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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
As I hunted through my resources this weekend, I came across some screenwriting DVDs I’ve enjoyed and wanted to share with you. 1. The Dialogue DVD Series: This series of DVDs includes interviews of successful screenwriters talking craft, breaking in, and the films they love. I’m a big fan of crawling inside other writers’ heads [...]
To celebrate the launch of Jen Grisanti’s new column Story Structure, I’m sharing my top picks for screenwriting structure and writing style products at The Writers Store: 1. The Screenwriter’s Bible by Dave Trottier – Dave’s book was one of my very first screenwriting resources, and is still one I turn to when I have [...]
For all of those who went to Screenwriter World Conference in NYC this past weekend, CONGRATULATIONS on putting yourself and your work out there to execs and agents! I know from personal experience how hard that can be. Pat yourselves on the back! Now before you submit your work, make sure you have it registered [...]
When pursuing a screenwriting career, you have to get out of your writer’s cave and meet executives face-to-face. The BEST way to pitch your work is to sell yourself! After all, should an exec like your script, s/he will have to work with you for a long period of time developing it. It’s just as [...]
