Novel editor John Matthew Fox worked on 51 manuscripts last year and came away with insights for writers of books... that apply just as powerfully to screenwriters. While the mediums differ, the creative struggles are very similar. Watch his video below, and then we can learn what screenwriters can take from his experience reading dozens of novels. - YouTube www.youtube.com Writers Worry About the Wrong ProblemsWhen writers approached Fox, concerned about specific scenes or character choices, those elements usually turned out fine. The writer had given them so much attention that they'd polished them to perfection.The real problems were things that weren't even on the writer's radar. Problems that had been overlooked. Screenwriters face the same blind spots. You might obsess over whether your protagonist's dialogue in Act 2 is funny enough while completely missing that your entire second act drags because of pacing problems. You'll agonize over a single line of description while ignoring a plot problem that undermines your whole script.Your instincts about what needs work can be backward. The elements causing you stress are probably solid, while the parts you breeze through without a second thought might be the real issues. This is why getting an outside perspective matters so much.You're Better Than You ThinkFox said his feedback always started with what the author did well, and writers were consistently shocked by the praise. They hadn't recognized their own strengths.Screenwriters also tend to be brutally hard on themselves. You know every flaw in your script because you've...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday