Screenwriting

From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting

Liked by Adam Spencer and 18 others

Maurice Vaughan
One Step You’re Taking

What's one step you’re taking right now? Outlining a script, writing a scene, rewriting a scene, preparing for a pitch, building your network, watching a webinar, etc.

Vincent Turner

Captions!!!

Lloyd Faul

Hi Maurice, will try to see if I can find a picture. May try to adopt a real estate technique & see if I have any from younger days. I am curious about AI because of the massive speed & productivity i...

Expand comment
Holly Fouche

Couldn't do too much in terms of writing without my laptop(stuck at Geeksquad lol). But I DID build my network this week lol

Olga Burkova

At the moment, I’m editing and translating my script, a historical and war drama, and then I’m planning to break it down into episodes.

Wishing all writers good luck and inspiration with your projects.

Adam Spencer

I’m treating every day like the general meeting is already on the calendar. My “one step” right now is knowing my story inside and out — rereading the script, tightening the pitch, and living with the...

Expand comment

Liked by Shahara Marie Ruth and 8 others

Pat Alexander
Alverne Ball

I submitted a pilot entitled, Specter. Logline: Vincent Specter, the black sheep of a legendary family of private investigators, struggles to live up to his legacy—until he inherits four ghosts that help him become a "Guardian of Goodwill"

Alex Bright

The screenplay/script that I submitted is for a series that I believe would fit on either a streaming service or network. ZON is a character-driven, politically charged prestige sci-fi drama built for...

Expand comment
Jim Boston

Pat, I turned in a comedy-drama-mystery called "Down to One."

Here's the logline: A single juror's painstaking caution forces her otherwise-preoccupied, totally-entrenched colleagues to carefully consi...

Expand comment
Shahara Marie Ruth

Hello!

My name is Shahara Marie Ruth.

I am a retired English Language Arts and Social Studies Educator. My work is a reflection of past and present experiences and observations regarding the complicatio...

Expand comment
Cecile George

Hi. I'm Cecile George from Trinidad and Tobago, and I entered my feature script After 12.

After 12 is a female-driven psychological feature with magic realism and adult situations, sort of Promising Yo...

Expand comment

Liked by Jim Boston and 7 others

Luis García
Taboo zones

I've always been fascinated by the “taboo zones” in storytelling — those topics that most people avoid, but writers can’t help exploring because they reveal something raw about human nature.

What are the taboo themes you find yourself returning to in your work?

Why do they pull you in?

For me, I often...

Expand post

Vladimir Romantsev

Luis García, Yes. It's time to wake up. The Matrix isn't a fairy tale...

Vladimir Romantsev

Vaccines are a forbidden topic

Anthony A Miller

....

Abram Christian

Luis García im currently developing a short script about a transgendered woman who must grapple with reappearing as her male identity after she learns that hormone treatment will no longer be covered...

Expand comment
Lloyd Faul

I write about unsolved problems, like the Doomsday Clock, health reform, police violence, etc. that are not morally "taboo" but psychologically "taboo" from human denial and tribal silos causing those...

Expand comment

Liked by Jim Boston and one other

Ryan Wilford
Pitching and Filmmaking: Strategies for Aspiring Screenwriters

Hey Stage 32 Family! I hope your week is going smoothly!

As I near the end of my 3rd pass of my debut psychological thriller screenplay, "Confidence," I’m starting to seriously consider pitching. (I’ve never pitched outside of undergrad and grad school, so this is all new territory, lol) I wanted to...

Expand post

Fuad Shawn

There are quite a few paid pitching services available on this platform.

What I usually do is turn my entire screenplay or story into a pitch first, and then share it with the people around me—my frien...

Expand comment
Maurice Vaughan

Hey, Ryan Wilford! Hope your week’s going smoothly too! Congratulations on getting close to finishing your 3rd pass!

"How do you know when your script is truly "pitch-ready"?" It's a gut feeling for me...

Expand comment

Liked by Jim Boston and one other

GJ Harvey
Net Profit Share in a Literary Purchase Agreement due Low Budget

I've been offered a Literary Purchase Agreement for a script that made the Finals of PAGE but would be produced on a low-budget. As the purchase price is modest, does anyone have any examples of wording for a "net profit share" e.g. an industry standard % for writers that could be included on the ba...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

Congratulations on your script making the Finals and getting offered a Literary Purchase Agreement, GJ Harvey!

Liked by Jim Boston and 2 others

What Creative Spark Won’t Leave You Alone?

'll go first: Lately, I'm obsessed with the collision of military realism and near-future AI — stories where impossible choices push characters to confront who they really are. That blend of discipline, vulnerability, and big-stakes morality keeps pulling me back.

Maurice Vaughan

Hi, Michael McDermott. I’m a Stage 32 Lounge Moderator. I wanted to let you know I moved your post from the Acting Lounge to the Screenwriting Lounge since it fits better here. Let me know if you have...

Expand comment

Liked by Shiva Shekari and 7 others

Ryan Wilford
The Pacing Paradox: Writing Beats in Real-Time vs. Finding Them in the Rewrite

I'm on my final pass of my debut screenplay, Confidence (Psychological Thriller), focusing solely on the beats and pacing this time around.

I'm curious about other writers' processes: When you are generating the first draft or any draft, do you focus on writing the beats/pacing in real-time to keep...

Expand post

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Ryan Wilford. Rewriting as I go helps me come up with ideas. Scene ideas, dialogue, twists, tech for my characters, etc.

