I'm a pretty fast writer. My current film in production took ten days to write, the previous one took six, and I once attached an Oscar Award Nominated actor to a script I'd written in just three. If you've read my Turn & Burn Screenwriting Guide, you'll know I encourage good planning and a fast pace for anyone who wants to turn pro. In this article, regular contributor Ronika Merl talks about how she finds writing fast fuels her artistic passion, maintains her motivation, and produces better results overall - CJ

Breaking in is tough, real tough, but once you do get that first assignment or spec sale and the drafting starts, it's a whole new struggle, especially internally as you now need to perform under pressure, pressure that's partly self-imposed. Stephen Ford, founding member of the Screenwriters Ireland Facebook Group, perfectly encapsulates the mind-state many of us fall into in this admirably honest and authentic blog post detailing his own brutal experience - CJ

I love it when smart, creative thinkers challenge my views. J.B. Storey is the definition of a smart, creative thinker with remarkable credentials to back that up. As many of you know, I'm not a fan of small, unknown competitions and festivals when it comes to getting traction as an aspiring screenwriter. J.B. however makes a good argument in this article to look at the marketplace differently and consider the boutique approach - CJ

Some screenwriters just standout and, even though I have thousands in my network, Marven Likness is one of those people. The resident pool-shark in chief has been a regular in the Script Revolution zoom chats and recently blew participants away with his pitch for "One in a Trillion". When I recently left a blog post within a Facebook group, Marven left a brilliant comment explaining what he'd experienced trying to get his scripts out there. I said, "Dude, you've gotta turn this into a blog post!" and here we are. Enjoy Marven's take on what comes next after writing your script - CJ

You know, one of the greatest feelings in the world for me is learning about how Script Revolution is helping change people's trajectories and bringing more films into life. This is one of those very special days when I get to share some photos of a production in progress thanks to members of this community connecting. So how cool is this? Check out these exclusive behind the scenes photos and stills from the production of "The Legend of Lake Hollow". I'm feeling very proud of these guys and honoured to be part of their journey - CJ

Steve Sorenson, a long-time member of Script Revolution, has an interesting background in film production that's given him a unique perspective on the subject. In this article, he shares a few thoughts on better concept creation, focusing on entertainment, keeping scenes moving, and tugging at the emotional heartstrings of your audience - CJ

I've been saying for years now that we have a lot of what it takes to build a screenwriting career completely backwards. We are advised to bury the artist within us by obsessing over formatting and to trying to fit a mould in the hope we don't offend those who show interest in our material. My view is that we should develop our storytelling craft to the point we can speak our truths freely and unapologetically and that, by embracing this, our writing is more profound and entertaining as a result. Imagine my delight when Ronika Merl reached out with the following blog post that not only ...

Okay so, I like to use cheeseburgers as metaphors a lot so stick with me on this and try not to get peckish. I want to talk about an area of spec script writing that often gets completely ignored while aspiring screenwriters obsess over formatting and typos as those are a real deal-breaker. It's time to have a serious conversation about wether or not we're trying to sell something that's fundamentally viable at a business level - CJ

The day I found the inspiration to go ahead and create a free script hosting website was July 4th 2016, US Independence Day. I originally conceptualised the term “revolution” as a reference to how the site would allow screenwriters to promote their material in a way never seen before. Who would have known, nearly five years later, I’d be sitting on a huge underground uprising that many who have influence seemingly don’t want people to know about ?— CJ

If you know Shane Stanley, you'll know it's hard not to think about his name without picturing him performing one of his classic drum solos as the man is true rock and roll right to his core. With a remarkable background in the heavy metal/glam metal world spanning many years, Shane cut his teeth directing some classic music videos for legendary performers that went on to get major screen time. In this blog, he reflects on that genre of filmmaking and his recent actives within it - CJ

I’m, as of time of writing, 41 years old with an emphasis on the old. When I was a kid, I was exposed to the American New Wave films of the 70’s via rented video tape and, as I moved into my teens, the Independent Cinema Movement of the 90’s via late night TV and DVD. Lucky me. Generation-X got a damn good deal. I miss these eras dearly but it’s time to move on and get real -  CJ

If you’ve added a script listing to Script Revolution in the past few months, you’ll have likely noticed that you have the option to add a link to what’s called a ScriptHop Packet and you may have noticed my listing for Blueberry Special includes one. So what’s the deal? Why have I been so quick to implement this relatively unknown platform and promote what many would see as a direct competitor?— CJ 

Around this time last year, I published the blog “A Plan to Succeed in Screenwriting in 2020”. I wanted to revisit this with all I have learned in the previous twelve months. Therefore, this is the same document redrafted with some new reflections. 2020 has been a strange year to say the least and its impact on the film industry so significant it will most likely be changed forever as a result. Let’s dive in — CJ

