From Page to Screen: The Real Difference Between Writing Novels and Screenplays with Terry Weaver

About this episode

Teri M Brown interviews Terry Weaver about the differences between writing novels and screenplays.

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Terry Weaver. We are going to chat about the differences between writing a novel and writing a screen play. Terry grew up in San Bernardino, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Military as a Navy Corpsman. He was deployed as a combat medic with the U.S. Marines and served a tour of duty in Kuwait and Iraq from 2002 to 2003. After five years of active duty, Terry received an honorable discharge. He attended Mays Business School at Texas A&M and received the Pat Tillman Foundation Scholarship, established in the namesake of Army Ranger and NFL star player Pat Tillman, who was killed in action while serving his country. Terry earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2011 and completed his Master of Arts in Biblical Studies in 2020 at Grace School of Theology. He spent over a decade in sales and marketing, and while doing so he founded VEL INSTITUTE, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit. Terry has published five books, two non-fiction and three fictional works. His latest book is titled A Long Night Cry. He’s the award-winning lead actor in the television series, Breaking…

People in this episode

Host: Teri M Brown

Guest: Terry Weaver

Topics covered

• writing novels
• screenplays
• differences in writing
• Terry Weaver
• film production
• military background

Keywords

• novel writing
• screenplay writing
• Terry Weaver
• film production
• military service
• writing differences

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Military, Pat Tillman Foundation, Grace School of Theology

Books & works: A Long Night Cry, Breaking Strongholds, The Beast of Trinity Texas

Places: San Bernardino, Los Angeles

More episodes of Online For Authors Podcast

• Steamy Romance Meets Political Upheaval: Why This Genre Mashup Works with Author Deborah J Brasket · June 9, 2026 · 26 min
• Beyond the Book: The Digital Strategy Every Author Needs to Survive with Shane Vigeant · June 6, 2026 · 25 min
• West Texas Justice: A Dark, Fast-Paced Ride Through Moral Chaos with Author Jim Nesbitt · June 2, 2026 · 29 min
• A Diary, A Puzzle, A Trilogy: The Poetry Book Hiding a Bigger Story with Author Hema Gupta · May 26, 2026 · 29 min
• She Escaped the Family Flower Business … Or Did She? With Author Joanna Monahan · May 21, 2026 · 21 min
• A Flawed Detective’s Descent: A Gritty Noir of Betrayal and Redemption with Author Daniel Kowalski · May 19, 2026 · 24 min