Ryan Wilford

John Fife Thanks for the congrats on the final pass, John!

That's really interesting—I've never heard of the "Save the Cat" storyboard program for inputting and arranging beats. It sounds like a powerf...

Expand comment
John Fife

You're welcome Ryan. Great program and has helped me a lot with my writing. There is a great book out there called "Save the Cat, The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need" By Blake Snyder. Shor...

Expand comment
CJ Walley

I get all my beats in there first. It's known as pre-writing and usually comes in the form of what's known as a scriptment.

Pace is a very tonal thing and subject to voice. There's not really a right or wrong.

Ryan Wilford

I love this, thanks for sharing your process! I'm still learning how to pace my beats. CJ Walley

Liked by Kenneth Ellis 2 and 4 others

Tony Sterago
My story reality

So, I have a world extremely developed. I also have characters with great story. the thing i am struggling with is the main story that pulls them all together. that has been the biggest hurtle for my new journey as a writer. Although A.I. as given me some great character photos.

Christine Lyon Lorio

This is great, Tony—your character work is strong, and that shows. The “main story spine” you’re talking about is honestly where a lot of writers hit the wall, even with fully built worlds. Something...

Expand comment
Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Tony Sterago. Ok, great.

Elle Bolan

@Tony definitely try to stay married haha! Happy spouse happy house.

Tony Sterago

absolutely

Abram Christian

Tony Sterago maybe a major conflict that affects all of them could possibly tie the characters together.

Liked by Shiva Shekari and 10 others

Zarya Rowland Bintz
Well written shows

I'm wondering what some of your favorites are. I noticed in the OWAs that I haven't seen most of the shows they are inspired by. I guess I need to watch a lot more tv, lol. I thought I already watch too much! I really loved the writing on Black Sails. From beginning to end it had strong character de...

Expand post

Shirley Collier

Thanks to everyone who answered my question. I just created a Word fact sheet with the help of AI about characters and stories new to me. Let me know if you want me to share. I tossed in a few that we all know too.

Ashley Renee Smith

As a previous development exec, I spent years training myself to watch as many on-air shows as possible, and now it’s such a habit that I can’t break the routine even if I try. Part of the job was mak...

Expand comment
Sam Rivera

That's a great question, and Black Sails is a perfect example of stellar writing. It's impossible to watch everything, but studying a few shows for their specific strengths is incredibly valuable.

Zarya Rowland Bintz

Shirley Collier Cat is my favorite but every character is pretty perfect in RedDwarf

Zarya Rowland Bintz

Ashley Renee Smith that's a nice list! I agree watching and learning is always worth the time. I also watch some reality shows. I can't bring myself to watch some of them though lol......

Expand comment

Liked by Danijela Lazic and 9 others

Shay Booth
I have no confidence

I want to post my pilot screenplay, but I took it down. I suppose I'm scared? I'm proud of it, but scared to post it fully as I have dyslexia, and this is my very first screenplay! Any feedback would be appreciated. :)

INT. FARMHOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT

7:30 PM

Dinner. The warm glow of overhead ligh...

Expand post

Luis García

Hey! I just finished reading your script, and first of all I want to say this: you clearly understand the fundamentals of screenwriting. The formatting, pacing, scene descriptions, and transitions sho...

Expand comment
Shay Booth

Thanks everyone for the lovely comments, I did end up posting the full pilot screenplay. It has a few mistakes in it, but those will be improved :)

Maurice Vaughan

You're welcome, Shay Booth.

Clinton Oparaocha

Shay Booth it's a nice script

Abram Christian

Shay Booth You have more confidence than you give yourself credit for since you were brave enough to put yourself out there with this post. that took guts. You are doing a fine job!...

Expand comment

Liked by Arthur Charpentier and one other

Pat Alexander
Last Hours! Regular Deadline Ends Today Midnight for the Stage 32 + Pathfinder Film & TV Comedy Screenwriting Contest!

Winner gets set up for development & packaging with Mark Wheeler's Pathfinder Media + 3 mentorship opportunities for all top 10 finalists!

Liked by Ingrid Wren and 27 others

Leonardo Ramirez 2
How Your Life Shapes Your Stories

The stories we tell are often pieces of ourselves. My own experiences—struggles, joys, lessons—slip into my characters, their choices, and even the worlds I create.

I write science fiction and fantasy, but at the core, it’s about conquering the dark night of the soul and replacing it with hope.

So her...

Expand post

Leonardo Ramirez 2

Gotta love those anonymous sources Pat Alexander. It adds to that belief that repeating a lie over and over makes it a truth.

Ingrid Wren

This is a great thread Leonardo Ramirez 2 I write sci-fi/fantasy, and for something completely different recently completed a psychological thriller. I always look for the light and the joy that can c...

Expand comment
Nancy Wilkinson

Lew Hunter told me to, “write what you know.” Including bits of me and my family histories creates nuances that make each character intriguing, unique, and relatable.

Leonardo Ramirez 2

Thanks so much Ingrid Wren. It's funny because there have been times where I'll post something and it just gets buried (I'm sure that happens to everyone) so when I posted this, I honestly thought ver...

Expand comment
Leonardo Ramirez 2

You're so right Nancy Wilkinson - and interesting how much we learn from our family dynamics. Some make us stronger through growth while others we learn "what not to be". I'm grateful you stopped by t...

Expand comment
register for stage 32 Register / Log In