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Advice from the writers of the shows you love

Newest WritingCards From AFF, ATX, FilmIndie Events (April 2019))

KeenenIvory Wayans

KeenenIvory Wayans

"Never settle for less than excellence."

In Living Color | White Chicks | Scary Movie
Marc Webb

Marc Webb

"Longer takes!"

500 Days of Summer | Gifted| Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Damon Lindelof

Damon Lindelof

"Stop thiking about what your'e gonna say and LISTEN."

Lost | The Leftovers | Star Trek
Darlene Hunt

Darlene Hunt

"Showrunning is too big a job for one person. So hire great people and delegate like crazy."

I Heart Huckabees | The Big C | Idiocracy
Will Pascoe

Will Pascoe

"1. Write from POV. 2. Conflict=Change in every scene."

Shut Eye | Da Vinci's Demons | Orphan Black
William Broyles

William Broyles

"Don't be too easily satisfied."

Apollo 13 | Cast Away | Six
Ed Solomon

Ed Solomon

"Stay open, keep moving and have patience."

Men in Black | Now You See Me | & Charlie's Angels
Bill Wittliff

Bill Wittliff

"If you have the itch; you also have the ability to scratch."

Lonesome Dove | The Black Stallion | The Perfect Storm
Jason Fuchs

Jason Fuchs

"You're judged by your best work, not your worst. Write as badly as you need to get to the good stuff."

Minecraft The Movie | Wonder Woman | Pan
David Iserson

David Iserson

"Write with joy."

Mr. Robot | The Spy Who Dumped Me | Mad Men
Dailyn Rodriguez

Dailyn Rodriguez

"I think a lot about how to be a benevolent dictator. You want to make sure people are following your direction but you want to listen and be kind."

Queen of the South | The Night Shift | The Glades
Jim Gavin

Jim Gavin

"If you are not having fun writing something, the reader will not have fun reading."

Lodge 49 ||
Peter Ocko

Peter Ocko

"Remember it's a joyride."

Pushing Daisies | The Office | Not Necessarily the News
Christopher Markus

Christopher Markus

"Think harder and get off the internet."

Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Captain America: The First Avenger | & Thor: The Dark World
Stephen McFeely

Stephen McFeely

"Be nice to yourself. You don't suck that much."

Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Captain America: The First Avenger | & Thor: The Dark World
Pamela Ribon

Pamela Ribon

"Sometimes you have to write it to find out what it was."

Moana | Smurfs The Lost Village | Samantha Who?
Andrew Logan

Andrew Logan

"Who is the main character? What does he/she want? And why?"

Chappaquiddick||
Peter Craig

Peter Craig

"If you're feeling blocked, you're expecting too much, too quickly. Give yourself permission to write badly, to fail, and if you persist - eventually it get's better."

The Town | The Hunger Games | Top Gun: Maverick
Matt Sazama

Matt Sazama

"Get back to work."

Gods of Egypt | Morbius | Lost in Space
Aaron Hilliard

Aaron Hilliard

"Take time to remember the 30,000 foot view every once in awhile. Don't get lost in the nitty gritty. Go back to the blueprint (outline) you started with to stay on course."

Free Ride | Betas | Ground Game
Bryan Woods

Bryan Woods

"Enjoy the small victories."

A Quiet Place | Haunt | Nightlight
Scott Beck

Scott Beck

"Listen to your passion and don't be afraid t say no to opportunities if they don't fall into your master plan."

A Quiet Place | Haunt | Nightlight
Kat Candler

Kat Candler

"Stay on the playground."

Hellion | Queen Sugar | 13 Reasons Why
Charmaine DeGrate

Charmaine DeGrate

"Let it be bad before it's great. - I can fix anything other than a blank page."

The 100 | One on One | Dead Scared
Carly Wray

Carly Wray

"Allow yourself to write the BAD VERSION FIRST - Just get it down, you'll rewrite and make it great LATER."

Westworld | Mad Men | Watchmen
Donald Todd

Donald Todd

"The message is the message received."

This Is Us | Sleepy Hollow | For The People
Christina Hodson

Christina Hodson

"Write"

Bumblebee | Shut In | Unforgettable
George Pelecanos

George Pelecanos

"Continue to read novels voraciously and lead a full life."

Shoedog | The Pacific | The Duece
John Dowdle

John Dowdle

"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. (Navy Seal Quote)"

Waco | No Escape | As Above So Below
Rob Greenberg

Rob Greenberg

"Story is king"

Overboard | Impastor | How I Met Your Mother
Bob Fisher

Bob Fisher

"Is there a way to make those 3 pretty good scenes become one excellent scene?"

Wedding Crashers | We're the Millers| Sirens
Kimberly Peirce

Kimberly Peirce

"Go for what you absolutely love - have fun - love it"

Boys Don't Cry | Stop-Loss | Carrie
Valerie Faris

Valerie Faris

"Just keep the pen moving, don't think too much."

Battle of the Sexes | Ruby Sparks | Little Miss Sunshine
Jonathan Dayton

Jonathan Dayton

"You only get one read of your script, don't share it till you are REALLY done."

Battle of the Sexes | Ruby Sparks | Little Miss Sunshine
Angela Robinson

Angela Robinson

"Live life."

Professor Marston the Wonder Women | True Blood | How to Get Away with Murder
Craig Gillespie

Craig Gillespie

"Follow your heart! Don't play it safe."

I Tonya | The Finest Hours | Million Dollar Arm
Sean Baker

Sean Baker

"Always do a silent take."

