Whether you're writing your first screenplay or working on a rewrite of an existing draft, Screenwriting Essentials will guide writers through each step of the story development process and give you the foundational tools you need to write a high-quality script.

For new writers, the course will teach you how to build a story from the ground up.

For writers working on a rewrite, the course will help you think through the different elements of your existing story and shed light on places where you can improve your script.

Also, though the focus of Screenwriting Essentials is feature screenplays, the concepts can be applied to any creative writing genre. Fiction writers have repeatedly told us how much their writing has benefited from learning about story elements and scene construction in screenplays. 

In any case, Screenwriting Essentials will give you a repeatable screenwriting method and workbooks that you can use on writing projects in the future. Each module will also highlight common pitfalls, so you can learn to identify them and make edits to your writing. 

Most of the information in Screenwriting Essentials applies to TV and feature scripts, so there is a lot of value for writers working on both types of projects. That said, the "Structure" module talks specifically about movie structure and doesn't cover TV pilot structure. We will release a TV version of this module as an add-on in Spring 2024. 

Absolutely! The same principles that apply to a feature screenplay apply to a short film. Screenwriting Essentials will help you with story idea, character development, structure, dialogue, writing style, and more. Having a strong understanding of each of these components will drastically improve your short film script. 

While novel writing and screenwriting are not the same, they share a massive number of similarities. And, yes, absolutely, there are huge benefits to applying the craft of screenwriting to writing novels.

The screenwriting lessons of structure, structure, and more structure!, brevity of language, relentless forward motion, a profound character change driven by the main character's opponent, the supporting characters must have an effect on the main character's journey... constantly surprise your reader, and on and on... are all covered in Screenwriting Essentials and would definitely help anyone writing a novel. Adding diverse tools to your writing toolbox that you wouldn't otherwise have is always a good idea. The "I never thought of it that way!" light bulb is not a bad one to light up.

We know all this is true because William structured his novel like a screenplay: with three acts and eight sequences inside those acts. He used the same outlining process he teaches in the course. He used the same rules about character, world building, dialogue, rewriting… all of which apply to a novel, and are covered in Screenwriting Essentials. The icing on the cake: his novel sold three days after it went out.

You will have access to the entire course as soon as you register. You can begin watching the video lessons any time.

Self-paced means the lessons are pre-recorded so you can structure your learning around your schedule and your writing process. Every week, you'll have the opportunity to sign up for Zoom office hours to ask the teacher questions. Don't have any questions? That's okay! Office hours are a great opportunity to listen to other writers and learn from the questions they ask. 

No, your access to the course videos and workbooks will not expire, so you can take as long as you need to complete the course. The time it takes to get through all the material is entirely up to you, your schedule, and your writing process. 

Starting on January 12th, the video lessons will be delivered every Friday for ten weeks, but you can complete the course at your own pace. Some writers will choose to watch all the videos as they become available and return to the writing assignments later. Some writers will wait to watch the next video until they have completed the writing assignment from the previous lesson. One of the major benefits of this course is that it's entirely flexible! 

You will not submit your writing assignments to us. They're for you to use to develop and write your script. If you have specific questions, you can ask them during office hours or on the private Key to Storytelling Facebook page. We also recommend students form writing groups and share work with each other for feedback. If you're interested in in-depth feedback from William Akers, check out our current script notes and consulting packages on our website and be on the lookout for small group Zoom workshops later this year. 

No, there are not due dates for the writing assignments. We think it's more important for writers to take time to properly develop their ideas than to rush through the work to meet a deadline. Screenwriting Essentials will do a deep dive on the major components of a well-written screenplay and give you writing prompts to develop your own ideas. The point of the assignments is to help guide you through the creative process so you have a strong foundation to write your script. If you're someone who likes deadlines, we recommend teaming up with another writer to create a schedule and provide each other accountability. 

Small group Zoom office hours are held 1-2 times weekly at varying times to accommodate writers in  different time zones. If you are unable to attend the office hours sessions, the audio will be recorded and posted each week so students who miss the call can still hear what the group talked about. 

At Key to Storytelling, we want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. If you are not entirely happy with your screenwriting course, we offer a 7-day refund policy.

Here’s how it works:

• Eligibility: You may request a full refund within 7 days from the date of purchase, provided you have not completed more than 25% of the course content.
• Request Process: To request a refund, please contact our support team at hello@keytostorytelling.com with your order details and the reason for your refund request.
• Refund Processing: Once we receive your request, we will process your refund within 5 business days. The amount will be credited back to the original payment method used during purchase.
• Course Access: You will lose all access to the course and materials immediately upon our receipt of your refund request.
• Exclusions: Refunds are not available for course materials or resources downloaded or accessed outside the main course content.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our support team. We’re here to help!

By completing this order you are requesting, and consent to receive, immediate access to the course. Your chosen payment method will be charged straight away.  Purchase entitles you to continued access to the content unless: (i) the purchasing account is deleted or (ii) there is a serious breach of the agreed terms.

Send it to us in an email at hello@keytostorytelling.com.