Step Away from the Deck Chairs: 4 Different Kinds of Rewrites
When writers send me a rough draft of a book or script for notes, they really really want me to tell them all they have to do is rearrange some … Continue reading
8 Kinds of People Who Can Give You Feedback on Your Draft
I highly recommend that you have every draft (including rewrites) read by a spectrum of readers that include at least 3 of these categories: Someone enthusiastic and supportive who will … Continue reading
LA Writers Clinic – June 12 & 26
LA Writers Clinic – 2 Thursdays, June 12 and 26th, 7-9pm Focus, unblock or (re-)energize your project at any stage of the process. * Rewrites * Outlines * Stuck mid-draft … Continue reading
The Shaula Evans Comedy Punch-Up Method (from the Blacklist)
The Shaula Evans Comedy Punch-Up Method 1. Comedy needs a story spine to hang on. Fix up structural, character, and plot problems before you start your punch up. (See also: … Continue reading
The Feedback Loop: How to Use Readers for Your Rewrite(s)
Ask ten writers for their opinion and you’ll get at least a dozen different opinions – and yet… After you’ve written a draft of your book or script (much less … Continue reading
Generic Script Rewrite Note #1: Too Many Characters
I recently gave a client notes on the first draft of a screenplay. Among my biggest notes was that the central emotional storyline was getting diluted because it was spread … Continue reading
7 Tools for Critical Thinking (from Philosopher Daniel Dennett)
As I say in my book, “How To Be A Writer Who Writes”, (a phrase I love saying and really should say more), different phases of the writing process call … Continue reading
Space Talk: What Astronauts Can Teach You About Writing Dialog
Thanks to 101books for this funny post on what the astronauts can teach us about writing dialog. 101 Books doesn’t specify, but I’d say this excellent snippet of dialog can … Continue reading
Why I Love Index Cards as a Writing Tool (Pt. 2): Full-Color Edition
Writing doesn’t always look like ‘writing’. For the last 2-3 weeks, my work on the current screenplay has consisted of staring at a wall of index cards (in photo at … Continue reading
How To Get Feedback on Your Draft
“Don’t pay any attention to the critics—don’t even ignore them.” — Samuel Goldwyn 1. Get feedback BEFORE re-reading your draft (if you can possibly wait) 2. Ask for the kind of feedback you … Continue reading
THE OTHER NETWORK WRITER'S ROOM 