Practical articles and guides on screenwriting craft, character, structure, dialogue and the realities of writing. Browse by subject, dip into what you need and come back whenever the blank page starts getting ideas above its station.
Character
-
Write the Truth: Why Honest Characters Matter
Here’s a truth many people don’t like to admit: perfect characters are boring. Whether you’re writing a novel, a play, or a screenplay, the one thing your audience craves, often without even realising it, is honesty. Not perfection. Not polished, grinning protagonists who always say the right thing and never spill tea on their trousers. […]
-
5 Elements of Writing Characters
Character development in screenwriting Okay, so previously I touched on antagonist and protagonist in my discussion on 3 Big Firsts Your Script Needs, so we may as well stay with character. I want to discuss 5 Elements of Writing Characters that I think are important for novice writers to consider. Now, this is a personal […]
Structure
-
Structure for Scriptwriters
So you have come up with a cracking premise for your movie. Brilliant. Now you need to turn it into something that actually makes narrative sense. You may already have a plot of sorts. But plot is only what happens. Working out when it happens is what makes a story tick. That is where screenplay […]
-
3 Big Firsts Your Script Needs
When it comes to screenwriting tips for beginners, these three firsts tend to be overlooked. But getting them right can make all the difference. Firsts are key moments in the lives of millions of people every day. The first date. The first kiss. The first job interview. The first day on the job. They are […]
Dialogue & Scenes
-
5 Things Your Script Dialogue Needs to Do
When you find a character engaging, what is it about their dialogue that works for you? Is it the laconic way in which it is delivered by the laid-back dude? Or the machine-gun rapid-fire of the uptight and stressed character? Maybe it’s the razor-sharp, sarcastic delivery of the bored-with-the-world type. Whichever it is, you can […]
Writer's Life
-
Choosing a Writing Retreat That’s Right for You
I think writing retreats are woefully underused. Before I started writing professionally, I’d never heard of them. Now I don’t know how writers manage without them. Writing whilst living in an urban environment and working a nine-to-five is tough. Even if you don’t do a nine-to-five, and you earn enough from writing to cover living […]
-
Why be a writer?
I am lucky to have met and become friends with some great people because of writing. People I doubt I would have met otherwise. It is people like this who inspire me to keep pushing through when things get tough, and they do get tough sometimes. There’s a line, widely attributed to W. Somerset Maugham, […]