Jennie Evenson is the author of "Shakespeare for Screenwriters" (Michael Wiese, 2013) as well as short fiction, essays, and a children's fantasy novel "Dalya & the Magic Ink Bottle" (Capstone, 2020). As a writer in LA, Evenson worked as a consultant for Netflix and developed ideas at production houses from DreamWorks to Focus Features. You can follow her on Twitter: @JM_Evenson
Many writers despise networking. Networking can produce serious anxiety in those who worry that they'll come off as awkward. Just as importantly: many of us don't have time to do the networking necessary to advance our careers -- many of us have responsibilities both at home and at our day jobs -- and what little free time we have, we'd like to spend writing. But since networking is crucial for your career, let's think of a few ways to take your networking game up a notch.
Most of the rest of us struggle with procrastination at some point in our writing career. This article is for you. Since we all know putting things off is bad, let's think of some ways to get ourselves out of hole when the temptation to procrastinate (nearly) overpowers us.
Not many of us enjoy selling ourselves. It can be awkward and embarrassing. But since it's such an important part of the meeting structure here in Hollywood, let's think about some ways to pitch yourself.
Writers rarely stop to categorize the many different variations of characters out there. But categories can be useful if you are at the conception stage and unsure which way to go, or stuck in the middle of draft and wondering what your hero ought to do next. Let's look at five types of classic heroes.
We've all heard that "good writing is rewriting," and we all know that first drafts aren't meant to be perfect -- they're our so-called "vomit" drafts, and their purpose is to get the story OUT. But what happens after that? How do we go from a rough draft to a polished script?
Everyone knows a compelling hero is central to a good script. Writers spend hours thinking through our hero's back stories. We grace them with inspiring goals and bedevil them with fascinating flaws. But the real secret to a good hero is a good villain.
If your story doesn't stick it on the landing, chances are audiences will leave feeling irritated and unsatisfied. So, how can we create endings that make the audience feel like the story couldn't have finished any other way? Here are five story tricks to give your climax that jigawatt jolt.
Classic movies may not have a lot of explosions or crazy car chases, but they still keep audiences nailed to their seats. So: how do they do it? What makes their stories so romantic, funny, heartrending or frightening? Why have these movies stood the test of time...?
Many of us have a romantic vision of writing, but the truth is that writing is often slow, deliberate, painstaking work. We put one word after another. There's no way around: if you're a writer, you'll probably face writer's block at some point, and you'll be forced to find a way work through it. So let's think about some places to find inspiration if/when you get stuck.
Rejection is the worst. Every writer who has ever shown their work to someone else knows this. Sharing your most personal creations puts you at risk for the most terrible sort of pain. Unless you're standing on a boat, scribbling pages and tossing them into the sea, sharing your work means there's a chance you'll face rejection. And everyone, everyone in Hollywood gets rejected at some point. Yes, everyone.
Most writers hate getting story notes. Who likes to hear the script they worked so hard to complete isn't perfect in every way? Here are five techniques to handle notes like a pro.
Gone With The Wind. Casablanca. Citizen Kane. We all know the classics -- they're the movies that made us all want to start writing in the first place. They've got gripping plots, snappy dialogue... and absolutely unforgettable characters.
Every writer hopes his or her next project will be deemed an instant classic in the company of great ...