Charles Harris author ~

It was great seeing so many people last night at Euroscript for the conversation I had with Linda Aronson (writer and guru!) – she was in good form and full of useful advice on all kinds of screenwriting, including the importance of breaking the rules and knowing how to do it. If you keep reading, I’m giving two of her thought-provoking tips below. I was also delighted that she sold every copy of her book that she brought along – and the UK publishers are also having to reprint due to the demand. However you can still get the book online at less than the cover price – click here.

Tip #1 – Remember the Spark It’s important to have a great, enticing pitch, Linda said. However she sees hundreds of scripts where the writing doesn’t reflect the underlying idea. “Find where the central “spark” of the story is –  what is it that makes people’s eyes light up. When you’ve found it, make sure that spark is there in the script – all the way through”. If necessary, rethink the plotting or build up elements to strengthen that element. Tip #2 – Don’t be betrayed by your own talent! “Talent can be a big problem” she says. “A talented writer can make any scene, any dialogue, look good – superficially. However that surface may be concealing the fact that the scene actually doesn’t work.” She also knows many talented writers who only write to 40% of their ability – coasting rather than working to their fullest capability. Don’t be fooled by your own ability to write well – make sure that everything works 100% – push yourself, keep learning, training and improving. Like I said, her book The 21st Century Screenplay is selling out everywhere, but you can still order it online at less than the cover price by clicking here. If you’re interested, I’ve got more details about it in my book recommendations.