The Florida Project | Tangerine | Prince of Broadway
Jeff Wadlow

Jeff Wadlow

"When you're in a box the only way out is up."

Truth or Dare | The Strain | Bates Motel
Jay Kogen

Jay Kogen

"Write something that only you can express."

School of Rock | Simpsons | Frasier
Robert Cargill

Robert Cargill

"Character is choice. Make all of the choices interesting!"

Doctor Strange | Sinister | Sinister 2
Gordon Smith

Gordon Smith

"It's not final until it's final."

Better Call Saul | Breaking Bad | Outsiders
Liz Hannah

Liz Hannah

"Don't be afraid."

The Post | Reign Over Me | Skin
Jennie SnyderUrman

Jennie SnyderUrman

"Everyone is working so hard!"

Charmed | Jane the Virgin | Emily Owens M.D.
Abby Kohn

Abby Kohn

"What do you really want to put out into the world?"

Never Been Kissed | How to Be Single | I Feel Pretty
Marc Silverstein

Marc Silverstein

"There is nothing worth looking at on the Internet."

Never Been Kissed | How to Be Single | I Feel Pretty
Cory Finley

Cory Finley

"Give the audiance only enough information to keep them engaged and un-confused - nothing more."

Thoroughbreds | Burning Rainbow Farm | Sauna
DavidBranson Smith

DavidBranson Smith

"Challange yourself to take on risks with your story, explore characters you want to know more about, create worlds that reflect every corner of your imagination, but always remember that as a craftsman you can only be great at one thing. Do that thing better than anyone else."

Ingrid Goes West | Enlightened | Field Trip
Alex Garland

Alex Garland

"Make the plot relate directly to the themes."

Annihilation | Ex Machina | 28 Days Later
Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele

"Never lose sight of why you started this script."

Get Out | Keanu | Key Peele
Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig

"Don't afraid to be bored. On the other side of boredom is magic."

Frances Ha | Mistress America | Lady Bird
Mike Golamco

Mike Golamco

"Remember my own voice."

Nightflyers | Please St By | Grimm
Steven Rogers

Steven Rogers

"Be kind to yourself."

I Tonya | Love the Coopers | P.S. I Love You
Scott Neustadter

Scott Neustadter

"Don't think yourself our of it!!!"

The Disaster Artist | 500 Days of Summer | The Spectacular Now
Michael Weber

Michael Weber

"Write everyday."

The Disaster Artist | 500 Days of Summer | The Spectacular Now
Emily Gordon

Emily Gordon

"Remember the headline of the story you want to tell. When you get bogged down in details + hate the world, it'll save you."

The Big Sick | Crashing | The Carmichael Show
Kumail Nanjiani

Kumail Nanjiani

"Just write. Doesn't have to be good. Take the pressure off yourself."

The Big Sick | Life as We Know It | Central Intelligence
Virgil Williams

Virgil Williams

"Calm the fuck down and write."

Mudbound | Criminal Minds | The Chicago Code
Aline BroshMcKenna

Aline BroshMcKenna

"Put many boats in the water"

The Devil Wears Prada | 27 Dresses | We Bought a Zoo
Rachel Bloom

Rachel Bloom

"Meditate"

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Robot Chicken | BoJack Horseman
Wendy Calhoun

Wendy Calhoun

"I've been thinking about studying the classics again: Greek Dramas, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Tennessee Williams to help me formulate more classic structures in my series I'm developing."

Justified | Life | Nashville
Pamela Adlon

Pamela Adlon

"Bad for my life - Great for my show."

Better Things | King of the Hill | Bob's Burgers
Robert Eggers

Robert Eggers

"Trust youself."

The Witch | The Tell-Tale Heart | Hansel & Gretel
Jay Kogen

Jay Kogen

"When you think your script is great, it isn't. Keep rewriting."

The Simpsons | Frasier | Malcolm in the Middle
Robia Rashid

Robia Rashid

"If there is a crazy scene you can't get out of your head and the room doesn't quite get it and thinks you're just overtired and tries to talk you out of it, write it anyway. Maybe you will cut it or be great but either way it'll be a splinter in your brain until you just invite it."

Atypical | The Goldbergs | How I Met Your Mother
Mike Royce

Mike Royce

"You're always one solved writing problem away from the unsolvable one that will kill you. Not really, but that's why you just have to keep writing."

Everybody Loves Raymond | One Day at a Time | Men of a Certain Age
Tom Perrotta

Tom Perrotta

"Be bold, take the big chances."

Little Children | Election | The Leftovers
Rosanna Welch

Rosanna Welch

"Remember the academic and how important one of your throw away lives might be in their life. Try matters"

Touched by an Angel | Picket Fences | Beverly Hills 90210
Peter Barsocchini

Peter Barsocchini

"Make certain your main character's conflict is worth 3 acts!!"

High School Musical | Summer Camp | Ping Pong Rabbit
Charles Rosin

Charles Rosin

"When you get stuck on a scene, it's not the scene that you are writing that is the problem. It's the scene that set up the problematic scene that required another pass."

Northern Exposure | Dawsons Creek | Beverly Hills 90210
Brian Yorkey

Brian Yorkey

"Write about what you care about."

13 Reasons Why | Time After Time|
Matt Selman

Matt Selman

"Know where you are going - do not wavier from the path to the end that says what you want to say."

Simpsons | Simpsons Movie | Simpsons Take the Bowl
Tom Schnauz

Tom Schnauz

"Try to make yourself happy with your ideas and don't worry about pleasing others."

