TUESDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:

PIGEON HOLING


visitor on DVD

It's Halloween time... Are you a horror writer?

I always say to write the type of movies you regularly pay to see, the films you can't wait to see, the films you stand in line to see. You know, from tip examples, that for me those are action and thriller movies. I have seen all three BOURNE movies on opening day, and if there's anything that even resembles a Hitchcock film (like the French film TELL NO ONE). I'm going to make sure I see it in the cinema on the opening weekend. Those are the kinds of movies I love, the kinds of movies I could not wait to see as a kid, and the kinds of scripts I write now. I write the kind of movies that I regularly pay to see - and that means I write what I love.

But you also know from the script tip examples that those aren't the only types of films I like - one of my favorite films from a couple of years ago was THE VISITOR and I see comedies and rom-coms and indie films and just about everything else. I love *movies* and have since I was a little kid. They take me into some other world for a couple of hours... they are my drug and I am an addict.

What do you do if you love *all* movies? What should you do if you want to write every genre of film? Should you just write every genre of screenplay? One of each? Ten scripts in ten different genres?

You don't want to get typecast as a writer of a specific genre, you don't want to be pigeon holed, right? I mean, Pigeon Holing sounds painful and dirty... You don't want to get stuck only writing in one genre for the rest of your career? You don't want to be married to one particular genre, do you? Stuck writing one kind of script forever?


LET'S PLAY DOCTOR

0"Extraordinary Measures

But being typecast is actually a *good thing* - it's the same as being a medical specialist. A couple year's ago the film EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES, based on a true story, came out. Two of John Crowley's children are diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, Pompe... Now, he doesn't take his kids to their Pediatrician or call a General Practice doctor - those doctors know a little bit about everything and can diagnose some things... but whenever they are faced with something that are not an expert in (like Pompe) they will refer you to a specialist. And that's what Crowley does - he tracks down an *expert* in genetic diseases, Dr. Robert Stonehill (Harrison Ford) because he knows more than any GP or Pediatrician about Pompe. You want the person who knows the most about the disease when your children's lives are at stake. In the case of Crowley (Brendan Fraser) little was known about Pompe, so he needed an expert in genetic diseases who could *discover* a cure. Though it' not *impossible* that a regular pediatrician could have discovered the cure, it's highly unlikely. The specifics of genetic disease are complicated...

Just as the specifics of any story genre are. When a producer is looking for a writer or script for a fratboy fart comedy with heart, they know that not every screenwriter can pull that off. How many bad films in that subgenre come out every year? (Okay, how many star Will Ferrell?) Not everyone understands that genre. So they focus their search for a script or writer to those who are experts in the genre and know all of those little tricks and techniques that I do not know... even though I have seen a bunch of films from Apatow and the rest in that subgenre. Even if you have written one fratboy comedy, there is some other writer out there who has written a stack of them... and which would you hire to write your fratboy comedy that you hope will spawn a franchise starring Paul Rudd and Michael Cera as identical twins? Producers look for specialists - and whether those specialists know more or less than a GP doesn't matter. Someone who specializes in the genre *seems* like they would know more than someone who has only written a single script in that genre. And that's who will end up with the job.

Rookie

You may not want to be categorized, but there are so many writer and so many scripts and so many possibilities out there that they have to find some way to narrow it all down. That's why we have genres in the first place - so that the audience has some idea what kind of emotional experience they will receive from seeing the movie. They want to narrow down the possibilities. "You'll like it!" Okay, but will I like it because it made me laugh or like it because it made me cry? I may not be in the mood to cry tonight... I might *need* a good laugh. Genres serve an important function in matching movies to audience. And the same is true when it comes to matching writers to material. You know who wrote EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES? Robert Nelson Jacobs - an expert in adapting dramatic stories to the screen. His previous credits include THE SHIPPING NEWS and CHOCOLATE. He's on that list the producers looked at when they needed someone who could take an existing dramatic story and turn it into a successful film. The specialist, not the GP.

