Betsy the Gremlin

Writing about writing to avoid writing her writing.

screenwriting 1-01

  • Do you still believe these outrageous film industry myths?

    There are plenty of myths and misconceptions about the world of screenwriting and film, just like any industry. The pervasive untruths that people believe about filmmaking are pretty wild, and before I got enmeshed in this world I believed plenty of them myself. (Heck, part of me still wants to believe that I can make Read more

  • Overused film tropes that will get your screenplay trashed!

    There are some things in storytelling that we repeat, rehash, and make anew. That’s part of the human condition; we love telling stories and boy howdy, do we love hearing, reading, and seeing them on the screens. Chalk it up to the hero’s journey, but humans are just super into that rising-action/climax/conclusion cycle. And within Read more

  • 5 Unexpected Books That’ll Make Your Screenwriting Better (and one popular one you can trash!)

    There’s a slew of books and lists of books about how to write screenplays, and they’re all fine, but let me tell you, it’s the weird and unexpected books that really added to my writing chops. Read on for a list of books you need on your shelves to up your writing game, and your Read more

  • How to write accents in your screenplay!

    Part of the Dialogue Doctor series! (Disclosure; some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you choose to purchase through them) The Dialogue Doctor is back after a long hiatus, mainly due to quarantine depression (because seriously, this situation is depressing…). Got a question about writing dialogue? I’m Read more

  • The Dialogue Doctor; Leave the Actors Alone

    (Betsy the Gremlin is a self-appointed Dialogue Doctor. Everyone says she’s good at writing dialogue and by gum she wants you to be good at it too!) Part One of Many; Leave the Actors Alone Something I am guilty of doing in my screenplays and have to actively fix in later drafts of work is Read more

  • Leave the actors alone! Writing scripts that actors love!

    Something I am guilty of doing in my screenplays and have to actively fix in later drafts of work is over-directing the actors. Adding too many ‘umm’s and notes. Not the worst no-no in screenwriting etiquette, but not a great look for anyone. It’s a habit that makes sense; you know how the scene is Read more

  • Chapter One; The Boy Who Found Harry after a Tragedy – Medium.com

    This is the first installment of my very not-finished Potter Project, where I go through each chapter of the first Harry Potter book and try to find a way to translate it into a decent screenplay scene. This article focuses on chapter one and starting the proposed film at a different point than with the Read more

  • Wants and Needs and What That Means – Medium.com

    The first medium.com article I ever wrote, exploring the way that screenwriting instruction focuses on what characters want and need, but without explaining what those things actually mean in terms of writing. It’s a strange little language/code-switching barrier that warrants a deeper look, with Remy’s journey as a focal point. One of the core elements Read more