• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

John August

  • Arlo Finch
  • Scriptnotes
  • Library
  • Store
  • About

How screenwriters find their voice (Encore)

Episode - 76

Go to Archive

July 9, 2024 Scriptnotes, Three Page Challenge

John and Craig welcome Aline Brosh McKenna to look at what writers mean by a “voice,” and how it develops.

Some screenwriters’ voice develops long before their craft, leading people to label them as “promising” even though the scripts themselves are a mess. Other writers get all the technical stuff right from the start, but have a hard time finding something distinctive about how they write.

From there, we segue into one of the most contentious Three Page Challenges we’ve ever done, with wildly split opinions.

In our bonus segment for premium members, John the Eagle Scout gives Drew practical advice for wilderness camping in 2024.

Links:

  • Aline Brosh McKenna on Instagram
  • Spy Magazine
  • Recitative on Wikipedia
  • Three pages by James Topham
  • Three pages by Cheryl Laughlin
  • Three pages by Chris Vieira
  • Submit for the Three Page Challenge
  • Get a Scriptnotes T-shirt!
  • Check out the Inneresting Newsletter
  • Gift a Scriptnotes Subscription or treat yourself to a premium subscription!
  • Craig Mazin on Threads and Instagram
  • John August on Threads, Instagram and Twitter
  • John on Mastodon
  • Outro by Matthew Chilleli (send us yours!)
  • This episode was originally produced by Stuart Friedel. Scriptnotes is produced by Drew Marquardt and is edited by Matthew Chilelli.

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

Related Posts

  1. How screenwriters find their voice
  2. The Rocky Shoals (pages 70-90), Encore
  3. Dialogue and Character Voice

Primary Sidebar

Each week, screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting and things that are interesting to screenwriters, everything from the craft to the business to the best ways to get yourself writing.

The most recent 20 episodes are available for free on this site and Apple Podcasts. The entire 430+ episode back catalog, plus bonus content and episodes, are available to Premium Subscribers.

Where to Find It

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • RSS

Scriptnotes Premium

  •   Bonus segments and episodes
  •   Early access to events
  •   450+ episode back catalog
  •   Use your favorite podcast player.

Join now

Scriptnotes Shirts

Every Scriptnotes shirt is available on-demand from Cotton Bureau. 14 designs and counting.

All-time listener favorites include Scriptnotes Midnight Blue, Three-Act Structure and the Scriptnotes Tour Shirt.

These high-quality tees are super soft and available in all sizes, including children’s and hoodies.

Browse the catalog

© 2025 John August — All Rights Reserved.