Tips for using fewer words for greater impact I am not against adjectives or adverbs. They can help emphasize a point. Add cadence and flow. Even create a poetic feel to dialogue and narrative. However, sometimes adjectives and adverbs can do the opposite. They can bog a story down, hinder the flow of a sentence, … Continue reading Writing Without Adjectives and Adverbs
I find it incredibly helpful to ask myself: "What happens in this scene that causes the next scene to take place?" For me, this is a pretty quick way to figure out if the pacing of the story is as tight as it can be, and if the plot and characters are moving the story … Continue reading Writing Tip: Cause and Effect
by Ann Marie Williams For the majority of a story, scenes should fall into each other like dominos. In other words, each scene should be the catalyst for the next. One domino (scene) causes the next to fall — a scene unable to play out without the one before it. This applies to the story … Continue reading Scenes are like Dominos…
by Ann Marie Williams © 2020 Today’s writing tip is something we probably all (subconsciously) understand. But as the writer, being consciously aware of it can enhance the impact and clarity of the story you’re crafting, help tighten your story's pacing, and provide a new tool to direct your audience's understanding of the plot. I’m … Continue reading Writing Tip: The Power of the Last Word
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
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
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 As a screenwriter, you need to be aware, not just of the pacing of your story, but also of the pacing of your script. The two should be the … Continue reading Writing Tips: Conveying Story and Pacing
Screenplay Competitions 