Take Two: Writing a Screenplay Based on a True Story Adapting a true story requires research, honesty, and sometimes, a little bending of the truth. Jeanne Veillette Bowerman shares tips on writing a screenplay based on a true story and the importance of finding the balance between fact and fiction. Author: Feb 19, 2021 voila! You have a fascinating story. Not so fast, Grasshopper. “Write what you know” may be the number one piece of advice writers receive when launching into their first project, but when I did just that, I quickly realized I didn’t know squat. Turns out, “what I know” wasn’t cinematic at all; it was self-indulgent.