Advice

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...

When The Writers Store asked me to write a "missing chapter" for my book, I immediately knew what I wanted to cover! You see, in Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs To Know, I focus on the minute-by-minute beats that all successful movies utilize. The examples we couldn't fit into the book, however, was how the minute-by-minute beats work equally as well for successful TV shows, too! It’s a universal story rhythm that unites all great stories, whether they’re on the big screen or small.  To prove my point, I busted out my faithful stopwatch and...

The 15 beats to the Disney Pixar hit are provided by Master Cat! Ben Frahm. Printed with the Permission of Blake Snyder Enterprises, LLC.Opening Image (1) We’re reintroduced to all of our favorite characters, Woody, Buzz, and friends, in an action-packed, train-robbery, chase sequence. We’re dropped into this world quickly… and it’s not until after we have some fun and adventure… that we quickly PULL BACK and: Realize… we’re remembering a PLAY EPISODE that Andy had years ago. REVEAL: We’re watching a VCR recording of Andy as a young child… when he loved nothing more than to play with his favorite...