The quick pitch (to yourself)
Best performed in the outline phase, the quick pitch is a “verify” button for your structure,
Scene work: One moment generates the next.
The best screenwriting class I ever took was Jose Quintero’s acting class at the University of Houston.
Does your screenplay need a promise?
The Promise takes advantage of a simple truth: if we get a taste of something we want, we will likely want it more.
How do you want the audience to feel at the end?
"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
The “right” script vs the phenomenal script.
The only thing better than writing a phenomenal script is writing the "right" script. Unfortunately, you don't have any control over that.
Pay attention to page count.
It can feel like page count is the enemy. It isn't. It's a limitation that often forces you to be better.
When to write for free.
Yet, I have never found this blanket policy of "never write for free" realistic or even desirable. But there is a time and place.
When creative priorities collide in action lines.
I have three priorities for my action lines, which are ranked in a hierarchy.
How changes can affect narrative momentum.
Even the most minor revision in a screenplay can have a ripple effect, affecting narrative momentum for each scene.
The three wants of a character.
Dig deeper into the character's path to genuine change by examining these three wants.
What is the audience rooting for?
If I know the answer to these two questions, I can usually make any decision and work myself out of any corner.
What story are you telling?
There is so much going on in a screenplay, that we often forget the most important thing:
You are telling a story.