26 ratings | 3 reviews | avg rating:4.31

Clive Frayne’s Followers (4)

Clive’s Bookshelves

to-read (1)
currently-reading (0)
read (26)

Clive’s Friends (13)

Sue Robson

383 books | 16 friends

Katarina

1,270 books | 55 friends

Juli

378 books | 186 friends

Emma Lipscombe

175 books | 46 friends

Fiona Jennifer

8 books | 35 friends

Lorraine Malyan

0 books | 96 friends

Gill Richardson

2 books | 28 friends

Beccy Owen

49 books | 382 friends

More friends…

Clive Frayne

Goodreads Author

Born

The United Kingdom

Website

http://clivefrayne.co.uk

Genre

Nonfiction, Ebooks

Member Since

May 2012

edit data

Clive Frayne is a screenwriter, lecturer and author.

Alongside his work as a screenwriter and script-editor, Clive teaches process-driven screenwriting. A technique he developed during fifteen years of writing for independent film producers.

Clive started his professional writing career twenty-eight years ago. His first paid job was working in broadcast radio. He worked in one of the best writing teams in the industry. That experience taught him how to write for actors, and how to direct. His writing won industry awards, both in the UK and America. After proving he could be a successful writer, Clive moved into running writing teams. For years, he hired, managed and mentored award-winning writers.

Fifteen years ago, Clive decided to take on ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Clive Frayne questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Clive Frayne The short answer to how I deal with writer's block is I use the process I outline in my book, The Process (of Screenwriting).

One of the main causes of…moreThe short answer to how I deal with writer's block is I use the process I outline in my book, The Process (of Screenwriting).

One of the main causes of writer's block for screenwriters is task overload. When many screenwriters sit down to write their script, they often only have a concept and an outline of their story (a plot). They then try to solve all the other issues involved in screenwriting on-the-page. This means they are visualising and creating a fictional world, finding a theme, creating characters, creating drama, writing dialogue and visual-storytelling... all at the same time. These are too many plates for the human mind to spin without going blank. This can cause writer's block. The screenwriter doesn't have enough information to write the next line of the script.

The standard solution to this problem has been to let go of any expectations of doing the job well. Writers will create a vomit draft. It's much easier to get a draft done if you take the attitude "I'll fix the dialogue on the next pass" or "I'll make the scenes more dramatic on the next pass." This is why, in screenwriting, the phrase "writing is rewriting" is a truism.

The main reason I wrote my book was because I knew, from my own experiences as a screenwriter, that task overload and the need for vomit drafts is avoidable. The actual solution to the most common cause of writer's block is to develop a writing process that moves many of the tasks traditionally done on-the-page to the preparation process. This is something we can do regardless of whether our natural style of writing is to be a planner or someone who needs to work things out on-the-page.

Basically, the answer to how I deal with writer's block is I use the process I outline in my book.(less)

flag

like
Comment

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Clive Frayne I need to answer this in two different ways. The best thing about being a screenwriter is very different from the best thing about being an author.

The…moreI need to answer this in two different ways. The best thing about being a screenwriter is very different from the best thing about being an author.

The best thing about being a screenwriter is the moment an actor says to you "I really want to play this role." I really feel like I've done my job when that happens. I can walk away from the project knowing that I've inspired another creative person to do what they do best.

The best thing about being a non-fiction author is the opportunity to really dig into a subject. My book is about screenwriting. Although I have spent years screenwriting, it was only when I wrote my book, I realised how coherent my thoughts were on the subject. I had something worth saying. That feeling is priceless and makes it all worthwhile. (less)

flag

like
Comment

See all 4 answers from Clive Frayne…

Combine Editions
Clive Frayne’s books

Average rating: 4.38 · 21 ratings · 7 reviews · 6 distinct works

	The Process: of Screenwriting 4.32 avg rating — 19 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Screw Up Your Story : A No-Fluff Guide To Writing Stronger Stories by Clive Frayne (Goodreads Author), Lucy Hay it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Screw Up Your Story: A No-Fluff Guide To Writing Stronger Stories by Clive Frayne (Goodreads Author), Lucy V. Hay it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Screw Up Your Concept : A No-Fluff Guide To Writing Stronger Stories (Don't Screw Up your Story Book 1) by Clive Frayne (Goodreads Author), Lucy V. Hay 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Screw Up Your Characters : A No-Fluff Guide To Writing Stronger Stories (Don't Screw Up your Story Book 2) by Clive Frayne (Goodreads Author), Lucy V. Hay 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Don't Screw Up Your Plot : A No-Fluff Guide To Writing Stronger Stories (Don't Screw Up your Story Book 3) by Clive Frayne (Goodreads Author), Lucy V. Hay 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Clive Frayne…

17 posts
Clive Frayne's Blog

London Screenwriting Festival Handouts

I was happy to be asked to talk about process-driven approaches to script development at this year’s London Screenwriting Festival. My session was about ways we can approach the analysis and development of our script projects. It was an honour to present my approach to understanding and developing scripts.

On this page are links to handouts I promised in that session.

This is the PDF version of my p