Authoring & Playwriting

Hi, Ashley Renee Smith. Here's my process:

I leave the first draft alone for a day, days, week, etc. after I finish writing it and rest or work on another project, but sometimes I jump right into the rewrite.

I break the rewrite up into categories:

– A Story

– B Story

– Subplot(s)

– Character Arc(s)

– Dialogue

– Visualize (I go through the script, visualizing the action and dialogue -- it helps me think of ideas, scenes, etc. and catch story issues)

– Track (I go through the script, tracking important things like character behavior, relationships, and items)

– Sometimes other things depending on the script

After I finish rewriting the script, I check it for typos, then I'll get feedback on the script or pitch it (after making the pitch material).

My first book on writing was Stephen King’s On Writing. King’s advice on being honest, disciplined, and fearless with your words really stuck with me. It taught me that writing isn’t just about technique, it’s also about finding your own voice through the process.

It's a beautiful image, Danny Range

"On Writing" influenced a lot of writers, I think Eli Huggins

Chiara Torrisi, it definitely did! The first book I read on writing was also On Writing by Stephen King. I picked it up in high school thinking it would just be about horror, but it obviously surprised me. His voice was so conversational and honest, it made the whole process feel less intimidating. It didn’t give me a roadmap for story structure like Field’s book did later, but it lit the fire.

That's so important, Ashley Renee Smith

Thanks for the advice, Chiara Torrisi. I haven't written that many Historical stories. This will come in handy when I write another one.

You're welcome, Maurice Vaughan

Chiara Torrisi, this is such a great point! Two that come to mind for me are Shōgun by James Clavell and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. They’re incredibly different in tone and scope, but both use exposition as a powerful tool to immerse readers in vastly different eras and cultures. Shōgun unfolds through the eyes of an outsider, so the exposition reflects both cultural dissonance and discovery, while Outlander leans heavily into its protagonist’s 20th-century perspective contrasted against 18th-century Scotland, anchoring the reader through voice and contextual reflection.

Both show how voice and narrative perspective can turn exposition into a time machine without overwhelming the reader.

Great examples, Ashley Renee Smith! I still must read Shōgun; it interests me also because the screen adaptation seems to be excellent.

And you're right: exposition helps a lot to convey mood and details about the past without info dumping. When it works, readers almost don't notice that they're learning about the context.

I definitely will. Again, thank you for the kind words. I will be sending out copies of the book soon. Many blessings to you

Danny Range, I appreciate your guidance and congratulations on your sobriety. My book is already published and is available on Amazon. It's more than about my drug addiction. It also covers the sexual assault from family members and others in my life. The physical abuse I suffered, homelessness, and I found my son that took his own life with a firearm. Two years later I lost my husband on a motorcycle accident. I have literally been through the pits of hell. I never relapsed. Even through all the trauma and heartache I'm still 17 years completely sober. I know im my heart that I am strong enough now to face whatever challenges are going to come. I'm ready to get this book of mine out into the greater audience.

Tammy Winterringer I'm only California sober lol I've been completely sober for three years at one point. People don't understand how hard it is to stay away from it for 17 years--changing your friends, changing where you go out, losing family--so good for you, man!

And I didn't mean that there's only competition with addiction stories. There's competition for EVERYTHING. There are countless scripts about addicts, assault, you name it. It doesn't mean yours won't work, or that it's more intense than others, but what it does mean is that you really need to stand out. Not what you went through, YOU need to stand out. "Why you instead of somebody else with similar issues?" That's a question executives are going to ask.

Just be prepared for it to be tough and be in it for the long haul is all I'm saying! this takes years, even decades no matter how soon you feel ready.

But if you want it bad enough, like I do, then you have a chance.

Danny Range, THANK YOU! Going into this is had no idea how much competition there is, I appreciate your guidance!

wow what an amazing story. congratulations.

Welcome to Stage 32, Steven Craig! We’re so glad you’re here. If you’re looking to learn about adapting your nonfiction book into a screenplay or film project, you’re absolutely in the right place.

I recommend checking out our Stage 32 Education page, which offers fantastic webinars and classes from industry professionals across all areas of filmmaking and screenwriting: https://www.stage32.com/education

Also, don’t hesitate to come back to the Authoring & Playwriting Lounge as often as you need to ask questions and connect with fellow writers: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/playwriting

And since you’re looking into the adaptation side of things, I’d also suggest joining the conversations in the Screenwriting Lounge: https://www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting and the Writer’s Room Lounge, which you can get a free month of here: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room/plans-vip

Stage 32 is a place where creatives support one another, so ask away! There are a lot of folks here who would be happy to share insight and advice to help you take the next step!

