A reader asked me to write something about theme, as it is possibly the most nebulous component of good writing and yet arguably the most important. Theme, to me, is the soul of the piece. It’s a part of the unspoken meaning to each of the scenes that is continually omnipresent. Most scripts I read […]
Archive | Process
Shouts Out to my Readers!
I just wanted to send grateful acknowledgment to my readers both here in the US and abroad in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, China, Russia, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Japan. My baby blog is still new and growing every day, but I always love seeing […]
Screenwriting Punctuation for Dummies
I’m a stickler for proper English grammar. I get really annoyed when people justify their horrible grammar with excuses, as though it’s snobby to use subject-verb agreement. It’s not. It’s our language. If you want use English to a professional end, you should have a level of mastery. I’ll admit it: my skin crawls when […]
Breaking Story: The Six Major Beats
Generally, when people begin the outline process or look more specifically at the structure of any given script, they look closely at the six beats. In film school, it was explained to us that these are the major “tent pole” story points – the major points of story upon which you hang the rest of […]
Breaking Story: The 8 Sequences
I’ve asked my friend Sharon to write a short article about how she outlines, because she plots from character as opposed to story. I wanted to provide you with an alternative means of breaking story and beginning the outline. Ultimately, every writer must find the process that best taps their natural gifts. Here’s what Sharon […]
Writing is Rewriting: You Have To Do the Work
For me as a reader, I can tell you that most scripts I read are a sparkling, resounding, operatic voice calling out from the heavens, “PASS!” There’s just nothing in them. Sometimes I wonder why that writer actually wanted to invest the time. What they thought was so interesting in their little project as to […]
Plotting From Character
I’ve asked my friend Sharon to write a short article about plotting, because she plots from character as opposed to story. I wanted to provide you with an alternative means of breaking story and beginning the outline. Ultimately, every writer must find the process that best taps their natural gifts. Here’s what Sharon says: I […]
“You Suck,” and Other Things You’d Love To Scream at Someone Giving You Notes on Your Script
I’m writing again about giving and receiving notes because it’s important. In this last week, I’ve had two hard notes sessions (giving notes). Okay, we’re adults. We can admit it. Getting notes is hard. It’s usually shocking. We pour our heart and soul into something, we hear the notes, feel that the person “doesn’t get […]
What, Technically, is a “Beat” in a Screenplay?
By Monica on June 29, 2009 in Beat Sheet, Character, Formatting, Genre, Location, Logical World, Process, Story, Uncategorized
A writer friend of mine emailed asking me to better describe what is a screenwriting “beat.” Here’s the skinny. This is actually a point of confusion for many people, and I recall it was very confusing to me when I started at film school because there are actually three kinds of beats, but people just […]
The Screenplay Outline: Carding Out Your Story
I am a big outliner. I think it’s important when breaking story. I know some screenwriters approach writing the screenplay as do many novelists: they let the story find them. However, with the script, page count is so limited and every scene and every word so valuable – so why take the risk of not […]
Screenplay Competition Reading: It’s All Subjective
By Monica on June 23, 2009 in Character, Formatting, Genre, Location, Logical World, Process, Uncategorized
Here is the good, bad, and ugly of screenplay competitions: art is subjective. For everything everyone tells you, in the end it all boils down to taste. That’s why you just have to write your passion. One reader (producer, manager, agent) might not have any interest in your story. But another will. We write for […]
The Screenplay Competition “Do Nots”
By Monica on June 22, 2009 in Character, Formatting, Genre, Location, Logical World, Process, Uncategorized
The basic “do nots” before you send your script to a competition. The following is a very basic list of items that do not impress me as a competition reader and, more often than not, will get your script a resounding pass. If your script contains any of these points, consider rewriting before submitting to […]
The Screenplay Competition “Dos”
The basic “dos” before you send your script to a competition. The following is a very basic list of items that get my attention as a competition reader. If your script addresses each of these points, you’re doing a good job. I will be excited to read your script. DO have a title page. Sometimes […]
Do Not Write What’s Not on Screen
By Monica on June 13, 2009 in Beat Sheet, Character, Formatting, Genre, Location, Logical World, Process, Story, Uncategorized
Okay, we all know, “Show, don’t tell!” I will never forget my sophomore English teacher hitting that point home with a sledgehammer every class. As a screenwriter, I hear, “Exposition is bad.” Now I have a better understanding of what this really means. With screenwriting, it’s fairly simple, actually, but hard to do well and […]
Where To Buy Scripts?
Whenever I need a copy of something, I call Hollywood Book & Poster. They have an amazing film and TV script library, as well as posters, stills, etc. If you need something and they don’t have it, they’ll get it for you. They can express mail as well.