DON’T DIRECT ON THE PAGE, THERE ARE DIRECTORS FOR THAT
image of Kathryn Bigelow via GQ Even if you avoid commanding the camera (“Pan across Javert’s shattered visage”), you still might be directing in your writing in ways you don’t even notice. Which you shouldn’t do. Kathryn Bigelow has her own ideas. If you’re a filmmaker, scroll right on by. You write your script however you…
Read moreBETA TESTING YOUR LOGLINE
YOU’RE GOOD: TIGHTEN IT UP:
Read moreOPENING WITH ALL THE BACKSTORY
YOUR DAMN PASSIVE PROTAG
Your active protag needs three things: a goal, a plan and a flaw. The goal: win the prize, save the planet, find the killer. How will he get there? He will drive the bus there. The plan is the bus. His flaw is that he is the world’s worst bus driver. A passive protag gets on…
Read moreIDIOT PLOT
Idiot plot is a term that means your conflicts depend on your characters neglecting to ask each other simple, obvious questions that would clear everything up immediately. At the moment in your plot when it becomes statistically inevitable that someone would bring up this issue, make it work for you instead of sweeping it under…
Read moreIT’S METICULOUSLY PROOFED
15 CHARACTERS IN THE 1ST TEN PAGES
GIANT BLOCKS OF TEXT ON PAGE ONE
MAKE IT VISUAL
If you create an image like this instead of a talking scene at a BBQ where people gossip about how the neighbors don’t get along, AN ANGEL GETS ITS WINGS.
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