I am not a huge consumer of women’s romantic fiction because I like a good story – and so I can’t speak intimately to the ins and outs of the genre. It would appear superficially that this genre is formulaic in the extreme so that the story is something secondary (contrived) and the primary focus […]
Author Archive | Monica
To Adapt or Not To Adapt?
Is it a good choice to adapt a project as an unproduced writer – or should you concentrate more of your energies on writing your own original screenplays? I actually discourage new writers (i.e., unestablished, without credits) from writing any screenplay to which they don’t own the rights. The problem with then adapting something as […]
Off the Grid
I’ve been off the grid for a while. I don’t have Internet access where I’m staying now, so it’s been hard to write and post to the blog. However, I’m still here – just very busy with reading and everything else going on right now. Anyway, thank you all for being patient with me and […]
The Confusion Between Main Character and Protagonist
Interesting information from Story Fanatic on the difference between the main character and protagonist. Read this article here.
Biopic: A Character’s Journey
By Monica on March 19, 2010 in Audience, Character, Genre, Location, Logical World, Process, Story, Subject Matter, Theme, Tone, Uncategorized
I’ve been reading a number of biopics based on very famous historical personages. They are flat and dry, like cardboard. The feeling I have reading them is that they take a marionette of a historical figure and dance them through the major events of their life. I start off with little or no understanding of […]
The Modern Western
An individual posted a question to one of the screenwriting forums on LinkedIn about the western genre and whether it’s worth his time to finish his western script and start querying. My thought was yes. The western genre appears to be back – but it isn’t strictly John Wayne anymore. The western has evolved into […]
Joe Bright on his Book “The Black Garden”
Author and screenwriter Joe Bright is interviewed about his new book, The Black Garden. Congratulations, Joe!
Writer’s Block? Rediscover Your Passion
Writer’s block is the devil. To my mind, it’s like being trapped inside a Sartre play: locked inside a room with no windows and no way out. I’ve been blocked lately – and it’s actually not a normal state for me. In fact, this might be the first true writer’s block I’ve experienced in the […]
Descriptors: Be Precise
By Monica on March 8, 2010 in Audience, Character, Formatting, Location, Logical World, Tone, Uncategorized
Don’t forget when you’re writing to use precise descriptors that evoke something very clear in the mind of the reader. Even in screenwriting, the quality of prose to some degree either engages or repels the reader and thus the experience of your screenplay. Try to avoid descriptors that are ambiguous, contradictory or confusing, because the […]
And the Winner is…
The winner of my Story Notes Giveaway to Oscar Picks competition is Eugene Scala. Congratulations to Eugene! Thanks to everyone who entered.
Screenwriter-to-Screenwriter.com Gets a Facelift!
Okay, folks, so here we go – Screenwriter-to-Screenwriter.com has officially had a facelift! Yes, I’m now on Twitter and have a FaceBook page, so check them out. If you’re looking for a fantastic Web designer, contact Melissa White at WhitespaceCreative.com. Keep sending your questions and posting comments. Thanks for reading!
Writing and Rights
By Monica on March 4, 2010 in Character, Genre, Ideas, Location, Story, Subject Matter, Theme, Tone, Uncategorized
I know there can be some confusion about adapting work for the screen and owning the rights. If you are absolutely in love with a novel, cartoon, graphic novel (or ANY work that is not your own) and feel that it is your life’s destiny to adapt this work for the screen, then GET THE […]
What is “High Concept”?
By Monica on March 3, 2010 in Audience, Genre, Ideas, Story, Subject Matter, Theme, Tone, Uncategorized
“High concept” is an expression within the entertainment industry that basically boils down to meaning ‘highly commercial.’ But what does it really mean? “High concept” indicates a few things: 1. A universal concept, whereupon every person hearing the idea will have a specific common point of reference. Successful universal concepts can be based on tropes, […]
Political Thrillers & Sci-Fi: Track the World
By Monica on March 2, 2010 in Audience, Character, Genre, Location, Story, Subject Matter, Theme, Tone, Uncategorized
It is a common mistake for political thrillers and sci-fi screenplays to dump too many characters in the openings. This gets very confusing quickly. As a reader, I always feel the strongest choice is to introduce the protagonist alone, so that he/she stands out and is clearly identified in the mind of the reader. Once […]
How To Title Your Script
By Monica on February 28, 2010 in Audience, Genre, Story, Subject Matter, Theme, Tone, Uncategorized
Coming up with an amazing title is important. Why? As a script reader, if I smile when I read your title, that’s a huge bonus – because it means I will be excited to read your script. Conversely, if the title evokes nothing, that’s bad. I don’t know what that script is about and I’ll […]