How To Write A Novel Or Screenplay — Tips To Take Your Writing To The Next Level

Written by Jon-Michael Foshee

Come on in, get comfy; we’ve got all our Best Tips and Resources on How to Write a Novel or Screenplay ready for you, whipped up hot and fresh by our resident Word Chefs.

Where do you even start, right? Even if you write it, how do you get people to read it?

We got you. Whether you’re just lining up your first story, or you’ve already written a few books and want to improve, we’re here to help you find the right knowledge and tools you need to find your voice and write the next great story.

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Writing a story and freeing it into the world may feel daunting, but that’s okay, it’s natural. We’re here to help, and once you know what to do, it’s not scary anymore. Writing the novel or screenplay is the hard part. If you can do that, you can write a Query Letter email to agents, or follow instructions to publish your own book, or fill out a form to enter a writing competition to earn prestige, cash, and maybe even an agent (more on all that soon).

Chicago Devotion is here to empower you with the knowledge and resources to accomplish these goals yourself, because no one will ever be as passionate an advocate for your work as you.

It’s scary to put yourself out there to be judged, I get that (boy, do I get that), but what’s the worst that can happen? Somebody says no. Okay…so? Do you have any idea how many agents and editors and publishers are literally craving a good book or film they can bring to the world? Lots. Lots and lots and lots of them. The world is always hungry for great new stories.

Getting to the “Yes” may not happen the first time (or the third, or the seventh, or the twelfth), but there is a “Yes” out there with your name on it if you don’t give up and keep getting better.

Every writer you’ve ever heard of has been rejected. Stephen King had a huge nail jammed into his wall above his desk, and every time he got a rejection letter for one of his stories, he spiked it on that thing. According to him, it was a large stack. Richard Adams of Watership Down and Plague Dogs fame was rejected many, many times by multiple publishers. He found one willing to take a chance on Watership Down, and the beloved novel has continuously been in print since 1972, and has touched countless lives. J.R.R. Tolkien was rejected multiple times at first. The Lord of the Rings almost wasn’t lord of anything.

See, even the heavyweights were once in your place, just starting out with an idea and a dream. You are in good company. If you get the dreaded “No,” pick yourself back up and send your work to another agent, and another, and another, until one signs you. Never give up. You are worth it.

PRO TIP: The only way you can truly fail is if you give up, or if you stop trying to learn and improve.

The point is, writing is the hardest part. Don’t be intimidated by everything else that follows. You can do this. In this article, you’ll find tips from actual writers; recommendations on books that will help you learn story structure, character building, and dialogue writing; how to write Query Letter emails to agents; how to self-publish your own book; how to find screenwriting help; and how not to get scammed from the wrong people.

The good news is, writing well is attainable with practice and self-education. There’s a lot of reading, research, and drafts in your future, but the old adage holds true: practice makes (sort of) perfect. There’s no trick to it, you just have to sit your butt (or stand your butt, or lay your butt) in front of a computer, notepad, typewriter, audio recorder, whatever, and write every day you can write.

Even if you only have one free hour in the early morning, write. If the only peace you get is on your lunch break, try writing descriptive prose for a chapter or a scene setting, or write out a conversation between characters. You can build out the rest later. Only have limited downtime at night after the kids go to bed? Sit down and live your story for a while, try to write a page or two. A little bit will add up to a lot quicker than you think.

Writing is work, and it’s hard, and there’s no way around that. You have to find ways to put in the work, but the more often you do it, the better you get at it, and the more you will enjoy that time.

And always write every story for yourself. DO NOT write what you THINK someone else might like, there is no crystal ball for that. Write something that YOU like, that is the only way your work will be genuine.

Okay, enough preamble; we’re all fired up now, let’s go!

Developing Your Writing Style

There’s no one way to write. You are unique, little snowflake, and, in time, you will develop your own voice that the world will come to recognize. That being said, many of us fit into one of two basic categories: the “Stream of Consciousness” writer, better known as the “I just let it all flow outta me” writer, or the “Outliner,” the “Gotta map out this whole journey before I can take a single step” writer.

PRO TIP: There’s no wrong or right way to be. What works for one writer may not work for you, and vice versa. Try both, see which one turns out your best draft. You might end up using Stream of Consciousness for one project, then switch to Outline for another. Run with what works best for you.

Some of the best writers in history — I’m talking some household names, some literary rockstars — just write as the story flows out of them. They don’t need no stinking outlines. They may jot down some notes and know where their story is going in general, but they like to write in the moment and see what happens. Their characters surprise them, and they experience the story just like we do when we read it.

That’s cool, I totally get the importance of that style. Me, I’m an Outliner. I have to write everything down or I’ll forget it. Some haters of the Outline Life say that outlining doesn’t leave any room for spontaneity, that if you structure everything, you shut out natural surprise and improvisation.

I respectfully disagree.

Here’s how I can best describe the Outline Life: Imagine that writing your story is like building a house. The Outline is your raw frame, your foundation, your floorplan layout, your walls, and your roof.

Your foundation is your idea itself, your “What if…” that you build your entire premise upon, as well as the Theme of your story as it is woven throughout the pages.
Your floorplan layout is your story structure, the pacing of your story, the flow with which you design your storyline and guide your readers through from beginning to end. Is this a One-Act short story? Are you writing a traditional Three-Act novel or screenplay? Maybe you’re working on an epic Five-Act novel, theatrical play, or film. Whatever your structure, this is where you prep your Story Beats, the major plot points that influence your characters’ choices and actions.
Your walls frame your chapters (rooms), according to your desired floorplan (story structure).
Your roof is your Final Act, how you tie everything inside together and make it one complete structure. Everything — Every. Thing. — comes together to support the roof. Without a great roof (Final Act) that ties everything inside together, the whole house crumbles.

That means you gotta stick that ending or you end up with a bunch of leaks, and nobody likes a leaky story you can punch a bunch of holes through. No pressure, right?

Now that you’ve created your structure, get busy designing your house.

Here’s where your surprises and your spontaneity can bloom. You built all the rooms and charted a path through them, now get creative inside each room (chapter). There’s plenty of space for your characters to surprise you, for your imagination to invent twists and turns. Your Outline is just the guide; your imagination is the paint, the carpet, the furniture, the artwork. You want leopard print velvet wallpaper and ceiling mirrors and purple velour Chesterfield sofas? You do you, boo.

Sounds like a fun villain lives in there, actually. Or hero. No judgement.

And guess what? The house isn’t finished, so you can demolish whatever you want and rebuild it however you want. If your characters surprise you and you realize you need to scrap your Final Act and rework the ending, get the mental sledgehammer out and go to work. That’s why they call it a First Draft. You’ll be writing many drafts, so don’t beat yourself up on your first pass. You can re-read it during the editing phase and make it even better.

And keep every passage you cut out. Seriously. I’ve cut paragraphs, scenes, even whole chapters, only to need parts of them again during a rewrite. Be a writing hoarder. Save. Everything. There’s nothing worse than wanting a piece back and realizing you deleted your own work forever.

