Final Draft Blog

All the tips, tricks and information you need to inspire your writing!
Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.

John Romano Talks Adapting Philip Roth and the Evolution of Dramatic Storytelling

November 23, 2016

Final Draft: You adapted Philip Roth. That’s got to be a daunting challenge I would imagine. John Romano: It was! Daunting is the word! It was specifically daunting because I used to teach English and American Literature at Columbia for a while and I...

Beauty in Descriptions: How to Showcase Your Unique Voice

November 22, 2016

It's often said that screenplays are blueprints for a finished film. While this is a helpful analogy, I personally like to think of screenplays as more beautiful and emotive than a static sheet of paper.

Sports Action: How to Write That Game Winning Play

November 21, 2016

Rocky’s grueling duel with Ivan Drago, the Permian Panthers' heartbreaking final drive in Friday Night Lights, Billy Chapel’s career-capping trip to the mound in For Love of the Game, Dottie Hinson's emotional last catch in A League of Their Own that...

Creating Setups and Payoffs That Stick

November 16, 2016

Creating setups and payoffs can feel a bit like courting your audience. When they’re heavy-handed and obvious, they’re like the hopeful beau who goes overboard to impress someone with concert tickets and a limo, only to hear crickets. But find the ri...

Capturing the Workplace in your Writing

November 15, 2016

What do you do to make ends meet? A question that invigorates some and worries others. Most people need to work to earn a living. They go into an office daily like Pam from The Office or Tess McGill in Working Girl. Chances are you've experienced a w...

Spec Spotlight: Donald Diego Takes Inspiration From His "Wedding Year"

November 2, 2016

Donald Diego went to six weddings last year, including his own. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m so happy for you but I actually have to call my caterer with final numbers for my wedding.’”

"Hacksaw Ridge" Screenwriter Robert Schenkkan Talks Heroism and Writing Battlegrounds

October 31, 2016

Robert Schenkkan returns to our podcast to discuss heroism and writing battlegrounds in his latest, Hacksaw Ridge - in theaters now.

TV Pilot Writing: Building the Skeleton of Your Show

October 28, 2016

So you’ve got an interesting idea for a pilot and rich, complex characters. What now?

Script Magazine: Final Draft 10 - Is It Worth It?

October 27, 2016

I had just arrived in Los Angeles. Not to live but to examine – examine whether I had the courage to try out this town, this industry. I knew I wanted to write television, but I didn’t know exactly what that meant. After graduating from a college tha...