Our founder & CEO Guy Goldstein will be speaking at AI & Media Town Hall: Digital Tools for Filmmaking at 10am PT today! Just 2 hours from now: linkedin.com/events/ai-media…

Fair point! WriterDuet obviously stands with writers, not just in principle but in practice. If you're in the WGA & would be negatively impacted by a possible strike, email me (WriterDuet CEO) at [email protected] and I'll get you some free subscriptions. Thanks @ArielRelaford!

The process to become a *great* writer can take many years, and might not happen at all. But you can become a *better* writer almost instantly: write something (could be just a page!) and share it with a friend who's willing to give you their thoughts as they occur in real-time. Then think about why they said what they did, not judging them OR yourself. You don't need to take any specific suggestions they give, but look at if their reaction matches what you were trying to generate, and think about why. Was there a joke that didn't land? A description they found confusing? Or generally, were they just not as engaged as you were hoping for? And if you don't have a friend you want to share your work with, but you're interested in trading reads with someone, comment here with the description of a script you're working (doesn't need to be complete), and we'll try to help facilitate a valuable script swap!

With script feedback, it's important to consider who your reader is, and the lens through which they're viewing your script. Have you received feedback and thought the reader "just doesn't get it?" Well, they probably don't! But what value can you pull from their notes anyway?

Receiving feedback on your scripts is an essential part of improving as a writer, but blindly following advice from readers is probably going to make your writing worse. You've got to look for the note behind the note, and decide for yourself what will enhance your scripts.

Following screenwriting "rules" probably won't improve your writing, or make an important reader love a script they would've otherwise passed on. So why do they (sort of) exist? Not to gatekeep either, Hollywood is a garden with so many walls, they don't need to invent new ones. The reason "rules" came to be is because over time people distilled common practices that tended to be observed in better scripts. Is it bad to write "we see" in a script? Not at all, no matter who you are. But does it advance your plot or help a reader engage with your story? Most often not, unless written with clear attention and empathy toward the readers. And that's what most "rules" come down to. Are you acting with the reader in mind, or indulging yourself? Writing is personal and should reflect how you feel, but if your goal is for others to consume your work, it can't only be about you.

If you had to describe your main character in only three words, which would you pick? 🤔

For anyone who needs a little extra motivation to work on their script tonight: xitter.cf/mrashsharma/status/161…

Very beneficial advice for writing dialogue, and it can be applied to other areas of the writing process too! xitter.cf/mattcici/status/161686…

Love this advice. Also a great reminder to get some water and refresh if you're currently working hard on a project! xitter.cf/LeeAnnFilm/status/1616…

What's the best piece of screenwriting advice you've received? Or better yet, what's the best screenwriting advice you've given yourself?

What do you mean we actually have to write if we want to finish our screenplays? 🤨

pov: you're listening to music and imagining the playlist is the soundtrack to your screenplay

Read & listen to the first 10 pages of select @austinfilmfest Finalist scripts! ReadThrough.com/AFF #AFF #AFF29