You might look at a movie like BLIND SIDE and think no pigeon holing is involved in a script like that... and you'd be wrong! The great John Lee Hancock is a Texan and makes uplifting sports films like THE ROOKIE... which was written by the amazing Mike Rich who broke in with the Nicholl winner FINDING FORRESTER (basketball) and the wrote THE ROOKIE (baseball) and RADIO (football) and MIRACLE (ice hockey) and SECRETARIAT (horse racing)! All sports films! Even on a serious drama, they are looking for the expert.


CHOOSE YOUR HOLE!

Because there are so many screenwriters out there, they need some way to separate you from the others, to remember who you are. A "shorthand" for you and your talents. So, they are going to pigeon hole you in a genre or subgenre. Since they are going to typecast you anyway, why not *select* how you are going to be typecast? What if you aren't a die hard horror movie fan but write one anyway... and it sells and you are now typecast as a horror writer? This will happen to you - the first genre you sell in will end up your genre for a while, because that's the genre you've had success in. That's not a problem if you love horror films, but is a problem if you are just a generic writer who wrote a horror script that sold and want to follow that success up with a rom-com. You won't be generic anymore... you'll be that horror writer.

So, instead of just being a writer, it makes sense to become a specialist - an expert in a specific genre. Just like a heart surgeon is higher paid and usually more in demand than a standard doctor. Being an expert in a genre helps them remember who you are, and is often the reason why the call you in the first place - screenwriting tends to be genre work unless you plan on making the film yourself. "Who do we know that writes big action stuff?" If your name is on that list, you end up meeting with some producer who read a couple of your scripts a while back and is now trying to come up with a buddy movie for Vin Deisel. (A job I was up for a few years back - I didn't get that job, but the guy who can't be typecast wasn't even on their list). As long as they want to pigeon hole you, pick the pigeon hole you want to spend the beginning of your career in. The genre you love. And then really become the expert in that genre - if you love romantic comedies, learn everything you can about them and know how they tick... so that you are *the* romantic comedy writer.


MAJOR & MINOR

bladerunner

That doesn't mean you can only write in one genre. Because you are your own boss, you can write whatever kind of scripts you want (you just may have trouble selling a romantic comedy if you are known for horror). Being pigeon holed doesn't limit what you can write - It just focuses your career in a specific genre so that when they open that wacky Rolodex to "Fratboy Comedy" your name is on the list. I know that sounds crazy, but somewhere there really is a list of screenwriters broken down by genre - you know there's some notebook in some assistant's desk so that when the boss says they need someone who knows how to write a Nudist Western to adapt Max Brand's recently discovered novel A FISTFUL OF RAW HIDE, that assistant can start making calls and setting up meetings for writers to pitch their take. They don't want to spend a lot of valuable time wondering who the hell they can get to write this - they want a list to choose from.

The best way to change your pigeon hole? Write a couple of specs in another genre and get them out there. "Hey, you know that guy who writes Nudist Westerns? He also writes Robot Romances! I just read a couple of his rob-roms and they're great! Let's call him in to pitch his take on BLADERUNNER 2: THE FORBIDDEN LOVE?" And you've just switched genres. What's more, if there's anything that straddles the genre you *were* known for and the genre you just wrote a couple of new specs in, you'll probably land that job. You majored in Fratboy Comedy and minored in Robot Romances, so you're perfect for A.I. PIE - the futuristic sequel to AMERICAN PIE.

As a thriller and action writer, I've written a family comedy that was made (and spawned 4 sequels) and frequently get meetings from a girl/horse thing I wrote. You can't get more different than military action and family comedy - but I wrote both in the same year. Most of my favorite films are thrillers and action movies, so I am writing what I love - the kind of movies I pay to see every Friday night.

The only thing that sounds kinkier than pigeon holing is...


SELF BRANDING

No. Not with that hot cattle brand - unless you're into that.

repo man

Another reason why you *want* to be pigeon holed: the problem when you are starting out is that no one knows who you are or what you are, so you need to create a "brand" for yourself. A way for them to identify you. That's where being a specialist in a genre is important. You identify yourself with a specific type of work that they are looking for... so when they look for that work they come to you.

It's important to create an identity for yourself as a writer. Without an identity you're just a generic - white label with blue stripe and block letters that say WRITER (see REPO MAN if you're too young for the ref). You want to take WRITER and focus it, individualize it, make it a specific label so that they know what kind of writer. You create a brand name and identity for yourself, so that when they are shopping for a writer they grab your brand and put it in their cart.

