Authoring & Playwriting

Hi, Geoff Hall. One of my takeaways/reminders is "Lewis was so precise on the page, there was never a question about what he was talking about or who he was talking to." I remember times when I thought things were clear in my scripts, but readers were confused. That's why I do a Visualize rewrite for each script. It's where I go through the script, visualizing the action and dialogue. It helps me see if anything is confusing, and it helps me think of ideas, scenes, etc. and catch story issues.

Maurice Vaughan thanks, Maurice. I tend to do the visualising when I’m writing the scene. Especially action sequences; they have to make sense on the page for it to make sense on the screen.

You're welcome, Geoff Hall. You're right. Jason Hellerman said in the article, "The ask to be plain and concrete is not an excuse to be boring. You still need to be interesting on the page. Engage the reader's senses. Instead of relying heavily on adjectives, paint pictures with words, using sensory details, motion, and contrast." That reminds me of how I used to write action lines. I used to be so concerned with having a lot of white space in scripts (for faster reads) that I held back on describing things in action lines and writing exciting/gripping action lines, and it hurt my scripts because my action lines were confusing and bland.

Geoff Hall, I love this! His advice is refreshingly straightforward but incredibly relevant, even now.

"On Writing" influenced a lot of writers, I think Eli Huggins

Chiara Torrisi, it definitely did! The first book I read on writing was also On Writing by Stephen King. I picked it up in high school thinking it would just be about horror, but it obviously surprised me. His voice was so conversational and honest, it made the whole process feel less intimidating. It didn’t give me a roadmap for story structure like Field’s book did later, but it lit the fire.

That's so important, Ashley Renee Smith

Not the first book, but one book that really opened my mind on process was CJ Walley's "Turn and Burn." There's a chapter called "My Mistakes with Happiness & Creativity" that truly is a gift to any writer, new or experienced. It is passionate and emotional and dangerous and important. In addition, there are many sections of the book that help with organization of a writing project and the simplicity of the character sheets was helpful. The book is all about heart and dedication to getting it done with a high level of craft. This book is on my list of top 5 writing books. Fresh in many ways with a mix of practical advice and passionate ideas. Write on!

Thanks for the suggestion, Pat Alexander: I'll add it to my wishlist! It seems an amazing reading. I love it when technical tips are mixed with emotional storytelling.

Maurice Vaughan thank you, Maurice. That is greatly appreciated.

You're welcome, Geoff Hall.

Chiara Torrisi hi Chiara. My morning practice is 20 minutes silent meditation. Exercises followed by a 30 meditation walk, when I attempt to close off internal traffic and any external stimuli. If I hear music I’ll just end up singing it to myself and not concentrating when I sit down to write. Each of us has a different method and if it works for you. Do it!

What mind of music do you listen to?

For me, the best music is movie soundtracks, Geoff Hall: they usually don't have lyrics, and I can pick the tracks according to the mood of the piece I'm writing (or editing). It's perfect for brainstorming!

Yet, I'm totally unable to write while listening to music. It distracts me and I can't focus on what I'm doing.

Chiara Torrisi that’s a great way of not having lyrics buzzing around your head, so I’ll work on that - otherwise my characters may start quoting Radiohead!

Thanks for the advice, Chiara Torrisi. I haven't written that many Historical stories. This will come in handy when I write another one.

You're welcome, Maurice Vaughan

Chiara Torrisi, this is such a great point! Two that come to mind for me are Shōgun by James Clavell and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. They’re incredibly different in tone and scope, but both use exposition as a powerful tool to immerse readers in vastly different eras and cultures. Shōgun unfolds through the eyes of an outsider, so the exposition reflects both cultural dissonance and discovery, while Outlander leans heavily into its protagonist’s 20th-century perspective contrasted against 18th-century Scotland, anchoring the reader through voice and contextual reflection.

Both show how voice and narrative perspective can turn exposition into a time machine without overwhelming the reader.