Welcome Steve!! Trust your instincts and network..just like any other job..people want to get to know you! You're light years ahead of most..Break a Leg!!

I wrote "All Present and Accounted For", the true story of the grounding and near sinking of the Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis near Dutch Harbor in November of 1972 and the heroic efforts of the crew to save the ship. I interviewed over 35 crewmembers and others associated with the rescue to relay a story that the Honolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper book reviewer stated that it 'was the most thorough researched book he had ever read'. Reviews have been outstanding with over 260 reviews on Amazon. My website www.stevenjcraig.com also has some interviews that were conducted with me along with a couple of short videos on YouTube.

I suggest you do some radio and TV interviews to get buzz. Then do a kickstarter or go fund me to get the script written. I'll write it for you.

Congratulations! Welcome, I'm new here too, I hope we have great experiences.

Great question Ashley Renee Smith - I've adapted two books into screenplays and the best advice I can give anyone is to be patient with themselves and be willing to let go of things. By being patient, I mean taking the time to learn the craft of screenwriting before putting "pen to paper". Learn the formatting inside and out. That's one of the challenges that I think some forget because it's not as crucial in novel writing as it is in screenplays. "Letting go" means tightening those descriptions and using an economy of words to best describe a scene. There will be some things in the novel that won't be in the screenplay as well. Those things may sound like a burden but once you get a really good grip on formatting for example, the writing becomes so much more enjoyable. So novelists, don't hate on formatting.

I've adapted four. It's SO hard to figure out how to condense a book into a pilot or screenplay! I start by doing a cut and paste from the book to screenplay format, expecting it to be too long and unwieldy. I cut from there. And EXPAND. Some day, I plan on redoing the books and adding some of the scenes/characters that I developed by doing the screenplay.

Hello Debra. My book is less than 250 pages. However, it is my life story and all that I survived. Do you have time to take on a new project these days?

Chiara, nice post to bring up. I usually average anywhere from 15 to 20 revisions on all my screenplays. It’s a habit I found helpful and learning but it also opened up my eyes as to how important revising is. I never discard my old drafts. I keep them in individual folders as a reference and reminder of how my growth has developed. Never hesitate in entering your earliest material into competitions. You’d be amazed how well you might finish regardless of the standing.

For scripts, I start a new version whenever I make revisions/edits and number each one. For a book, I keep a file of notes and snippets of dialogue or of a scene. But the main document is the only one I work with. I don't even use my editor's track changes, mostly because I want to be free to make the changes MY way. I look at their TC doc and manually make them to my document. I do backup my work every time, though.

Interesting approach Debra Holland, thanks for sharing!

Hi Anselmo Garcia

You can save as word doc and date it each time. ZARBER4/25, ZARBER 4/26

Kat Spencer reading is great to enhance and re enforce your story.

Hi Kat, I used to definitely worry about influence bleeding through. I’d avoid reading certain genres or stories entirely while writing, just to keep my creative lane clear. But then I heard an author I admire talk about the reality of inspiration, and it completely reframed the way I think.

The truth is, no story is entirely original. To make something marketable, there has to be a level of familiarity and relatability baked in. That’s what makes stories resonate. Our brains naturally make connections to the creative works that have left a lasting impression. You can’t read about a sprawling fantasy world without your mind pulling a thread back to Tolkien. You can’t write about young magic-wielders without brushing against some level of Harry Potter nostalgia. The same is true across romance, horror, sci-fi—you name it.

But I’ve realized that if you’re someone who’s inspired by creativity, then reading while writing isn’t a hindrance, it’s fuel. It sharpens your voice and helps you see how others tackle tone, structure, or character.

Now, if I notice something I’m working on feels too close to something else, I don’t panic, I just tweak it until it feels like mine. Because here’s the other thing: I could give everyone on Stage 32 the exact same prompt, with strict genre and character guidelines, and we’d still end up with thousands of wildly different stories. Only you can write the story you’re going to tell, in your unique voice.

All that to say, I don’t stress about it anymore. Reading makes me a better writer and a saner person.

Yes, I read screenplays not for inspiration, because my imagination alone could fuel a thousand more. I read to learn the language of the industry, to understand what a professional script truly looks like. I ‘stole’ structure, rhythm, and format from those who came before me then fused it all with a creative spirit that simply can’t be matched. I’m a lethal weapon in this craft: trained by the wisdom of others, driven by a voice that doesn’t run out.

I read fiction ALL THE TIME!

As a book editor, I can't help but recommend reading a lot, always, and especially in our genre, Kat Spencer The more books we read, the more we're aware of cliches and more able to avoid them. It seems counterintuitive, but reading our genre doesn't limit or influence the writing in a bad way: in reality, it makes us more creative and original!

