Ask the Coach: Finding the Line with Scene Descriptions – On Script Mag

April 22, 2023 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to two questions about writing scene descriptions, including seeing it as an opportunity for your voice to shine, and where to draw the line with what to include and what to leave out.

Here are the main points I discuss in my response:

  • Scene descriptions can be a delightful way to design your pages.
  • Scene descriptions are a place where your voice gets to shine.
  • Include thoughts and emotions in scene descriptions sparingly.
  • Focus on what’s truly important to the story when writing descriptions.

Writing scene descriptions offers a unique opportunity for screenwriters to feature their voice, style, and creativity. Allow it to come through with all the choices you make, while striking the balance between creating the blueprint for the visual, cinematic world of your story, keeping your writing open and flowing on the page, and giving your readers and audience insights into the depths of your characters and the critical information they need to follow the story.

Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: Finding the Line with Scene Descriptions


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
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Ask the Coach: Deciding Between Writing Ideas + How to Edit & Get Feedback – On Script Mag

March 25, 2023 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to two questions about choosing projects and getting feedback.

“I have four different topics that intrigue me. All could be short non-fiction books. How do I commit to one? It seems like each day a different one appeals more. I start on one, then wonder if another would be easier or more fun.”

Here are the main ideas I discuss in my response:

  • Reflecting on what kind of writer you are, and the kinds of challenges you face.
  • The “grass is greener” feeling 
  • Using your inner knowing to pick the project you want to work on first. 
  • Using “decision criteria” to identify a list of criteria to litmus test your writing choice. 

And this is the second question I answered:

“What do you do after you have finished writing your script — how to edit, get feedback, etc.?”

Here are the steps I suggest in my response:

  1. Set your script aside for at least a few days.
  2. Read through your draft and make notes.
  3. Make a short reverse-outline of the script. 
  4. Make notes about what’s working and what’s not.
  5. Tackle the big stuff first.
  6. Correct smaller items as needed (but not in scenes you might cut!).
  7. Set it aside again, then read and repeat.
  8. Once you have a draft you feel good about, then look for feedback.

 

When it comes to choosing projects to work on, to finishing and getting feedback on your scripts, trust your inner knowing about what resonates and what doesn’t.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: Deciding Between Writing Ideas + How to Edit & Get Feedback


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
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Ask the Coach: How Can I Keep Up My Confidence In Myself as a Writer? – On Script Mag

February 18, 2023 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a question about how to keep up confidence in writing:

“My biggest challenge is making regular time to write and work on a script. My question is about keeping my confidence up that I can do this.”

Here’s the high-level overview of my response:

  • Being confident means feeling self-assured, believing in yourself and your abilities, and trusting that you can rely on yourself.
  • Build confidence through experience and by taking action.
  • Protect your confidence by making smart choices about who you interact with and with whom you share your work.
  • How you talk to yourself really matters.
  • Taking consistent, regular action to write builds confidence.
  • Starting and finishing scripts makes a big difference.
  • Facing and solving tough story challenges teaches you that your storytelling skills are improving.
  • The evidence you take in matters.
  • Choosing to believe in yourself ultimately comes first — it’s a choice.

When you take creative risks, however small, and build on your successes, you gradually learn where and how you can trust yourself.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: How Can I Keep Up My Confidence In Myself as a Writer?


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Content Pixie on Unsplash 
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Ask the Coach: Should I Give Up the Writers Group I Started? – On Script Mag

January 21, 2023 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a question about giving up a writing group, or not, including looking at the larger issues buried in the question: 1) Losing enthusiasm for writing, and 2) having a writing group functioning as their “only outlet.”

In the article, I shared some reasons our inquirer might have lost enthusiasm for writing, so they could see what might resonate, including:

  • Nearing the end of a script, and resistance and procrastination rising to keep them “safe” from putting work out there.
  • Feeling burned out by running a writing group for others.
  • Being affected by other life responsibilities or challenges.
  • Processing feedback (positive or negative).
  • Taking a wrong turn with the script and having their intuition balking.
  • Tiring of the story or losing connection to it.

The article includes some thoughts about solutions for each of these.

I also addressed the aspect of having their group being their “only outlet.”

My ultimate answer to the reader’s question about giving up their group is that sometimes groups arise for a reason, or are with us for only a season. It’s okay to let go of experiences that are no longer serving us, redesign them to better meet our needs, or recommit with renewed intention or energy. A thoughtful inventory of what’s working and what’s not will most likely point us in the right direction.

Writing groups can be wonderful places to feel connected to other writers who get you, cheer for you, and encourage you to keep moving ahead with writing. Writing groups can also become performative, perfunctory, burdensome, or even become a substitute for writing.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: Should I Give Up the Writers Group I Started?


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels
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Ask the Coach: How Much Do I Need to Develop My Script Before I Start Writing? – On Script Mag

December 17, 2022 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a question about how much to develop a story before starting to write pages.

In this article, I talk about screenwriter Jeff Howard’s take on the value of outlining and developing a story, particularly for screenwriters, including being able to: 

  • Get back into a script more readily if life interrupts
  • Meet contractual obligations to outline once working professionally
  • Layer a story more effectively (easier to do at the outline stage)
  • Maintain a consistent tone throughout the entirety of the script once you’re writing pages

My ultimate answer to the reader asking the question was: Yes, do the development work first, along with my reasoning based on their specific question and a recommendation on how to proceed. 

