So you’re thinking about starting screenwriting and wondering how to dive in? There’s lots of good information out there on the web or you can get a book like The Screenwriters Bible which is a bit of a one-stop-shop for everything you need. Every answer is a Google away. …

I just sent a spec out. It didn’t sell. Which means it went through about 2 months of pure rejection. I’d say something like 20–30 production companies, plus a handful of directors said “NO THANKS!’ I also published a book. Within 1 hour of its release, I got a 2-star…

I’m a screenwriter. I had dabbled in short-stories for many years. I always wanted to write a novel. I finally did. I rewrote it. I rewrote it again. 10 years later. I finally got tired of trying to query the book agents and stuff and just self-published. Btw — many…

My new novel started as a screenplay. I wrote it back in 2005-ish, coming off my first big project ALTERED. Altered was sci-fi horror. “Reverse Fire In the Sky. Rednecks abduct an alien.” It was going to be the second movie directed by — Eduardo Sanchez — one of the…

The problem with most third acts is usually act two. Finales are supposed to stick the landing of a gazillion different story-threads in a surprising and cathartic and inevitable way. Dany’s ‘heel turn’ is the type of Soap Opera/Pro-Wrestling stunt that gives those respective mediums a bad name. It doesn’t…

Over the years I’ve heard things about Luke…sobering things: “He’ll probably never need some of this typical school stuff — let’s focuses on life-skills.” “He’ll probably never be able to write his name.” “He’s not learning 1+1….so let’s not do that one.” “Best on testing he’s 1 out of 100…

(Minor spoilers — go see the movie before reading) During the funeral scene at the end of AVENGERS: ENDGAME three grown-ass men in the last row of the theater were wiping away tears. One of them was me. I don’t cry in movies…okay…maybe Toy Story 3 or the first few…

All good working loglines have 4 key elements: An empathetic HERO A compelling GOAL A formidable OBSTACLE And a life-or-death reason to complete the goal, aka STAKES. The moment an audience member/reader can grock all these elements is THE LOCK-IN. It’s usually right after the setup is done and we…

1 out of 100. That’s what the paper the school sent home said. It was Luke’s score on the state-wide standardized test. His ranking amongst other third graders was in the bottom 1%. Zero wasn’t an option. I’m not even sure Luke grasps the concept of the testing. He has…