Experience:" Nobody's Heroes"...I tell people the idea occurred to me when I was laying face down in a rice paddy taking fire when my platoon was ambushed by the Viet Cong.

"I'll Never Find Another You"...inspired by the on and off romantic relationship I had with one woman from 1967 to 2012 (still in love with her). "In Self Defense?" inspired by a 1973 study I worked on with Johns Hopkins University on how your body language can determine if you're likely to be a crime victim"

I'll take an experience and find a way to put it into a story.

Great responses, everyone! Appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Truthfully, It's always a combination of both. I can't help but include a part of me in what I write, but it is also escapism into a realm that differs from current reality.

I write to escape real life. I just happen to be more honest when I’m writing.

Jayme Norrie Yup. You have to work with AI to get a good story. I recommend creating the "story" and characters and structure first, then plug it into AI to get the novel. If you trust AI to do everything, you'll find yourself in BIG trouble.

Carol M. Salter I would think that it can turn your novel into a screenplay. I would suggest that you get a screenplay book and a produced screenplay to make sure you're getting what you requested.

I do think I will take the book into a screenplay with AI and go through page by page to assure that the story in its format is as compelling as the novel. At the end of the day, it's going to have to take a described scene and shorten it by 50-80% and what I found that the license it takes to do it may not be reflective of the complexity or depth of what it is rewriting. It's amazing to use, no doubt. I use it for answers to all kinds of things. But it's also just a big bag of math; algorithms.

Anthony, could you tell us the exact steps you took and prompts you used to go from screenplay to book? I have a pilot that I will turn into a book, but was wondering if AI would be faster than doing it manually.

Debra Holland Sure. I took my script and input it into Grok3 scene by scene. I used the following prompts: 1) Turn my (genre) screenplay scene into a manuscript; 2) Don't change the dialogue; 3) Use present tense; 4) Use active voice 5) use rhetorical devices; 5) Use vivid imagery. This should work. Be sure to check the scenes before locking it in. Let me know if you need help.

Thanks for sharing, Maurice Vaughan! Starting with a character’s personality makes so much sense - it really sets the tone for how they’ll act and grow.

You are very welcome Aleksey Salikhov and I'm honored to connect. And thank you so much for the kind words. I like the way you describe the exploration of light and darkness within us all. It's as if there's a battle within all of us between the two. Most of the themes comes to me via a life experience that becomes something that I feel strongly about or compelled to write. The greatest example of that is "Haven of Dante" (the "overcome" theme). Many years ago, my wife was kidnapped and assaulted at gunpoint. For most people, that would scar them for life. But if you were to meet her today, you'd never know this happened. She "overcame".

With "The Jupiter Chronicles", I grew up in a single-parent, poverty-stricken family. We were VERY poor and at one point, I was homeless (this actually happened twice). My dream was to have a family of my own someday - it meant so much for me for this to happen. So a lot of what I went through was conveyed in the story of the protagonist. It all stems from a life experience that lights something up inside of me and compels me to share that no matter what has happened to you, you are loved and will overcome. The dark night of the soul is temporary and joy comes in the morning if you stay the course. Don't stop in the fire, walk through it.

You're welcome, Aleksey Salikhov. Thanks for starting this discussion. I'm sure it's going to help writers.

Thank you so much, Aleksey Salikhov! I love hearing about your approach to Between Light and Darkness. I’m always drawn to magic systems that come with real consequences, and those contrasts you mentioned, like the warmth of family versus the cold unknown, are exactly the kind of emotional texture I love in fantasy stories.

For The Kindred, I think my favorite part of worldbuilding has been the history and mythology. I’ve spent a lot of time developing ancient stories, lost gods, and fragmented pieces of the past that my characters are slowly uncovering. It’s layered with political conflict, but at the heart of it, it’s a story about grief, legacy, and resilience. I also love creating small, intimate cultural details: creatures, games, traditions, or objects that hold personal meaning for the characters. Those things that make the world feel lived in.

My magic system is rooted in natural-born elemental gifts that most, but not all, are born with. But over generations, the people of my world have discovered ways to amplify their gifts or even tap into elements outside their natural abilities through the use of various crystals found and mined across the continent. Some of these crystals are common and used in everyday life, while others are incredibly rare, which has had a huge impact on the economy, politics, fashion, class systems, and even the black market. It’s been so fun to explore how something like magic, which starts as a very personal gift, evolves into a commodity that affects the entire structure of society.

I’d love to hear more about your magic system, It sounds like you’ve built something really rich and layered!

I love to read fantasy and the wonderful worlds people have imagined. Writing fantasy is fun, too, because you don't have to be grounded in reality and can create to your heart's content.