It’s always tempting to want to skip over the hard part of solving those issues and just writing what you know so far, but you may well be writing yourself into a corner.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: How Much Do I Need to Develop My Script Before I Start Writing? 


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Ron Lach
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Ask the Coach: How Can I Prioritize Writing (And Get Others to Understand)? – On Script Mag

November 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a question about prioritizing writing.

In the article, I talk about what prioritizing writing means, where we run into trouble, and then how to prioritize writing.

Here are some of the key points to give you a sneak peek:

  • Think of writing as “important, not urgent,” aka something you invest in — taking action on writing is about being the leader of your own life.
  • Craft a workable writing schedule that helps you make your priorities actually happen.
  • Set writing goals for yourself so you know what you’re doing when you sit down to write. 
  • Set boundaries around your writing time with others — and yourself.
  • Match your attention, intention, and action — so you’re being the writer you want to be. 

 

Ultimately, prioritizing writing boils down to a collection of choices we make about ourselves and our lives that are reflected in our goals, actions, attention, and intentions.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: How Can I Prioritize Writing (And Get Others to Understand)?


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
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Ask the Coach: How Can Writers Deal with Procrastination? – On Script Mag

October 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article, I’m responding to a comment on Twitter about handling procrastination. This is a topic I never tire of talking about with writers because it’s so relevant and important to understand and navigate. Plus, I’ve recently reviewed some newer (and empowering) research about procrastination, which I’ve shared in the article. 

In the article, I review five high-level reasons writers procrastinate to help us unpack this common struggle. I describe each reason more fully in the article, but here’s the core overview: 

  1. We procrastinate because we’re afraid.
     
  2. We procrastinate because writing matters to us.
     
  3. We procrastinate to manage challenging emotions. 👈 the newer part!
     
  4. We procrastinate to get dopamine hits.
     
  5. We procrastinate to process intuition and information.

With this understanding of why we procrastinate, I also offer ways we can manage procrastination, including rewriting negative thoughts, creating community and support around writing with other writers, using deadlines and other external motivations, and more. 

 

The bottom line is that we procrastinate for very real reasons.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: How Can Writers Deal with Procrastination?


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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calendar & coffee cup

Ask the Coach: How Can I Build a Consistent Writing Routine? – On Script Mag

September 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment

In this month’s “Ask the Coach” article I’m answering a reader question about how to build a consistent writing routine, even while managing work and family.

This is the high level view of the 7 tips I shared to help writers start to establish a consistent writing routine and rhythm. Each tip is described more fully in the article, but here’s the list to get you started: 
 

  1. Begin with sustainability in mind. 
     
  2. Study your own “resistance threshold.” 
     
  3. Explore your optimal time of day for writing. 
     
  4. Trim time from less fulfilling activities. 
     
  5. Design a writing schedule. 
     
  6. Build in writing associations or triggers. 
     
  7. Implement and refine.

 

In order to be consistent, a useful strategy is selecting a sustainable level of effort for each of your writing sessions.

 
Want the full scoop? There are more details in the full article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: How Can I Build a Consistent Writing Routine? 


 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels
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Ask the Coach: Odds & Ends — Building a Script Library, Seeking a Universal Script Structure Method, and Finding Courses – On Script Mag

August 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Welcome to the latest installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag! This month I’m addressing a few shorter reader questions:

In response to last month’s article regarding having more than one script when querying, a reader asks: “You wrote that marketing your script ‘will involve making sure you have at least two marketable scripts before querying.’ Why is it important to have TWO scripts?” The bottom line is that while it’s absolutely not a requirement to have two marketable scripts before querying, it’s a smart strategy because it means you’re ready when an industry pro or exec likes your writing but not the specific story, and says, “What else do you have?”

Our second question is about finding a unified story structure method and whether there even is such a thing. I’ve studied a lot of methods myself and to date, my personal experience is much like that of the inquirer — taking aspects from different methodologies and merging them to create my own approach. My TL;DR? No, I don’t believe there’s a single script method unicorn, except perhaps the one you ultimately create for yourself.

And last, the third question this month is about what next steps to take with writing classes. In addition to suggesting some specific places to find classes, I recommend thinking about what you most want to learn next and what kind of experience you want to have as a student and creator.

…at the end of the day, trust yourself. Your instincts and inner guidance are among your most valuable tools as a writer.

 
 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels

 
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Ask the Coach: Who Do I Send My Script To? – On Script Mag

July 23, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Welcome to the latest installment of my “Ask the Coach” column on Script Mag! This month I’m addressing a question about where to send a script:

“I am wondering if you know any places or producers that I can send my movie script to?”

Ah, yes! What to do with your movie script once you’ve finished. It might seem like it should be a single, simple answer of where to send it, but it isn’t.

Here’s what you need to know: Once you’ve finished your script, the reality is that there are a number of pathways to bring your script to the marketplace, which can include seeking representation with a manager or agent (Neil Landau recommends starting with a manager), submitting to contests, searching for producers and other industry contacts on IMDBPro and LinkedIn, attending pitchfests, and more.

Rather than rehashing some of the already excellent articles out there about how to sell your script (a search engine is excellent here), let’s put the marketing process in context to help you adopt a marketer’s mindset. [more…]

 

Figuring out where to send your script requires research, supporting documents, networking, and the mindset that marketing is a normal and expected part of the process.
 
 
Read the article on Script Mag: 
Ask the Coach: Who Do I Send My Script To?

 
 
 
If you’ve got writing questions, please send them my way!
I’d love to answer them for you in my column.
 
Photo by Ron Lach from Pexels

 
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