AND, if you’re a note-writer like me, write every idea down as you get them. Don’t wait and hope your idiot brain will remember it later. Use a Note App, keep a little notebook and a pen handy, speak into a recorder, scribble on a sticky note and paste it to your forehead, tell Siri or Alexa, just write it down. Take it from someone who has thrown a few grown-man hissy fits over brain farts, forgetting good ideas really, really sucks.

This bears repeating: Above all, most importantly, write your novel / screenplay / comic book / whatever for yourself. DO NOT write what you think an audience may want to read / watch. There’s no magic forecast for what story may or may not be hot in the future, and there’s no way you can know what may captivate people when your next book / film is finally released. If anyone tells you they have a foolproof way for you to write the perfect story that will make all the money, make yourself as big as you can in your space, scream at the top of your lungs, and run away.

Now For The Good Stuff: READING!

There are two kinds of reading we have to do to be able to write well: Read novels or screenplays in the genre you are currently writing, and read books, articles, anything you can get your eyeballs on that can make you a better writer. Keep continuing your education. Keep getting better.

When we read novels or screenplays, we unconsciously absorb the beautiful patterns of language, of prose, of dialogue, of emotional outbursts and internal struggles, of story flow as each chapter or scene feeds seamlessly into the next. We don’t just read, we experience story. Reading builds our imagination muscles without us even realizing it, and we become better writers because our intuition for story flow, character development, and dialogue writing grows stronger.

Also, if you are reading novels and screenplays and watching movies and TV shows in your chosen genre, you won’t accidentally copy someone else’s story. It’s always good to be aware of other stories in your genre that currently exist in the market.

Over time, you may notice that your dialogue has smoothed out, maybe become more natural. Your characters can become more fully-formed with their own flaws, internal struggles, complexities, and enhanced relatability. Your transitions may flow better and your stories may deepen. Plus, by reading and watching content in your genre, you’ll discover inspiring prose and worlds built by other writers, and you’ll discover new tips and tricks you like and some you realize you need to stop doing.

In my early days, I was unaware that I was being too cliché in some ways, and that I too often wrote in Passive Voice. Reading more novels and screenplays and books on writing helped me fix those issues. There are many rules of composition to learn, too many to list here, but let’s take a minute to talk about Passive Voice and Active Voice. Click Here for a more thorough explanation from Grammarly.

To put it simply: Active Voice is straightforward, it places the Subject of the sentence before the Verb. The Subject performs the action. The clue to Passive Voice is in the name, it’s not straightforward, it’s passive. The Verb appears before the Subject; the Subject is being acted upon by the Verb.

Example from Grammarly:

Active Voice: The dog chases the ball.
Passive Voice: The ball is being chased by the dog.

In the Active Voice, the Subject, dog, acts upon the Verb, chases. In Passive Voice, the dog is being acted upon by the Verb. Which one feels more natural?

Another Example:

Active Voice: Darren came here today because he wants to learn to write well.
Passive Voice: Because he wants to learn to write well, Darren came here today.

See the difference? You just realized you write in Passive Voice a lot, didn’t you? It’s okay, I did too until someone pointed it out to me. Passive Voice is super common, especially in business. If you’ve ever read a business plan or an investment prospectus, Passive Voice is alllll over the place.

Write however you want, but as you can see, Active Voice propels a story forward with an urgency that better matches the drama, the terror, the tension, the importance. Passive Voice kind of meanders down the trail, out for a sunny walk, in no big hurry. It can lessen the tension.

Grammarly is also a fantastic resource for any style of writing you enjoy. Check them out for all kinds of help to better yourself and your work.

PRO TIP: Like Stephen King says, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.”

Reading is not only about becoming a better writer through wisdom and inspiration, it’s also about learning what doesn’t work or what you don’t like and how to fix it. Being a writer is a lifelong marathon, not a sprint. You will get better if you put in the time and keep learning.

Speaking of reading, here are some great resource recommendations for you. I have read or used every book, website, and piece of software detailed in this article, and I highly recommend them for every writer, whether you’re just starting your first book or you’ve already written twenty books. The advice contained within these resources is invaluable.

It doesn’t matter how experienced you are; you still don’t know what you still don’t know.

Real talk, my early work was rough, y’all. But by reading these books, learning through these resources, and putting in the time, I got better. And I’m not done, I know I still have work to do, I know I can always be better. We’re never done learning or bettering ourselves as writers.

But don’t just take my word for it, learn for yourself.

PRO TIP: If you want to become a better writer, become a better reader.

The Best Resources To Take Your Writing To The Next Level

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On Writing — by Stephen King

From the Book Description: Immensely helpful and illuminating to any aspiring writer, this special edition of Stephen King’s critically lauded, million-copy bestseller shares the experiences, habits, and convictions that have shaped him and his work. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have.

A Writer’s Take: Stephen King is the most-adapted writer in history, so he has to be doing something right. I started reading his books to see what all the hype was about, and I pleasantly discovered that he writes genuinely compelling stories with relatable characters who struggle with life issues just like we do, albeit they are usually thrust into supernatural or extraordinary situations. King is the master of creating “What would I do in that situation?” stories that suck you in, and his non-fiction book, On Writing, gives us writers valuable insight on how to do that based on how he does it.

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need — by Jessica Brody

From the Book Description: The first novel-writing guide from the best-selling Save the Cat! story-structure series, which reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any novel a success. Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 “beats” (plot points) that comprise a successful story — from the opening image to the finale — this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate — and a novel that will sell.

A Writer’s Take: I first read the original Save the Cat! book (below) over a decade ago, and I wound up extrapolating that structure into one I could use to write novels, and then THIS beauty shows up on the shelves. You don’t have to do all that work, they already did it for you! And here’s the thing: you don’t have to write according to these story structures and beats, but it helps to learn them because readers and viewers already subconsciously know them. The emotional and structural beats described in the Save the Cat! books are already used in most successful books, films, and television seasons throughout history. They work for a reason. Once you learn what works, you can use it to make whatever you want, however you want.

PRO TIP: If you want to break the rules, first you have to know the rules.

Save The Cat! — by Blake Snyder

From the Book Description: The best seller that’s been used by screenwriters around the world, Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. “Save the Cat” is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying, including: The four elements of every winning logline, The seven immutable laws of screenplay physics, Why your Hero must serve your Idea, Mastering the 15 Beats, Creating the “Perfect Beast” by using The Board to map 40 scenes with conflict and emotional change, and How to get back on track with proven rules for script repair. This ultimate insider’s guide reveals the secrets that none dare admit, told by a showbiz veteran who’s proven that you can sell your script if you can save the cat.

A Writer’s Take: This is the original revolutionary resource for screenwriters, the one I just mentioned above. This book taught me about the pacing beats and emotional beats found in any good story, and now I use them in every single thing I write (yes, even this article, loosely). You do not have to use the advice verbatim when writing your screenplay, but you will learn a lot about pacing and storytelling and story structure. It will teach you how to write a good screenplay based on the flow of the best movies audiences love the most. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it — learn it, use it, and find ways to put your original spin on it!

