If you want to sell a screenplay in Hollywood, it cannot read like an amateur wrote it on the page. It has to look like a professional did, no matter where you are in your career. I've been reading a lot of amateur screenplays lately for notes, and one of the big things I've noticed across the board is the lack of B stories. Today, I thought we should discuss the idea of a b story and examine why amateur writers seem to forget about it. Let's dive in. What is a B-Story?In screenwriting, a B-story (also often called a B-plot or subplot) is a secondary plotline that runs concurrently with the main plot (the A-story).The Typical B-Stories In many screenplays, your B-story usually focuses on supporting characters or explores a different facet of the protagonist's life, separate from the main conflict driving the A-story. For example, while the A-story might be about the hero trying to stop a villain, the B-story might be about the hero's romantic relationship or family issues.It's there to make the worldbuilding feel bigger, help you get attached to side characters, or help mix in another genre into the storytelling. Why Are Amateur Writers Forgetting B-Stories? My thought here is that when I first started writing, I spent so much time getting the main plot right that I would often forget other things that needed to happen in a movie and a TV show. It happens to me, too. There are multiple specs where I will write...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Tuesday, 8 April