How to Apply a Theme to Your Script Using the Thematic Triangle of Conflict

As a writer, if you haven’t first worked out what your story is really about on a fundamental level — what its DNA is before you start writing — you’re not in the best position to know what characters to come up with, what actions they take, what’s likely to happen in a scene, etc. in the first place. And this is where the Thematic Triangle of Conflict comes in. Let’s jump right in by taking a look at what it is and how best to employ it in your screenplay.   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

I Get It...but What Is It? How to Define Your Original Television Pilot

Before you get anyone to read your brilliantly executed pilot script, you must first pitch them the idea for the series, and it must be clear, compelling, character-driven, and it must feel like a TV show, not like a movie. Put simply, the first thing you need to do is answer the deceptively simple question, “What is it?”   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

Dining at the Speed of Light

What is wrong with the following scene? MEGAN and DANIEL are shown to their table by a WAITER.   Read More

Screenwriting Do's & Don'ts

Over the years, I've read thousands of scripts as a producer and former VP Development for companies at Sony, Universal and Disney and had to separate the wheat from the chaff.   Read More

When Will My Script Be Ready?!?

As a producer and former VP of Development for production companies based at Sony, Universal and Disney, I’ve had the privilege of working with award-winning writers, directors and actors, and the most successful ones always...   Read More

Selling Your Own TV Series

CAN WRITERS SELL THEIR OWN TV SERIES? Writers? NO. Writers who are reading this article…YES! And I’ll tell you how, if you go with me on this for a few minutes.   Read More

5 Tips on Effectively Submitting Queries from the Newsletter

One question I see a lot here at InkTip is: What can I do to raise the effectiveness of my pitches through the weekly newsletter?   Read More

Why Your Logline Matters and How to Write One

I’ve lost count of the number of loglines I’ve read but it’s in the thousands. But I don’t just read them. I see which ones work and which ones don’t. The logline is the master key that will help unlock doors for writers...   Read More