The Hero With A Thousand Faces — by Joseph Campbell

From the Book Description: Since its release in 1949, The Hero with a Thousand Faces has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero’s Journey, a universal motif of adventure and transformation that runs through virtually all of the world’s mythic traditions. As relevant today as when it was first published, The Hero With A Thousand Faces has profoundly influenced creative artists, including authors, songwriters, game designers, and filmmakers, and continues to inspire all those interested in the inherent human need to tell stories.

A Writer’s Take: If you’ve ever been moved by an epic film or a wondrous novel, chances are you’ve experienced the story structure known as the monomyth: a story about a hero who goes on a grand adventure, faces seemingly impossible obstacles, and emerges victorious, only to return home changed by the journey itself, not just the victory. The Hero With A Thousand Faces has been recognized as an inspiration by George Lucas (Star Wars), Stanley Kubrick (The Shining), Richard Adams (Watership Down), Bob Dylan (you should know who Bob Dylan is, come on now), and many more (including this guy, for what it’s worth…). This is required reading for a reason: to advance and grow as writers, we must learn where successful stories have come from and why they were so popular. Many of the oldest stories you’ve heard of follow a similar structure, and some have lasted for centuries. If only our works can stand that test of time one day. Who knows? You might be the next Dickens, you little dickens.

PRO TIP: If you’re a starving artist and your bank account is tight like yoga pants (been there fam, I feel you), start with the three or four books up there. That’s enough to get you started with a mini master class on how to write a novel or screenplay, and give you a solid writing foundation you can build upon.

But don’t stop there, keep learning! There are many more amazing resources to discover, like:

Poetics — by Aristotle

From the Book Description: In Poetics, his near-contemporary account of classical Greek tragedy, Aristotle examines the dramatic elements of plot, character, language, and spectacle that combine to produce pity and fear in the audience, and asks why we derive pleasure from this apparently painful process. Taking examples from the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, Poetics introduced into literary criticism such central concepts as mimesis (“imitation”), hamartia (“error”), and katharsis (“purification” or “cleansing”), which have informed serious thinking about drama ever since. Aristotle explains how the most effective tragedies rely on complication and resolution, recognition, and reversals, while centering on characters of heroic stature, idealised yet true to life. One of the most perceptive and influential works of criticism in Western literary history, Poetics has informed serious thinking about drama for centuries.

A Writer’s Take: This recommendation came out of left field for me, but it helped me create much more compelling content. I heard Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network) speaking about this book and the impact it had on his writing, and I thought, “Who am I to question Aaron Sorkin?” So, I immediately Amazoned it. Is Amazoned a verb? It is now. Where was I? Oh yeah, Poetics has remained relevant for centuries for good reason. Aristotle examines how and why we, the readers and the audiences, are drawn to dramatic storylines based on our inherent humanity, then he tells us the ingredients to create the most compelling, relatable dramas possible. This is an important book for any writer, whether you’re working on novels, scripts, teleplays, theatrical plays, comics, graphic novels, articles, whatever — don’t dismiss this one because of its age. Let Aristotle cook.

**Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting — by Robert McKee**

From the Book Description: Robert McKee’s screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience. In Story, McKee expands on the concepts he teaches in his $450 seminars (considered a “must” by industry insiders), providing readers with the most comprehensive, integrated explanation of the craft of writing for the screen. No one better understands how all the elements of a screenplay fit together, and no one is better qualified to explain the “magic” of story construction and the relationship between structure and character than Robert McKee.

A Writer’s Take: A must-read for any serious writer, whether you’re a novelist, screenwriter, comic writer, etc. I know this says “screenwriting,” but ignore that and read it anyway. This book has been a major influence on many successful creative people for good reason. McKee breaks down why good stories work (and why bad ones don’t) with exceptional depth and clarity. This is not a Story Beat book, it won’t rehash what we’ve already discussed, rather it defines concepts and gives you insight on how to apply certain principles to your writing by giving you multiple easy-to-understand examples. It will also help you spot and avoid cliché story dead-ends and common storytelling weaknesses. This book really helped me get out of my own way by correcting some of the wrong pre-conceived notions and ideas I brought to my writing at first. Even if you think you’ve already mastered this whole writing thing, Robert McKee can help your sharpen your skills better than you ever thought possible.

The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 25th Anniversary Edition — by Christopher Vogler

From the Book Description: Originally an influential memo Vogler wrote for Walt Disney Animation executives regarding The Lion King, The Writer’s Journey details a twelve-stage, myth-inspired method that has galvanized Hollywood’s treatment of cinematic storytelling. A format that once seldom deviated beyond a traditional three-act blueprint, Vogler’s comprehensive theory of story structure and character development has met with universal acclaim, and is detailed herein using examples from myths, fairy tales, and classic movies. This book has changed the face of screenwriting worldwide over the last 25 years, and continues to do so.

A Writer’s Take: Another super helpful book that helped me understand and practice the emotional pull of dramatic, epic storytelling. Much of it is geared toward screenwriting, but there are important lessons inside for novelists as well. There is a tried-and-true structure beneath all the greatest books and movies we love, but the secret is that structure is waaaaay older than we realize. Do you dream of writing the next global hit novel or screenplay? This book might just give you the insight you need into what stories audiences love most and why. Take your new structural knowledge from this book and apply it to your story ideas — there’s a chance you might craft the next relatable hit everyone will be talking about. If it was good enough for Walt Disney, it’s good enough for you and me.

Structuring Your Novel: Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story — by K.M. Weiland

From the Book Description: Why do some stories work and others don’t? The answer is structure. In the 10-year anniversary edition of this beloved writing guide, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story’s major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel’s pacing and progression.

A Writer’s Take: I’ve read this book cover-to-cover a few times. Author K.M. Weiland explains the traditional Three-Act story structure in ways that are easy to grasp, and her description of the Scene-Sequel structure was an epiphany for me. The first time I read it, it opened my eyes to how much better my story beats and plot flow could be simply by adopting these principles. It taught me how to better construct meaningful story arcs and character arcs that genuinely pay off. Since that first reading, I revisit this book from time to time before beginning a new novel or screenplay, just as a refresher to make sure I’m not forgetting crucial elements that can change a good idea into an unforgettable epic. Grab this one whether you live the Outline Life or you’re a Stream of Consciousness purist — no matter your style, it’ll take your storytelling to the next level.

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success — by K.M. Weiland

From the Book Description: Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer’s arsenal. Outlining Your Novel will help you choose the right type of outline for your specific work, guide you in brainstorming plot ideas, aid you in discovering your characters, show you how to structure your scenes, and much more! It even includes exclusive interviews with ten respected authors, who answer important questions about outlining.

A Writer’s Take: Outline Lifers rejoice! I don’t have anything new to say about K.M. Weiland’s work that I didn’t already comment on above, except that you need this book as much as you need her book on Structuring Your Novel. Continue your education with more tips and tricks to better prepare your work in the pre-writing stages.

In fact, just pick up any book written by K.M. Weiland, her work will elevate your work every time.

