Screenwriting Tricks for Authors

Screenwriting Tricks for Authors

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Lessons from Musical Theater
Looking at musical theater is an excellent way to learn how to write unforgettable scenes and dramatize Story Elements like Inner and Outer Desire, Into…
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Alexandra Sokoloff
This summer, watch movies for craft!
Once you’ve learned how to watch movies for story structure, every film becomes a master class in craft.
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Movie breakdowns
Here's a page with links to the movie breakdowns I've done on this Substack - in progress!
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Alexandra Sokoloff
Your author vision statement
Have you written out your vision of what you want your life as an author to look like? Your big dreams, your day-to-day? Where you want to be a year…
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Bute Noir Crime Writing Festival
Tickets are now on sale for my favorite book festival - Bute Noir, on the spectacularly beautiful Isle of Bute, August 1-3.
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Alexandra Sokoloff
Act and Sequence Bridges – THE SHINING (and others)
Accomplished filmmakers often use the technique of a RECURRING IMAGE or DEVICE to indicate the end of each Sequence or Act and the beginning of another.
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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May 2025

Plants and Payoffs
Movies are a great way to get familiar with the important narrative technique of Plants & Payoffs. This is a storytelling trick that filmmakers are…
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Who are your readers?
This is a critical thing to know, but if you’re just starting out in your publishing career, you may not know how to answer that question.
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Crawling toward "The End"
I am crawling toward the finish line of this book. Inch by inch. In slow motion. It’s almost comical.
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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April 2025

The author-agent partnership – in loving memory of Scott M. Miller.
Alexandra Sokoloff - Screenwriting Tricks for Authors
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Can you make a living as an author?
“Anyone who writes a book thinking they’re ever going to have an actual self-sustaining career as an author is deluded.” Oh, really?
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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Write a book this year!
This page of links follows the format of the workbooks, chapter by chapter, in order, with links to expanded posts and videos. You can use it with one…
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Alexandra Sokoloff
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