John Moyer, screenwriter of the movies "RM" and "Singles Ward," asked: "Have you ever said, 'I would have done that differently'" after seeing a movie? Of course you have! If you are reading this newsletter, chances are you love writing. And if you love writing, it is likely that when you see a movie, you not only view it for entertainment and education, but you also analyze it as well. It's a worthwhile activity to try and understand how other artists create their work.

Even if you have no interest in screenwriting, there are valuable lessons to learn from screenwriters. According to John, a movie is a series of beats and sequences. He plans out his story structure before he begins writing. As he writes, he has an idea where the story is going and doesn't waste a lot of time editing unnecessary details.

"Writing with a plan in mind, then writing to see where the story takes you within the structure is a happy combination." he said. Even though you might have a structure in mind, the story will develop as you write it. The simplest way to sum up your story structure is to declare who the story is about, what the characters do, and how it resolves in three acts. In other words, "A persons does something and it works out."

For example:

1. An average boy finds an alien and helps him get back home. (ET)
2. A timid boy trains with a martial arts expert and fights the local bully. (Karate Kid)

Every story has an objective/opposition point (beginning), mid point (middle), and lost point (end). These are your three anchor points. Understanding the basic framework helps you to keep the story on track and to make sure that important events happen in the three sections, or acts. An average comedy on the big screen is about 90 minutes long. In a script, this translates to one page of writing per minute of the movie. So, if you want to write a 90-minute screenplay, the structure of the three acts will look something like this:

Objective/Opposition Point There is going to be a change for your protagonist. He/she will have to make a choice. The protagonist now has a new quest and a new objective. You should write 15 - 20 pages on the first act.

Mid Point This section is the longest and is filled with the most action. A crisis will happen that puts your character again into a new direction or scenario. The crisis will happen somewhere around the middle of your script, perhaps pages 45 - 50.

Lost Point Something else hapens to lead to the lost point. All is hopelessƒuntil the grand conclusion resolves the problem. Remember, the ending may not be what the protagonist wanted in the beginning. To page 90.

John uses a large white board to list the events that need to happen in the story. He divides the board into three sections and then lists the events under each act. He refers to the list as he writes and asks himself, "Did I cover all the details in act one?" If he did, he moves on to act two. If changes are needed, he adds them to the white board.

Although the plot is very important to the story, character development and well-written dialogue are key to a successful story. Get to know your characters by creating detailed biographies and trait sketches.

Once you've written a screenplay, profiting from it depends on several factors:

1. Does your movie appeal to a wide audience?
2. How many people will buy it?
3. Did you stick to a reasonable budget during filming that will allow you to pay back the investors/make a profit?

Understand that when you sell your screenplay to someone to produce, they can do anything they like with it. The author does not retain the rights. The movie you write, the movie the producer shoots, and the movie that is finally made may be three very different stories.

John Moyer's love of writing, his talent for capturing the heart of his audience, and his gift for realistic humor have already produced a growing number of fans who appreciate a good story told with a conscience. Wath for his upcoming projects! Thanks John!

John recommends the following sources for more information: Anatomy of a Screenplay by Dan Decker; The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier; and "Power Structure" software that helps you plan out a story.