The NEW Comedy Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Performing Stand-Up Comedy — by Judy Carter

From the Book Description: The New Comedy Bible is a step-by-step, no excuses manual for writing, performing, and launching your career as a stand-up comic. Written by Judy Carter, the author of The Comedy Bible (2001), which was called by The Washington Post and Forbes as a “Comedy Essential.” Whether you’re a beginner just starting out or a pro looking to create new material for your next Netflix Comedy Special, Carter’s proven methods are legendary among today’s top performers. Alumni of her workshops include: Seth Rogan, Hannah Gadsby, Sherri Sheppard, and Maz Jobrani among others. As Lily Tomlin says, “Judy Carter helps others find their authentic persona and communicate in a way that makes audiences laugh.” Interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, she said, “Judy Carter can show you how to make your sense of humor pay off. The exercises in this book will get you off the couch and onto the stage, helping you develop the skills necessary to envision, and achieve, a successful career in comedy.

A Writer’s Take: You don’t have to be a stand-up comic to learn from this book (you might want to be one, I don’t know your life), but it’s also a great resource for writers to hone their comedy skills, such as comedic timing. Timing is one of the most crucial elements to comedy. If your delivery timing is off, the joke dies; it doesn’t matter how great the punchline is if you can’t land it. This book can help you hone some very necessary comedy skills to craft interesting characters, land cracking dialogue, and finally become an interesting person. I’m kidding! You’re awesome just the way God made you. That joke structure is part of the “Rule of Three” writing principle, one of many that you will learn inside this book.

Don’t judge me. I’m still tweaking my Tight Five.

Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a YA Bestseller — by Jessica Brody

From the Book Description: An indispensable guide that reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any young adult novel a success. From accomplished novelist and the author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story structure guide for anyone who wants to write a young adult novel by applying the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of YA fiction. Filled with practical advice, easy-to-follow templates, and “beat sheets” analyzing the structure of popular young adult novels such as Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, and Lois Lowry’s The Giver, this book is the ultimate reference for anyone who’s ever dreamed of writing their own young adult bestseller.

A Writer’s Take: These are some seriously helpful books, and they’re written in entertaining ways, which helps the learning medicine go down. Unfortunately, Blake Snyder passed away a few years back, but his wisdom and his wit live on in his works, and his estate has invited other skillful writers to continue the Save The Cat! series based on his style and lifelong knowledge, like this one about writing YA novels. Each book continues Blake Snyder’s wonderfully witty spirit and insightful genius. No matter what medium or genre in which you love to write, there is a Save The Cat! book that can make you better.

Thank you, Blake. You made a real difference in countless lives.

The Best Resources For Screenwriters

Final Draft Screenwriting Software

From the Product Description: Enhance your screenwriting with Final Draft’s automatic industry-standard formatting and diverse template selection! Write effortlessly across devices with Windows and macOS compatibility and seamless cloud syncing for easy access anywhere. Further personalize your screenplays with Custom-Color PDFs ensuring that it looks as good as it reads, in any mode/theme—day or night. Enjoy comprehensive script management with Navigator 2.0! Outline, edit scene headings, and monitor inclusivity stats directly within the upgraded Navigator. Use the Enhanced Outline Editor for effective story structuring, and tailor the Beat Board and Structure Lines to visualize your screenplay’s flow with color-coded organization for a clear, concise roadmap of your narrative.

A Writer’s Take: Final Draft is the entertainment industry’s standard screenplay / teleplay software for good reason. The latest edition includes in-script outlining tools and digital Beat Board story beat cards, just like the Save The Cat! Beat Sheet index cards and corkboard method, only all under one software roof. Plus, every production company, studio, streamer, and distribution company in the entertainment industry usually works in Final Draft, so get to know it. Final Draft even has a bunch of tutorial walkthrough videos Here on their Website and Here on their YouTube Channel.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting — by Syd Field

From the Book Description: Hollywood’s script guru teaches you how to write a screenplay in “the ‘bible’ of screenwriting” (The New York Times)—now celebrating forty years of screenwriting success! Syd Field’s books on the essential structure of emotionally satisfying screenplays have ignited lucrative careers in film and television since 1979. In this revised edition of his premiere guide, the underpinnings of successful onscreen narratives are revealed in clear and encouraging language that will remain wise and practical as long as audiences watch stories unfold visually—from hand-held devices to IMAX to virtual reality . . . and whatever comes next. As the first person to articulate common structural elements unique to successful movies, celebrated producer, lecturer, teacher, and bestselling author Syd Field has gifted us a classic text. From concept to character, from opening scene to finished script, here are fundamental guidelines to help all screenwriters—novices and Oscar-winners—hone their craft and sell their work.

A Writer’s Take: Syd Field first cracked the model of common structural elements that every successful film possessed, and he created this handy guide that continues to help screenwriters craft some of the greatest award-winning scripts of all time. You can never read too many good books on screenwriting, because every decent one holds some insight that you might not have discovered on your own. This was the first book on screenwriting I ever read, and it changed my approach to storytelling. Again, there is a reason every great story you love has been so successful, and Syd Field provides a blueprint for you to repeat that success based on real results. The story principles inside apply to novel writing as well, so however you tell your story, this is another must-read for any serious writer.

The Screenwriter’s Bible, 7th Edition: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script — by David Trottier

From the Book Description: The Screenwriter’s Bible‘s 7th edition marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most popular, authoritative, and useful books on screenwriting. A standard by which other screenwriting books are measured, it has sold over 340,000 copies in its 25-year life. Always up-to-date and reliable, it contains everything that both the budding and working screenwriter need under one cover — five books in one! Among this book’s wealth of practical information are sample query letters, useful worksheets and checklists, hundreds of examples, sample scenes, and straightforward explanations of screenwriting fundamentals. The 7th edition is chock-full of new examples, the latest practices, and new material on non-traditional screenplay outlets.

A Writer’s Take: This is a major tool every screenwriter needs in their toolbox. As the full description says, this book is a one-stop-shop master class that will teach you the basics of screenwriting, proper screenwriting formatting, a spec writing guide, a workbook to practice all the awesome new information you’ve learned, even how to sell and market your script to potential buyers. This book helped me learn how the business works, what script buyers are looking for in a presentation, and how to even contact potential buys in the first place with industry-standard query letters. Take your writing, your career, and your bank account to the next level with this all-in-one screenwriting guide that many major industry players rely on.

The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller — by John Truby

From the Book Description: John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood’s most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and it shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his award-winning class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of philosophy and mythology, offering fresh techniques and insightful anecdotes alongside Truby’s own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative.

A Writer’s Take: This book took my storytelling to a deeper level. This is what I mean by reading as many good books on writing as you can, because although I had already read multiple books on story structure and story flow, The Anatomy Of Story helped me understand how to write stories with better, more consistent internal logic. It also made me realize that I was Theme Lazy. That means the themes that I were creating were not thoroughly woven throughout my entire stories. It also taught me the existence and the importance of a story’s Designing Principle, or the internal logic of how a story is told. Whether you’re a fan of the Three-Act structure or the Five-Act structure, John Truby’s book holds the keys to help you build stronger, more meaningful stories with true theme consistency.

Save the Cat! Writes for TV: The Last Book on Creating Binge-Worthy Content You’ll Ever Need — by Jamie Nash

From the Book Description: Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat!, the world’s top-selling story method for filmmakers and novelists, introduces The Last Book on Creating Binge-Worthy Content You’ll Ever Need. Screenwriter Jamie Nash takes up Snyder’s torch to lay out a step-by-step approach using Blake’s principles for both new and experienced writers, including:

How to write and structure a compelling TV pilot that can launch both your series and your TV writing career.
All the nuances, tricks, and techniques of pilot-writing: the Opening Pitch, the Guided Tour, the Whiff of Change, and more.
The 8 Save the Cat! TV Franchise Types that will improve your story and your pitch.
The not-so-secret TV Pitch Template that turns your TV series into the necessary read-over-lunch industry document.
A how-to in creating layered characters who are driven by complex internal struggles.
Beat sheets of the pilots of Barry, Ozark, Grey’s Anatomy, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, What We Do in the Shadows, Black-ish, The Mandalorian, This Is Us, Law and Order: SVU and more to help you crack your story.

Create your next binge-worthy TV series with Save the Cat! Writes for TV!

A Writer’s Take: I can’t add more to this than what we’ve already discussed about the amazing Save the Cat! series. I had written screenplays, but this book really helped me understand the difference between the television industry and the film and novel industries. AND, writing for television and writing for film are two different things. Yes, they share some elements, but they are night and day different when it comes to planning and execution and pitching. This book is just as crucial to the television business and how to properly write teleplays as their books on screenwriting and novel writing are to those industries. If you have a great idea for a TV show and don’t know where to start, or if you’re a TV veteran looking to up your game, this book is full of helpful tools and insight for every writer at every level.

Save The Cat! Beat Sheet Workbook — by Jamie Nash

How to Write a Novel or Screenplay — Save The Cat - Workbook

From the Book Description: Break out your favorite pencil and roll up your sleeves! The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet Workbook provides key writing prompts and asks all the important questions—but you bring the story, filling out the pages that walk you step-by-step through the Save the Cat! process. It’s inspiring, easy to manage, and your guide to:

Idea and Concept Brainstorming – Unlock your idea engine with a series of exercises and prompts geared to help you find your best story idea.
Meaningful Themes – Explore yourself, matching your story to something that speaks to your soul and represents your tastes and personality.
Story Genre Identification – Nail down that pesky question of “What is your story?” with the Save the Cat! Story Genres.
Create Fully Developed Characters – Give life to main characters who have wants, needs, and flaws. Surround them with a supporting cast that provides opportunities for conflict and thematic tension.
The Save the Cat! Beat Sheet – Discover the tools and detailed exercises to give your story the structure to succeed.

A Writer’s Take: The Book Description above says it all. You know the Save the Cat! books by now (unless you just started reading the article here, in which case…why?!?), and this awesome workbook lets you put your brain where your ambition is. You read the books, it’s time to practice with these super helpful, practical exercises. It helped me, mainly because it’s one thing to learn something, and it’s another to actually do it. Practice here first, then go conquer the world.

Now For The Hard Stuff: WRITING!

This is the hard part. I mean the really, really hard part. There is no trick to this other than sitting your butt in the chair and doing the work. You will have to put in the time, and that takes discipline. There are no shortcuts. Carve out some time in your week where you can have uninterrupted time to work, because it will be difficult. Some days the muse is in full effect and ten pages might flow right out of you. Other days you may be lucky to crank out one decent page. It happens to all of us (including me).

But don’t give up. Writing is a daily job (or most days anyway, life happens to us all). You can do it, you just need perseverance, a little creativity, and lots and lots of coffee. You did your research, you read your books, you laid out your outline (or not, just let it flow), and you have your notes. Your characters will come alive and start to make their own decisions, you’ll surprise yourself with your own wit, and your story will make you feel your own feelings in fun and unexpected ways.

Part of it comes from your natural talent, your way with words, your je ne sais quoi. The other part is because you have all this AMAZING new knowledge! You put in the time, you did the work, you read all those super helpful books! Right? RIGHT?!?

That’s what I thought. Go back and read the ones you skipped, come on now — no shortcuts! Those resources will teach you storytelling and structure more thoroughly than this article or others can.

If you’re writing a novel, you can take your time, get that prose just right, say what you want to say (within reason, don’t take three pages to tell us about the flowers). A novel allows you more time to tell your story.

If you’re writing a screenplay, teleplay, or a comic book or graphic novel, every page counts. Get to the point. You got our attention only for a limited time, but if you run off on a bunch of tangents and bore us, we’re turning you off and doom-scrolling Netflix.

Films, television, and comics are fast-paced, so keep it tight. For a screenplay, keep it around 110 pages, but no more than 120. I know, I know, you can’t cut that scene with the people at the place with the stuff when the thing blah-de-blah-yadda-yadda — Agents and Script Readers don’t care. If you turn in a script that is too long, chances are it’s going straight in the circular file (trash can). Formats and page counts matter in the beginning. Once you make a name for yourself, you get more leeway on page counts and runtimes.

For television, research your specific genre and whether your goal is to submit to streaming services or network / cable television. For a half-hour show on network or cable TV, you’re only going to have about 21 minutes of runtime to allow for commercials, so keep it less than 25 pages. For a full hour show, double it — you’re going to have about 42 minutes of runtime, so keep it well under 50 pages. If your goal is to submit to a streamer, you can try for 30 pages for a half-hour show, 60 pages for an hour, but be prepared to cut a couple scenes when the notes roll in. Because there will be notes. And tears.

If you’re writing a full-blown novel, your word count needs to be at least 80,000 words to submit to a serious Agent or Publisher, especially if this is your first novel. And don’t count the words on the title page (you laugh, but people have tried it). Anything less is considered a novella or a short story, unless you’re already a Big Time Bestselling Writer, in which case you can do whatever you want and somebody will publish it. Also, why are you here? Go write something, we’re still waiting on the sequel with the guy we like who does the thing! Writers, man…

Okay, one last thing before we move on:

PRO TIP: You must always be aware of your characters’ intentions and obstacles.

Too often, new writers will create a story that either meanders too much off the main story path, combines too many storylines into one story, or is so underwritten that the characters are underdeveloped or their motivations are too flimsy.

Don’t let your story happen to your characters; always make your characters’ choices the engine that drives the story forward.

Every chapter or scene has to matter to the story.

Great stories must have action and reaction, cause and effect, choices and consequences for those choices. I can’t say it any better than Aaron Sorkin did, so I’m going to let this quote from him drive the point home for you (I have added the emphasis placed on certain words).

