Robert McKee is a screenwriting guru whose book (and seminar series), [Story](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0060391685/?tag=johnaugustcom-20), is one of the most popular and polarizing how-to screenwriting books on the market. McKee, a Fulbright Scholar, developed his seminar while a professor at the University of Southern California, and began offering it to the public in 1984. It has been attended […]
How do screenwriters use index cards?
Many screenwriters find index cards (aka notecards, note cards, or flash cards) valuable in both the outlining and pitching processes. They are a great way for visualizing story, and they are non-linear, so they can be moved and shuffled easily. Plus they come in different colors, which can be a big help with organization. When […]
How should I approach rewrites?
In a [blog post](http://johnaugust.com/2005/how-to-rewrite) from 2005, John August has this general advice: >>Decide out what you want to accomplish, then figure out which scenes would need to change. The first instinct of a lot of writers is to start from the beginning of the script and look for dialogue blocks, action lines, or description to […]
In dialogue, how do you handle a character with a speech impediment?
If you have a character with a speech impediment, it most likely will be distracting — and quite possibly condescending — to try to mimic the impediment in all of his dialogue. Instead, include mention of the character’s speech impediment when you introduce him, and then write the dialogue as normal, doing your best to […]
If I am adapting a classic work that is in the public domain, should I credit the original writer?
When adapting and updating a well known property in the public domain, it is a bit of a judgement call as to whether or not the original work needs a “based on” credit. If it feels dishonest not to note it, note it. If not, it’s up to you. For a case like West Side […]
What is the difference between a logline and a tagline?
A “logline” is a movie’s concept boiled down to one or two sentences: *On his deathbed, a father tells the story of his life the way he remembers it: full of wild, impossible exaggerations. His grown son tries to separate the truth from the fantasy before it’s too late.* A “tagline” is a short, clever […]