Screenwriting Tricks for Authors

Home
Notes
Get the workbooks!
Alex's books
Preptober/Nanowrimo
Archive
About

January 2025

Do you need a book editor? (And how the **** do you find a good one?)
Writer/editor Katy Loftus has just done a couple of terrific posts that are vital information for anyone who's just starting out as an author (or…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
3
And the nominees are...
I am always encouraging writers to watch movies & TV mindfully, to make every viewing experience a learning experience. This time of year we have a slew…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
What now?
I believe that narrative is more important that ever. This election was the result of many factors, but one of them was the dangerous ignorance of a…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
What Makes a Great Villain? — & DIE HARD Sequence 2
Continuing our discussion on Villains and Antagonists in general, and Die Hard in particular!
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
2
Trial by fire
My heart and soul go out to all those affected by the California wildfires. Which is all of us.
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
2
DIE HARD breakdown - Sequence 2
The iconic action thriller DIE HARD creates not just a classic action hero but one of the greatest villains in movie history. Sequence 1 is all about…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
ABOUT THAT VILLAIN: Forces of Antagonism & Non-Human Villains
There’s almost always going to be a clear, identifiable MAIN ANTAGONIST in a story. But even when there’s an obvious Villain, it's always much more…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff

December 2024

DIE HARD - story breakdown
Screenwriting Tricks for Authors
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
DIE HARD - story breakdown
Die Hard is an action thriller so iconic that it spawned its own subgenre of action films: “Die Hard on/in a bus, plane, ship, mountain, etc.” Writers…
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
11
Level up your writing - with holiday movies!
Why not make this holiday season a crash course in structure— and maybe write the best book or script of your life so far in the New Year?
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
2
Rewriting: Structure patterns
Let’s talk about rewriting, and how to use structure patterns to help you revise and elevate your first draft.
 • 
Alexandra Sokoloff
3
© 2025 Alexandra Sokoloff
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture