PNWA Screenwriting Workshop News!

Folks attending my "A Practical Guide for Screenwriting" seminar at the 55th Pacific NW Writers Association Conference July 24 (Sea-Tac Hilton and Conference Center):

Script Fly, my favorite resource for professional scripts, is giving you a generous discount on any scripts you buy from them!

I'll let you know how to get the 25% discount after you've registered; of course shipping is not included, but you can receive most in .pdf (no shipping fee) as well as hard copy form. I prefer hard copy, because I like to hold the script and make notes on pages along the way.

I'm not getting any money from this offer, I just want to let you know about Script Fly and what they have to offer student and professional writers. I believe one of the best ways to learn about writing great screenplays is to read more scripts than books about how to write them!

There are free script outlets online as well, but Script Fly has a great selection of very current and classic screenplays from their original sources you can't find anywhere else, and I've yet to find a transcripted movie "script" that is helpful.

The Script Fly offer runs from now through August 31, 2010.

The workshop focuses mostly on the script writing creative process, helping you decide how best to create the story you want to tell onscreen. Practically.

Here are a few hints to get you started:

1. If you have not written a screenplay, don't sweat the format - too many people get swept up in worrying about whether the terms and pages look "right" rather than concentrating on the story and characters. If you read several great professional screenplays, you'll see similarities and differences.

2. Look around. What is in your environment that tells us *visually* who you are? Notice those things that are apparent and those things that are more subtle. Then, most importantly - what is missing. What is not in your surroundings that tells us something very important about you.