genius that is @WorstMuse. This friendly muse is full of unhelpful advice that will keep you on your toes, force you to laugh at almost every movie you've seen lately, and laugh at the unfortunate cliches in your own writing. Inspire yourself to break the mold and dig a... Continue Reading →
What’s That Scene Adding to Your Script?
Robert McKee's team recently shared an excerpt from his book about scenes and what they should accomplish. It's excellent advice, though very hard to follow. McKee wrote: “A SCENE is an action through conflict in more or less continuous time and space that turns the value-charged condition of a character’s life on at least one value with... Continue Reading →
Jack Kerouac’s 30 Points to Write and Live By
Maria Popova of my favorite site, Brain Pickings, has shared a list that Jack Kerouac once wrote entitled Belief and technique for Modern Prose. Here is the full list (the emphasis is my own): Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for yr own joy Submissive to everything, open, listening Try never get drunk outside... Continue Reading →
Hemingway on How to Be a Writer
Maria Popova has found a wonderful excerpt from Hemingway on Writing, in which Hemingway poses as "Your Correspondent," answering the questions of "MICE" (aspiring writers.)
The Un-Rules of Screenwriting: Billy Mernit’s List
Our latest list of "un-rules" comes from the always insightful Billy Mernit.
The Un-Rules of Screenwriting: Mark Sanderson’s List
Our list this week comes from the talented Mark Sanderson (@scriptcat).
The Un-Rules of Screenwriting: Kirsten Smith’s List
We at LA Screenwriter have found that novice screenwriters often struggle with the problem of "the rules," erring either on the side of formula or of complete disregard for structure. With that in mind, we've asked working writers what rules--either flexible or inflexible--guide their writing.