We recommend sticking to industry-standard formatting. The Black List offers free references and guides for you to use as a resource when formatting your own work.

We curated detailed guides to help clarify accepted formatting for projects depending on their format: screenplays, TV pilots, fiction manuscripts, or stage plays. You can peruse them here: https://blcklst.com/writer-resources

For Screenwriters

The Nicholl Screenwriting Foundation created a brief script sample that cleverly uses the script format itself to demonstrate formatting standards. It is featured on The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences website as a helpful guide to perfect, industry-standard formatting. Check out the sample, For a Few Days More by April Rider, here: www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/scriptsample.pdf

The Black List also has a wealth of reference material and a deep catalog of conversations with working screenwriters and professionals in the Entertainment Industry.

Go Into the Story is an archive of interviews and articles by working writers.
The Black List Blog offers interviews, reviews, and reflections on essential viewing based on genre.
Professional Scripts available for download serve as a reference point for formatting and story construction, as well as world and character development.
The Screenwriter's Notebook is a truly incredible list of highly recommended resources for anyone interested in working as a creative in the US Entertainment Industry.

For Fiction Writers

Black List Creative Director Randy Winston has created the Fiction Resources Journal, an incredible, free-to-access vault of information for writers crafting stories for books and the publishing industry.

If you want a refresher on common publishing terms and insight into how publishers make decisions about what to publish: Writer’s Digest and publishing industry icon Jane Friedman
If you want to know exactly what a query letter does: LAMBDA Literary and Electric Literature
If you want more information about your rights as a writer or a list of credible literary agents: Authors Guild and the AALA
If you want insider news about editorial hires, employee movement, book deals and beyond delivered to your inbox: Publishers Lunch

And of course, check out our Discounts FAQ portal to learn more about how you can access our paid services regardless of your current financial resources.

What does Black List Recommended mean?