Craft Tips
Read these 6 Craft Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Screen Writing tips and hundreds of other topics.
Write
One doesn't just write a masterpiece on the first draft. Writing (a lot) is how writers truly develop their craft. Each day, write like it is the only worthwhile pursuit in your life. (Try not to do this for the whole day, though. Eating and loving others are important, too.) Write and your craft will come.
Find Your Craft
Can the writer's craft be taught? Not exactly. It is learned, developed, evolved. Screenwriting craft comes from reading screenplays, watching films, and writing. When you get done writing, write some more.
Stand Out (because You Are Good)
Many thousands aspire to write movies for money. It is an enchanting dream to chase. Refine your craft to set yourself apart from the masses. Flashiness, gimmicks, and even average competency mean little to the busy decision makers in film. Their attention is caught by mastery, so master your craft.
Develop Your Voice
As much as Hollywood likes to stick with what it knows, any success you might have probably won't come from writing by the numbers. Learn the fundamentals, from reading and writing, and then keep writing to find your own voice. (Keep reading screenplays, too.)
New Voices—Not Novices
New does not mean novice. Only experts are interesting to movie industry decision makers. Learn everything you can about screenwriting, use it to develop your craft, and then approach Hollywood.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Joe Wallace |
