Skip to content

treatments

8 Tips For Perfect Pitches & Super Selling Documents

Selling Documents If you want to sell your writing, you need to understand what selling items/ documents you need. These are invariably … A great, pithy longline (aka ‘short pitch’ if you’re a novelist)  A One Page Pitch or Synopsis A 3-4 page treatment (aka ‘extended pitch’ aka ‘sizzler’) I spend a lot of time reading and hearing project pitches, both at work and in my own time. I read even more on social media and various message boards and bulletins. Inevitably, I see scribes repeating the same mistakes, over and over. So here are my thoughts for you on grabbing… Read More »8 Tips For Perfect Pitches & Super Selling Documents

Share this:

7 Reasons Why Studying Screenwriting Can Make You A Better Novelist

In this game, it’s a given the script development model is king. Start with a logline and a pitch then develop them into a short form outline with character biographies. Then, work up a longer scene-by-scene outline that you might want to call a treatment – or you might not depending on which screenwriting books you read – and then, hey presto, you “go to script” – and there it is, a first draft screenplay. It’s like growing a plant and once it’s grown, you water it with rewrites. Or maybe you prefer the architect’s plans metaphor? Regardless, the script… Read More »7 Reasons Why Studying Screenwriting Can Make You A Better Novelist

Share this:

Can I Pitch My Unfinished Projects?

  Unfinished Projects Many thanks to Bang2writer Jon Ryan, who asks this question on the FB page: “I often speak to journalists about a story I’m working on and if they’re interested, they say to ‘check in’ later when it’s closer to being ready for them to cover. Is it ever worth doing that with a producer? I’m thinking of at LondonSWF if you don’t have a final draft. Or do they get so many pitches that it would be wasting their time? You often say concept is king – if that is rock solid, can it hurt to pitch… Read More »Can I Pitch My Unfinished Projects?

Share this:

How To Get The Most Out of #Londonswf: BE PREPARED!!

So 95 days until London Screenwriters’ Festival. That’s loooooooooads of time, right? No need to think about all that stuff right … … OMFG ARE YOU SERIOUS?? Dudes, if you want to get the most of the fest this October? You gotta be prepared. And I mean SERIOUSLY prepared. To the max. And you gotta get started NOW, like an uber-efficient girl or boy scout that never sleeps Zombie-style but is a lean mean writing machine like that bloke out of that thing. TBH I was never in the scouts, but had I been, I would have been an EVIL SCOUT and… Read More »How To Get The Most Out of #Londonswf: BE PREPARED!!

Share this:

10 Lies Writers Tell Themselves, Pt 1: The Writing

Lies, Lies, Lies  Lies we tell ourselves as writers have a direct impact on our potential success. Don’t believe me? Fine, let’s put this idea under the microscope … Ten years ago, I was a young single Mum working out of my kitchen. I’d just finished uni; I had a few scripts in my portfolio, but I had no money – so little, in fact, I couldn’t even take the literary agent’s assistant job offered to me in London or indeed the otherwise unconditional MA offer I’d also received. In other words, the odds were against me and there were some… Read More »10 Lies Writers Tell Themselves, Pt 1: The Writing

Share this:

LondonSWF Script Labs 2012 – A Look In The Spec Pile Part 2

With 360+ entries to wade through and lots of people to collate with (including the Script Lab leaders), I thought I’d give a further little peek into the spec pile while we wait. As mentioned in the previous post on this, we’re looking primarily at the pitch docs. Being three hours long, with 6-8 participants in each lab means concept will be top of the agenda in the Script Labs, rather than workshopping script pages. Also, the screenplay submissions were for the most part strong – I know *every* contest says this, but I’m known for telling it how it… Read More »LondonSWF Script Labs 2012 – A Look In The Spec Pile Part 2

Share this:

How To Get The Most Out Of A Writer’s Group by Lisa Shoreland

Writer’s groups are a great way to get feedback about your work and learn how to improve your writing. They also provide you with the inspiration and motivation you likely need to keep writing and stay on track. Plus, they’re a great way to meet other writers and to form long-lasting friendships. However, as with any group, writer’s groups can easily lose focus and turn into unproductive social hours where you’re just chatting about the latest books you read or movies you saw. Even if you manage to stay on topic about writing, these groups can devolve into personal attacks… Read More »How To Get The Most Out Of A Writer’s Group by Lisa Shoreland

Share this:

Reading Screenplays by Lucy Scher – Review & Giveaway

When Kamera Books asked me my opinion of The Script Factory’s Lucy Scher’s book, “Reading Screenplays” I was happy to oblige … I’ve not met Lucy or done her script reading course, so it’s fair to say I was curious! And I wasn’t disappointed. Genre and storytelling plays a major part of Lucy’s book – and is why I’m recommending it so strongly. As I often say on this site, very few writers consider how genre and/or various ways of storytelling affect their scripts and then wonder why their writing fails to progress. Underpinning your screenwriting craft skills with a strong understanding… Read More »Reading Screenplays by Lucy Scher – Review & Giveaway

Share this:

Routine Vs Inspiration

CitizenNate over at Twitter asked about Routine Vs Inspiration when I put a shout-out re: blog posts, so here are my thoughts. I’ve written before that time management is key when you’re a writer, be that professional or on spec. However, whilst paying or collaborative jobs will often dictate various things such as deadlines, schedules, when to get feedback, etc, solo spec jobs are a WHOLE different ball game. Just where does one start? Let’s fast-forward the brainstorming, outline and treatment process. I don’t think I’ve ever knowingly met a writer who does it the same as another. Myself, I… Read More »Routine Vs Inspiration

Share this: