Every day I get a tweet, Facebook message, email or text from a writer, asking me for advice. They peruse this site for the tips of talented experts who generously share their experiences with our readers. But when is it time to stop listening to the screenwriting experts? I’ve attended many lectures over the years, [...]
Every writer needs inspiration. I’m known for getting mine as a voyeur at my Panera office. However it is you get inspired, there are tools that can help you organize your ideas and keep them at your fingertips for easy reference. 1. Inspiration Software: Inspiration makes it easy to create webs, idea maps, mind maps, concept [...]
Location, location, location. It’s important in real estate, in a script’s budget and also in sparking creativity for a writer’s mind. But for me, location isn’t the only thing – it’s the combination of location, people, and inspiration that puts words on the page. Location Finding the best location to write is just as important [...]
When I speak at screenwriting conferences, I often remind people to look to their left and then to their right. The people sitting next to you are the ones you should be networking with, not just the speakers. Now I have proof. Meet Rebecca Norris and Kevin Resnick, filmmakers on their way to Cannes Film Festival [...]
For those who’ve followed my writing on Balls of Steel, you know how I love crawling into my characters’ heads. This week, I want to share with you a FREE download to help you find plot points that fit with your characters’ story arcs! Get your FREE Structure Grid of Character Development and Plot as [...]
I’m feeling a need to stick up for the little people today. I always root for the little guy. Hell, I am a little guy. Hence, this is why I love indie filmmakers. We have day jobs, work tirelessly to get our art noticed, and stick our tin cups out to crowdsource via Kickstarter and [...]
There’s no question, writing is rewriting. Quitting too early is the death of a script’s potential sale. Here are some tools I use to help me get my scripts to a polish as close to perfect as my imperfect self can accomplish: 1. Rewrite by Paul Chitlik If you’re writing a spec, you don’t want [...]
Life cannot be fully appreciated in an insular state. Humanity survives by embracing community. So it’s not a mere coincidence that a writer needs to build a writing community not only for their sanity but also to learn and grow in their craft. Many of my readers are aware I have trained in Chung Do [...]
Happy Monday! The start of a week can be much like the start of a script. I can play on the rewrite playground forever, but starting a project is always the most difficult part for me. Over the years, I’ve asked my writer friends for advice on tools to help me not only get past my [...]
