Interview: Penny Berman

Kids are very aware of what’s going on around them. And I think they want to escape into worlds that ultimately make sense, regardless of the offbeat concepts or quirks that define those worlds.
How To Hate Screenwriting in 10 Easy Steps

It’s true that some people are born with a natural loathing for screenwriting. But that doesn’t mean it’s unattainable for the rest of us.
Whose Story is it, Anyway? POV in Storytelling

If a writer is going to present his POV in those big, neon letters, becoming almost strident in his or her moral clarity, then one should hope to be as clever as Sorkin.
It's All Fun and Games Until a Character Dies ... and Then It's More Fun

It’s almost like I’ve got a blank page on which to write this new entity from scratch. Similar to creating a character for a screenplay.
The Ultimate Growth Opportunity

It was time to grow. I could see it coming miles away, and I knew it wouldn’t be pleasant.
Stop Being Defensive About Feedback

It's more valuable that you know how people answer their own questions without your input, since you won't always be in the room when audiences experience your work.
Simp for the Reader

Unless you’re writing only for you, you need to keep the audience in mind. Especially if that audience is the gatekeeper to all your hopes and dreams.
Interview: Andy Compton

The working-class is what I know, and they’re almost always at the heart of the stories I tell. As for why we’re not hearing enough about them—I don’t know. Superheroes are overqualified for the jobs out here.
The Severing - Filtering Grief and Loss Through Art

"I’ve become, like many of my peers, frustrated with the machinations of getting a film made in Hollywood ... I’m only interested in work that speaks to me on a very personal and intimate level.’’
Interview: Claire Creely

I hope this story offers readers some kind of kindling—for warmth, or to stir some hidden fire. Mostly, I hope this story helps someone reclaim their own skin—whatever that means to them.
11 Querying Mistakes I Didn't Know I was Making Until I Worked at a Literary Agency

Mistake 3: Accidentally direct-messaging an agent on Twitter who I thought was my IRL childhood friend.
Making Money

Buy more hats. You'll need them. You’re an artist, a writer, a creator, a professional, and a business person.
The Debate: Structure vs. Voice

When Spike Scarberry threw down the gauntlet, insisting structure was more important than voice, Karin Partin Wells raised her hand to battle in a public debate.