Breaking Bad | Better Call Saul | Reaper
Phillip Noyce

Phillip Noyce

"Wide shot"

Salt | The Giver | Killer 10
Hampton Fancher

Hampton Fancher

"The wall will tell you."

Blade Runner 2049 | Blade Runner | Rome Adventure
Eli Craig

Eli Craig

"Trust yourself, enjoy it, and begin!"

Tucker Dale vs Evil | Little Evil | The Tao of Pong
Nicholas Stoller

Nicholas Stoller

"In every scene remember the whole story."

The Muppets | Friends from College | The Carmichael Show
Jason Headley

Jason Headley

"Write about things that make you angry."

A Bad Idea Gone Wrong | It's Not About the Nail | At the Bar
Kira Snyder

Kira Snyder

"Follow your passion."

Handmaids Tale | The 100 | Eureka
Scott Frank

Scott Frank

"Simplify."

Minority Report | Logan | The Wolverine
Pamela Ribon

Pamela Ribon

"I don't have to tell all of the story, I only have to tell what matters."

Moana | Smurfs The Lost Village | Samantha Who?
Oren Uziel

Oren Uziel

"I've been trying to remmber to write fatter scenes. Be less strict about getting on late and leaving early. Find new thats way."

22 Jump Street | Freaks of Nature | Shimmer Lake
Kelly Masterson

Kelly Masterson

"Don't write furniture"

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead | Snowpiercer | Good People
Dana Fox

Dana Fox

"Keep going, then breathe, then KEEP going. "

What Happens in Vegas | Couples Retreat | How to Be Single
Scott Rosenberg

Scott Rosenberg

"Always care"

Con Air | Gone in Sixty Seconds | High Fidelity
Jason Fuchs

Jason Fuchs

"Other people are working harder - so you go harder."

Minecraft The Movie | Wonder Woman | Pan
Tess Morris

Tess Morris

"Hold your nerve. "

Man Up | My Family | Secret Santa
Scott Myers

Scott Myers

"Start with character, End with character, Find the story in between"

K-9 | Alaska | Trojan War
Michael Arndt

Michael Arndt

"Never condescend (emotional) to your hero."

The Force Awakens | Toy Story 3 | Inside Out
Joe Weisberg

Joe Weisberg

"When your're having problems, its always the same old reasons or something basic w/ your characters and story. Review the stuff you've known forever."

The Americans | Damages | Falling Skies
Joel Fields

Joel Fields

"Listen"

The Americans | Rizzoli & Isles| Dirt
Monica Owusu-Breen

Monica Owusu-Breen

"Be true to the story you want to tell."

Midnight Texas | Agents of SHIELD | Fringe
Anna Fricke

Anna Fricke

"What I need to remember - I have spent so long on staffs of various shows or helping writers produce thier shows that I must always push myself to write in my voice on my off time, to push to find that ultimate dream project."

Being Human | Everwood | Men in Trees
Phil Rosenthal

Phil Rosenthal

"Do the show you want to do, because in the end, they're going to cancel you anyway. - Ed Weinberger"

Everybody Loves Raymond | I'll Have What Phil's Having | Somebody Feed Phil
Javier Grillo-Marxuach

Javier Grillo-Marxuach

"Know your vision intimately but share it promiscuously"

Lost | The 100 | Helix
Jennifer Robinson

Jennifer Robinson

Always remember to stay true to your voice while also being open to collaboration. - Take naps when you need them.

Sweet/Vicious | The Samurai of Strongsville Ohio | Miriam
Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

"It's okay to make mistakes. They can almost always be fixed. And when they can't... there's another episode next week."

The Carmichael Show | New Girl | My Name is Earl
Greg Garcia

Greg Garcia

"Don't think too much and just start."

The Guest Book | Raising Hope | My Name Is Earl
Andre Nemec

Andre Nemec

"Kick the tires. Story. Characters. Twists. It can always be crisper."

Life on Mars | Alias | Zoo
Tracey Wigfield

Tracey Wigfield

"It always feels this hard to break act 3."

Great News| The Mindy Project | 30 Rock
Taylor Sheridan

Taylor Sheridan

"Write the movie you want to go see."

Hell or High Water | Sicario | Sons of Anarchy
Jane Anderson

Jane Anderson

"Forgive your bad first draft."

The Wife | Olive Kitteridge | amd Mad Men
Brad Schiff

Brad Schiff

"You don't have to draw great to animate great. -Richard Protouin"

Kubo the Two Strings | The Boxtrolls | ParaNorman
Brian McLean

Brian McLean

"Never be afraid to make mistakes. Failure is so important for innovation. Remind yourself of that, otherwise you won't produce anything that is truly innovative."

Kubo the Two Strings | The Boxtrolls | ParaNorman
Steve Emerson

Steve Emerson

"Work hard. Respect the art. Collaborate. Deliver the director's vision. Be a kind person."

Kubo the Two Strings | The Boxtrolls | ParaNorman
Allison Schroeder

Allison Schroeder

"1. Point of Attack 2. Midpoint 3. Twist"

Hidden Figures | Mean Girls 2 | Pineapple Express
Chris McKay

Chris McKay

"Write everyday, all the time, it's a muscle you have to use it all the time."

Lego Batman | The Lego Movie | Robot Chicken
Arianne Sutner

Arianne Sutner

"Eat lunch."

