Why Talented Writers Fail Part 1: Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

Each week during piano lessons, my piano teacher must have been frustrated that I didn’t practice enough that week yet I had enough talent to "get by" and move on to the next piece. Why was she frustrated? Because she knew I relied on talent. I had the wrong mindset. Does this sound familiar to you or someone you know?   Read More

Getting Up to Speed: What You Need to Start Writing a TV Pilot

Scripted television is exploding. And if you are a screenwriter with experience primarily in the feature-length form, then you would do yourself well to start learning how to write a pilot.   Read More

TV Series Storytelling - Commercialism vs. Creativity

In the cut-and-thrust world of television drama series production, can creativity work hand in hand with commercialism or does one override the other?   Read More

Battle of the Paradigms

How many books on screenwriting have you read? The sheer number of works written on the craft of screenwriting can overwhelm writers. Each of the more well-known books is authored by screenwriting teachers who market their own models for structuring a story from FADE IN to FADE OUT. Dave Trottier, author of the long-established screenwriting guide The Screenwriter’s Bible, shares his thoughts on how to decide on the value of particular screenwriting books, and thus, their formulas, and whether all are necessary to learn.   Read More

InkTip Advice: More on Writing the Synopsis

When pitching a script by way of submission query, a synopsis can help a reader decide whether to read your script. This article is written by Jared Wynn, who oversees producer membership on InkTip. Jerrol recently asked me to write a synopsis for him, and instead of boring you with the actual conversation, I’ll entertain you with how I imagine it might have gone...   Read More

Fostering an Environment for Brilliant Ideas

Why do most of your brilliant ideas happen while you're in the shower? Or when you're about to fall asleep? Or in your dreams...or while you're cooking...or while you're in class (or at the office) daydreaming? There is an answer found in an exciting, emerging area of science.   Read More

Setting Goals as a Writer

For many, becoming an established screenwriter is a dream job, something you fantasize about at the computer while writing, during Oscar season when nominations are announced, maybe even at your day job while tuning out your co-worker at the coffee station. That dream can become a reality, but not without hard work and goal setting.   Read More

New Script Ideas from Unexpected Sources

Spending time to sit and think, or to take a walk, seems increasingly difficult in a society that prizes busyness and multi-tasking. In particular, for A-type go-getters, intentionally carving more time to think without doing several things at once can seem like “wasted time.” But there’s a reason other than simply generating more ideas why daydream-type thinking is crucial: it’s the type of ideas that are generated – namely associative thinking.   Read More

Interstellar: 5 Trademark Christopher Nolan Techniques

The biggest movie from perhaps the most popular director in Hollywood today. Here are five techniques that Christopher Nolan uses to great success in Interstellar.   Read More

Opening a TV Pilot (The Good Wife, Downton Abbey, The Walking Dead)

When an InkTip-approved producer starts to read your script, you’ve already piqued their interest with your dynamic logline and hooked them with your compelling synopsis and intriguing résumé, but now you need to reel them in with precise execution on the page, and that begins with a great opening sequence. Nowhere is this more important than on television where every season a new batch of pilots contend for an audience.   Read More