“There is no one way to approach character. Everybody does it differently. For me, rather than tell the audience who the character is, I like to show the audience what a character wants. It all boils down to intentions and obstacles: somebody wants something and something is standing in their way of getting it. They want the girl, they want the money, they want to get to Philadelphia, it doesn’t matter, but they have to want it bad. Something formidable is standing in their way, and the tactics that character uses to overcome the obstacle is going to define who the character is.” — Aaron Sorkin

PRO TIP: If you choose to drink alcohol while working, you’ll find it much easier if you follow this rule: drink alcohol for brainstorming, drink coffee (or tea) for writing. Trust me. Your sober self will thank you when you start editing.

Dealing with Writer’s Block

There’s no way to sugarcoat this, it’s gonna happen. And that’s okay, you’re not broken, your imagination didn’t just shrivel up, you’re not out of ideas forever and ever. We all deal with the dreaded Writer’s Block, the ghosting muse, the brain drain, the blank-out. Some days you may not even be able to turn on the computer or pick up a pen. It happens to all of us.

If you’re really, truly stuck, try doing something completely opposite, something physical. Go for a walk, do some gardening, take it out in the gym, work on the car, knit that sweater, do that yardwork you’ve been putting off, go to the store, go for a drive, browse an art gallery or a museum (many are cheap or even free some days), whatever it is, just get out of your own head and focus on anything else for a little while. It might shock you out of it and reboot your brain back into creative mode.

Often, our subconscious continues working out a problem even after our conscious has moved onto other things. I call it, Putting My Brain On Cruise. If you get out of your own way, sometimes your subconscious works out your problem for you, and you experience that glorious “Eureka!” moment where it all comes together.

But not all of us can just bounce and walk off our problems. Can’t leave the house? Want to find a way to jumpstart your brain because you only have an hour shoehorned into your day for this before the kids wake up / get out of soccer practice / bug you to watch Frozen for the 253rd time?

We got you. It’s time for another—

PRO TIP: If you’re stuck, or if you have trouble starting your workday, go back and edit the last few pages you wrote. It can be two pages or ten, nothing huge, just enough to get your mind back in the game. In most cases, this will jumpstart your imagination back into the story, and can catapult you into your next scene — just keep on writing through the edit and onto the blank page.

This eases you back into the story without the pressure of the blank page. It’s like having a secret weapon. I use this trick every single time I feel stuck, and it works nine-out-of-ten times. I go back 3-5 pages, edit myself, and then I realize I just slid into writing new pages because my imagination engine finally fired up, and now we’re rolling. Seize the momentum while you can.

Here’s another trick I use to focus-up when my mind wants to wander: play instrumental music low in the background. I started doing this every day (including right now) because I found that playing instrumental music low makes my brain focus that small noise out and concentrate on the job at hand: making stuff up. Otherwise, my mind tends to wander in the quiet and I might lose focus easily.

Some writers use any genre of music and crank it up to eleven to accomplish the same thing, but I’ve learned that I can’t concentrate if lyrics are involved. I don’t play movies or TV shows in the background for the same reason: instrumental music works because no one is talking; talking knocks me out of my concentration. Try it and see if it works for you.

Once you have finished your first draft, it’s time to celebrate! YOU DID IT! Finishing a book or a screenplay is no small thing, so take a minute to recognize what you have accomplished.

Okay, now calm down, go back to your baby, read it all the way through, and try not to cringe (especially if you ignored me and drank alcohol while writing). It’s time for the Second Draft. You will need to re-write it, maybe multiple times, it depends on your level of perfectionism and your critique of your own work. You will know when it’s ready. Make notes, dig in, and clean it up. You’ll be annoyed at first, but you’ll be so much happier with the final product once you’ve done a few more passes.

And for the love of God, please, PLEASE spellcheck your work. Once you’re happy with the story, read it one more time, but this time really look for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

I call this the Idiot Check — one last pass to make sure there isn’t an errant comma or apostrophe, or to check if my writing program falsely autocorrected me, even though I know what I said.

Come closer, ’cause this is a real thing I’m about to tell you right now: If you submit your novel / screenplay / short story / teleplay / whatever to an Agent or Representative, and your work is full of janky errors that could have easily been fixed with one more quick read-through, that Agent or Rep might just toss your work in the trash without reading more than a page or two.

This is no joke. Agents / Publishers / Managers / Representatives have to read SO MUCH content. That’s their job, that’s how they discover the Next Big Thing. They read so much content that some will tell you that if a writer submits a script or a manuscript that is formatted incorrectly, or filled with spelling / grammar / punctuation errors, then it goes straight into the trash. The writer who does not take the time to check their own work is not worth their time. Your amazing, game-changing novel or script might get trash-dunked because the reader saw your errors on page one and you were too lazy to fix them.

You have to make the best first impression possible, because you may not get another one. Please check your work and fix your errors before sending your work to anyone, even friends and family.

Finding a Literary Agent

This is the second hardest part, after writing and editing the thing. There is an old adage that holds true for talent in the entertainment or publishing worlds: “Nobody wants you until everybody wants you.”

This is your catch-22. Agents and Publishers do not accept unsolicited material, so unless your cousin’s step sister’s hairstylist’s personal trainer plays frisbee golf with an elite literary agent’s executive assistant’s latest Tinder match, they probably won’t even look at your work.

So, how do you get published if no one accepts unsolicited materials and you don’t have a way to solicit anyone? Here’s where you have to make the next step happen for yourself. Don’t rely on anyone else to help you, they may or may not be able to help connect you with the right person. If you don’t know anyone with a direct line to an Agent, Editor, or Publisher, here are a few steps you can take.

PRO TIP: Do not pay an Agent or Manager up front to represent you. Agents, Managers, and other Representatives make a commission from what you are paid (usually 10% – 15%), and legitimate representatives never ask for money up front. If someone says they will represent you “for a small fee,” make yourself as big as you can in your space, scream at the top of your lungs, and run away.

Step One: Grab a copy of Writer’s Market to learn the business and find potential contacts.

Writer’s Market 100th Edition: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published — Writer’s Digest Books (Robert Lee Brewer, senior editor)

From the Book Description: The most trusted guide to getting published, fully revised and updated. Want to get published and paid for your writing? Let Writer’s Market, 100th Edition guide you through the process. It’s the ultimate reference with thousands of publishing opportunities for writers, listings for book publishers, consumer and trade magazines, contests and awards, and literary agents—as well as new playwriting and screenwriting sections, along with contact and submission information. Beyond the listings, you’ll find articles devoted to the business and promotion of writing. Discover 20 literary agents actively seeking writers and their writing, how to develop an author brand, and overlooked funds for writers.

This 100th edition also includes the ever-popular pay-rate chart and book publisher subject index. You’ll gain access to:

Lists of professional writing organizations
Thousands of updated listings for book publishers, magazines, contests, and literary agents
Articles devoted to the business and promotion of writing
A newly revised “How Much Should I Charge?” pay rate chart
Sample query letters for fiction and nonfiction

A Writer’s Take: These Writer’s Market books are published every few years to stay current, and can be very helpful if you’re just starting out and have no idea who to contact to get your book published. As we discussed, Publishers don’t accept manuscripts from writers, they only deal with Agents, and Agents don’t accept unsolicited materials unless they tell you that they have an open submission window to take on new clients and are currently accepting unsolicited materials. The Writer’s Market is full of helpful information on how the industry works, as well as possible contacts to whom you can send your work. Just remember, you may hear a lot of “No” to get to that “Yes!” Stick with it. If your submission is rejected, shake, shake, shake it off and submit to a different Agent. Don’t give up, you got this!

