Top 5 Screenwriting Insights

Here are my top 5 brutally honest screenwriting insights.

1.) Nobody really cares about formatting, but producers always harp on it. Why? Because it's easier than saying your story just isn't that good. It's the note that gets you off their back.

2.) Dialogue cut-offs for interruptions should be used sparingly. Write full lines and trust actors to find their own natural timing.

3.) Extending page margins to lower your page count does more harm than good. Immediately, we know that the writer thinks their own script is too long. Not a good start.

4.) Subvert your own expectations to surprise the audience. If you have a "what if this happened" moment while writing, go for it. It's probably more interesting than the predetermined, heavily foreshadowed 3rd act you had planned.

5.) And lastly, time heals all wounds. Give yourself as much time as possible between drafts so you can actually make edits. If you do rewrites the next day, you won't make big enough changes.

Thanks, everyone. Check out www.andrewcarlstewart.com for personalized script analysis. I do really awesome video consultations for less than $100.