I’ve been trying to do some screenwriting recently.
It was actually the first kind of creative writing I ever really did.
Because, as a kid (and as an adult), I’m the kind of person who couldn’t just watch a movie and enjoy it, I’d want to do my own version.
Anyway, I re-watched the movie ‘When Harry Met Sally’ the other day.
Why?
A) Because it’s a successful film that I really like
and
B) because it’s a very dialogue heavy film, and the dialogue is great.
After watching it I found a copy of the script online and, man, even when written down that dialogue is still incredible.
It crackles and sparkles. The screenwriter, Nora Ephron does an amazing job.
You can see why Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan agreed to star in it.
As someone with more than a passing interest in acting I’d bite my agent’s hand off to be in it if I was sent the script.
(Although, I’d probably be kind of shocked as I don’t have an agent…)
Is your writing alive? Does it jump off the page and grab hold of the reader? Is it compelling?
If you answered no to any of those questions maybe you should try and turn that no into a yes.
Here’s the screenplay if you’re interested…
(image credit: Columbia Pictures)