I first encountered screenwriting teacher and script consultant Phil Parker at a workshop for the shortlisted candidates of Northern Film and Media’s Maxi Stinger scheme. I had to leave early to pick up my daughter from daycare, so unfortunately missed the last 90 minutes of the workshop. So I decided to get Phil’s book The Art and Science of Screenwriting to see what I’d missed. I’m so glad I did.
Phil is a producer and freelance development consultant whose clients include Aardman Animation (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit) and The Mob (Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather). He is the founder and Course Director of the MA in Screenwriting, at London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London.
Continue reading ‘The Art and Science of Screenwriting’
Welcome to the first of three guest posts by RS Downie on writing historical fiction. Ruth is the author of Ruso and the Disappearing Dancing Girls (‘Medicus’ in the USA) and Ruso and the Demented Doctor (‘Terra Incognita’ in the USA), the first in a series of historical crime novels set in Roman Britain. Now over to Ruth:
Twenty years ago I knew nothing at all about historical fiction except that some of the novels I’d enjoyed had been set in the past. I’ve learned a great deal since then, mostly from other writers and sometimes from my own mistakes. I still have much to learn and frequently don’t practise what I preach – but if you too are fascinated by the past and want to set your story there, I hope you’ll find some useful pointers in this series of articles. If you have anything to add or questions to ask, feel free to post your comments below.
Continue reading ‘Writing historical fiction 1 – creating your historical world’
If you’re looking for a comprehensive book on screenwriting, then Write Screenplays that Sell might be the one for you. This beginner to intermediate guide is written by a UCLA Screenwriting graduate programme lecturer, Hal Ackerman, whose students regularly go on to receive professional Hollywood commissions. The book provides a good overview of narrative structure, a detailed guide to writing scenes and some useful and thought-provoking exercises. If you want to know a bit more about the book before you buy it, why not listen to the author himself?
Writers love to read. If you’ve read any good books lately why not submit a review to the Book Review Blog Carnival? You won’t get paid, but it’s an excellent oppportunity to hone your writing skills and check out what everyone else is reading.
How many of you set a writing goal for 2009 that included earning money from your writing? Or earning more money from your writing? I’m in the second category. My creative writing, feature writing and screenwriting are going well but not earning that much money. (For a lively discussion on how much writers really earn check out Can you earn money as a writer?) With this in mind, I’ve decided I need to expand my commercial copywriting activities. I’ve set up a new Crafty Writer Copywriting Service website and am working on getting some new clients.
I also thought I’d better brush up on my copywriting skills. So I bought Write to Sell: the Ultimate Guide to Great Copywriting by Andy Maslen. Although the pompous title initially put me off (I’m suspicious of anyone who claims to be the ultimate or final word on anything) the reader reviews on Amazon convinced me it was worth having a look.
Continue reading ‘Copywriting: write to sell’
As some of you may already know, I’ve just made my first foray into screenwriting and have received a commission for a short film – ‘Enemy Lines’, produced by FNA Films. It will be screened next month in Newcastle. Since receiving that commission I’ve written another short film and have been hired to write the pilot of an animated children’s series – first draft in the bag.
Up until now I have simply been writing on instinct. I felt like a bit of a fake because I hadn’t read any screenwriting books and wasn’t fully aware of the ‘proper’ way of doing things. I had simply downloaded the free Scriptsmart Gold software from the BBC Writers’ Room and figured it out by trial and error and looking at sample scripts.
Continue reading ‘Screenwriting for Dummies’
This month’s Crafty Writer Book Club discussion is Shakespeare: the World as a Stage by Bill Bryson. For those of you new to The Crafty Writer, once every two months (give or take) we discuss a best-selling book from a writer’s perspective. If you’re just visiting the site and haven’t participated in one of our Book Clubs before, just jump right in and leave your comments in the section below. As this is our first non-fiction book we will divide our discussion under the following headings:
Continue reading ‘Shakespeare: the World as a Stage’
For all you Crafty Writer Book Club members, we will open again this weekend to discuss Bill Bryson’s Shakespeare: the World as a Stage. That gives you a few days to finish, revisit or speed read the book. For those of you new to The Crafty Writer, once every two months (give or take) we discuss a best-selling book from a writer’s perspective. Continue reading ‘Book Club Reminder’
This month’s book is Jed Rubenfeld’s The Interpretation of Murder. For those of you new to The Crafty Writer, once every month or two we discuss a best-selling book from a writer’s perspective. We divide our discussion under the following headings:
I’ll make some initial observations and pose suggested questions for discussion. Some of our regular book club participants are published authors themselves, so it’s a great opportunity to share their knowledge and insight. You don’t have to do anything to join other than pitch up and leave your comments and observations below. If you haven’t got a copy of the book yet you can buy it through The Crafty Writer Bookshop (in the book club category) and we will get a small commission that keeps the Book Club and all the information on this website free. Continue reading ‘Book Club: The Interpretation of Murder’
For all you Crafty Writer Book Club members, we will open again next Saturday to discuss Jed Rubenfeld’s The Interpretation of Murder. That gives you a week to finish, revisit or speed read the novel. For those of you new to The Crafty Writer, once every two months (give or take) we discuss a best-selling book from a writer’s perspective. Continue reading ‘One Week to Book Club …’
Welcome to The Crafty Writer, published by Fiona Veitch Smith, a freelance journalist, editor, author, playwright, screenwriter and writing teacher. This site is full of information and resources to help you to become a better writer. 
