Short stories are short, aren't they? So it should be easier to adapt a short story to a script. Keep the dialogue, add some context, and it's done. Not so fast. Short stories are both a valuable opportunity and a potential life-sucking black hole for the aspiring screenwriter.

You can't beat a dead horse, we all know that. But even the most stubbornly sleeping screenplay can be infused some life with a bit of discipline. Enter the beat sheet and the formulaic way to writing.