One Day at a Time
Any professional writer, particularly when writing fiction in prose or screenplays, will tell you that it is not always easy to create good stories. I think this is especially true if you don’t have an outline, but then I’m not a “pantser” by nature. However, even with an outline, it’s easy to write your character into a situation in which you have no idea where to go next.
Make no mistake, I am by no means a professional filmmaker. However, as an aspiring screenwriter and a person with a minor disability, I’ve had to learn the art of letting go of doubt and moving on to the next phase if I want to truly embrace my craft.
This week’s vlog is about screenwriting books for television that I recommend.
In the video, I talk about how I started off writing screenplays in an unusual way—by writing a TV pilot.
One of the most essential skills for a screenwriter is to learn proper screenplay format. Unlike novel writing, screenplays have a strict format that developed from the early days of cinema.
Film has always been primarily a visual medium. It started with simple one-scene scenarios and developed into longer pieces made up of scenes. Because the first films were silent, early screenplays were essentially shot lists for the director’s use.
This video is the first in a series I’m doing on writing tips for prose fiction vs. screenwriting.