Making sure your screenplay doesn’t leave you stranded.
The one the pros use!
For over 10 years, I’ve been offering the most comprehensive script proofreading service in the business. That’s why I’ve become the first choice for amateurs and A-list screenwriters alike. Let me help you make a great first impression!
Script Proofreading
Writing Teams
Some of my friends have had great success as a writing team. Perhaps they answered all of Steve Kaire's key questions at the outset of their partnership: There’s a list of questions that has to be answered before both parties make the final commitment to work...
The Shy Protagonist
There's a script that it seems I've been writing for the past 10 years. I'll work on it for a while, get extremely frustrated, then push it aside in favor of something easier to write. Then the cycle repeats itself. The problem? My protagonist, in this ill-fated...
Discontinue CONT’D
The Continuing Use of CONT'D I'm still seeing a ton of people using "(CONT'D)" unnecessarily in their scripts, so it's time for a quick rant post. In years past, it was common to use "(CONT'D)" whenever a character's dialogue was broken by action or scene description....
The Black List
Today Hollywood is all aflutter with the release of the Black List for 2009. What is The Black List? If you're an unproduced screenwriter, it's a list that you want to be on. Here's an excerpt from The Black List official web site: THE BLACK LIST is a snapshot of the...
Cut the CUT TO:
Often times, the trickiest part of screenwriting isn't finishing your first draft -- it's paring the dang thing down to 115 pages or so! Every line becomes critical. It's therefore key that we don't use any superfluous transitions. I'm lookin' at you CUT TO: !...
Edgy Screenwriting (2B): 13 Ways To Kill Your Hero
More Edgy Screenwriting In Part 2A of the Edgy Screenwriting series, I discussed why killing your hero is not a great idea for a spec script. But if you're afflicted with the stubborn gene, and determined to kill your hero/protagonist anyway, this article explores...
Angels & Demons DVD / Ron Howard Quote
I rented Angels & Demons the other night. I thought they did a nice job with the considerable challenges of adapting Dan Brown's novel into a movie. But this post isn't about that -- it's about the DVD extras. On the Angels & Demons DVD there are two great...
Edgy Screenwriting – Part 2A: Killing Your Hero?
That mischievous glint in their eye -- at least one person in almost every screenwriters' group has it. They've made a decision to end their script with the ultimate bang -- by killing their protagonist. You don't see it all that often in movies -- so it's edgy and...
Written a TV spec script? Now what?
Steven L. Sears is a cool guy. Not only has he written for some of my favorite TV shows, including The A-Team and Xena: Warrior Princess, he's also generous with his advice to aspiring screenwriters. He's given me permission to re-post a response he gave to someone on...
Should you announce your writing goals?
Conventional wisdom tells us that announcing our goals is a good thing -- telling people about our plans garners us support and makes us more committed. According to psychologists at NYU, however, our puny human brains may confuse talking about the goal, with actually...
Are you serious about your writing career?
I am again very pleased to present an article that comes courtesy of Michele Wallerstein -- a highly respected screenplay, novel and career consultant. Her specialty is helping writers get their work into shape so it is marketable for the Hollywood community and/or...
Save The Cat! Logline Contest
Blake Snyder's web site is holding another logline contest. Here are the rules: All of you Cats are invited to join STC!’s final contest for the year. To enter, use the STC! rules of a well-written logline to rework the logline of a well-known movie and turn it into...