William M. Akers

Biography

William M. Akers is a highly regarded American screenwriter, novelist, author, and educator, known for his long career in both Hollywood and academia. A Lifetime Member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), his expertise is deeply rooted in the practical craft of writing for the screen.

Biography and Education

William M. Akers graduated from the University of Southern California with a Master of Fine Arts degree. Following his education, he dedicated his career to both creating and teaching the art of storytelling. He served as a professor, teaching filmmaking and screenwriting at Vanderbilt University, and was the creator and chair of the Motion Pictures Department at Belmont University, a program that has been recognized as a top film school. He has recently retired from full-time university teaching.

Career in Film and Television

Akers has had a long and active career, writing and critiquing screenplays for over two decades. His work has been commissioned by major Hollywood entities, including Disney, Paramount, Universal, and MGM studios, as well as various independent producers.

Notable credits from his produced screenplays include:

The feature films Ernest Rides Again and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase.

Network television series such as Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Strange Luck.

He has had a total of three feature films produced from his scripts.

Author and Consultant

Beyond his screenwriting, Akers is a well-known author in the writing community. His book, Your Screenplay Sucks! 100 Ways To Make It Great is a best-selling screenwriting guide, which was ranked as the number one best screenwriting book of 2020 by an industry publication. He is also the author of the novel Mrs. Ravenbach's Way.

Akers regularly consults with filmmakers and screenwriters globally and has conducted writing workshops and seminars internationally, including in London, Paris, and Beijing. He is also a co-founder of The Nashville Writers Circle.