Kubo & the Two Strings | ParaNorman | Coraline
Travis Knight

Travis Knight

"AlI want is the truth. Just give me some truth - John Lennon"

Kubo & the Two Strings | ParaNorman | Coraline
Josh Locy

Josh Locy

"Be curious"

Hunter Gatherer | John Cassavetes Award Nominee|
Michel Franco

Michel Franco

"Filmar y escribir películas que no parezcan películas. No usar fórmulas - Film and write movies that don't seem like movies. Don't use formulas."

After Lucia | Chronic | Daniel Ana
Mike Mills

Mike Mills

"Be nice."

Thumbsucker | Architecture of Reassurance | 20th Century Women
Dean Craig

Dean Craig

"Focus!"

Death at a Funeral | A Few Best Men | Moonwalkers
Nick Watson

Nick Watson

"It has to be bad, before it can be good."

Sold | Fergus in Hell | Live on Bowen
Eric Heisserer

Eric Heisserer

"Keep your passion. Protect it. Don't let it die or your dreams will too."

Arrival| The Thing | Final Destination 5
Denis Villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve

"Ne pas plaire aux autres. (I must not please other people)"

Prisoners | Incendies | Sicario
Joe Walker

Joe Walker

"Time is my superpower. How can I use it to benefit this story?"

12 Years a Slave | Sicario | Arrival
Nacho Vigalondo

Nacho Vigalondo

"Di la verdad. - Tell the truth."

Colossal|Open Windows|Timecrimes
Alex Juhasz

Alex Juhasz

"Always be willing to destroy somthing good, to make something great."

The Little Prince|The Babadook|United States of Tara
Mark Osborne

Mark Osborne

"Learn by making mistakes and don't ever wait for or expect perfection.!!"

The Little Prince|The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie|Kung Fu Panda
Kelly Fremon Craig

Kelly Fremon Craig

"Trust your instincts- your feelings are always right, listen to them. Write from a place that hurts a little. If it doesn't hurt, it doesn't matter to you enough."

The Edge of Seventeen|Post Grad|Streak
Marianne Wibberley

Marianne Wibberley

"Use subtext. Don't answer yes or no, instead try using the moment to say something about your character. Q: Do you always lite your cigerettes w/ $100 bills? A: I always wanted to."

National Treasure: Book of Secrets|National Treasure|Bad Boys II
Aaron Covington

Aaron Covington

"Only the film is final. Everything can change."

Creed|Get Some|NBA 2K17
Scott Neustadter

Scott Neustadter

"You're better at this than you think."

500 Days of Summer|The Fault in Our Stars|The Pink Panther 2
Andrew Kevin Walker

Andrew Kevin Walker

"Write whatever you want!"

Se7en|The Follow|Fight Club
Katie Dippold

Katie Dippold

"Write what you are most excited, not what you think you should write."

The Heat|Parks and Recreation|Ghostbusters
Philip Rosenthal

Philip Rosenthal

"Do the show you want to do because, in the end, they're going to change you anyway."

Everybody Loves Raymond|America: A Tribute to Heroes|Exporting Raymond
Carter Bays

Carter Bays

"1, Make the show you'll be proud of 5-years from now 2. Get enough sleep"

How I Met Your Mother|Late Show with David Letterman|Lord of the Piercing
Amy Berg

Amy Berg

"Work with people you don't mind spending twelve hours a day with. Running a show is like casting, all the pieces must fit."

Boomtown|Leverage|Eureka
Mark Protosevich

Mark Protosevich

"Try to have a complete vision of the film in your head before you write one word on the page."

I Am Legend|Thor|The Cell
Craig Mazin

Craig Mazin

"Plan it out."

Scary Movie 4|The Hangover Part II|Identity Thief
Mark L.Smith

Mark L.Smith

"Still alive in Austin!"

The Revenant|Vacancy|The Hole
Robin Swicord

Robin Swicord

"Before you begin boarding your script in pre-production, give your script to 3 people who love you and ask them to mark thru anything they think you don't need to shoot. Then consider, seriously, making those cuts."

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button|Memoirs of a Geisha|Matilda
James V. Hart

James V. Hart

"Nobody has a job until you write the end."

Hook |Epic|Contact
Justin Marks

Justin Marks

"Don't be boring."

The Jungle Book|Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li|Rewind
Ashley Miller

Ashley Miller

"Writing is rewriting."

X-Men: First Class|Thor|Agent Cody Banks
Tom Szentgyorgyi

Tom Szentgyorgyi

"The calendar is your enemy."

The Mentalist|NYPD Blue|Philly
Jose Rivera

Jose Rivera

"Don't write bullshit."

The Motorcycle Diaries|Trade|Letters to Juliet
Tess Morris

Tess Morris

"Write who you know."

Man Up|The Love Punch|My Family
Lindsay Doran

Lindsay Doran

"If you're having trouble with your third act, the problem probably lies in your first act."

Stranger Than Fiction|Sense and Sensibility|The Film
Bobby Farrelly

Bobby Farrelly

"My writing advice is to use dialouge that you've heard before. Keep it real."

There's Something About Mary|Me, Myself & Irene |Dumb and Dumber
Paul Feig

Paul Feig

"Whenever possible, tell it visually instead of verbally."

Spy|Ghostbusters|Bridesmaids
David Zucker

David Zucker

"Write what you know!"

The Naked Gun|Airplane!|The Naked Gun 2½
William Wheeler

William Wheeler

"Kill the ego."

Queen of Katwe|The Hoax|Ray Donovan
Jaydi Samuels

Jaydi Samuels

"Hold in your farts (and if you can't, blame it on the person next to you)."

Ted|Family Guy|Ted 2
Mike Sweeney

Mike Sweeney

"Write!"

