How to Write a Montage in a Screenplay
Learn how to write a montage in a screenplay to condense time and show character growth. Master the format and use this tool to elevate your story.
Screenplay Structure
Screenplay structure allows a writer to investigate their characters and theme and get to the heart of where they exist in story.
How to Sell Your Screenplay
Selling your screenplay is a battle of outreach, portfolio, and simplicity. Learn how to balance your professional expectations with the heart of your work.
The Purpose of Flat Characters
Flat characters are consistent, one-dimensional tools that provide stability and support the narrative without distracting from the main plot. By serving specific roles like providing exposition or highlighting a protagonist's growth, they prevent "character traffic jams" and keep the story’s focus where it belongs.
How to Write a Logline
A logline is the first chance your screenplay gets to make an impression. After months of outlining, writing the rough draft, and […]
What is Creative Writing? How to Shape Ideas into Art
Creative writing invites writers to move beyond facts and formulas, using imagination and craft to shape ideas into compelling stories. Even though […]
How to Outline a Dramatic Opening
Structurally, a dramatic opening functions as a hook. Emotionally, it needs to do more than just attract attention. When an opening scene […]
“Save the Cat” Story Structure: A Screenwriter’s Practical Guide
One structure model designed specifically for screenwriters is Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat!” If you’ve been in one of my workshops, you’ll […]
Hyperbole: When Exaggeration Strengthens Story
Hyperbole is how we speak when ordinary language isn’t big enough. Do you remember your first heartbreak? Even though you knew it […]
Master Character Arcs for Compelling Storytelling
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader doesn’t care […]
How to Start a Story: Crafting Openings That Captivate
In the best stories, the reader’s attention keeps in sync with the rhythm of the prose. It’s like a snowball rolling down […]
Script Format 101: Writing for the Screen and Stage
In a previous article, I went over formatting requirements for screenplays. These techniques can also help set up a sound foundation for […]
What is a Prologue? How and When to Use One
Occasionally, tucked somewhere between an introduction, epigraph, and dedication, a book might have a prologue. This is the story before the story. […]
