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.

What is a Plot Twist?

September 5, 2023

Warning: There are plot twist movie spoilers in this article. A great movie employs a number of ways to hook an audience and keep them emotionally invested in the story for the duration of the film. Sometimes it’s a greatly empathetic character, like...

What’s the Best Music to Write To?

September 1, 2023

Many writers, myself included, write to music for several reasons.

Two-Time Big Break Quarterfinalist Finds Success with LGBTQIA-Affirming Webseries

August 31, 2023

Life is good for writer, producer and actor Frank Arthur Smith. He’s engaged to be married to the love of his life, Matt Hartman; has a supremely organized apartment, thanks to appearing in an episode of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo; he’s had two scri...

What Does the Life of a Screenwriter Look Like?

August 29, 2023

Have you ever wondered: what does the life of a professional screenwriter look like?

Write On: Golda's Writer and Producer Nicholas Martin

August 25, 2023

The new film Golda – starring a bewitching Helen Mirren as Golda Meir, the Iron Lady of Israel, was written and produced by Nicholas Martin. Martin is best known for writing the 2016 film Florence Foster Jenkins. With two amazing biopics about strong...

It Might Not Be You: 5 Things That Might Be Affecting Your Writing

August 25, 2023

Everyone experiences highs and lows with their writing. One day you’re the greatest writer in the world, and the next, you’re the worst writer of all time. It’s easy to blame ourselves when the writing just isn’t coming together on the page the way w...

What Literary Reps Look for In Screenplays: Q&A with David Boxerbaum

August 23, 2023

Final Draft has joined forces with Coverfly to chat with literary rep David Boxerbaum in a live Q&A over Zoom to find out what a successful rep is looking for when trying to obtain new writing talent. Boxerbaum shared his thoughts on what a disti...

How Using Clichés Can Actually Elevate Your Writing

August 22, 2023

When writers hear the word “cliché,” they often cringe because they associate clichés with stories and characters that have been played to death. Corrupt cop: seen it. Prostitute with a heart of gold: seen it. Dumb jock: seen it. But what if I told y...

5 Writing Challenges That Keep You From Finishing Your Script

August 21, 2023

Writing isn’t always easy, especially for an aspiring screenwriter. Sometimes you’ll start off strong but various writing challenges emerge that keep you from finishing your script.