Late Night with Conan|The Tonight Show with Conan|10th Anniversary Special
Mick Garris

Mick Garris

"Don't listen to those naysayers!"

Hocus Pocus|The Fly II|The Fly II
Paul Scheer

Paul Scheer

"Remember, you chose to do this. Have fun. You get to do something that everyone dreams of doing."

The League|NTSF:SD:SUV|Fresh Off the Boat
Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton

"Don't think too much."

Warrior|Black Mass|The Gift
David Weddle

David Weddle

"Stay Flexible."

Battlestar Galactica|BSG: Blood & Chrome|CSI
BradleyThompson

BradleyThompson

"Keep doing it."

Battlestar Galactica|BSG: Blood & Chrome|CSI
Gavin O'Connor

Gavin O'Connor

"Don't think about writing, just write."

The Accountant|Warrior|Pride and Glory
David Kajganich

David Kajganich

"Protecting your characters is tantamount to underwriting them."

The Invasion|True Story|A Bigger Splash
Nick Kroll

Nick Kroll

"Write a lot."

The League|I Love You, Man|Adult Beginners
Jeff Baena

Jeff Baena

"Wear comfortable shoes - From Gary Marshall"

I Heart Huckabees|Life After Beth|Joshy
VJ Boyd

VJ Boyd

"Always finish. Don't stop in the middle."

Justified|The Jury|The Player
Craig DiGregorio

Craig DiGregorio

"Please. Don't take yourself too seriously."

Chuck|Workaholics|Ash vs Evil Dead
Sian Heder

Sian Heder

"Hire people that are smarter than you. Listen to people's notes. Rewrite the fuck out of your script and don't shoot until it's airtight."

Orange Is the New Black|Tallulah|Dog Eat Dog
Alex Garland

Alex Garland

"Up with writers! Cheers"

Ex Machina|28 Days Later...|Dredd
Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze

"I don't know anything. That's the one thing I know."

Her|Where the Wild Things Are|Being John Malkovich
Donald Margulies

Donald Margulies

"Don't work on a single project at a time. Diversify!"

Dinner with Friends|The End of the Tour|Collected Stories
Elin Hampton

Elin Hampton

"Pay attention to everything."

The Gregory Hines Show|Life's Work|Dream On
Marielle Heller

Marielle Heller

"Shut off your little voice voice in your head that criticizes you and trust yourself"

The Diary of a Teenage Girl|A Walk Among the Tombstones|MacGruber
Riki Lindholm

Riki Lindholm

"Make your first three pages great"

Another Period|Garfunkel and Oates|Life Is Short
Natasha Leggaro

Natasha Leggaro

"Words build bridges into unexplored regions - Hitler"

Let's Be Cops|Neighbors|He's Just Not That Into You
Alan Yang

Alan Yang

"The most specific becomes the most universal."

Parks and Recreation|Master of None|Date and Switch
Jason Blum

Jason Blum

"Go make it. Underlined"

Bio-Dome|Overnight Delivery|Viva Las Nowhere
Fred Seibert

Fred Seibert

"I was too stupid to know that it was impossible to succeed. So I kept failing until something worked."

Adventure Time|The Fairly OddParents|Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau

"KEEP IT SIMPLE (STUPID) K.I.S.S."

The Break-Up|Four Christmases|Couples Retreat
Jim Mickle

Jim Mickle

"WORK HARDER"

Stake Land|Cold in July|We Are What We Are
Craig Gillespie

Craig Gillespie

"Always block the scene and let the actors do the first take. You'll never get that chance to see what they were thinking again."

Lars and the Real Girl|Fright Night|Million Dollar Arm
Jason Krawczyk

Jason Krawczyk

"Directing - Listen, patience."

He Never Died|The Briefcase|Audrey
Graham Yost

Graham Yost

"As Elmore Leonard would say: Take it easy!"

Speed|Justified|Broken Arrow
Steve Coogen

Steve Coogen

"Make the problem part of the solution."

Philomena|Alan Partridge|Despicable Me 2
Jim Rash

Jim Rash

"Finish the first draft NOW!!"

The Way Way Back|The Descendants|Community
Jeff Martin

Jeff Martin

"Love your Characters Don't be afraid of the quiet moments"

Late Night with David Letterman|The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson|The Simpsons
Mike Reiss

Mike Reiss

"Patterned Care Persistence The writer's Best Friend: PCP"

The Simpsons|The Simpsons Movie|Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Jon Vitti

Jon Vitti

"Swartzwelder and George always said get it on paper as soon as you can. And they were always better than me."

The Simpsons|The Simpsons Movie|Alvin and the Chipmunks
Wallace Wolodarsky

Wallace Wolodarsky

"Writing is Pain!!!* *But you can deal with it."

The Simpsons|Monsters vs. Aliens|The Rocker
Al Jean

Al Jean

"Watch great shows and try to evaluate the dialog & style."

The Simpsons|The Simpsons Movie|The Longest Daycare
Todd Levin

Todd Levin

"Don't fall in love with your first draft."

Conan|The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien|Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Jose Arroyo

Jose Arroyo

"Someone is always dying in your chosen field. Stay in the game so you can replace them."

Late Night with Conan O'Brien|The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien|Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special
Matt O'Brien

Matt O'Brien

"Write everyday even if it's just for 5 minutes. If you think you've found the punchline, write 3 more and then decide."

Late Night with Conan O'Brien|Talkshow with Spike Feresten|The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien
Bryan Sipe

Bryan Sipe

"Writing is a muscle."