Great examples, Ashley Renee Smith! I still must read Shōgun; it interests me also because the screen adaptation seems to be excellent.

And you're right: exposition helps a lot to convey mood and details about the past without info dumping. When it works, readers almost don't notice that they're learning about the context.

I definitely will. Again, thank you for the kind words. I will be sending out copies of the book soon. Many blessings to you

Danny Range, I appreciate your guidance and congratulations on your sobriety. My book is already published and is available on Amazon. It's more than about my drug addiction. It also covers the sexual assault from family members and others in my life. The physical abuse I suffered, homelessness, and I found my son that took his own life with a firearm. Two years later I lost my husband on a motorcycle accident. I have literally been through the pits of hell. I never relapsed. Even through all the trauma and heartache I'm still 17 years completely sober. I know im my heart that I am strong enough now to face whatever challenges are going to come. I'm ready to get this book of mine out into the greater audience.

Tammy Winterringer I'm only California sober lol I've been completely sober for three years at one point. People don't understand how hard it is to stay away from it for 17 years--changing your friends, changing where you go out, losing family--so good for you, man!

And I didn't mean that there's only competition with addiction stories. There's competition for EVERYTHING. There are countless scripts about addicts, assault, you name it. It doesn't mean yours won't work, or that it's more intense than others, but what it does mean is that you really need to stand out. Not what you went through, YOU need to stand out. "Why you instead of somebody else with similar issues?" That's a question executives are going to ask.

Just be prepared for it to be tough and be in it for the long haul is all I'm saying! this takes years, even decades no matter how soon you feel ready.

But if you want it bad enough, like I do, then you have a chance.

Danny Range, THANK YOU! Going into this is had no idea how much competition there is, I appreciate your guidance!

wow what an amazing story. congratulations.

Welcome to Stage 32, Steven Craig! We’re so glad you’re here. If you’re looking to learn about adapting your nonfiction book into a screenplay or film project, you’re absolutely in the right place.

I recommend checking out our Stage 32 Education page, which offers fantastic webinars and classes from industry professionals across all areas of filmmaking and screenwriting: https://www.stage32.com/education

Also, don’t hesitate to come back to the Authoring & Playwriting Lounge as often as you need to ask questions and connect with fellow writers: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/playwriting

And since you’re looking into the adaptation side of things, I’d also suggest joining the conversations in the Screenwriting Lounge: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting and the Writer’s Room Lounge, which you can get a free month of here: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip

Stage 32 is a place where creatives support one another, so ask away! There are a lot of folks here who would be happy to share insight and advice to help you take the next step!

Welcome Steve!! Trust your instincts and network..just like any other job..people want to get to know you! You're light years ahead of most..Break a Leg!!

I wrote "All Present and Accounted For", the true story of the grounding and near sinking of the Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis near Dutch Harbor in November of 1972 and the heroic efforts of the crew to save the ship. I interviewed over 35 crewmembers and others associated with the rescue to relay a story that the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper book reviewer stated that it 'was the most thorough researched book he had ever read'. Reviews have been outstanding with over 260 reviews on Amazon. My website www.stevenjcraig.com also has some interviews that were conducted with me along with a couple of short videos on YouTube.

I suggest you do some radio and TV interviews to get buzz. Then do a kickstarter or go fund me to get the script written. I'll write it for you.

Congratulations! Welcome, I'm new here too, I hope we have great experiences.

Great question Ashley Renee Smith - I've adapted two books into screenplays and the best advice I can give anyone is to be patient with themselves and be willing to let go of things. By being patient, I mean taking the time to learn the craft of screenwriting before putting "pen to paper". Learn the formatting inside and out. That's one of the challenges that I think some forget because it's not as crucial in novel writing as it is in screenplays. "Letting go" means tightening those descriptions and using an economy of words to best describe a scene. There will be some things in the novel that won't be in the screenplay as well. Those things may sound like a burden but once you get a really good grip on formatting for example, the writing becomes so much more enjoyable. So novelists, don't hate on formatting.