Step Two: Learn how to write a Query Letter for your novel or screenplay. Most Agents who are open to taking on new clients only accept Query emails with no attachments. That means you have to type everything in the body of the email, then cut and paste however many pages of your manuscript they request. They do this because hackers are so prevalent these days, and they may accidentally open up a corrupted Word or PDF attachment from a potential “client,” only to expose their entire company to a computer virus. This is for their protection.

Every Agent will have instructions on how to send them a Query. Make sure you carefully read and follow these directions, because if you don’t, there’s a solid chance they will delete your submission right away. These people are busy, and they receive A LOT of submissions, so please be courteous and follow their instructions to the letter.

You will begin most Query Letters with a very short paragraph introducing yourself. This has to be short, yet it has to hook the Agent with your personal story. Tell them who you are (in as few words as possible), your personal connection to the content of your novel or screenplay and why you wrote it, and any relevant information about your past that might make you an authority on that subject.

Then they will probably ask you to describe the length of your novel in page count and word count. Most first novels need to be at least 80,000 words long. Anything less is basically a novella or short story. They will likely ask you to copy and paste the opening pages of your novel into the body of the email. And most of the time, that’s it. You get a very short paragraph to talk about yourself, add your novel’s word count and page count, and your first ten pages.

But, again, the rules and instructions will be different with every Agent or Representative. Read the rules first to make the best first impression possible. And don’t just take our word for it, read multiple sources to learn how to best write the Query Letter that fits your goals and needs.

Click Here for more information on writing Query Letters from NY Book Editors.

Click Here for more information on writing Query Letters from Indeed.

Click Here for more information on writing Query Letters from Reedsy.

Step Three: Research your favorite authors in the genre of your book or screenplay, and do an Internet search to find out which Agent or Agency represents them. Usually, an Agency has a page on their website with submission requirements, as well as a listing of all their Agents and the types of authors they represent. They will also list if these Agents are currently accepting submissions from new or experienced authors, and it will say what types of authors they represent for which genres.

Make sure you submit your manuscript or screenplay to an Agent who is open to hearing from new authors, and that you are sending your book or screenplay to the right Agent who represents your genre. Most Agencies have many Agents representing many specialties. DO NOT submit your Young Adult novel to an Agent who only represents explicit horror novels. Your work has to be a match to their expertise and industry contacts, otherwise you’re on your way to a quick and dismissive “No.” Do your research before sending anyone anything.

Step Four: Submit to more Agents. A good rule is to wait one month to hear back from a potential Agent. Most Agents detail how long you should wait on their website submissions page. If you do not hear back from them at all after this time period, feel free to submit to another Agent, and keep doing this until you get the “Yes!” You may hear “No” a lot on your way up, but don’t let it stop you. Keep trying. Remember: the only way you can actually fail is to give up.

Self-Publishing Your Book

CLICK HERE to learn about Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing services. I have helped friends self publish through Kindle Direct, and it is an easy-to-follow process. You can upload your book and sell it as a hardcover, paperback, and/or Kindle version, but the profit margin is greatest on the Kindle books (no overhead or production costs!).

I would try and recommend other services to you, but I don’t have experience with any others. And, real talk, you should make your book available on the biggest service with the widest audience. Amazon is by far the largest purveyor of physical and digital books on the planet. More people go there to find new content than anywhere else, so it’s just smart business to debut your books where the most customers shop.

Also, research other books like yours to learn their size, their length, and how much they cost. You will be the one to set your own price for your own book, but don’t price yourself out of a sale. If someone is trying to choose between your book and a similar book in the same genre, and that book is dollars less than your book, that other book will get the sale 99 out of 100 times. Price yourself competitively.

PRO TIP: Offer a free Kindle version of your book during holiday seasons and big sale dates, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Amazon Prime Day. Just go into your Kindle Direct account and set the Kindle price to $0.00, then reset the price back to normal after the holiday and sale seasons.

Many readers are always on the lookout for a deal, and by giving free downloads away for a limited time, you can exponentially grow your audience and potentially get many more reviews. The more good reviews you have, the higher you will rank in Amazon searches, and the more sales you will get over time.

Also, look into the Kindle Unlimited book rental program. You can offer your book free to “rent” for Kindle Unlimited customers, and you will get a little paycheck every time someone “rents” your digital copy for free. This is a great way to gain readers and build up reviews in the beginning. You can always turn this option off later when your career hits the next level and your fanbase is growing.

By the way, the stigma that used to exist around self-publishing is gone now. There is no shame in self-publishing, it is much more widespread and acceptable than you think. In fact, some Agents actually suggest self-publishing for first-time novelists so they can learn the business and get their name out there to attract attention. Those Agents sometimes pick up an author to publish their second book, and might even work out a deal to get the first book picked up by a major Publisher.

If you have chosen to self-publish, create both hard copies and e-book versions of your novel, then approach local independent bookstores about carrying your books on consignment. This means that you will leave 3-5 physical copies of your book at the store, and sign a receipt stating that the bookstore will sell them for you for a small commission fee. Point your social media followers to these bookstores to buy physical copies, and it’s a win-win for everyone involved.

While you’re there, ask the bookshops if you can schedule an in-person book signing event, then promote your big break on all your social media channels! And make sure you bring a bunch of copies of your book to sell at the event. The bookstore may take a cut of the books you sell under their roof, but that’s normal, and it’s good business for you both. Get ready to talk to potential customers — prepare a quick, exciting pitch of your book when people will inevitably ask you, “What’s it about?” This is how you build your fanbase. Take selfies with buyers, then post them to your social media accounts, that’s exciting for everybody involved, and one day they can say they “knew you back when…”

Attend writers’ conventions, find social media writer groups to participate in, and network your butt off — you never know who you will meet, and you never know when you’ll cross paths with a real Agent or Assistant Editor who can help you get published.

Build up your social media profiles, network with people, and pitch your work in creative ways. Announce new signing events, offer discounts on special weekends and holidays, and direct people to your books wherever they are available.

You are your own agent and PR firm at this point, just don’t drive people crazy. Pepper in some real-life stuff between your shameless social media posts so people can come to love the real you!

PRO TIP: Just relax, be personable, and be yourself — that’s how people will truly connect to you and your work.

Screenwriting Tips and Competitions

If you have written a screenplay, there are some great writing coaches out there who can help you advance your career, and some excellent writing competitions that can earn you prestigious awards, some cash, and even a meeting with actual working Literary Agents, Managers, and Producers.

These options do cost money, but the real deal writing coaches and screenplay competitions that are legitimate can be the difference between you becoming a working writer and just someone with a screenplay sitting on a hard drive. You may have to invest a little in yourself if you can afford it.

