Advice — expert series

Reading a great mystery novel is a lot like horseback riding. Sometimes, you’re cautiously slow-walking on unfamiliar turf. Other times, you’re head-bobbling-wobbling trotting. Then there are those times when you’re whooshing along on a take-your-breath-away gallop. This variety of pace is one of the key elements contributing to the thrill and excitement of the ride. Another is fear. (What if I fall off the damn horse?)In keeping with this metaphor, mystery writing then becomes somewhat like laying out a course for the rider. The author must include an assortment of terrains to make the ride interesting and somewhat challenging. There...

Understanding the internal side of your story conveys to your audience the depth that is felt emotionally and spiritually. Two authors, Jennifer Grisanti and Kim Hudson, offer insight into how to write the internal story into your screenplays and give them this compelling quality.In Story Line: Finding Gold in your Life Story, Jennifer describes the internal components of story and why tapping into what you have felt deeply about in your life is the best place to write from. There are so many things including your theme, stakes and the internal part of your goal that comes alive when you...

Let’s just say it ain’t for the faint of heart.Storytellers work exhausting days, ever searching for that gem of an idea or character or plot. Never settling for the almost-right word. Spitballing, outlining, writing, rewriting, rewriting. And then for the filmic storytellers among us, it’s on to shooting. Cutting. Shooting again. Novelists and screen storytellers alike are eternally either creating stories or thinking about creating stories.And stuffing life in as fast as they can. It’s a two-fisted job.   All artists are driven from within, driven to learn. And each time we open a book on writing or walk in the door...

Ten years ago, I wrote a little book called The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters and it literally changed my life. When I set out to write it, I just wanted to learn from successful writers. I wanted to pick their brains and model their writing habits, and hopefully inspire other writers to model excellence. Little did I know it would help me not only become a professional screenwriter, but also ignite the teacher in me, transforming me into a writer who teaches to a teacher who writes.Over the years, thanks to its best-selling status and especially the positive...

If you’ve ever asked those questions, you aren’t alone. In the world of synopses, one-pagers, beat sheets, outlines and drafts, treatments can get lost in the shuffle. Writers often forego the treatment process altogether – which is a huge mistake! Treatments are a writer’s secret weapon, because they benefit you in countless ways. Perhaps the most common reason for skipping the treatment stage is simply that not everybody has a clear definition of what they are. The unfortunate fact is that many rules regarding treatments aren’t cut and dry, and taking on a project without strict guidelines can seem daunting. However, it’s...