Blog
Short answers to the questions writers ask, with original screenplay examples.
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How to write natural dialogue without info dumps
Keep the words characters need to get something from each other. Cut empty greetings, turn background facts into points of disagreement, and read the exchange aloud.
3 min
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How to introduce a character in a screenplay
Introduce a character with a name, a brief description, and behavior that reveals something about them. Their first appearance should give the reader something to picture, not a biography.
2 min
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Subtext in screenwriting: Show what isn't said
To write subtext, give your character a reason to avoid a direct request. Let ordinary words carry that request, then use behavior to make the meaning clear.
3 min
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How to format dialogue in a screenplay
Screenplay dialogue commonly sits beneath the speaker’s capitalized name in a narrow column. Add a parenthetical only when needed, and leave quotation marks off the spoken words.
3 min
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How to write act two without getting stuck
Build the middle around attempts that create consequences. Each success should bring fresh resistance, and a turn near the story’s middle should change what your main character stands to gain or lose.
3 min
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How to Write the First Scene of a Screenplay
Begin with your main character handling a visible problem. Let their response establish the mood and reveal their situation, while leaving something unresolved that makes the reader want to continue.
3 min
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How to Write Action Lines in a Screenplay
Describe movement, setting, and sound in short, present-tense paragraphs. Replace explanations of feelings with behavior, and keep details that help the reader picture what happens.
3 min
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Save the Cat beat sheet: All 15 beats explained
The Save the Cat beat sheet maps a character’s starting situation, choices, setbacks, and changed ending. Use its named moments to examine how your story develops.
4 min
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How long is a screenplay? Page counts by format
Screenplay length depends on the format and submission guidelines. Use page counts to estimate running time, not to measure it.
2 min
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Screenplay margins, font, and page size
Common screenplay settings are conventions, not universal requirements. Use Courier and the standard margins below as your starting point, then check the recipient’s instructions.
2 min
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How to write a logline: Formula and examples
Build your logline around what your main character wants and what blocks them. Replace broad descriptions with concrete actions so the reader can picture the central struggle.
2 min
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What is a slugline? Scene headings explained
Slugline and scene heading mean the same thing. This line gives the reader a scene’s setting and time before the action begins.
2 min