John August

Writing Process

The One with Stephen Schiff

Episode - 337

Go to Archive

Film Industry, Scriptnotes, So-Called Experts, Story and Plot, Television, Transcribed, Writing Process

John is joined by The Americans’ executive producer Stephen Schiff at a live Scriptnotes taping in New York! They discuss grounding an outrageous premise in character, suspension of disbelief, premium act breaks, and writing for a foreign language.

We also answer audience questions about New York writers rooms, expert consultants, expecting comparisons, first drafts, and how to write a period piece when history is full of spoilers.

Links:

* [Stephen Schiff](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0771496/) currently works on [The Americans](http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/the-americans). Its final season premieres on March 28th.
* Thank you, [McNally Jackson Independent Booksellers](http://www.mcnallyjackson.com/event/scriptnotes-live-podcast-recording-author-john-august) for hosting our live show!
* [Google Ngram Viewer](https://books.google.com/ngrams)
* Bookstore staff recommendations, which led John to [The End We Start From](http://www.amazon.com/dp/0802126898/?tag=johnaugustcom-20) by Megan Hunter
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Matthew Chilelli ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_337.mp3).

**UPDATE 2-20-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-337-the-one-with-stephen-schiff-transcript).

The Next 117 Pages

Film Industry, Los Angeles, QandA, Scriptnotes, Words on the page, Writing Process

John and Craig talk about everything that comes after the oft-discussed First Three Pages, speculating on the kinds of issues they’d spot if they were looking at full scripts.

They also answer listener questions on topics ranging from proper spacing protocol to novelists rewriting their screenplay adaptations.

This episode originally aired on November 27, 2012.

Links:

* Scriptnotes T-shirts are [available](https://cottonbureau.com/people/scriptnotes-podcast) for one more week, including some old favorite styles, like [Gold Standard](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-gold-standard) and [Midnight Blue](https://cottonbureau.com/products/scriptnotes-midnight-blue)!
* You can catch John at one of his [book tour stops](http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/arlo-finch/), or listen to [Launch](http://wondery.fm/launch) to keep up with him on the road.
* [“The exception that proves the rule”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exception_that_proves_the_rule) on Wikipedia
* Stuart’s post, [Learning from the Three Page Challenge](http://johnaugust.com/2012/learning-from-the-three-page-challenge)
* [Brining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brining)
* [Cook’s Illustrated](http://www.cooksillustrated.com/)
* [Ticket to Ride](https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ticket-to-ride/id432504470?mt=8) for iOS
* [German-style board games](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-style_board_game) on Wikipedia
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive) are available!
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* INTRO: [Folger’s “Peter Comes Home for Christmas”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kNl7cQdcU)
* OUTRO: [Train Song](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/train-song/id303463575?i=303463582) by Feist and Ben Gibbard on iTunes

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_65_rebroadcast.mp3).

Introducing Launch

Arlo Finch, Books, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Writing Process

John and Craig introduce Launch, John’s new podcast about making a book. Over the course of six episodes, the series tracks the process of writing and shipping a novel, from idea to printing.

The first two episodes are available today, with new episodes coming each Tuesday.

Not to worry — Scriptnotes isn’t going anywhere. We’ll have new episodes on Tuesdays as well.

Subscribe to Launch today: [http://wondery.fm/launch](http://wondery.fm/launch)

Links:

* Subscribe to Launch at [http://wondery.fm/launch](http://wondery.fm/launch) or wherever you listen to podcasts.
* You can preorder Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire and read an excerpt [here](http://read.macmillan.com/mcpg/arlo-finch/).
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Andy Roninson ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_335.mp3).

**UPDATE 1-29-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-335-introducing-launch-transcript).

The End of the Beginning

Adaptation, Film Industry, Follow Up, Rights and Copyright, Scriptnotes, Transcribed, Videogames, WGA, Writing Process

John and Craig tackle that tricky stretch of screenplay between crystalizing what the story is going to be and the protagonist actually embarking upon it: the end of Act 1.

We also answer listener questions about writing for new media, why working outside of a WGA contract hurts everyone, what people want when asking for a “writing sample,” and adapting novels without the rights.

Links:

* [Bathe in my Milk](http://batheinmymilk.com) and the [NY Post article](https://nypost.com/2017/12/22/the-story-behind-creepy-as-hell-milk-bath-flyers/) about it.
* The [Apple Pencil](https://www.apple.com/apple-pencil/) works pretty well! You can use it with [Notability](http://gingerlabs.com/).
* [The Scriptnotes Listeners’ Guide!](johnaugust.com/guide)
* [The USB drives!](https://store.johnaugust.com/collections/frontpage/products/scriptnotes-300-episode-usb-flash-drive)
* [John August](https://twitter.com/johnaugust) on Twitter
* [Craig Mazin](https://twitter.com/clmazin) on Twitter
* [John on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/johnaugust/?hl=en)
* [Find past episodes](http://scriptnotes.net/)
* [Outro](http://johnaugust.com/2013/scriptnotes-the-outros) by Rajesh Naroth ([send us yours!](http://johnaugust.com/2014/outros-needed))

Email us at ask@johnaugust.com

You can download the episode [here](http://traffic.libsyn.com/scriptnotes/scriptnotes_ep_333.mp3).

**UPDATE 1-16-18:** The transcript of this episode can be found [here](http://johnaugust.com/2018/scriptnotes-ep-333-the-end-of-the-beginning-transcript).