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

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)

Writing Tips: The Differences Between Concept, Plot, Structure, Formatting, and Theme (and how they all interrelate)

In the writing world, you often hear terms like theme, concept, plot, structure, and formatting.  Each is important, and each affects the other. But there is little consistency in how they are defined.  Even David Trottier (author of The Screenwriter’s Bible) states that plot, structure, and story are often used interchangeably. In screenwriting contests, these … Continue reading Writing Tips: The Differences Between Concept, Plot, Structure, Formatting, and Theme (and how they all interrelate)