Tips for Dealing with Feedback of your Story: Identify the True Source of the Problem
By Ann Marie Williams © 2019 Many of the major screenwriting competitions begin releasing their written critiques to entrants around this time of year. So, I thought it might be helpful to post (or re-post) some tips for dealing with those critiques. However, these tips can be just as helpful for whatever format you’re writing: … Continue reading Tips for Dealing with Feedback of your Story: Identify the True Source of the Problem
Don’t Wait for Genius to Burn
by Ann Marie Williams © 2021 It’s not uncommon to see depictions of writers furiously typing away at their computer, pummeling out line after line of their story as inspiration and genius flows from their thoughts to their fingers. But the reality is, that only happens about 10% of the time (and that’s being generous). … Continue reading Don’t Wait for Genius to Burn
Concept. Story. Character.
© 2021 by Ann Marie Williams Concept gets them in the door… Story gets them to stay… Characters get them to come back… Yes, it’s a super broad generalization. But I think this general idea is worth considering… Concept Gets Them in the Door A potential audience will be drawn to a project (a book, … Continue reading Concept. Story. Character.
Writing Takes Time
by Ann Marie Williams © 2021 Writing takes time. Simple, I know. But I didn’t realize I hadn’t fully accepted this until last year when I quit agonizing over how long it was taking to fix aspects of my story. Once I accepted that it would take a while, I started making breakthroughs far quicker … Continue reading Writing Takes Time
You Don’t Have to Win a Screenwriting Competition to Learn from the Process (if it’s the right competition for you)
by Ann Marie Williams © 2021 Entering a screenwriting competition with the hope of winning is a great goal. After all, if a screenwriting career is what you’re after, then winning (or placing highly in) the right competition has the potential to move you further along that career path. Moreover, the competitions that have a … Continue reading You Don’t Have to Win a Screenwriting Competition to Learn from the Process (if it’s the right competition for you)
Conveying Exposition Through Dialogue
by Ann Marie Williams © 2021 As mentioned in my previous post, after finishing another season of screenplay competition judging, I’m taking a look at some of the more common issues I saw among submitted scripts. However, today’s topic applies as much to novels as it does to scripts. That’s because today I’m look at: … Continue reading Conveying Exposition Through Dialogue
Common Script Concerns: Script vs Story
by Ann Marie Williams, © 2021 After finishing another season of screenplay competition judging (something I always enjoy, and always learn from) I thought I’d focus my next posts on some of the more common issues I see among submitted scripts. First up: Script versus Story Something that stood out to me this past year … Continue reading Common Script Concerns: Script vs Story
When You’re Stuck on a Problem in Your Story…
Two “Simple” Questions to Ask Yourself by Ann Marie Williams © 2020 Some problems a story faces are easy to fix. But, sometimes I’ll find myself deep into my work in progress, struggling to fix a fairly massive issue (or, at least, it sure feels massive when I can’t find the solution). I don’t mind … Continue reading When You’re Stuck on a Problem in Your Story…
A Solution Exists
by Ann Marie Williams, © 2020 One of the biggest roadblocks to my writing doesn’t stem from plot holes, character arcs, or finding ways to hide exposition. It’s that little voice that whispers, “There might not be a solution to this.” I firmly believe there is a solution for every problem a story encounters. That … Continue reading A Solution Exists
Quick Tip: Honing Your Story and Deciding What to Delete
Think through your script: is there a moment where the audience would say, “Now’s a good moment to get more snacks”? If so, probably a good idea to revise (or delete) that part of the script.
