A writer in my class the other day asked me “Is there a standard approach for doing script coverage analysis?” The short answer is no. There is absolutely no standard approach for doing script coverage analysis AKA notes AKA comments … Read More
The Script Coverage Buyer’s Guide
Script coverage, in a nutshell, is really just a short document that offers an opinion on a screenplay. When script coverage is good, it offers helpful suggestions and pulls no punches with its critique, and the writer or filmmaker receiving … Read More
Screenwriting Gurus — Why Most of Them Suck and How to Avoid
“Screenwriting gurus.” Ick. If those two words don’t make you nauseous, you’re either not a screenwriter, or you’ve sniffed too much glue. Over the two decades of running my script coverage service, I’ve seen a lot of self-appointed screenwriting experts come … Read More
Writing Authentic Dialogue — 7 Things Savvy Screenwriters Must Do
Writing dialogue is easy. Writing strong dialogue — dialogue which an audience will consider authentic-sounding and believable — is an entirely different skill.
Writing More Interesting Characters – 5 Quick Fixes You Can Do Right Now
Write more interesting characters. Yes, you. You should be writing more interesting characters. Here’s a few things you can do to your draft right now. Don’t think about it. Just do it. Your characters are boring and that makes you … Read More
How Do I Sell My Screenplay? — Here’s 4 Things You’re Doing Wrong
“How do I sell my screenplay?” “My screenplay is done. Now what do I do?” “How do I get my script produced?” These are the eternal questions asked by aspiring screenwriters everywhere. But, as you might’ve noticed, get paid for … Read More
Social Media for Screenwriters – The Basic Rules
Aspiring screenwriters can and should use social media. But keep in mind — there are a few “best practices” you might want to put into action when using social media as a screenwriter.
Screenwriter Networking – The Basic Do’s and Don’t’s
Screenwriter networking is absolutely essential to any screenwriter’s career. People knowing people, referring people, befriending people — without any exaggeration, this is how films and television get made in the film industry. Once more for emphasis: meeting and working with film and … Read More
Five Ways to Write Better Female Characters
Writing female characters seems to be a difficult thing to do for most screenwriters and tv writers. Bad female characters seem to be the rule rather than the exception. But there are writers working hard to change this paradigm, by … Read More
What Playing D&D Can Teach Screenwriters
Screenwriting and Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). What possibly could a roleplaying game have in common with the century-old art and craft of writing a screenplay for film or television? What on Middle Earth could these two worlds have in common? Believe … Read More
