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.

Write On with 'Death of Me' Director Darren Bousman

September 30, 2020

Death of Me director Darren Bousman discusses how he generates story ideas, his writing process and how it's evolved over his career, his work directing films in the SAW franchise, and much more.

Write On with 'The Devil All the Time' Co-Writers Antonio Campos and Paulo Campos

September 25, 2020

The Devil All the Time co-writers and directors Antonio Campos and Paulo Campos discuss the challenges adapting such a sprawling novel, the use of voice over in the film, their writing process, and much more.

6 Tips To Keep Writing When It Feels Like the World Is Falling Apart

September 25, 2020

Right now it feels like, one way or another, the world is falling apart. As a result, writers are more vulnerable to distraction, stress and anxiety than usual. I’m seeing threads, articles and discussions running the emotional gamut; from despair an...

Keep Calm And Write On. Or Not. Creative Self-Care For A World On Fire

September 24, 2020

In times of distress, being creative can feel like a luxury. But, as much as it can be a struggle to focus on a project in times of turmoil, sometimes creating something new is one of the few things that can actually help one overcome stressful times...

Kajillionaire' Is A Cautionary Tale of the Great American Grift

September 24, 2020

Miranda July’s long-anticipated new film Kajillionaire opens on a shot of her main characters (a family of Los Angeles grifters) standing in front of a downtown Los Angeles Post Office. At the time July conceived the movie, the USPS was not in danger...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways From Hulu's 'Pen 15'

September 23, 2020

Sometimes the state of the world may make adults think we have a monopoly on existential dread, but Pen15 is here to remind us that junior high schoolers have it pretty bad, too. The show's big hook—two women staring down middle age yet effortlessly ...

Breaking In: The Writer's Journey

September 22, 2020

What's next after finishing that script, placing in a screenwriting contest, or even getting optioned?

Unscripted: This Week in Screenwriting News (September 18, 2020)

September 21, 2020

Screenwriting career consultant Lee Jessup discusses this week's success stories, industry news, online events, and more.

Write On with 'Antebellum' Co-Writer and Directors Gerard Bush & Christopher Renz

September 21, 2020

Antebellum co-writer and directors Gerard Bush & Christopher Renz discuss how the story came to Gerard in a dream, writing their first feature script, their work in activism and advertising, and more.