For a while I was a thriller writer - and people bought scripts and met with me because I wrote thrillers. Then the market changed, and I became a military action writer (despite having never been in the military) - and I had meetings with a bunch of places because they were looking for military action writers - I had a couple of meetings with Neufeld at Paramount on Tom Clancy stuff (post Ford, pre-Affleck) and the military action thing was one of the reasons Regency was interested in having me do the rewrite on HIGH CRIMES... and was the sole reason the movie THE BASE was made. If I had not been "military action writer" I don't think I would have gotten any of the meetings where they were looking for a military action writer. I was on the Rolodex under that genre.

I think having a genre that you are known for is an important part of self branding - identifying the kind of work you do so that the people who buy work or hire people to do work think of *you* before that generic writer.


THE BIG TENT

extraordinary measures book

Even though I'm a thriller specialist, that doesn't mean I'm just writing the same script over and over again with a different title. There are dozens of different kinds of thrillers - subgenres that I can write. I have written chase thrillers, political thrillers, erotic thrillers, psychological thrillers, contained thrillers, espionage thrillers, women in jeopardy thrillers, cop thrillers, revenge thrillers, and all kinds of other subgenres. Any genre is a big tent with all kinds of possibilities - known and unknown. When I have a meeting with a producer of Lifetime Movies, I'm the guy who knows how to write women in jeopardy thrillers, when I'm meeting with some other producer I may be the guy who knows how to write revenge thrillers. Next year I plan to rewrite a political thriller, write a high concept espionage thriller, do a major page one rewrite on a contained thriller, and write a comedy thriller about a butler who solves mysteries. Each of those is an entirely different experience for the audience, and a different experience for *me* when I write them. Different kinds of things that I enjoy.

Look at your favorite genre and see all of the different subgenres within... and invent some more if you feel creative!

Which brings up the next step in being a specialist - the angle on the angle. With so many different subgenres, you may want to further focus yourself on one subgenre. Pigeon hole yourself even more? Sure, why not? You can write whatever you want to write - you are your own boss - so why not be the expert on contained thrillers, so that when they open that crazy Rolodex, you're the name at the top of the list for that subgenre? The first person they call! If you know all of the ins and outs of Contained Thrillers, you aren't just the first person on the list, you are the *best* person on the list. You can still work within that big tent of Thrillers, but specialize in a certain type of thriller as well.

Being pigeon holed isn't a bad thing - it's a great way for them to remember you, and to be seen as an expert instead of just another generic writer.


Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made from this website.


bluebook

THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!

*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Kindle!

*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Nook!


Why pay $510 for a used version of the 240 page 2000 version that used to retail for $21.95? (check it out!) when you can get the NEW EXPANDED VERSION - over 500 pages - for just $9.99? New chapters, New examples, New techniques!

"SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING is the best book on the practical nuts-and-bolts mechanics of writing a screenplay I've ever read." - Ted Elliott, co-writer of MASK OF ZORRO, SHREK, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and the sequels (with Terry Rossio). (ie; 4 of the top 20 Box Office Hits Of ALL TIME.)

Only $9.99 - and no postage!

BRAND NEW!

How Do I do That?

bluebook

101 SCREENWRITING ANSWERS Blue Book!

New to screenwriting? You probably have questions! How do I get an Agent? How do I write a phone conversation? Do I need a Mentor? What’s does VO and OC and OS mean? What is proper screenplay format? Should I use a pen name? Do I need to movie to Hollywood? What’s the difference between a Producer and a Production Manager, and which should I sell my script to? How do I write a Text Message? Should I Copyright or WGA register my script? Can I Direct or Star? How do I write an Improvised scene? Overcoming Writer’s Block? How do I write a Sex Scene? And many many more! This book has the answers to the 101 Most Asked Questions from new screenwriters! Plus a Glossary of terms so that you can sound like a pro! Everything you need to know to begin writing your screenplay!

All of the answers you need to know, from a working professional screenwriter with 20 produced films and a new movie made for a major streaming service in 2023! 

Only $4.99


NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!

Making Your Own Movie?

WRITE IT: FILM IT BOOK! WriteItFilmIt



Making Your Own Movie?
Writing An Indie Film?
Writing A Low Budget Genre Script To Sell?
Writing A Made For TV Holiday Movie?

You will be writing for BUDGET. On a standard spec screenplay, you don’t have to think about budget, but these types of screenplays writing with budget in mind is critical!

If you are making your own movie, budget, is even more important - and you need to think about budget *before* you write your screenplay... or you will end up with a script that you can’t afford to make (or is a struggle to make). Everyone is making their own films these days, and even if you have done it before there are lots of great techniques in this book to get more money on screen - for less money! You can make a film that looks like it cost millions for pocket change.

344 Pages - ONLY: $7.99!



Tips FAQ


HITCHCOCK FOR WRITERS!

hitchcock

Strange Structures!

*** HITCHCOCK: EXPERIMENTS IN TERROR! ***

Contained Thrillers like "Buried"? Serial Protagonists like "Place Beyond The Pines"? Multiple Connecting Stories like "Pulp Fiction"? Same Story Multiple Times like "Run, Lola, Run"?
HITCHCOCK DID IT FIRST!

This book focuses on 18 of Hitchcock's 52 films with wild cinema and story experiments which paved the way for modern films. Almost one hundred different experiments that you may think are recent cinema or story inventions... but some date back to Hitchcock's *silent* films! We'll examine these experiments and how they work. Great for film makers, screenwriters, film fans, producers and directors.

Only $5.99 - Kindle Version



LEARN SUSPENSE FROM THE MASTER!

*** HITCHCOCK: MASTERING SUSPENSE ***

Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?

This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!

Only $5.99 - Kindle Version


THE BLUE BOOKS!

bluebook

FIND A GREAT IDEA!

*** YOUR IDEA MACHINE ***

Expanded version with more ways to find great ideas! Your screenplay is going to begin with an idea. There are good ideas and bad ideas and commercial ideas and personal ideas. But where do you find ideas in the first place? This handbook explores different methods for finding or generating ideas, and combining those ideas into concepts that sell. The Idea Bank, Fifteen Places To Find Ideas, Good Ideas And Bad Ideas, Ideas From Locations And Elements, Keeping Track Of Your Ideas, Idea Theft - What Can You Do? Weird Ways To Connect Ideas, Combing Ideas To Create Concepts, High Concepts - What Are They? Creating The Killer Concept, Substitution - Lion Tamers & Hitmen, Creating Blockbuster Concepts, Magnification And The Matrix, Conflict Within Concept, Concepts With Visual Conflict, Avoiding Episodic Concepts, much more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

FIGURE OUT YOUR STORY!

*** OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC ***

Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

GOT STRUCTURE?!

*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY ***


William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

STORY: WELL TOLD!

*** STORY: WELL TOLD ***


This book takes you step-by-step through the construction of a story... and how to tell a story well, why Story always starts with character... but ISN'T character, Breaking Your Story, Irony, Planting Information, Evolving Story, Leaving No Dramatic Stone Unturned, The Three Greek Unities, The Importance Of Stakes, The Thematic Method, and how to create personal stories with blockbuster potential. Ready to tell a story? Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 85,000 words - 251 pages!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

HOW DO I DO THAT?

*** 101 SCREENWRITING ANSWERS ***


New to screenwriting? You probably have questions! How do I get an Agent? How do I write a phone conversation? Do I need a Mentor? What’s does VO and OC and OS mean? What is proper screenplay format? Should I use a pen name? Do I need to movie to Hollywood? What’s the difference between a Producer and a Production Manager, and which should I sell my script to? How do I write a Text Message? Should I Copyright or WGA register my script? Can I Direct or Star? How do I write an Improvised scene? Overcoming Writer’s Block? How do I write a Sex Scene? And many many more! This book has the answers to the 101 Most Asked Questions from new screenwriters! Plus a Glossary of terms so that you can sound like a pro! Everything you need to know to begin writing your screenplay!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!


bluebook

START STRONG!