The Choice|Demolition|A Million Miles
Micheal Fry

Micheal Fry

"Keep Going!"

Over the Hedge|Pearls Before Swine|Committed
Jay Wade Edwards

Jay Wade Edwards

"Don't forget the value of a well timed Fart joke."

Aqua Teen Hunger Force|Stomp! Shout! Scream!|Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
Dawn Prestwich

Dawn Prestwich

"Be good."

The Killing|Judging Amy|Carnivàle
Rob Thomas

Rob Thomas

"When writing a spec spec, the first act better be amazing or no one will ever read the rest of it."

Veronica Mars|iZombie|Party Down
Terry Rossio

Terry Rossio

"Don't just be bold with your plot... Be bold with your character."

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl|Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides|Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Chris Viscardi

Chris Viscardi

"Keep your story simple."

Alvin and the Chipmunks|The Tale of Despereaux|Snow Day
Kyle Killen

Kyle Killen

"Don't give up."

The Beaver|Awake|Scenic Route
Scott Fellows

Scott Fellows

"Take any writing job you can, you never know where it will lead."

Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide|The Fairly OddParents|Big Time Rush
Richard Kelly

Richard Kelly

"Write what you know."

Donnie Darko|The Box|Domino
David Fincher

David Fincher

"Listen to no one."

Se7en|Fight Club|Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn

Gillian Flynn

"Don't be afraid of a really bad 1rst draft!"

Gone Girl|Dark Places|Sharp Objects
Matt Ross

Matt Ross

"Be a content creator. Don't wait to be invited to the party. Make the party yourself."

American Psycho|The Aviator|Captain Fantastic
Ronald D Moore

Ronald D Moore

"Don't be discouraged because this is a business that discourages you."

Outlander|Battlestar Galactica|Carnivàle
Toni Graphia

Toni Graphia

"Write from your heart."

Battlestar Galactica|Outlander|Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Hank Chilton

Hank Chilton

"Be nice and persevere."

Covert Affairs|Ringer|Nip/Tuck
Nicholas Stoller

Nicholas Stoller

"Reoutline your script. Like write what is in your current draft before rewriting."

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising|Zoolander 2 |Yes Man
Joel Edgerton

Joel Edgerton

"Just Write!!!"

Warrior|The Gift|The Square
Jennie Snyder Urman

Jennie Snyder Urman

"Write, write, write. The more you do it, the better you'll be."

Jane the Virgin|Emily Owens M.D. |90210
Justin Adler

Justin Adler

"Figure out what's real and then make it funny. - Garry Shandling"

Life in Pieces|Better Off Ted|Samantha Who?
Krista Vernoff

Krista Vernoff

"Being an artist is hard. But nowhere near as hard as giving up your dreams!!!"

Charmed|Shameless|Grey's Anatomy
Greg Plageman

Greg Plageman

"Writing is like going to the gym. No one wants to go, but once you're there, you glad you did it. "

Person of Interest|Cold Case|NYPD Blue
Jonathan Nolan

Jonathan Nolan

"Be smarter than this response."

The Dark Knight|The Dark Knight Rises|Interstellar
Noah Hawley

Noah Hawley

"Make it personal. Don't take it personally."

Fargo|Bones|The Unusuals
David Simon

David Simon

"Why are you telling the story? Honor that."

Homicide: Life on the Street|The Wire|Treme
Kevin Falls

Kevin Falls

"Write something every day."

Summer Catch|The West Wing|Pitch
Joe Pokaski

Joe Pokaski

"Make the show you would want to watch. On the night."

Heroes|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation|Underground
Zander Lehmann

Zander Lehmann

"Write more than you think you should write. Stop on Sunday. , Make the show you want to make!"

Casual|The Shannara Chronicles|
Sarah Gertrude Shapiro

Sarah Gertrude Shapiro

"Never. Give. Up."

UnREAL|Sequin Raze|The Bachelor
Jonathan Shapiro

Jonathan Shapiro

"Don't be be one. Hire somebody."

The Practice|Life|Boston Legal
Ryan Condal

Ryan Condal

"Make the show you would want to make!"

Hercules|Colony|Plurality
Liz Tigelaar

Liz Tigelaar

"Be able to take notes. Don't speak. Just listen. And then write."

Life Unexpected|American Dreams|The Clique
Ben Watkins

Ben Watkins

"Write the thing that scares you."

Burn Notice|Hand of God|Issues Royce
Graham Yost

Graham Yost

"Take it easy."

Speed|Justified|Broken Arrow
Jack Amiel

Jack Amiel

"Don't let the plot drive the character, let the characters drive the plot."

The Knick|The Prince and Me|Raising Helen
John Wirth

John Wirth

"Show up on Time and Always order the salad."

Hell on Wheels|Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles|The District
Andy Paterson

Andy Paterson

"Structure is everything."

Girl with a Pearl Earring|The Railway Man|Hilary and Jackie
Mary Laws

Mary Laws

"Write about what your'e afraid of."

Preacher|The Neon Demon|Patient Zero
Nick Towne

Nick Towne

"Listen."

Preacher|Deadwood|Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along
Craig Rosenburg

Craig Rosenburg

"For aspiring writers: the only failure is to quit writing."

The Uninvited |After the Sunset|Half Light
Sara Goodman

Sara Goodman

"Writing is the only thing that makes the fear of writing go away."

Preacher|To Love and Die|Gossip Girl
Sam Catlin

Sam Catlin

"Make a decision. Move on."

Preacher|The Great New Wonderful|White Oleander
Karyn Kusama

Karyn Kusama

"Treat your actors with kindness and brutal gentle honesty."

