Social media can be a HUGE waste of time, but sometimes when you’re scrolling you come upon a gem.

I did last week, and it led to all kinds of crazy thoughts.

I was on Twitter/X, and I discovered this post by lesser known but A-plus screenwriting expert Tom Vaughan, who has written eight films.

On Twitter/X, he wrote:

I have noticed many younger writers prefer to forgo a romance in their screenplay. This is fine. You don't NEED a romance in a story that's not about the romance.

But you do need to fill that space. It's the RELATIONSHIP that is vital. A friend, parent, child, or sibling.

Audiences care about relationships. Perhaps more than anything else. And we want to see how those relationships affect the protagonists. For better and for worse. A key job with your screenwriting is to know the most important one in your story.

My first thought was, yeah, he’s right. Second thought: Uhh, I need to know more about this.

Third thought: OK, wiseguy, that’s fine for MOVIES. But what about copywriting?

I did some research and some thinking and you’ll be surprised how much the most famous ads in history involve relationships, as well as the most profitable one ever tracked.

I’ll share some interesting and useful information about all this today.

Resources

Tom Vaughan’s Twitter/X handle: @storyandplot

Tom Vaughan’s website:​​https://storyandplot.com/

Coaching with me: https://garfinkelcoaching.com