*** HOOK 'EM IN TEN ***


Your story doesn't get a second chance to make a great first impression, and this book shows you a bunch of techniques on how to do that. From the 12 Basic Ways To Begin Your Story, to the 3 Stars Of Your First Scene (at least one must be present) to World Building, Title Crawls, Backstory, Starting Late, Teasers and Pre Title Sequences, Establishing Theme & Motifs (using GODFATHER PART 2), Five Critical Elements, Setting Up The Rest Of The Story (with GODFATHER), and much more! With hundreds of examples ranging from Oscar winners to classic films like CASABLANCA to some of my produced films (because I know exactly why I wrote the scripts that way). Biggest Blue Book yet! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 100,000 words - 312 pages!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

MOVIES ARE CHARACTERS!

*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS ***


Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

I WRITE PICTURES!

*** VISUAL STORYTELLING *** - For Kindle! (exclusive)


Show Don't Tell - but *how* do you do that? Here are techniques to tell stories visually! Using Oscar Winning Films and Oscar Nominated Films as our primary examples: from the first Best Picture Winner "Sunrise" (1927) to the Oscar Nominated "The Artist" (which takes place in 1927) with stops along the way Pixar's "Up" and Best Original Screenplay Winner "Breaking Away" (a small indie style drama - told visually) as well as "Witness" and other Oscar Winners as examples... plus RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 200 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

*** DESCRIPTION & VOICE ***

IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?

Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?

Only $4.99 Kindle version


bluebook

PRO DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES!

*** DIALOGUE SECRETS ***


Expanded version with more ways to create interesting dialogue! How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!


bluebook

WHAT IS A SCENE?

*** SCENE SECRETS ***


What is a scene and how many you will need? The difference between scenes and sluglines. Put your scenes on trial for their lives! Using "Jaws" we'll look at beats within a scene. Scene DNA. Creating set pieces and high concept scenes. A famous director talks about creating memorable scenes. 12 ways to create new scenes. Creating unexpected scenes. Use dramatic tension to supercharge your scenes. Plants and payoffs in scenes. Plus transitions and buttons and the all important "flow"... and more! Over 65,000 words! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 210 pages!

Only $4.99 - Kindle version


bluebook

SUBPLOTS?

*** SUPPORTING CHARACTER SECRETS ***


Expanded version with more techniques to flesh out your Supporting Characters and make them individuals. Using the hit movie BRIDESMAIDS as well as other comedies like THE HANGOVER and TED and HIGH FIDELITY and 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and many other examples we look at ways to make your Supporting Characters come alive on the page. Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - Kindle version


bluebook

ACT TWO SOLUTIONS!

*** ACT TWO SECRETS ***


Expanded version with more techniques to help you through the desert of Act Two! Subjects Include: What Is Act Two? Inside Moves, The 2 Ps: Purpose & Pacing, The 4Ds: Dilemma, Denial, Drama and Decision, Momentum, the Two Act Twos, Subplot Prisms, Deadlines, Drive, Levels Of Conflict, Escalation, When Act Two Begins and When Act Two Ends, Scene Order, Bite Sized Pieces, Common Act Two Issues, Plot Devices For Act Two, and dozens of others. Over 67,000 words (that’s well over 200 pages) of tools and techniques to get you through the desert of Act Two alive! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is well over 200 pages!

ONLY $4.99 - Kindle version


bluebook

Can You Make It bigger?

***BLOCKBUSTERS (and BEACH READS) ***


Thinking about writing a big Disaster Movie? An Historical Epic? An Epic Adventure Film? Or maybe you like Gladiator Movies? This book looks at writing Blockbusters and those Big Fat Beach Read novels - anything epic! Usng movies like JAWS, POSEIDON ADVENTURE, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, and those MARVEL and FAST & FURIOUS flicks as examples. What *is* a Blockbuster? 107 years of Blockbuster history! Blockbuster Characters. Blockbuster Story Types! Why modern Blockbusters are soap operas! Social Issues in Blcokbusters? Big Emotions! Keeping All Of Those Characters Distinctive! How to avoid the Big problems found in Big Movies and books! More! If you are writing a Big Event Movie or a Big Fat Novel, there are tips and techniques to help you!

ONLY $4.99 - Kindle Version


NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!


bluebook

All About Rewrites!

*** REWRITES Blue Book! ***

When You Finish Your Screenplay Or Novel...
The Rewrites Begin!

