Why the Proper Use of Scene Headings (aka Slug Lines) is Necessary to the Conveyance of Your Story by Ann Marie Williams Script scene headings may seem clunky, obtrusive, and just plain awkward. It can feel like they “get in the way” of your story. That the break the flow. That they pull the reader … Continue reading The Importance of Scene Headings
The great thing about writing…
The great thing about writing: you don’t have to be at your computer to be making progress.
Dealing with Critiques and Rewrites: The First Read
by Ann Marie Williams In an earlier post, I discussed the importance of being honest with yourself about your writing. But even if you're able to be objective about your own writing, the one thing you can never do is experience your story for the first time. Sure, there's the first time you read through your … Continue reading Dealing with Critiques and Rewrites: The First Read
7 Top Screenwriting Competitions (and why they are worth your consideration)
by Ann Marie Williams The people at The Script Lab recently asked me to write a guest post for them about some of the top screenwriting competitions and why they are worth a writer's consideration for entry. The post went live last week, and I'm delighted to share that post with you now! To read, … Continue reading 7 Top Screenwriting Competitions (and why they are worth your consideration)
The Importance of Screenplay Formatting and Why It Helps Convey Your Story
by Ann Marie Williams A script is a written representation of a visual and auditory medium. Because of this, the story on the page should be conveyed to the reader the same way the story on the screen will be conveyed to the audience—the same focus, the same pacing, the same impact. Screenwriting formatting tools are an effective way … Continue reading The Importance of Screenplay Formatting and Why It Helps Convey Your Story
Screenwriting Competition Terminology: The Difference Between Readers and Judges
Except from Screenplay Competitions: Tools and Insights to Help You Choose the Best Screenwriting Contests for You and Your Script by Ann Marie Williams © 2019 It’s common for screenwriting competitions to use the term judge and/or the term reader to refer to an individual who reads, evaluates, and ranks scripts in their competitions. Why the two terms? It’s … Continue reading Screenwriting Competition Terminology: The Difference Between Readers and Judges
The Importance of Supporting Characters: Creating a Dynamic Cast of Characters that Support the Protagonist
by Ann Marie Williams In Nancy Meyers’ movie The Holiday, Eli Wallach’s character, Arthur Abbott, tells Kate Winslet’s character: “Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.” If this line weren’t … Continue reading The Importance of Supporting Characters: Creating a Dynamic Cast of Characters that Support the Protagonist
Dealing with Critiques and Rewrites: The Script, The Story, The Theme
by Ann Marie Williams When you receive a critique, it's helpful to determine which comments therein pertain to one or all of the following: Your story (the vision you have for your story — this may or may not be accurately conveyed on the page). Your script as it’s written (the story that’s on the … Continue reading Dealing with Critiques and Rewrites: The Script, The Story, The Theme
Writing Tips: The Differences Between Concept, Plot, Structure, Formatting, and Theme (and how they all interrelate)
by Ann Marie Williams This was originally posted back in April 2019, but NaNoWriMo seemed like the perfect time for a revisit (since the post pertains as much to novel writers as it does to screenwriters). I hope you enjoy and find it beneficial! In the writing world, you often hear terms like theme, concept, … Continue reading Writing Tips: The Differences Between Concept, Plot, Structure, Formatting, and Theme (and how they all interrelate)
Does Writing Ever Get Any Easier?
by Ann Marie Williams Have you noticed that professional, successful, writers — writers whose work has been produced and praised time and time again — often comment they still find writing difficult? And that no matter how many successful stories they’ve written, they frequently question whether the story they are currently penning will amount to … Continue reading Does Writing Ever Get Any Easier?
