Writer of Life & Lyrics | BBC Films | Universal Pictures | Edinburgh International Film Festival | 15 years teaching
Structure gives a screenplay shape. Character gives it life.
Structure, character, dialogue and scene construction matter because they help an audience follow, feel and anticipate a story. Structure can provide the basic shape, but compelling screenwriting comes from the characters, conflicts and choices that give that shape meaning.
I created Live Write Love Write to share practical lessons from more than two decades of working with stories as a screenwriter, script consultant and lecturer. Whether you are beginning your first screenplay, wrestling with a rewrite or trying to understand why a promising idea is not yet working, the aim is the same: to help you see the story more clearly and make the next decision with purpose.
Start with the story problem
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the part of the screenplay that is causing the most difficulty.
Structure with purpose
Give your screenplay shape, momentum and direction by building its structure around the characters, conflicts and choices that drive the story.
Characters audiences want to follow
Create characters with clear goals, deeper needs, credible contradictions and something meaningful at stake.
Scenes that force decisions
Use conflict, subtext and emotional impact to make each scene earn its place by forcing a choice, revealing something important or changing the direction of the story.
Practical guidance for the page
These articles and guides are designed to be used while you are writing. They break down screenwriting craft in clear language, connect technique to dramatic purpose and give you practical questions to take back to your screenplay.
The Three ‘Firsts’ Every Screenplay Needs
First encounters, first tests and first reversals carry unusual dramatic weight. Used well, they establish expectations, reveal character and make an audience lean into what happens next.
Five Elements of Writing Characters
Explore five elements that can help turn a functional character into someone with intention, pressure, contradiction and the capacity to change.
Find a clearer way through your screenplay
A screenplay can stall at any stage. The idea may need sharpening, the structure may be losing momentum, the characters may feel passive or individual scenes may not be doing enough work.
The Screenwriting section brings together practical guidance and development support shaped by 15 years of teaching and working with writers. It is designed to help you make purposeful choices, strengthen your draft and develop a screenplay that feels unmistakably your own.
Professional experience. Practical guidance.
I am a professional screenwriter, script consultant and university lecturer. My feature film Life & Lyrics was backed by BBC Films, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and received a theatrical release through Universal Pictures.
For 15 years, I have taught and worked with thousands of writers at different stages of their development. My approach is direct but collaborative. I will not impose one system on every screenplay or try to turn your work into the story I would write. I help you understand what your story is trying to become, identify what is getting in its way and guide you in making stronger choices on the page.
Life & Lyrics
My feature film Life & Lyrics, backed by BBC Films, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and received a theatrical release through Universal Pictures. The experience of moving a screenplay from page to screen continues to shape how I teach and support writers.
When your screenplay needs focused attention
Sometimes an article is all it takes to unlock a problem. Other times, a screenplay needs a deeper conversation about what you are really trying to say and how to say it in a way that is unmistakably yours.
I work with screenwriters through script consultation and story development. I also run workshops, teach at universities, writing groups and creative organisations.
Every piece of work starts with you and what you are trying to achieve. Together we will identify what is holding the writing back and agree on the most useful way forward.
Have a question about your screenplay?
Get in touch to discuss your writing, a workshop or the support you need.