The end is just the beginning! You’ve finished your story, but now the rewriting begins! This 405 page book shows you how to rewrite your screenplay or novel to perfection. Everything from Character Consistency to Shoeboxing to How To Give And Receive Notes to 15 Solutions If Your Script’s Too Long! and 15 Solutions If Your Script’s Too Short! to Finding The Cause Of A Story Problem to Good Notes Vs. Bad Notes to Finding Beta Readers to Avoiding Predictability to Learning To Be Objective About Your Work to Script Killer Notes and Notes From Idiots to Production Rewrites and What The Page Colors Mean? and a Complete Rewrite Checklist! The complete book on Rewriting Your Story!

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

Want To Look Like An Expert?

*** RESEARCH & WORLD BUILDING BUILDING! ***

Using movie examples like TOP GUN, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, BLUE CRUSH, ADVENTURE LAND, several of my produced films, JOHN WICK, the novels of Donald E. Westlake and Thomas B. Dewey, SPY KIDS, the LORD OF THE RINGS movies, SOYLENT GREEN (which takes place in the far off future of 2022), and many others we will look at researching stories and creating worlds. The 8 Types Of Research, the 10 Types Of Information To Look For, 12 Important Elements Of World Building. Plus chapters on How To Rob A Bank and Commit Murder And Get Away With It for those of you interested in crime fiction, and Researching The Future for those writing science fiction, and Levels Of Reality if you are writing about a version of the real world.

Only $4.99 - Kindle Version


bluebook

All About LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING!

*** LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING! ***

You have written a brilliant 110 page screenplay, but how do you get anyone to read it? You need to distill it down into some form of verbal moonshine or story rocket fuel that will ignite that bored development executive or manager or agent and get them to request your screenplay. But how do you shrink those 110 pages into a 25 word logline or a 2 minute elevator pitch or a one page synopsis or a short paragraph? This 100,000 word book shows you how! Everything you need to know! From common logline mistakes (and how to solve them) to how your pitch can reveal story problems to the 4 types of pitches!

ONLY $4.99! - Kindle version.


bluebook

READY TO BREAK IN?

*** BREAKING IN BLUE BOOK ***


Should really be called the BUSINESS BLUE BOOK because it covers almost everything you will need to know for your screenwriting career: from thinking like a producer and learning to speak their language, to query letters and finding a manager or agent, to making connections (at home and in Hollywood) and networking, to the different kinds of meetings you are will have at Studios, to the difference between a producer and a studio, to landing an assignment at that meeting and what is required of you when you are working under contract, to contracts and options and lawyers and... when to run from a deal! Information you can use *now* to move your career forward! It's all here in the Biggest Blue Book yet!

Only $4.99 - Kindle version.




STORY IN ACTION SERIES!

bluebook

THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES

NEW: Updates On Films 7 & 8 Casting!

The First Six Movies analyzed! All of the mission tapes, all of the “that’s impossible!” set pieces and stunts, the cons and capers - and how these scenes work, the twists and double crosses, the tension and suspense (and how to generate it), the concept of each film as a stand alone with a different director calling the shots (broken in the sixth film), the gadgets, the masks, the stories, the co-stars and team members (one team member has been in every film), the stunts Tom Cruise actually did (and the ones he didn’t), and so much more! Over 120,000 words of fun info!

THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES - 347 Pages - Only $3.99 ! - Kindle Version


bourne

*** THE BOURNE MOVIES

All five "Bourne" movies (including "Legacy" and it's potential sequels) - what are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? Reinventing the thriller genre... or following the "formula"? Five films - each with an interesting experiment! A detailed analysis of each of the films, the way these thrillers work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

Only $3.99 - Kindle version



bluebook

Over 240 pages!

*** THE TERMINATOR MOVIES ***


He's back! The release of "Terminator: Dark Fate" is set to begin a new trilogy in the Terminator story... 35 years after the first film was released. What draws us to these films about a cybernetic organism from the future sent back in time? Why is there a new proposed trilogy every few years? This book looks at all five Terminator movies from a story standpoint - what makes them work (or not)? What are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? How about those secret story details you may not have noticed? Containing a detailed analysis of each of the five films so far, this book delves into the way these stories work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.

ONLY $3.99 - Kindle Version



FICTION

Shotgun

Featuring Shelly Steele !

