Doug Richardson

3 Screenwriters Turned Novelists

By Sean Tuohy

Writing is writing no matter the format. Screenplays, novels, poems, and Writer’s Bone essays are all valuable forms of writing.

There are an elite few that are able to bounce between different formats with ease. Screenwriters are a tough breed, so it’s not surprising when they slip into the world of prose.

Below are three screenwriters who switched to novels:

Stephan J. Cannell

Stephan J. Cannell is one of the most well-known television writers of the 20th Century and produced more than two dozen script television shows before becoming a bestselling novelist. His award-winning Detective Shane Scully series was beloved and showcased Cannel's natural storytelling talent and his close eye for detail and research. Cannell's mysteries featured fast moving plots and engrossing characters that sucked you into Cannell’s world completely. He’s truly one of the best storytellers of our time.

Doug Richardson

Our buddy Doug Richardson penned such hits as “Bad Boys” and “Die Hard” before moving to novels. Like Cannell, Richardson is also a natural storyteller with great timing and the ability to develop wonderful characters. His thriller novels True Believers and Blood Money were smash hits. It is very easy to get lost in the worlds that Richardson creates and it’s even hard to pull yourself out of them.

Robert Crais

Robert Crais started as a television writer, penning episodes of “Hill Street Blues” and other groundbreaking shows of that era before creating one of the most endearing private detective series in modern fiction. 

His Elvis Cole series, which is still going strong, was groundbreaking for its first person narrative, flashbacks, and multiple storylines. Crais’ ability to engineer fun, edge-of-your-seat stories makes him a great read in any format.

For posts from The Boneyard, check out our full archive.

Top 5 Screenwriters To Follow On Twitter

By Sean Tuohy

Twitter can be a wasteland filled with hashtags and trending topics all but a few Internet trolls understand. But among hordes of handles there are still a few worth following.

These are the #top #five #screenwriters to #follow #on #Twitter. Did we use those right? 

Doug Richardson
@bydougrich

"Die Hard 2," "Bad Boys," "Hostage"

“Nicest Guy In Hollywood” Doug Richardson has been in Hollywood for twenty years, and he’s got the stories to prove it. Richardson tells brutally funny and knee slapping stories about his time as a screenwriter. Richardson normally interacts with fans through the social website and has some of the funniest tweets out there.

Creighton Rothenberger/Katrin Benedikt 
@creightonwriter/@katrinbenedikt

"Olympus Has Fallen," "Expendables 3"

Hands down one of them most inspirational Writer’s Bone interviews we ever had. The action writing couple spent 10 years struggling in Hollywood before breaking it big. They are down to earth and terribly funny.

William C Martell
@wcmartell

"Steel Sharks"

Quick witted and damn dry, Martell is a bomb to follow. The screenwriter of nearly 20 films and several books, Martell provides the ins and outs of screenwriting.

Steve E. de Souza
@StevenEdeSouza

"Die Hard," "Commando," "The Running Man"

Through his writing, De Souza has blown up his share of buildings, but on Twitter the action screenwriter can normally be found sharing stories, chatting with fans, and being an all around entertaining fellow.

Jon Hurwitz
@jonhurwitz

"Harold and Kumar," "American Reunion"

Hollywood funny man Jon Hurwitz has been making us laugh for more than 10 years, and he keeps it up on his Twitter feed. Hurwitz uses topical humor and witty statements to split opposing sides. 

For posts from The Boneyard, check out our full archive.

5 Writers You Should Be Following on Twitter

By Daniel Ford

Do you know how hard it is to be a writer on Twitter? There’s no way we can get all of our brilliance out in 140 characters. Even Hemingway would have asked for a few more!

I’m kidding, of course, but writers do sweat over the words, images, and links they post more than anyone else on the social media network. Being witty and pithy are our bread and butter, so the limited characters is more of a worthwhile challenge rather than a bummer.

Here are five writers who make it look easy and deserve a follow from all aspiring wordsmiths. Feel free to share your own favorites in the comments section or tweet us @WritersBone.

Rebecca Cantrell (@rebeccacantrell)

See the below tweets from one of Writer’s Bone’s favorite authors. That should explain perfectly why you should be following her.

Yes, having a dog named Gus helps his cause, but Mayer would be worth a follow regards. Writers who want to write about government, the armed forces, and U.S. foreign policy (either fiction or non-fiction) need to put Mayer in their newsfeed ASAP. The former Special Ops. solider is always topical and has a firm grasp of all things having to do with the military. Mayer also shares plenty of links to pertinent posts that you may not have otherwise found.

I’m a fan of any writer who describes his memoir as “Eat, Pray, Love for depressed shut-ins.” I can’t wait to crack into Whitehead’s The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky, and Death, but until then, I’ll be satisfied reading his witty tweets. We look forward to stalking him to come on the podcast in the near future (don’t say we didn’t warn you Colson).

I like following author Steve Kozeniewski for a variety of reasons. It never fails to make me smile when I see the name Braineater Jones, he uses the word fart a lot, and he takes the time to thank reviewers and people who have interviewed him. Plus, his Twitter avatar deserves to go in the Hall of Fame.

Like we weren’t going to include our podcast partner in crime? Richardson is always funny, relevant, and informative. He’s at his best when he’s ranting about Amtrak, lousy screenwriting, and Hollywood award shows.

For posts from The Boneyard, check out our full archive.

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