Story and Plot Screenwriting
A weekly screenwriting lesson from a professional screenwriter of 28 years who has been teaching the subject for almost as long.
Quit fiddling with what's working.
Thank you for being a part of Story and Plot Pro. We have TWO office hours this week. We have one Wednesday night and one Thursday afternoon. RSVP for at least one. Come join us. This is part Office Hours and part State of the Community, and what we can do to make the most of it. Now, this week's email: Quit fiddling with what's working. One of the primary things we do inside the Writers Lab of Story and Plot Pro is develop detailed, professional-level outlines before we go to treatments and...
How and when to use CUT TO:
Hey [COPY_NAME GOES HERE]! Thank you for being a subscriber to The Weekly Email! While the email is meant to help your screenwriting, the Story and Plot courses are designed to transform it. Here is my personal recommendation for you. More writing sprints! That’s the ticket! If you haven’t updated me on your best times for office hours and special guests, please do so here: Office hours and special guest availability. If you have any questions, let me know. I’ll see you in the community! How...
The challenge of a passive protagonist.
Thanks for being a member of Story and Plot Pro! Make sure you take advantage of a writing sprint this week! If you have any questions or if you want to update or change your membership, let me know. I’m here to support you. The Challenge of the Passive Protagonist. “Your protagonist cannot be passive.” You’ve likely heard this before. It’s a go-to note for people who want to sound like they know what they’re doing. Like most go-to notes, it’s mostly true, but with enough exceptions and...
How to give good notes when you’re not skilled at giving notes.
There is so much more to Story and Plot than the Weekly Email. Here is my personal recommendation for [COPY_NAME GOES HERE]: You’re in Story and Plot Pro, so next steps is probably to join us for a writing sprint and get some work done! Remember, I’m here to support you. Jump into the community, or email me and let me know what you need help with. I love those coaching-in-public videos! I want more of ‘em! Don't forget our special guest this week, Nicolas Curcio. Now, on to this week's...
How to manage a large cast of characters.
The Story and Plot Weekly Email is brought to you by the Story and Plot Courses. If you have found the email helpful, you will find the courses and one-on-one coaching absolutely transformational. Here is my personalized recommendation for [COPY_NAME GOES HERE]: You're in Pro! Don't miss this Thursday's office hours at 2pm CST. Make sure you RSVP to get a reminder! How to manage a large cast of characters. The last two screenplays I read both felt like they had a massive cast of characters....
The choice of the action line is the emotion.
Hey [COPY_NAME GOES HERE]! Thank you for being a subscriber to The Weekly Email! While the email is meant to help your screenwriting, the Story and Plot courses are designed to transform it. Here is my personal recommendation for you. More writing sprints! That’s the ticket! If you haven’t updated me on your best times for office hours and special guests, please do so here: Office hours and special guest availability. If you have any questions, let me know. I’ll see you in the community! The...
A weekly screenwriting lesson from a professional screenwriter of 28 years who has been teaching the subject for almost as long.