*** THE SHOTGUN APPROACH ***


A Pop Star is murdered on the VIP floor of a luxury hotel by a shotgun blast to the face... completely ruining an original piece of art on the wall behind him. Violent SFPD Homicide Inspector Shelly Steele must find the murderer... without killing anyone in the process. That won't be easy! A locked room, A handful of clues. A chase and shootout on the hotel's fire stairs. Who is the killer? His ex-Partner? His ex-Wife? His ex-Record Label Owner?
THE SHOTGUN APPROACH 105 pgs!

ONLY $.99 - Kindle Version


Upstanding

Featuring Smart & Final !

*** A FINE UPSTANDING CITIZEN ***


25 years ago Senator Milano killed a man. Now he's one of a dozen suspects in an information leak. Being interrogated in the executive boardroom on the 30th floor of an office building... The informant will not be leaving by the elevator. Can he solve the crime before they discover his secret? Fnd the rat before the trap springs on him?

A FINE UPSTANDING CITIZEN (CRIME TIME THRILLER) 86 pgs!

ONLY $.99 - Kindle Version


Followed

Crime Time Thriller !

*** FOLLOWED HOME ***

Bowden knew the best place to find a victim is somewhere they feel safe. Diane Taylor would be his next victim...

It began with a car jacking at an upscale grocery store, but fresh out of prison Bowden decided to take everything - forcing Diane to drive him her her luxury home. Trapped in her SUV with a violent man, can she find a way to turn the tables on him and survive?

FOLLOWED HOME (CRIME TIME THRILLER)

ONLY $.99 - Kindle Version


Prime

Featuring Smart & Final !

*** PRIME RATE ***

Chuck Skinner brought his father's failing butcher shop back into the black with the help of modern day cattle rustlers. Nice story if it ends there...

But now the head of the MaryAnn Mob of cattle rustlers suspects him of cooking his books, and has brought in an "accountant" nicknamed Smart & Final... to hold him accountable. Can Chuck talk his way out of this?

PRIME RATE (CRIME TIME THRILLER)

ONLY $.99 - Kindle Version


MITCH ROBERTSON MYSTERIES

Mitch Robertson #1

*** THROUGH THE RINGER ***

Screenwriter Mitch Robertson just wants to sell a script, but ends up solving the mystery of a whiz kid writer whose new script stinks. From an upscale vodka bar in Beverly Hills to the Writer's Guild Library to an old mansion in the woodsy Brentwood district, Mitch follows the clues to uncover the secret of the hot new writer who has suddenly turned cold.

THROUGH THE RINGER

ONLY $.99 - Kindle Version


Jewel

Mitch Robertson #2

*** THE FAMILY'S JEWEL ***

"The Presidential Suite of the Hollywood Hoover Hotel looked like a bloody battlefield: bodies everywhere, furniture broken, red liquid dripping from the walls, dead soldiers littering the elegant Berber rug as clouds of smoke overhead bounced between two air conditioning vents.

Mitch Robertson stepped over the body of an ex-child star turned sex tape star turned pop star and entered the room, spotted a gun on the floor and picked it up... careful not to spill his coffee with three pumps of mocha syrup from Penny’s Coffee Shop. That coffee was gold, the only thing keeping him going in this dazed state of wakefulness. The gun felt light. Holding it, he saw the silhouette of an 80s action star sitting sideways on a tipped over chair. Motionless. Was he dead? Mitch was still hung over from the Awards Party the night before, and wondered whether this was all some sort of crazy nightmare that he would wake up from... but when he tripped over the brown legs of a bottomless Superhero, flaccid junk encased in a condom but still wearing his mask, and hit the edge of the sofa, gun skittering and coffee spilling, he realized that it was all very real. What the hell had happened here?"

Short Novel. Only 99 cents! - Kindle Version


NEW!

medium

Mitch Robertson #3

*** THE UNHAPPY MEDIUM ***

When Warren Moultie, the "Psychic To The Stars", private files, with dirt on everyone in Hollywood, are stolen, Mitch must find them and the thief before the blackmail begins! But when studios and movie stars and pop music stars and TV stars begin receiving demands for millions typed by an ancient typewriter on cheap paper, the entire Entertainment Industry is depending on him. Who stole the files? The Psychic? His wife? His mistress? One of his famous clients?