I've adapted four. It's SO hard to figure out how to condense a book into a pilot or screenplay! I start by doing a cut and paste from the book to screenplay format, expecting it to be too long and unwieldy. I cut from there. And EXPAND. Some day, I plan on redoing the books and adding some of the scenes/characters that I developed by doing the screenplay.

Hello Debra. My book is less than 250 pages. However, it is my life story and all that I survived. Do you have time to take on a new project these days?

Chiara, nice post to bring up. I usually average anywhere from 15 to 20 revisions on all my screenplays. It’s a habit I found helpful and learning but it also opened up my eyes as to how important revising is. I never discard my old drafts. I keep them in individual folders as a reference and reminder of how my growth has developed. Never hesitate in entering your earliest material into competitions. You’d be amazed how well you might finish regardless of the standing.

For scripts, I start a new version whenever I make revisions/edits and number each one. For a book, I keep a file of notes and snippets of dialogue or of a scene. But the main document is the only one I work with. I don't even use my editor's track changes, mostly because I want to be free to make the changes MY way. I look at their TC doc and manually make them to my document. I do backup my work every time, though.

Interesting approach Debra Holland, thanks for sharing!

Hi Anselmo Garcia

You can save as word doc and date it each time. ZARBER4/25, ZARBER 4/26

Kat Spencer reading is great to enhance and re enforce your story.

Hi Kat, I used to definitely worry about influence bleeding through. I’d avoid reading certain genres or stories entirely while writing, just to keep my creative lane clear. But then I heard an author I admire talk about the reality of inspiration, and it completely reframed the way I think.

The truth is, no story is entirely original. To make something marketable, there has to be a level of familiarity and relatability baked in. That’s what makes stories resonate. Our brains naturally make connections to the creative works that have left a lasting impression. You can’t read about a sprawling fantasy world without your mind pulling a thread back to Tolkien. You can’t write about young magic-wielders without brushing against some level of Harry Potter nostalgia. The same is true across romance, horror, sci-fi—you name it.

But I’ve realized that if you’re someone who’s inspired by creativity, then reading while writing isn’t a hindrance, it’s fuel. It sharpens your voice and helps you see how others tackle tone, structure, or character.

Now, if I notice something I’m working on feels too close to something else, I don’t panic, I just tweak it until it feels like mine. Because here’s the other thing: I could give everyone on Stage 32 the exact same prompt, with strict genre and character guidelines, and we’d still end up with thousands of wildly different stories. Only you can write the story you’re going to tell, in your unique voice.

All that to say, I don’t stress about it anymore. Reading makes me a better writer and a saner person.

Yes, I read screenplays not for inspiration, because my imagination alone could fuel a thousand more. I read to learn the language of the industry, to understand what a professional script truly looks like. I ‘stole’ structure, rhythm, and format from those who came before me then fused it all with a creative spirit that simply can’t be matched. I’m a lethal weapon in this craft: trained by the wisdom of others, driven by a voice that doesn’t run out.

I read fiction ALL THE TIME!

As a book editor, I can't help but recommend reading a lot, always, and especially in our genre, Kat Spencer The more books we read, the more we're aware of cliches and more able to avoid them. It seems counterintuitive, but reading our genre doesn't limit or influence the writing in a bad way: in reality, it makes us more creative and original!

Experience:" Nobody's Heroes"...I tell people the idea occurred to me when I was laying face down in a rice paddy taking fire when my platoon was ambushed by the Viet Cong.

"I'll Never Find Another You"...inspired by the on and off romantic relationship I had with one woman from 1967 to 2012 (still in love with her). "In Self Defense?" inspired by a 1973 study I worked on with Johns Hopkins University on how your body language can determine if you're likely to be a crime victim"

I'll take an experience and find a way to put it into a story.

Great responses, everyone! Appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Truthfully, It's always a combination of both. I can't help but include a part of me in what I write, but it is also escapism into a realm that differs from current reality.

I write to escape real life. I just happen to be more honest when I’m writing.