Tag: Scriptwriting

British to American Spelling
Advice, Grammar

UK to US Spelling

Phil Owens

Many people struggle when they need to write using a country’s spelling that isn’t their native tongue. After several years of looking up the differences, I now know most of them by heart. However, there are still a few that can catch me out. I thought I’d build up a translation table so I didn’t have to keep searching to check if I was right. I thought this might be useful to my readers, so here is a searchable table of the most common variances.

When moving from British to American English, there are some general rules that normally apply; Continue reading “UK to US Spelling” →

Screenwriting Grammar Mistakes article photo
Advice, Creative Writing, Grammar, Screenwriting

7 Common Grammar Mistakes

Phil Owens

Ensuring your writing is grammatically correct can be a huge irritation and a time-eating monster, or it can be costly to pay someone to do it for you. Do you really need to make sure each and every sentence complies with grammar rules?

YES, YOU DO! At least, you do if you want to be taken seriously as an author or screenwriter. The reason for grammar (and punctuation) rules is for clarity. Without them, what we think we’ve written could be read as something entirely different. Here’s an example of why the good old Oxford comma is important (contentious, I know);

“We had a party with the dogs, Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber.”
Or, “We had a party with the dogs, Taylor Swift, and Justin Beiber.” Note the additional comma.

The first sentence can be read that Taylor Swift and Justin Beiber are dogs, while the second one clearly states that the two pop stars were at the party with the dogs. Of course, if what you meant was to express your opinion of the two pop stars, then the first sentence is entirely correct.

Continue reading “7 Common Grammar Mistakes” →

Script Template
Advice, Screenwriting

MS Word Script Template

Phil Owens

Following the interest from my Script Formatting Guide, I thought I’d knock together an MS Word template with the margins set and the most common format styles set up as shortcuts. If you’d like a copy, then just Enter your email below. Oh, I couldn’t find a suitable photo for this, so I thought I’d use one of a cute puppy.

MS Word Script Template (57 downloads)

It’s a very basic template, but if you would like anything added, then drop me a line.

Why not sign up as a subscriber and make sure you don’t miss any future articles or downloads.

Advice, Creative Writing, Screenwriting

How To Write Show Vs. Tell

Phil Owens

“Show, don’t tell” must be one of the most often heard pieces of advice writers hear. But what on earth does it really mean? I think it’s easier to start with an example; “John felt scared,” is a perfect example of ‘telling.’ The same thing but done as ‘showing’ would be, “John cowered.” By using the second example, you are showing the reader how John felt; it puts a picture in the reader’s head. And, this is the golden rule to try and follow. Continue reading “How To Write Show Vs. Tell” →

Grammarly Dissected photo
Advice, Grammar

The Grammarly Tool Dissected – A Personal Review

Phil Owens

Whether you’re a veteran or a virgin to the world of writing, Grammarly is one of those tools that can help improve your prose. As a proofreader, Grammarly is one of my sanity-checking tools. Even at the standard membership level, the functionality is useful.

Continue reading “The Grammarly Tool Dissected – A Personal Review” →

What's in a Script photo
Advice, Screenwriting

Components Of A Script

Phil Owens

One question every single fledgling scriptwriter asks is, “How do I write a script?” In this article, we are going to break a script down into its component pieces and explore what you can do to make them better. This article should be read in conjunction with How To Format A Script. So, without further ado, let’s get to it…

Continue reading “Components Of A Script” →

Advice, Creative Writing, Screenwriting

Screenwriting And Creative Writing Competitions

Phil Owens

Writing and Scriptwriting Competition LogoI’m very happy to announce the launch of a new Competitions section on Cyber Write. I’ve been working hard in the background and combing the internet to find details of lots of competitions for both Authors and Screenwriters.  This section, in its nature, is very much a work in progress, and I will be adding both screenwriting and creating writing competitions as I become aware of them.

As a writer, entering competitions is a great way to hone your craft, and winning one (or even being a finalist) gets you great exposure. Getting to the finalist’s stage is something you can add to your resume, which helps get your manuscript/script noticed. That’s not to mention some of the fantastic prizes you can win, many of which simply aren’t available to unpublished writers.

If you know of any competitions that you would like to recommend, then please let me know. And if you host a competition and would like me to feature it in the calendar, then drop me a line.

 

Screenplay Formatting Checklist
Advice, Screenwriting

Screenplay Formatting Guide and Checklist

Phil Owens

So, you’re writing your screenplay, and it’s a great story with lots of action and suspense. But stop for a minute. Your screenplay isn’t just about a great story; it’s also a tool for everyone involved in making it into a film. And if your formatting isn’t right, then no matter how good your story is, your script isn’t going to make it past the front door.

Continue reading “Screenplay Formatting Guide and Checklist” →

Advice

Advice and Guidance

Phil Owens

Even if I can’t help you with editing or proofreading, there are many articles on my site that I hope can help. My Blog section contains advice and guidance and is a growing resource to help new authors and screenwriters with many of the most common questions asked when starting to write.

Most of the tips are to do with grammar, but there will be the odd one for writing in general. These tips are to help you produce the best first draft you can and to avoid some of the pitfalls new writers often fall into.

At the bottom of all my posts is an option to Print, email, or convert to a PDF so you can keep the article for future reference.

One thing to note while reading my blog is that it is written using British spelling and grammar. Although, sometimes, I write using American spelling and grammar just for a bit of variation.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to guest blog, then I’m more than happy to chat.