Writers Store: Articles

Articles

Expert Series

Character Emotion Makes the Plot
by Martha Alderson, M.A.
Track emotional components of your characters

The Top 10 Reasons to Write a Spec Pilot
by Ellen Sandler
Who wants to read the 173rd spec of 'The Big Bang Theory'? Take expert Ellen Sandler's advice and try writing a spec pilot instead.

How to Research Literary Agents
by Noah Lukeman
The reason 99% of manuscripts get rejected is, simply, because authors approach the wrong agents to begin with. Use expert Noah Lukeman's advice to find the agent that is right for you.

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Gatekeeper Q&A

Agent, Manager or Both?
by Fran Harris
Reader Melissa Gallardo from San Francisco, CA asks:

Do I need an agent or a manager or both?

Expert Fran Harris replies.

Cutting Scenes from a Screenplay
by Martha Alderson, M.A.
Reader Alexa Adams from Milford, CT asks My scene count is making my screenplay too long, but I can’t see cutting any of the scenes I’ve written. What should I do? Expert Martha Alderson replies.

Writers and Directors
by Jack Rothman
Reader Gail McCall of Toluca Lake asks: What attributes do directors believe writers need to have for good collaboration to take place on the set?
Expert Jack Rothman replies.

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Interviews

Interview with Jeffrey Stepakoff, Author and TV Writer
by Writers Store Staff
Author and TV Writer Jeffrey Stepakoff sat down with The Writers Store to answer a few questions about the TV industry.

A Little Confession is Good for the Soul: An Interview with Writer/Director Stefan Schaefer
by John Gaspard
Writer/Director Stefan Schaefer learned a lot while working on the script for his movie, Confess. He benefited from public readings, workshops, and mentors. In this interview, author John Gaspard speaks to Stefan Schaefer about the screenwriting process.

Interview with the "Stranger Adventures" Writing Team
by Christie Taylor
The Writers Store asked the writing staff of 'Stranger Adventures,' an online interactive adventure Web series, where they thought this new medium was headed.

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Laying the Foundation: Your Career
by Morrie Warshawski

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Writing Prompt

Alternate History
by The Writers Store Team
Write an alternate history of a significant moment in your life. Think about what could have been if one key moment had been different.

The Cliche
by the Writers Store Team
Cliches are cliches because there is an element of truth to them. Defend or argue against a cliche.

Where Are They Now?
by the Writers Store team
Pull out an old high school yearbook, and flip to any page and select a picture.

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