Resources
Residuals for Screenwriters: What You Must Know
John looks back at the Writers Guild contract negotiations with the AMPTP, and explains an important part of how screenwriters are paid for their work.
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On a scale of Frankenstein to Pygmalion
We're looking at the family tree of narratives stretching from two different stories about an unnatural creation of life. Dr. Frankenstein defied medical science and the forces of nature to turn dead flesh into a living being. As a result, the Doctor is punished and his creation acts
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🤬 #273 - Using Words to Hurt People
Generic epithets can be hurtful, but a real cutting insult feels like a scalpel, delicately wielded with an intimate knowledge of what's just under the skin. Take the recent example where Joyce Carol Oates reads Elon Musk to filth: So curious that such a wealthy man never posts
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🛣️ #272 - And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?"
Characters make choices throughout a story, then deal with the consequences of those new actions. But what if they were allowed to choose differently? This is different from the structure of The Muppet Christmas Carol, which allows the protagonist to see the impact of their past choices in an effort
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Finding the truth in your imposter
The why of their lie Everybody who pretends to be someone they’re not has a reason. As people, we may not agree with their reason. As writers, understanding their justification and method for splitting their identity helps keep the burden of living a double life believable (or at least
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đź’ #271 - Dream Logic
Some writers and gurus would tell you not to write dream sequences. That they lack stakes, never actually feel like real dreams, or just that they waste the audience's time. You might even hear the argument that nobody wants to listen to somebody else's dreams: On
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Enter The Relationship Matrix
Do you ship it? Character-driven fiction involves managing relationships. Not just romantic relationships, but the dynamic between any two characters who share space in a story. When you’re writing, defining those fictional relationships helps give a sense of where two characters are at in the story, and what
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🎠#270 - When writing gets sketchy
In Episode 649 of Scriptnotes, John talks with Simon Rich (Miracle Workers, American Pickle) about what makes a strong comedic premise, and how the format changes the focus. What’s funny in a three-minute SNL sketch often doesn't translate to a 100-minute feature. This week, let’
Resources
Screenwriting Parentheticals: Rules & Best Practices
Parentheticals (also called “wrylies” or “actor’s direction”) are used to clear up confusion about a line that could be read multiple ways: They can also be used to indicate who a speaker is addressing: You will sometimes see them used to indicate action. This is acceptable if the action
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đź“ś #269 - Adding to a legacy
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was at work writing a second volume of the stories of Don Quixote when a curious thing happened: A different author published a second volume. Cervantes then made the effort to use his own sequel to criticize the unauthorized volume, yet in doing so made some
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🙋 #268 - Get yourself out there
In an episode of Tim Harford's podcast Cautionary Tales, Tim narrates the biography of William McGonagall, aka The Worst Poet in the World. But the focus of the story isn't on the quality of his writing, but the ferocity with which he pursued it and promoted
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The Innies and Outies of Changing Relationships
Every two characters in a story have some kind of relationship. It doesn’t mean they’re best friends or arch rivals. Being a complete stranger to someone describes a relationship. But what if you could be a stranger to yourself? Severance has a core premise where the employees of