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7 Best Screenwriting Tips: Stop Writer’s Block

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Screenwriting tips from Joe Stinson, Brian Price, Michael Tabb, David Paterson, and more…
Pictured above: Photo by Aleks Marinkovic, Filmmaker, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, England. Follow aleksmarinkovic.com.

 

7 Best Screenwriting Tips: Stop Writer’s Block

 

Tip #1

“Ideas are a dime a dozen and everybody’s got dozens. You can’t copyright an idea; you can’t register an idea with the Writer’s Guild. When does an idea for a story become unique? It becomes unique in the way you do it. You need a script. So it comes down to execution.
~Joe Stinson

Tip #2

“The worst reason to include anything in a script is because ‘that is the way that it happened’. While you should write from your own personal truth, remember that the best stories are filtered through the imagination. Aristotle called dramatic narrative the ‘art of telling lies skillfully’. But screenplays are lies that get at a higher truth, a truth about the human condition and experience that we all share. So, make choices because they make the story better, more dramatic, more comedic, more interesting. Not because that’s the way it happened. We are looking for truths, not facts.”
~Brian Price

Read more in our exclusive interview, “Brian Price Shares Screenwriting Insights.” Brian talks about the evolution of screenwriting, his creative screenwriting process, and answers the important question: “Why do we tell stories?” You can also read Brian’s Top 3 Screenwriting Tips in this cool interview.

Tip #3

“Write for you and what you have learned that resonates powerfully within you. Trends change and writers cannot write to today’s trends because they are passed by the time the script is ready. So, write smart, write now, right now. Write something that matters based on what you see going on around you that needs correcting. That makes it timely. What you may lack in craftsmanship may shine through in heart.”
~Michael Tabb

Read more in our exclusive interview, “Prewriting Your Screenplay with Michael Tabb.” Michael shares with us his thoughts on the importance for screenwriters to “prewrite” their screenplays and the benefits of prewriting. He also discusses one of the most important things he learned while working on a screenplay. Check out Michael’s Top 3 Screenwriting Tips in this awesome interview!

Tip #4

“As real or authentic as your dialogue may or may not be, it’s all performative. Don’t forget to hear it from the audience’s point of view and entertain us.”
~Loren-Paul Caplin

Check out our exclusive interview, “Writing Film Dialogue by Loren-Paul Caplin.” Loren discusses the evolution of film dialogue, his creative process for writing dialogue, and how important is it to be well-versed in different cultures (scripts that use the dialogue to tell stories from different parts of the world) and history (period pieces). Don’t miss Loren’s Top 3 Dialogue Writing Tips in this great interview.

Tip #5

“Become a Student of Screenwriting. A ‘student of screenwriting’ is viewing as many outstanding and not-so-outstanding films and TV shows as possible. But don’t just mindlessly watch. Watch with a critical sense of how and why it worked and/or didn’t work. And be sure to acquire and read as many film and TV scripts as possible.”
~Alan C. Hueth

Read more in our exclusive interview, “Scriptwriting for Film, Television and New Media with Alan C. Hueth.” Alan discusses the most challenging aspects of crafting screenplays, common mistakes new screenwriters should avoid, and one of the most important things he learned while working on a script. Also, take a look at Alan’s Top 3 Screenwriting Tips!

Tip #6

On adapting a book into a screenplay, “Honor the story. Respect the author’s original intent.”
~David Paterson

Flashback, throwback interview close-up! Glen Tickle had a chance to talk with David Paterson about his films, the differences between indie and studio projects, and which job is scarier — firefighter or filmmaker in this exclusive interview.

Tip #7

“Learn story structure (for God’s sake).”
~Jeff Lyons

Don’t miss our exclusive interview, “Screenwriting Insights with Jeff Lyons.” Jeff shares common mistakes new screenwriters should avoid and this Top 3 Screenwriting Tips for aspiring filmmakers and storytellers. He also answers the question: A filmmaker has finished his or her screenplay, what do they do next?

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