Last month, Kelly Hughes, host of the fantastic 2-Bit Horror Podcast, blessed us with a brilliant guide detailing 10 Ways to be a Perfect & Productive Podcast Guest and now he's back to talk about the art of capturing the best possible table read as this becomes an increasingly popular method for screenwriters to both develop and market their scripts. This is a great guide broken down into seven sections which is a must read for writers, producers, and actors - CJ

So, I’m in a weird but exciting place right now. A feature film I’ve written is set for release in North American very shortly. It’s going to be stocked in Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon to buy on DVD and available on multiple streaming platforms. It’s been an exhilarating couple of years from unknown amateur to working screenwriter so here’s the most important lessons I’ve learned along the way — CJ

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Kelly Hughes for his podcast "2-bit Horror" and I can safely say he's one of the most professional hosts I've spoken with. In fact, Kelly and I go back a long way in my screenwriting life as he has also been a Stage 32 regular and blogger. In this article, he pretty much hands the powerful marcomms channel that is podcasting to you on a plate. No more excuses. It's time to take to the airwaves - CJ

If you've played with the image filters on social media platforms, you'll know how much difference colouring can make to the feel of a photograph. As someone who's watched a project go through shooting and post-production, where I got to see raw footage go through grading, I was amazed at how much difference it made to the impact of the film and I can certainly see why people get paid a lot of money to do it well. The question is; how does an indie filmmaker on a budget achieve similar results? Well, as ever, Shane Stanley is here to give some pointers based on his own experience - CJ

Rockstar member Bill Albert joined Script Revolution only recently but has already recieved the kind of call we've all been waiting for. While his feature script "Welcome to Nowhere" is prepared to be presented to studios by an eager producer, Bill has taken the time to write about his experience dealing with notes and making changes to seal the deal and aim to break in as an unknown writer - CJ

If you know me, you know I rarely have a good word to say about screenwriting gurus. In fact, in the eight years I’ve been screenwriting, I’ve made many an enemy of these self proclaimed experts. I don’t actually hate them. I know some very respected consultants working for the big studios and my fellow producers and I use them to reassure investors our script is ready for market. I just hate people who rip off naive amateurs trying to go pro. So, here’s five ways you can spot a grifter before it’s too late - CJ

Jeremy Storey recently wowed us all with the production of his short film "An Angel Whispers". He's a great Script Revolution success story and has really nailed his craft over the years he's been breaking in. If Jeremy wants to talk about his writing process, I'm listing. That's really easy to do now since he's taken the time to kindly record a video talking about how he approaches writing and gets the most from his stories. Check it out. It might just be the best thirty minutes you invest into your development - CJ

As someone who’s becoming somewhat seen as an opinion leader within the break-in screenwriting world, I get approached by people all the time asking me to judge competition entries, read books, and try out thir software. I almost always say no because their business operation is often predatory and against the interests of my peers. I’m a working writer-producer so I know what actually makes a difference and perhaps that’s why Prewrite caused me to stop in my tracks and give it a second glance - CJ

Rockstar member John Ellis, an all round great guy and long-time member of Script Revolution, has been attending our Shootin' The Sh*t with Shane meetings on Zoom during lockdown. As a result of talking in depth with a long-time established producer, John has had a revelation of sorts which has caused him to re-evaluate his core goals behind screenwriting and break out of momentum paralysis by making an essential pivot and finding a new route to his destination - CJ

Yes, we all know the rehearsed phrase by now, “Final Draft is the industry standard!”, an axiom it seems many screenwriters feel obliged to screech at anyone who dares ask what the best piece of software is to turn our day-dreaming into a full fleshed out, Hollywood ready, screenplay. However, as artists always looking to improve our craft, we owe it to ourselves to explore the other options out there - CJ

For anyone shooting on film, it would be considered crazy not to take the selection, transport, and storage of film stock incredibly seriously. Those reels are the life blood of the production and, if ever damaged or, even worse lost, it would be like hitting the undo button on hours or even days of production. However, it's not unusual to see those who shoot digitally treating their data like it's indestructible. The same attitude has to be applied to the ones and zeros as the celluloid and that means hard drives, lots of hard drives. Here's Shane Stanley's take. - CJ

Something I see every day that really pains me are screenwriters walking into the equivalent of career quicksand. I see this happening on various stages of writer’s journeys and sometimes they aren’t so much aimlessly wandering into trouble as gleefully diving right in to thunderous applause. Sometimes they are pushed. Here’s what I think screenwriters looking to build careers need to look out for while treading very carefully - CJ