Also, these options are not fast. Each one takes time. Career writing coaches will often have notes and advice on your writing, and screenplay competitions last months. Plus, all these competitions have entry fees, and career writing coaches charge fees as well, if they even have room to take you on as a client. Both are legitimate, but make sure you’ve done your research before you submit to the right ones.

PRO TIP: But, again, real Literary Agents and Managers only make money when you make money. DO NOT agree to a representation contract if they are asking for money up front. Remember your training: Make Big, Scream, Run Away.

Many career writing coaches with industry contacts and tons of experience may advise you to edit your work. This is your choice whether you listen to them or not, but if you find someone who has helped many writers over the years, their notes will be valuable. Give it a chance, don’t be too precious about your work. There are too many writers out there with ten-year-old screenplays that never got made because they were unwilling to make changes for interested Producers or Executives. Changes are part of the moviemaking process; you will have to make changes to your work at some point if you want to get anything made.

Do an Internet search on the best screenwriting career coaches out there, but really pay attention to the reviews. You will be paying them a fee for advising you on your scripts and your career, so make sure this person is legit.

Lee Jessup is a phenomenal career writing coach whom I have followed for a while now. I have never hired her personally, but I have attended many of her seminars and she is full of practical, valuable advice for any screenwriter at any level. She is often fully booked, but if you subscribe to her newsletter, she will put out an email blast when she is accepting new client submissions. Her newsletter will also let you know when you can sign up to virtually attend one of her awesome seminars, many of which feature actual high-powered Agents, Managers, and Writers as special guest speakers, and they come armed with even more valuable advice.

Click Here to learn more at LeeJessup.com.

Speaking of, that reminds me. This is one of the best books on the screenwriting business I have ever read. How did I forget this one?!? Grab a copy for yourself and learn how to become a rich, successful, working writer in Hollywood without losing your mind. This book comes from the minds of Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon, the geniuses behind hits like the Night At The Smithsonian movies and the hilarious TV show, Reno 911!

Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can, Too! — Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon

From the Book Description: Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon’s movies have made over a billion dollars at the box office—and now they show you how to do it yourself! This book is full of secret insider information about how to conquer the Hollywood studio system: how to write, pitch, structure, and get drunk with the best of them. Well…maybe not the best of them, but certainly the most successful. (If you’re aiming to win an Oscar, this is not the book for you!) But if you can type a little, and can read and speak English—then you too can start turning your words into stacks of money!

A Writer’s Take: Grab this and read it — multiple times. These guys have done it all, and they’ll tell you the secrets to writing a great screenplay, to pitching your great screenplay to the studios, and how to handle it when the studios mess up your great screenplay. Seriously, I can’t believe I forgot to add this to the list up there, this book is a game-changer for screenwriters. Plus, these guys are hilarious, I’ve never had so much fun while learning so much valuable insider information. It almost feels illegal.

The Black List

From The Black List Website: The Black List is a renowned platform dedicated to nurturing written storytelling and empowering writers to maximize their professional potential. First established in 2005 as an annual survey of Hollywood’s most-liked unproduced screenplays, the Black List has since grown into a comprehensive resource for the creative industries, serving thousands of agents, managers, showrunners, producers, financiers, directors, actors, theater directors, and book editors.

Our virtual marketplace, blcklst.com, caters to the film, television, and theater industries, connecting writers from over 100 countries with industry members from around the globe. We offer writers of films, television, and plays the ability to create a free profile within our ecosystem, providing both a public presence and an entry point to our creative community. Writers can also benefit from high-quality, transparent, and accountable feedback for a fee, with a fast turnaround time from our experienced and vetted readers.

The Black List also allows you to create a free writer profile and share your story with thousands of industry professionals looking for the next great writer. Upload your work and receive fast, high-quality feedback from their vetted readers.

Click Here to Register as a Black List Writer today.

They also partner with major Producers, Studios, and Networks to provide paid programs to writers to develop feature and television projects.

Click Here to learn more about The Black List Labs, Programs, and Fellowships, Grants, and Commissions.

The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Yes, this is from THE Academy, the one that runs The Oscars. The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is an international screenwriting competition established to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters. They award up to five $35,000 fellowships to amateur screenwriters every year. If you are one of the final Fellowship winners, you will be expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during your Fellowship year.

For updates on submission guidelines and announcements, follow the Nicholl Fellowship Right Here on their Facebook Page, or Right Here on their LinkedIn Page.

The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest

The Final Draft Big Break annual screenplay competition features judges from heavyweight production companies and management agencies across the entertainment industry. Enter this competition to get your screenplay in front of some of the biggest names in the business.

Oh yeah, and Grand Prize Winners get $10,000 in cash, a free trip to Hollywood, meetings with Managers, Producers, and Entertainment Executives, and much more.

Enter Here for your chance to win your Big Break.

The Sundance Institute

Sundance isn’t just a famous film festival that has launched many careers, it also offers an eye-popping amount of programs you can apply to and courses you can purchase to take your career to new levels. All the courses cost money, but you can learn more and apply to the Labs, Fellowships, Grants, and other Programs at Sundance by Clicking Right Here.

To check out the amazing courses offered through Sundance Collab, Click Here.

The Austin Film Festival Screenplay and Teleplay Competition

This one has been around for about thirty years, and is well respected throughout the industry. Austin continually cranks out quality. As a born-and-bred Texas boy, I might be a little biased, so don’t just take the word of this hombre, check it out for yourself.

From Their Website: Austin Film Festival is one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers. AFF consistently yanks newcomers from the isolation of their desks and ushers them into the bustling world of film and television. Whether your dream is to sign a contract, land an agent, learn from an industry icon, or take home the coveted Bronze Typewriter Award, it’s simple: you can’t win if you don’t enter.

Click Here to learn more and enter the Austin Film Festival Screenplay and Teleplay Competition.

The PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

From Their Website: Each year, some of Hollywood’s most influential producers, agents, managers, and development executives judge the PAGE Awards contest and read our winning scripts. As a result, hundreds of our past winners have secured representation, landed paid writing assignments, signed option agreements on their work, and many now have movies and television shows in production, on the air, and in theaters.

Click Here to learn more and enter the PAGE Awards competition.

Also, check out this helpful article from the awesome people at No Film School for more information about screenwriting competitions, and how to avoid more scams that prey on aspiring screenwriters.

Now That You’ve Made It…

Congratulations! You’re a working writer with money in your pocket, a Big Time Agent, and a book on the shelves or a movie in the theaters, it’s time to celebrate your success!

Now do it all over again. For most of us, this is a lifelong calling. Once you start, the ideas just keep coming, and they won’t leave you alone. Neither will your Agent. They make money when you make money, remember? The phrase you’re going to hear the most from them is: “What else you got?”

Well, that was nice while it lasted. Time to sit your butt (or stand your butt, or lay your butt), write it down, and make some magic happen on that page.

And make more coffee.

More helpful entertainment industry articles and resources can be found on our #CD Entertainment Page and our #CD Business Page.

Chicago Devotion also offers an extensive Resource Directory for many of life’s needs here at www.chicagodevotion.com/resource-directory/.

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