John August

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Thinking on Your Feet with Ryan Condal

Episode - 743

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News, Scriptnotes

John and Craig sit down with Ryan Condal, showrunner of House of the Dragon, just as its third season airs.

They dive into Ryan’s late start in Hollywood, spec scripts, the anatomy of a writers room, and thinking as a product of movement. They also answer a listener question about the mechanics of writing a sequel.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John, Craig and Ryan discuss perhaps the most popular fictional creatures ever: dragons!

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

Obsession with Curry Barker

News, Scriptnotes

John and Craig welcome Curry Barker, the writer-director behind this summer’s surprise blockbuster, Obsession. It’s a rom-com, a horror film and a great example of trusting your audience.

We discuss Curry’s roots, his writing process, learning from YouTube, as well as the pressure to follow up a hit.

In our bonus segment for premium subscribers, John and Craig pose the #1 most important question for all filmmakers to consider: What will the popcorn bucket be?

Links:

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode here.

The Scriptnotes Book is out today!

Follow Up, News, Scriptnotes Book

scriptnotes book coverOur Big Orange Book is finally available in bookstores around the world today. We’ve gotten a ton of preorders and some terrific reviews.

“Bound to be a staple, this guide, just like the podcast, is accessible, engaging, and informative” – Booklist

“August and Mazin’s volume stands out for its wealth of real-life examples taken from cinema and TV over the past decades, its humanizing tone, and its winning combination of the practical with the entertaining.” – Library Journal

“If you’re going to buy one book on screenwriting, then you should probably make it Scriptnotes by John August and Craig Mazin.” – Forbes

A few things you can do to help us out in this crucial first week:

→ Buy it wherever you buy books. Our official LA bookstore is Chevalier’s on Larchmont, which has some signed copies at least for the next few days. Signed copies are also available at Premiere Collectables for shipping worldwide.

→ Post about it on social media. Tag me (@johnaugust) and Scriptnotes (@scriptnotespodcast) on Instagram/Bluesky/Threads and we’ll repost ya.

→ Leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. The early ones tend to set a tone.

We’re excited to see the book on shelves and in reader’s hands. Please enjoy it and share it with others!

Getting Stuff Written

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When we turned in the first draft of the Scriptnotes book in late 2023, it was over 600 pages long. Over the following two years, we continually edited it down until it was only the very best stuff — but in order to do so, we had to make some painful cuts.

One was a 13-page chapter that felt essential, but didn’t quite fit anywhere: “Getting Stuff Written.”

  • How do you move from “wanting to write” to actually producing pages?
  • When should you start writing, and how do you know you’re ready?
  • What actually is writer’s block?
  • How do you keep momentum?
  • How do you balance tough love and self-care on any given day?

We were sad no one would get to read it. And then we realized: BONUS CHAPTER!

For the past few months, we’ve been encouraging listeners who preorder the book to send us their receipts. Last Friday, we sent them something back — the “Getting Stuff Written” chapter, fully edited and typeset. The response has been overwhelming.

Ian writes:

I’m sorry to tell you this…But you guys obviously messed up big time!

This bonus chapter is absolutely incredible. It’s practical, empathetic, thoughtful, and succinct. It’s also exactly the message I needed at the stage that I’m at right now.

I can’t imagine how the poor souls that did not pre-order the book will get by without this chapter.

Perhaps I should just be grateful that I am part of a small cohort that has been so fortunate to receive this gem of wisdom.

Tania writes:

Wooho! Excellent chapter.

“Perfectionism is protectionism” is gold.

Tom writes:

That was an amazing read. Thank you guys! If that’s what you’re leaving OUT of the book? My god, I can’t wait to read what’s in it ❤️

Scott writes:

Oh, my. If you took out that chapter, I can’t wait to see the ones you left in.

That said, I urge you to find a way to distribute that chapter widely. It’s as good as Craig’s ‘How to Write a Movie’ episode in terms of straightforward, overall writing advice. It’s exactly the sort of thing I need to hear. I imagine others need it, too.

Scott’s right. Once the book is out, we’ll share that chapter more widely.

If you’d like to read it TODAY, send your pre-order receipt to ask@johnaugust.com. Drew will send you the bonus chapter.

We hope you like it, and can’t wait for you to hold the full book in your hands (in less than a month). Preorder here!