Screenwriter Blog Posts

Submitting Your Screenplay: What To Do When A Producer Wants You To Submit Through An Agent You Don’t Have

When you feel like your script is ready for producers to read, you have to make every effort you can to get the attention of ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

Avoid Common Formatting Pitfalls: How to Ensure Your Script is Format-Ready Before You Submit

Screenplay formatting adheres to specific industry standards that are essential for professional recognition. The accepted format includes using Courier font in 12-point size, which ensures ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

Screenwriting 101: A Practical Guide for First-Time Screenwriters

Just finished your first screenplay draft? This practical guide for first-time screenwriters offers a step-by-step checklist to strengthen your concept, structure, formatting, and rewrites.

Written by

Melody Jackson

How To Make Your Idea Shine Through in Your Pitchfest One-Sheet

When you take your screenplay idea to pitchfests, you may want to leave a one-sheet behind with film executives and talent agents you talk to. ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

Should I Put 1 or 2 Spaces Between Sentences?

In dialogue, how many spaces between sentences? Are there 2 blank spaces between the period and the next sentence? Or 1 blank space? Actually, Guy, it’s ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

The Screenwriter’s Best Resource For Authentic Creativity

The most effective, powerful, and interesting characters you can create for a screenplay are often based on real people. If you look back over your ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

Don’t Even Think About Selling Your Screenplay Until You Do These 7 Things

So, you’ve finally finished your screenplay! Congratulations! This is an exciting time in your career, and you’re probably anxious to get it on the market ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

WGA Agents List — Writers Guild Of America List of Agents Review

Screenwriters sometimes ask me what I think about approaching the WGA West Literary Agents as a possible way to obtain representation. Theoretically, it's a good ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

How To Make An Audience Care About Your Characters

John Truby believes that focusing on details and character traits can lead to superficial characters. Melody Jackson, Ph.D. does, too. Go here to Learn what ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

The Thieves of Hollywood: How to Protect Your Screenplay… or Not

“I’m afraid someone will steal my script. I’ve worked so hard on it and it’s really unique. I would be devastated if it got stolen. ...

Written by

Melody Jackson

Networking in Hollywood Like the Girl with the Extraordinarily Long Arm

You’ve probably have heard that you need to schmooze in Hollywood, and sometimes hearing this makes actors shudder because they feel it means they need ...

Written by

Melody Jackson