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Screenwriter Self Sabotage and How to avoid it

12/17/2013

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Screenwriters often get in the way of their own success by stubbornly insisting on writing unmarketable scripts instead of their more commercial ideas.
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They then have a tendency to use these unmarketable concepts as a crutch after their scripts get rejected by producers or studio executives.

After each rejection, they console themselves by saying "That producer just didn't get my work," or "That exec is afraid to take risks creatively."



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Cyber Monday Script Analysis Sale

12/2/2013

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TODAY ONLY - $100 OFF IN DEPTH SCRIPT ANALYSIS
OFFER EXPIRES 11:59 PM PST, DEC. 2, 2013

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At Script Quack, all script analysis comes from professional screenwriters. We've read hundreds of scripts, and we're ready to help you take your work to the next level.
TODAY ONLY, we're offering "In Depth Script Analysis" for just $129 (normally $229).

That's $100 off, but only until 11:59 PST on Monday, December 2, 2013.


This package includes 6-8 pages of notes on every major element of your screenplay...

  • Characters
  • Style
  • Structure
  • Tone
  • Act I
  • Act II
  • Act III
  • Custom Rewrite Action Plan
  • 30 Minute Follow Up Consultation

Sale closed - sign up for our email list for new updates and sales information!

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What is character driven comedy?

11/27/2013

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If you ask a comedy writer what their specialty is, a lot of the time that writer is going to say 'character driven comedy.'

And that's fine.

A lot of comedy is character driven.

But what would you do if someone said, "What do you mean by that?"

Maybe you have the answer right now. If so, that's great. You should stop reading.

But if you 're not quite sure what exactly 'character driven' means, or how it applies to your writing, keep reading.

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Screenwriters: it's time to stop aspiring

11/5/2013

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We’ve all been there.

At some party. Maybe in LA. Maybe in Idaho.

Mingling with people. Making small talk. Then the subject comes up, “What do you do?”

If you’re in LA, usually you’ll hear, “I’m an actor.” Or “I’m a director.” Or “I work in post.”

But whenever you ask a writer, “What do you do?”

More often than not, they’ll say, “I’m an aspiring writer.”

And that's a huge mistake.

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3 Things Improv Comedy can teach you about writing (any genre)

10/15/2013

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If you're a writer, chances are that you've been encouraged to take an improv class at some point. Chelsea and I have certainly received that advice quite a bit since coming to LA.
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We finally took a class a couple of months ago.

Not because we wanted to improve our writing, though. Just because we like comedy, and we thought it would be fun to get out of our comfort zone a little. (okay, a lot.)

Despite that, UCB Improv taught us a number of valuable writing lessons.

Keep reading to find out what they were.

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The Circular Dialogue Trap (and how to avoid it)

10/8/2013

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If you're a good writer looking to improve your dialogue writing, there's a very real chance your falling into what we call "The Circular Dialogue Trap."

It's a problem we've faced ourselves, and we see it in at least half of our client's scripts. 


Have no fear, though. In today's article, we're going to point out exactly what the Circular Dialogue Trap is, and we're going to teach you how to avoid it. 

Keep your dialogue out of the toilet. Keep reading to find out how.
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3 Things Screenwriters need to stop being afraid of

9/24/2013

9 Comments

 
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If you spend much time with screenwriters, you’ve probably heard a bunch of absolute no-no’s when it comes to screenwriting.

You can’t do this. You can’t do that. Oh, if you do that, whoever is reading your script will use it for toilet paper.

This week, we’re here to say: Stop worrying about that stuff!  It doesn’t matter. Really. It doesn’t. 

In fact, it’s almost like all of these ‘nevers’ are invented by screenwriters to make us feel like we have more control over what happens to our scripts than we really do.

“How could he not like it?! I didn’t do anything on that list of stuff I can never, ever do!”

He didn’t like it because you were too busy worrying about rules to focus on improving your writing, and getting your work where it needs to be.

So this article is actually a reason for many screenwriters to rejoice. All those little things you force yourself not to do when you write… You can start doing them again!

Keep reading to find out exactly what I’m talking about…


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Writing a Sitcom Pilot

9/11/2013

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If you're looking to write a sitcom pilot that has the potential to become a real TV series, there is one fundamental element you need to focus on above all the others. 

And it's not characters, or dialogue, or funny jokes (although those things are obviously important).

This fundamental element is so basic you're going to feel silly for not prioritizing it earlier.
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Read to the bottom to find out what script I found this written on at the WGA Library.
But if you take the time to understand it now, every pilot you write from here on out will benefit.

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Networking for awkward screenwriters

8/20/2013

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It's a sad truth for writers... Networking is an important part of succeeding as a writer.

We all want to pretend that's not true, but it is.

The more people you know, and the more people you can get to know your writing, the greater chances you have of succeeding. 
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But that doesn't make 'networking' any easier.

Every writer I know shudders at the thought. 

Industry mixers. Introducing yourselves to people. Putting yourself 'out there' when you really wish you had stayed in.


It sucks. It all sucks. It feels fake. And lame. And often nauseating.

Over the years, Chelsea and I consistently found ourselves hugging the walls at 'networking events,' or shying away from people we really wanted to meet. So we devised a few tips for overcoming awkwardness and making the most of networking opportunities.

These tips were born from necessity. They have worked for us (mostly). Hopefully they will work for you too.

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Here's Why Your Dialogue Sucks

8/6/2013

7 Comments

 
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Dialogue is one of the hardest parts of screenwriting.

It’s hard to master, sure.

But there’s an even bigger problem…

Most writers don’t even know it when their dialogue sucks.

It sounds harsh, but it’s true. 

The first step to improving your dialogue writing recognizing that you’ve got a problem.

So this week, we’ve listed the top ten warning signs of bad dialogue.

Keep reading to find out what they are.


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