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
Tag: Writing
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.
Scenes are like Dominos…
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…
UPDATE on ISA Presents: A CONVERSATION ON SCREENWRITING CONTESTS
On May 29, 2020, ISA hosted a conversation with with contest admins from the Austin Film Festival, Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest, Cinequest, Great American Script Contest, HollyShorts and ISA about what makes a good contest script, how to rise up in the ranks of contests and how to pick the right ones for you. For … Continue reading UPDATE on ISA Presents: A CONVERSATION ON SCREENWRITING CONTESTS
ISA Presents: A CONVERSATION ON SCREENWRITING CONTESTS
5 lucky attendees will win a copy of Screenplay Competitions! For those who are interested, TODAY (May 29, 2020) at 1:00 p.m. PDT, ISA is hosting a conversation with with contest admins from the Austin Film Festival, Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest, Cinequest, Great American Script Contest, HollyShorts and ISA about what makes a good contest script, … Continue reading ISA Presents: A CONVERSATION ON SCREENWRITING CONTESTS
Hating your writing…
by Ann Marie Williams There comes a time in (I'm guessing) every writer's journey, where they simply hate the story they are working on. Everything about it seems terrible. And the "I've never been any good at writing" monster of doubt creeps in. However, just because you're at a point where you hate your writing, … Continue reading Hating your writing…
QUICK TIP: WHY SCREENPLAY DESCRIPTIONS NEED TO BE SHORT
by Ann Marie Williams Proper screenplay formatting requires that a certain amount of white space (a mix of description and dialogue) should appear on nearly every page of a script. Not only does this standard help measure the number of minutes the story will be once filmed, but it is also an accurate way to … Continue reading QUICK TIP: WHY SCREENPLAY DESCRIPTIONS NEED TO BE SHORT
QUICK TIP: HONESTY IN WRITING
One of the most important aspects of writing is honesty. The ability to be honest with yourself about your own work. And within the story, being honest with your audience.
