John August

Writing Process

Selling without selling out

Episode - 153

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Apps, Film Industry, Highland, Producers, QandA, Screenwriting Software, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

In their first-ever live streaming episode, John and Craig open the mailbag to answer a bunch of listener questions.

– What research should a writer do before soliciting an agent or manager?
– What should a writer be willing to give up in order to make her first sale?
– Does a Mormon writer face special challenges in drink-and-drugging Hollywood?
– Why doesn’t Highland exist on Android?
– What determines “Story by” credit on a feature?
– How did we like DungeonWorld? (John asked this question.)

All this, plus the Fermi Paradox in this episode of Scriptnotes.

Links:

* [Scriptnotes, 76](http://johnaugust.com/2013/how-screenwriters-find-their-voice), with Three Pages by James Topham
* Scriptnotes, 115: [Back to Austin with Rian Johnson and Kelly Marcel](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-back-to-austin-with-rian-johnson-and-kelly-marcel)
* David Lynch [on the iPhone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKiIroiCvZ0)
* Björk, [Human Behavior](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCGveA39VYA)
* [Dungeon World](http://www.dungeon-world.com/)
* Scriptnotes, 142: [The Angeles Crest Fiasco](http://johnaugust.com/2014/the-angeles-crest-fiasco)
* [Action Jackson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AvMn2Vh0fQ) trailer
* David Kwong at TED2014: [Two nerdy obsessions meet — and it’s magic](http://www.ted.com/talks/david_kwong_two_nerdy_obsessions_meet_and_it_s_magic)
* The Fermi paradox on [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox), [Wait But Why](http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/fermi-paradox.html) and [Praxtime](http://praxtime.com/2013/11/25/sagan-syndrome-pay-heed-to-biologists-about-et/)
* Neil deGrasse Tyson [on chimps, humans and aliens](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ro9aebFZhM)
* John is [hiring a new UI designer](http://johnaugust.com/2014/hiring-a-ui-designer)
* Our USB drives [now have the first 150 episodes](http://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-100-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* Archives are also [available on scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* This episode was broadcast live on [Mixlr](http://mixlr.com/scriptnotes/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Jeff Harms ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_153.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_153.mp3).

**UPDATE 7-18-14:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-153-selling-without-selling-out-transcript).

The Rocky Shoals (pages 70-90)

Psych 101, Scriptnotes, Story and Plot, Transcribed, Words on the page, Writing Process

Aline Brosh McKenna joins Craig and John to talk about the difficult journey through pages 70-90 of your feature. After that, we talk about procrastination, the Panic Monster and our inner Instant Gratification Monkeys.

Screenwriting books always talk about structure, but never about tone, which is much more important for distinguishing great writing. So we spend some time looking at what tone feels like on the page.

Finally, we talk mentors. Aline has specific suggestions for young women.

Update: The post was linking to the previous week’s audio. Fixed.

Links:

You can download the episode here: AAC | mp3.

UPDATE 7-11-14: The transcript of this episode can be found here.

How to Write a Scene, now in handy two-page form

Follow Up, Writing Process

My 2007 post on [How to Write a Scene](http://johnaugust.com/2007/write-scene) got recirculated in [infographic form](http://johnaugust.com/2013/writing-a-scene-in-11-steps) last year, which featured only the bullet points.

Both versions are useful. The blog post is detailed; the infographic is handy. But screenwriter Zak Penn asked for something in-between:

> Can you send me PDF of your scene writing checklist? Want to use when I speak to students, thought it was excellent.

It’s a good idea. So here’s the original post, slightly edited and reformatted to fit onto [two pages](http://johnaugust.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/how-to-write-a-scene.pdf) you can print or email:

pdf link

Anyone is welcome to use it. I just ask that if you distribute it, please keep my name and the link on it.

And because you’ll ask, the fonts are [Minion Pro](http://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?event=displayFontPackage&code=1719) and [Trend Hand Made](http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/latinotype/trend-hand-made/).

Falling back in love with your script

Psych 101, QandA, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Writing Process

Craig and John play marriage counsellor between writers and their scripts, looking at both the first spark of attraction and how to rekindle the flame when the fire has gone out.

There are still some tickets available for the Summer Superhero Spectacular live show on May 15th. Next week, we’ll announce how the Three Page Challenge will work. Don’t send scripts yet.

If you’ve subscribed to Scriptnotes for the back catalog, there’s a bonus panel with John, Kelly Marcel, Linda Woolverton and Scott Neustadter talking about notes and rewrites. You can subscribe at scriptnotes.net and listen through the Scriptnotes app for iOS and Android.

LINKS:

* [Get your tickets](https://www.wgfoundation.org/screenwriting-events/scriptnotes-summer-superhero-spectacular/) for the Scriptnotes Summer Superhero Spectacular
* The bonus panel is available to premium subscribers at [scriptnotes.net](http://scriptnotes.net/bonus-rewriting-and-refocusing) or through the Scriptnotes app for [iOS](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scriptnotes/id739117984?mt=8) and [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.johnaugust.android.scriptnotes)
* Tony Gilroy’s [BAFTA/BFI screenwriters lecture](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kv3DcXIUaRw)
* Michael Arndt [on setting a story in motion](http://johnaugust.com/2014/michael-arndt-on-setting-a-story-in-motion)
* All our [One Cool Things](http://johnaugust.com/onecoolthings)
* Scriptnotes, Episode 124: [Q&A from the Holiday Spectacular](http://johnaugust.com/2013/qa-from-the-holiday-spectacular)
* Scriptnotes listener Tom LaBaff [draws Scriptnotes](https://twitter.com/TLaBaff/status/454819091669594114)
* [Imprint Revolution](http://www.imprintrevolution.com/) prints our shirts
* There are still select shirt sizes (and a few USBs) left at the [John August Store](http://store.johnaugust.com/)
* [Monument Valley](http://www.monumentvalleygame.com/) is available now for iOS, and soon for Android
* [Nomad](http://www.hellonomad.com/), makers of Charge Key (and Charge Card)
* [The Ultimate Guide to Solving iOS Battery Drain](http://www.overthought.org/blog/2014/the-ultimate-guide-to-solving-ios-battery-drain)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Scriptnotes listener Chris Henry ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

You can download the episode here: [AAC](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_140.m4a) | [mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_140.mp3).

**UPDATE** 4-27-14: The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2014/scriptnotes-ep-140-falling-back-in-love-with-your-script-transcript).