Novella. Only 99 cents! - Kindle Version









hcd

FINAL DRAFT SOFTWARE

Use your creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling application specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays. Its ease-of-use and time-saving features have attracted writers for almost two decades positioning Final Draft as the Professional Screenwriters Choice. Final Draft power users include Academy, Emmy and BAFTA award winning writers like Oliver Stone, Tom Hanks, Alan Ball, J.J. Abrams, James Cameron and more. * * * Buy It!

copyright 2026 by William C. Martell


eXTReMe Tracker
BLUE BOOKS

bluebook The Blue Book Series!
20 Books On Writing (screenplays and novels) with in depth information and pro techniques on specific elements of writing. From Creating Compelling Characters to Your Idea Machine to Reseach & World Building to Marketing. Each book is packed with actionable information to imrove your writing!
"Bill's little blue books on the art of screenplay writing are legendary," Best Selling novelist Dale Brown.

THE BLUE BOOKS

SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING

action The Book That Started It All!
My Best Selling Screenwriting Book, recommended by Oscar Winners and Top Box Office Screenwriters and just about everyone else!
Plus WRITE IT FILM IT - my book on how to write low budget screenplays to sell to others... or make yourself! Filled with great techniques to keep your budgets low without sacrificing excitement!
Plus the VINTAGE SCREENWRITING SERIES - early books on screenwriting (1912-1925) expanded with commentary and some history on early Hollywood... and New Jersey!

SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING

FICTION

bluebook NOVELS & SHORT FICTION
From bodyguard Jackson Bolt to screenwriting detective Mitch Robertson to badass violent cop Shelly Steele to the Crime Time Thriller series, my transition from professional screenwriter to prose is in full swing. See what's new and exciting on the page!
"Bill's little blue books on the art of screenplay writing are legendary," Best Selling novelist Dale Brown.

NOVELS & FICTION

THE HITCHCOCK SERIES

hitchcock HITCHCOCK BOOKS
Three books looking at Hitchcock's films and how to apply the techniques to writing and film making. Each book focuses on 17-20 of his 50 films, with an in depth essay on each examining the Mastrer Of Suspense's methods to create edge of your seat suspense or groundbreaking narrative experiments or looking at the importance of each element of story.

THE HITCHCOCK SERIES

STORY IN ACTION!

story STORY IN ACTION
Each book looks at a popular film franchise with a detailed analysis of each of the films, complete with box office, budget, RT scores, and behind the scenes information. Why was this entry a hit and that entry in the franchise a flop? Every film is broken down and examined... what did it do right? Do wrong? What can we learn from these films to help our own writing?
STORY IN ACTION SERIES

CLASSES ON MP3

Class  MP3s CLASSES ON MP3! Take a class on MP3! GUERRILLA MARKETING - NO AGENT? NO PROBLEM! and WRITING THRILLERS (2 MP3s). Full length classes on MP3. Now Available: IDEAS & CREATIVITY, WRITING HORROR, WRITING INDIE FILMS, more!
Take classes on MP3!

THE BLOG!

A Whole Week Of Programming!
SEX IN A SUBMARINE
(no actual sex is involved)
From Trailer Tuesday to Film Courage Plus to THRILLER Thursday to Fridays With Hitchcock and more! My blog has all kinds of great stuff! Check it out! Lots of cool stuff every day!

NAKED SCREENWRITING MP3s

Naked Class The NAKED SCREENWRITING CLASS ON MP3! The 2001 London Class on 8 MP3s! Recorded *live* the morning after the Raindance Film Festival wrapped. The two day class on 8 MP3s, plus a workbook, plus a bonus MP3 with PDFs.
The 2 Day Class on MP3!

MY OTHER SITES

B MOVIE WORLD
Cult Films, Exploitation, Bikers & Women In Prison, Monster Movies.

FIRST STRIKE PRODUCTIONS
Producing my own scripts, investment possibilities, pipe dreams.

BILL'S CORNER

My nineteen produced films, interviews with me in magazines, several sample scripts, my available scripts list... And MORE!
...............................BILL'S CORNER


Available Scripts

ONLINE CLASSES
Furious Action Class