Is That Hollywood Calling?

Is That Hollywood Calling? – How Thinking Like a Screenwriter Can Improve Your Novel

Course Description:

Writing scripts and writing novels are two completely different things. Just because we can write books doesn’t mean we can write screenplays. Is That Hollywood Calling? is a quick and dirty month long course on the differences between writing books and writing scripts. If you want to unleash your inner screenwriter this is a great place to start as a primer. For novelists it covers how writing a screenplay can cause light bulb moments for some of those often quoted snippets of writing advice like show don’t tell and keep it active. It also covers how thinking like a screenwriter can help improve your novel writing.

Topics covered:

1.  Introduction

2.  The Basics of Screenwriting (assignment)

3.  Finding the essence of your story – Loglines and three line pitches. (screenplays and novels)

4.  Story structure – 3 act structure, the beat sheet, storyboarding, hero’s journey (screenplays and novels)

5. Show don’t tell (assignment) (screenplays and novels)

6. Pacing (assignment) (screenplays and novels)

7. Active vs passive writing – what it means, examples, how active writing is more engaging (novels, taking a hint from screenplays)

8. The polish (assignment)

9. Queries (assignment)

10. Contests (screenplays)

11. Meetings/pitches/conferences (assignment)

12. After you sell (screenplays)

Do’s and don’ts list – for screenplays
Resource list
Recommended reading list
Undated first draft and shooting draft of a script

Feedback provided for student assignments.

ITHC – Workshops in 2012

September 24 – Savvy Authors