Coaching
A member of the Writers Guild of America, Mario Moreno is a screenwriter, author, filmmaker, speaker, and creative coach.
He was Senior Story Specialist at The Writers Store for over ten years, where he coached seven winners of the Industry Insider Contest through their writing process, one of whose scripts made the Black List and was acquired by Universal Pictures after a bidding war.
Client Testimonials
“Not only was my Story Specialist Mario Moreno a consummate professional but an invaluable source of critical feedback. He brought tremendous energy and insight to each of our weekly sessions. You would think he was earning a ten-percent manager's cut. Mario (expletive) rocks.”
Tyler Marceca
Contest Winner
“I paid a famous guru over a thousand dollars for his feedback, and you did more for my understanding of story and writing than he ever did. You should charge more, but I’m happy you don’t.”
Jim Kahle
Screenwriter
“It was so great meeting with you during the conference!! Your wealth of knowledge is completely inspiring, and you're a gifted teacher—always supportive and positive while also offering excellent insights... I really don't know what to say to thank you enough! You can't imagine how much I've raved about you over the past several months. All my family and close friends know what a great inspiration you are.”
Sue
Screenwriter
“Dude, you need to seriously start charging more.”
Henry Dunham
Writer-director, The Standoff at Sparrow Creek and A24’s Enemies
“The best thing about this contest are the Story Sessions. Each week it was like picking up a conversation with an old friend, from right where you left off before. I don't know how, but my Specialist had the uncanny ability to remember even the tiniest details of my story, even when it was largely conceptual and I kept making changes to some of the bigger pieces.
“Think of the Specialist Sessions as therapy for your story. As with any truly good and useful therapy, there's nothing doctrinaire in the approach and no BS allowed. You won't be compelled to write to an established formula or program. Your Specialist has only your story's best interest in mind.”
Jacob Snyder
Screenwriter
“I just won first place in the International Family Film Festival with my coming of age script, My College Essay!! YAY! Again, thanks to you, my mentor.”
Mary Krell-Oishi
Screenwriter, 1521: The Quest for Love and Freedom and Paper Flowers
“I recently had the pleasure of completing a 12-week course with Mario O. Moreno of The Writers Store to adapt one of my stage plays to a screenplay. I started the course with almost zero knowledge of the art and craft of writing a screenplay. I finished the course with a complete first draft that I am confidently revising on my own with the knowledge I gained under Mario’s tutelage.
“Mario is one of the most dedicated professionals I’ve ever worked with and, equally important, is an excellent and patient teacher. His comments and insights were always excellent, always on-point, and extremely helpful to me in learning the trade. He never pushed me in one direction or another. Instead, he offered thoughtful suggestions or options for me to consider.”
Jim Littlejohn
Screenwriter
Articles
Screenwriter’s Guidepost by Mario O. Moreno
Complete column archive at Script Magazine
SCRIPT INDUSTRY EXPERT Q&A: Mario O. Moreno of ‘Screenwriter’s Guidepost’
SCREENWRITER’S GUIDEPOST: Choosing Projects – Which Screenplay Should I Write Next?
SCREENWRITER’S GUIDEPOST: The Art of Taking Notes
SCREENWRITER’S GUIDEPOST:“How do I know when my script is done?”
How to Write a Screenplay: Script Writing Example & Screenwriting Tips