Æon Flux|Jennifer's Body|Girlfight
Phil Hay

Phil Hay

"Write what interest you that day, no matter where it occurs in the story."

R.I.P.D.|Clash of the Titans|Ride Along
Matt Manfredi

Matt Manfredi

"Every character gets a soliloquy."

R.I.P.D.|Clash of the Titans|Ride Along
Julius Avery

Julius Avery

"Trust your instincts."

Son of a Gun|Jerrycan|Yardbird
Drew Goddard

Drew Goddard

"Trust your gut. Write what you want to see. Don't stop until you cry."

The Martian|World War Z|The Cabin in the Woods
Christos Gage

Christos Gage

"Be honest + don't take the honesty personally."

Daredevil|Paradox|Teenage Caveman
Steven S. DeKnight

Steven S. DeKnight

"Nobody knows nothing!! Follow your gut!"

Spartacus: War of the Damned|Gods of the Arena|Smallville
Doug Petrie

Doug Petrie

"Be kind to yourself and your ideas today. Now is not the time to edit, cut or criticize. Now is the time to create. Be kind."

Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Daredevil|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Phillip Iscove

Phillip Iscove

"Be true to yourself."

Sleepy Hollow|The Island of Dr. Moreau|
John Slattery

John Slattery

"Don't talk too much."

Mad Men|Spotlight|Iron Man 2
Peter Blake

Peter Blake

"X happens AND so Y happens... Repeat"

House|Elementary|Hemlock Grove
Nash Edgerton

Nash Edgerton

"Make what you want to see."

The Matrix|Superman Returns|The Matrix Reloaded
Dave Boyle

Dave Boyle

"Don't do it till you're sure it works."

Man from Reno|Daylight Savings|Surrogate Valentine
Jim Uhls

Jim Uhls

"Don't outline the whole story at first. Write scenes to get the scent of blood."

Fight Club|Jumper|The Leviathan
Mary Coleman

Mary Coleman

"Write from your heart. Let yourself be vulnerable to bringing in personal history/emotion."

Up|Inside Out|Monsters University
Micheal Green

Micheal Green

"If you are stuck on some part - skip to a part you are not stuck on + enjoy that. This is fun!"

Green Lantern|Everwood|Heroes
Mark Townend

Mark Townend

"Conflict in every scene."

Bone In The Throat|Projection|The Man from When
Bob Nelson

Bob Nelson

"Write something true. Write the film you want to see. But most off Write! "

Nebraska|The Confirmation|Highston
David Fry

David Fry

"As for dialog... Keep it short and funny. Punchy, as they say."

Unknowns|Shifting Faults|A Night in Old Mexico
Cole Haddon

Cole Haddon

"Watch movies from every corner of the globe."

Dracula||
Moira Kirkland

Moira Kirkland

"Write what you love."

Castle|Medium|Arrow
Travis Fickett

Travis Fickett

"Finish it. Even if it's terrible. Otherwise, it will always haunt you."

12 Monkeys|Terra Nova|Nikita
Terry Matalas

Terry Matalas

"Write for you…"

12 Monkeys|Star Trek: Enterprise|Terra Nova
Phil Klemmer

Phil Klemmer

"Make it so it's easy to throw your words away by throwing lots of words away."

Legends of Tomorrow|Chuck|The Tomorrow People
Marc Guggenheim

Marc Guggenheim

"Cut away the text and what you're left with is subtext."

Green Lantern|Arrow|Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Aaron Helbing

Aaron Helbing

"Read scripts."

The Flash|Spartacus: War of the Damned|Carnivàle
Todd Helbing

Todd Helbing

"Write what you want to see."

The Flash|Spartacus: War of the Damned|The Anniversary Party
Rachel Bloom

Rachel Bloom

"Your chorus is your thesis statement."

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend|Robot Chicken|Ray Bradbury
Scott Reynolds

Scott Reynolds

"Don't be the one in the writers room who tells everyone why an idea won't work. Bring ideas."

Dexter|Jessica Jones|Iron Fist
Dana Baratta

Dana Baratta

"Find a group of fellow writers and meet once a week. Hone your craft."

Dawson's Creek|Andre|Jessica Jones
Micah Schraft

Micah Schraft

"Write something great. Don't write what you think people want. Write the character you want + the world will come to you."

The Quiet|Celeste in the City|Beautiful Girl
Hilly Hicks Jr.

Hilly Hicks Jr.

"Read, watch, listen to everything."

Chicago Fire|Army Wives|Jessica Jones
Edward Ricourt

Edward Ricourt

"Don't be afraid to say no."

Now You See Me|Now You See Me 2|Jessica Jones
Aline Brosh McKenna

Aline Brosh McKenna

"No adverbs."

The Devil Wears Prada|27 Dresses|We Bought a Zoo
Chris Brancato

Chris Brancato

"Trust your instincts."

Narcos|Hoodlum|Species II
Melissa Rosenberg

Melissa Rosenberg

"Don't give up"

Twilight|The Twilight Saga: New Moon|The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
Ali Adler

Ali Adler

"YOU MUST ACTUALLY PUT YOUR ASS IN CHAIR EVERYDAY AND WRITE."

Supergirl|Chuck|The New Normal
Sato Shinsuke 佐藤信介

Sato Shinsuke 佐藤信介

"作り続けること (Keep making things)"

The Princess Blade|The Time of Death| I Am a Hero
David Gelb

David Gelb

"When telling a story, lean into the truth."

