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Finding the Ritual That Gets You Writing

September 16, 2026
You write for a few days or even weeks but can’t keep it consistent. You’ve written in the past, fell off the writing-train, and can’t figure out why it’s so darn hard to get back on track. You write consistently but you’re miserable doing it. In this symposium, Script Pipeline-winning filmmaker and meditation teacher Erin Cantelo will guide you through a variety of habit-forming tools to discover your own personal ritual that gets you writing consistently and even… (gasp) joyfully.

Book Pipeline

Book Pipeline connects writers to publishers, agents, and the film industry through competitions and workshops, providing hands-on support to bridge the gap between emerging authors and the industry since 2014.

Script Pipeline

Script Pipeline connects writers with producers, agents, and managers, facilitating over $8 million in sales through competitions and ongoing industry support, helping launch major films and secure high-profile representation since 1999.

Film Pipeline

Film Pipeline connects filmmakers and writers with agencies and executives, focusing on diverse storytelling and playing an active role in developing and promoting projects, reviewing thousands of submissions annually since its launch in 2018.

Screenwriting Essentials: Improving the Read

Recorded

July 29, 2026

Duration

2 Hours

Cost

$35

Subject

Screenwriting

Topic

Craft

Professional screenwriter Tom Vaughan (Winchester, starring Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren) shares critical advice to elevate your writing to a more pro level.

It’s called “A good read.”

It’s when a reader’s eyes glide down the page of a screenplay in an easy, emotional flow.

It’s when a reader sits down to read a screenplay and doesn’t get up until they’re finished.

It’s when the screenplay focuses on the emotional experience rather than the technical one.

And it’s the difference between a good story being easier to identify and one that gets buried in an avalanche of text.

Every screenwriter makes two choices. First, what actually happens in the story. And next, how to transfer those sounds and images to the reader through text.

"Improving The Read" focuses on that second one.

This presentation will cover:

  • The actual goal of today’s spec screenplay.
  • How to evoke shots without ever mentioning the camera.
  • What writing “vertically” means and how to do it.
  • What bad habits are strangling your reader’s experience.
  • A rewrite of a scene in real-time.
  • Q&A

What attendees have said ...

"It's given me a new way of thinking about how to write my action lines now I can see what I'm doing wrong and how I can improve. I'm energized!"

"This is such great screenwriting teaching! I just graduated from an MFA Creative Writing/Screenwriting program. What Tom is teaches is so much more than what I received in some of my classes."

"This was an amazing webinar. I learned so much. I need to really work on this to get rid of some of the bad habits that I've picked up over the years. Very sound advice. Thank you!"

"Excellent discussion and great examples.  It became so clear and obvious after Tom explained and gave examples."

"Chock full of actionable advice. Presentation well organized."

"I really enjoyed and got a lot out of this. One of the better sessions I’ve attended."

Host

Tom Vaughan
With nearly three decades of professional screenwriting experience, Tom Vaughan has written for major buyers including Warner Brothers, Sony Pictures, Disney, ABC, NBC, TBS, CBS, Miramax, and Castle Rock Entertainment. His most recent film, Haunting of the Queen Mary (2023), followed Winchester (2018), starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren and Sarah Snook. He has developed projects for Matthew McConaughey, […]

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Upcoming Events

Finding the Ritual That Gets You Writing

September 16, 2026
You write for a few days or even weeks but can’t keep it consistent. You’ve written in the past, fell off the writing-train, and can’t figure out why it’s so darn hard to get back on track. You write consistently but you’re miserable doing it. In this symposium, Script Pipeline-winning filmmaker and meditation teacher Erin Cantelo will guide you through a variety of habit-forming tools to discover your own personal ritual that gets you writing consistently and even… (gasp) joyfully.

One-on-One with Professional Screenwriter Corey Mandell

September 17, 2026
Corey Mandell joins our Symposium converstaion to dive into the essentials every screenwriter needs to know, including what it takes to launch your career in the current marketplace. Plus, we'll sprinkle your questions into the conversation.

Multidimensional Comp Titles

September 23, 2026
Caroline Malloy's dynamic presentation is designed to help you weed through overwhelming possibilities to hone in on the books that will make yours shine. Her comp title secret: it's not about working to show what you know about other books; it's about getting the books to work for you. Comp titles, ultimately, prove your book is a deep, thoughtful, pleasurable, multidimensional read.

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Substack as a Writer's Swiss Army Knife: How to Build Your Email List & Beyond

September 2, 2026
Substack has evolved from a simple newsletter platform into one of the most powerful tools available to writers. It can help you connect with readers, expand your network, promote your work, test ideas, generate new revenue streams, and build a sustainable creative career—all while maintaining direct ownership of your audience.

Professional Screenplay Formatting and Structure

August 26, 2026
Timothy Cooper walks you through everything he wishes he’d known when he started: the principles behind why formatting matters, his tried-and-true steps to building your story from logline to outline to script, and exactly what differentiates professional pages from amateur ones.

Mistakes Comedy Writers Make and How to Fix Them

August 19, 2026
Dive into the world of comedy writing. Amanda Graham explores the biggest mistakes in comedy scripts and how you can avoid them. For new and seasoned writers.

Symposium, presented by Pipeline Artists, is a year-round virtual conference empowering creatives with honest, no-nonsense guidance across the arts. Through seminars, industry panels, and Town Hall discussions on screenwriting, filmmaking, publishing, and career-building, Symposium offers grounded advice from working professionals to help you forge your own unique path.

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