The Craft of Writing : Raising Stakes Without Adding Explosions
One of the most common mistakes developing writers make is assuming that bigger automatically means better. If a scene feels flat, they add a car chase. If the second act starts dr
The Craft of Screenwriting: Developing the Perfect Logline
What Is Your Story Really About? One of the simplest questions a writer can be asked is often the hardest to answer: “So, what’s your story about?” Most writers assume this s
The Craft of Writing – Writing Desire: What Your Character Wants vs. What They Need
One of the fastest ways to identify why a story feels flat is to look at the main character’s desire. If the protagonist is moving through scenes, saying dialogue, reacting to ev
The Craft of Screenwriting – Writing Great Openings: The First Ten Pages Matter
Every screenplay begins with a promise. Before the audience knows your plot, before they understand your theme, before they fully meet your protagonist, they are already deciding w
John Risner
John Morgan Risner is a screenwriter, novelist, and story analyst, and the founder of Screen Writer Ink. With over a decade of experience teaching screenwriting and filmmaking at the university level, he has helped writers develop stronger stories through a focus on character, structure, and cinematic storytelling. His work spans multiple genres, including thriller, horror, and mystery, with an emphasis on character-driven narratives. He is also a film historian with a deep knowledge of classic and modern cinema, including the James Bond films and novels. Through Screen Writer Ink, he provides writers with practical, experience-based insight into the craft of storytelling—helping them move beyond theory and write with clarity, purpose, and control.