Jiro Dreams of Sushi|The Lazarus Effect|Chef's Table
John Strauss

John Strauss

"THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR WRITING EVERY SINGLE DAY. WRITE WRITE WRITE."

There's Something About Mary|The Santa Clause 2|The Wild
Winnie Holzman

Winnie Holzman

"Do your best and let go of the result!"

My So-Called Life|Once and Again|Til There Was You
Fred Schepisi

Fred Schepisi

"Persist, you will prevail."

Roxanne|Six Degrees of Separation|A Cry in the Dark
Graham Henman

Graham Henman

"Never let/catch your actors acting."

Bone In The Throat|Doctor Duck's Super Secret All-Purpose Sauce|Architecture of Reassurance
Steve Coogen

Steve Coogen

"Your opinion is as valid as anyone else's."

Philomena|Alan Partridge|Despicable Me 2
Max Landis

Max Landis

"Stop looking at this notecard, Write five sentences, then look again."

Chronicle|Victor Frankenstein|American Ultra
Linda Woolverton

Linda Woolverton

"It's not the castle. It's the path to the castle that make a life."

Beauty and the Beast|Alice in Wonderland|The Lion King
Bill Taub

Bill Taub

"Write what you want to see!"

Mission Genesis|Another Day|Friday's Curse
Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan

"Never give up. Never. No matter what anybody tells you, or how frustrated you are."

Hush|Oculus|Absentia
Kate Siegel

Kate Siegel

"When in doubt - breath."

Hush|Oculus|The Curse of the Black Dahlia
James Vanderbilt

James Vanderbilt

"Make stuff. As much as you can."

The Amazing Spider-Man|Zodiac|The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Richard Shepard

Richard Shepard

"Get off the internet!"

The Matador|The Hunting Party|Salem
Cary Fukunaga

Cary Fukunaga

"Outline Outline Outline. then write fast Write 10 pages a day Then the next day edit that And write 10 more. If you're stuck on a scene, skip it. Whatever you do, once you have your momentum, don't stop. And when your don't force it and write shit until it isn't shit."

Beasts of No Nation|Jane Eyre|Sin Nombre
John McNamara

John McNamara

"Write. Now. Peace Sign"

Trumbo|Aquarius|Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman
Matt Nix

Matt Nix

"Act out your scenes with blocking while you write."

Burn Notice|The Comedians|Complications
Andrea Berloff

Andrea Berloff

"Don't write what you know!"

Straight Outta Compton|World Trade Center|Blood Father
Jonathan Herman

Jonathan Herman

"Write what you don't know."

Straight Outta Compton|Ghost in the Shell|Scarface
Paul Wernick

Paul Wernick

"Sit back down"

Deadpool|Zombieland|G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Rhett Reese

Rhett Reese

"T-1000"

Deadpool|Zombieland|G.I. Joe: Retaliation
Mark L Smith

Mark L Smith

"It's a battle of attrition- Just have to outlive the bastards!"

The Revenant|Vacancy|Vacancy 2: The First Cut
Larry Karaszewski

Larry Karaszewski

"Get to work!"

Big Eyes|Ed Wood|Man on the Moon
Scott Alexander

Scott Alexander

"Don't print out until you get to the end. And don't give anyone your first draft!"

1408|Ed Wood|Man on the Moon
Pam Veasey

Pam Veasey

"Think out of the box!"

CSI: NY|In Living Color|The District
Ed Soloman

Ed Soloman

"Stay open, keep moving, be patient, work hard"

Men in Black|Now You See Me|Charlie's Angels
Colin Trevorrow

Colin Trevorrow

"Trust your instincts."

Jurassic World|Safety Not Guaranteed|Star Wars: Episode IX
James Wan

James Wan

"Start with low budget - to have creative freedom. Make it unique!"

Saw|Insidious Chapter 2|Furious 7
Meredith Stiehm

Meredith Stiehm

"What's important now? WIN"

Cold Case|The Bridge|Homeland
Vena Sud

Vena Sud

"Watch everything, read everything."

The Killing|Cold Case|One Night
Jim Taylor

Jim Taylor

"Keep it real"

Sideways|Jurassic Park III|About Schmidt
Glen Mazzara

Glen Mazzara

"LISTEN"

The Walking Dead|Damien|Crash
Marc Webb

Marc Webb

"Get inside the head of the character and deliver that to the audience."

The Amazing Spider-Man|500 Days of Summer|The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Seth Grahame-Smith

Seth Grahame-Smith

"I don't care if you're not into it today, Keep Writing."

Dark Shadows|Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter|Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
Simon Kinberg

Simon Kinberg

"Keep writing!"

X-Men: Days of Future Past|X-Men: Apocalypse|Sherlock Holmes
David Goyer

David Goyer

"Writing is rewriting. Revise. Revise. Revisit."

Batman Begins|The Dark Knight|Man of Steel
Christopher Markus

Christopher Markus

"Don't love your first draft too much."

Captain America: The Winter Soldier|Captain America: The First Avenger|Thor: The Dark World
Roberto Orci

Roberto Orci

"Read the scripts of the movies you love."

Transformers|The Amazing Spider-Man 2|Star Trek
Shane Black

Shane Black

"When you're writing and feeling antsy, look at these words; THIS IS IMPORTANT."

Lethal Weapon|The Last Boy Scout|The Long Kiss Goodnight

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The first time I met a famous screenwriter, I didn't want a photo with him, I needed his advice. That was my first card of writing advice over four years ago. As more and more inspiring cards gathered on my desk, other writers requested a copy, leading to this website, with new cards posted frequently.

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