Meets: Every other Wednesday, 10/2-11/6/2024
Instructor: Michael Graf
Location: Hybrid / On Zoom and live at A Place to Be
Cost: $595
Enrollment: 8 openings

I am thanking my lucky stars that I decided to take this class. Michael is an exceptional teacher; it’s rare to find someone that talented who is also generous and willing to share so much of what he’s learned about writing and the business. I would not change anything about this class. —C.

Michael is empathetic, positive, flexible and gregarious. Honestly, I can’t recommend Michael enough. Additionally, the fundamental tenets of good fiction writing are really no different than good screenplay writing, and so it was wonderful to have Michael affirm this. —Richard

There’s no business like show business . . . and there’s no writing like writing for the big screen. Writing a successful screenplay is a completely different beast than writing successful fiction, and requires a different kind of writing discipline and skill.

In this intimate workshop, which will take place on the near east side of Madison, we’ll meet twice a month for six two-hour evening sessions and we’ll teach the unique and fundamental building blocks to writing a successful screenplay. We’ll give you the tools needed for writing a screenplay that can actually get read in Hollywood.

During the workshop we’ll discuss the kinds of stories and genres that sell, the importance of log lines, writing for a collaborative art form, how to hook an audience and make them your advocate, writing for the ear, and exploring the importance of balancing character-driven vs. plot-driven storytelling. We’ll also look at the difference between writing features for the big screen and writing episodic series for TV and streamers.

This is a great class not only for aspiring screenwriters, but for narrative fiction writers and memoirists looking to enhance their craft with a focus on character, plot and dialogue or adapt their narrative work for the screen. 

Students should come ready to write, to share ideas and to connect with other like-minded writers. Our goal is to help you find your voice as a screenwriter and to give you a working writer’s insight into successfully navigating today’s entertainment industry.