How To Write A Screenplay: 10-Step Guide

First and foremost, you need to have a story to tell. That story can be a personal experience, made up, or somebody else's story - just make sure it's a good one!

Before settling on an idea, consider whether it has potential for conflict and resolution, as well as interesting characters and themes.

You can do some research to see if there is anything similar already out there. Not that that should deter you - it could give you some ideas on how to make your own unique twist.

Once you have settled on a story, the next step is to create an outline. You should spend a considerable amount of time in this phase as your outline is your roadmap to the finished product.

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Start by breaking down your story into a beginning, middle, and end. Within each of those sections, jot down key scenes and plot points that need to be included in order for the story to flow logically and keep the audience engaged.

It can also be helpful to include notes on character arcs, themes, and any important background information.

Are there any subplots? What about flashbacks? These are all things you can throw in at this stage.

Don't worry about getting it perfect right away - your outline will likely change and evolve as you continue writing.

Now for the fun part - actually sitting down and putting words on the page! If you really want to make some strides here, learn about Zero Drafting; gamechanger.

You want to use this step to bring your screenplay to life, but remember to not get too attached to any one scene or line of dialogue. This is a first draft - it's meant for exploration and discovery.

When it comes to screenplays, characters are just as important as the plot. Audiences want to see characters they can relate to and root for (or against!).

Think about who your characters are, their motivations, and how they will change throughout the story. Incorporate these aspects into your writing - let them drive the action and move the plot forward.

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Likewise, when you're developing your characters and their arcs, it's important to remember that every scene should be the result of something that happened earlier or setting up something for later.

In other words, there should be a cause-and-effect relationship between each scene. This will help give your screenplay a sense of cohesion and forward momentum.

Additionally, each scene should contribute to the audience's understanding of the character's psychology and motivation.

Dialogue is a key element in screenplays, as it helps to further the plot and give insight into the characters. Take time to really focus on writing realistic, engaging dialogue that doesn't sound forced or cliche.

Ask yourself questions like:
- How does this line of dialogue further the plot?
- Does it reveal something about the character or their motivations?
- Would a real person actually say this in this situation? (very important)

As I mentioned before, screenplays are meant for the visual medium of film. That means incorporating elements such as camera angles, scene transitions, and descriptions of the setting and characters that will bring your story to life on screen.

Think about how a scene should be shot and the emotions you want to evoke in the audience. Are there any specific props or locations that are integral to the story?

I cannot stress this enough (I will stress it some more later, too) but keep your creativity OUT of formatting. Weird fonts, colors, and spacing will not make your screenplay stand out in a good way - it will just confuse and possibly annoy whoever is reading it.

Follow the industry-standard formatting. This includes things like scene headings, character introductions, and dialogue presentation. We have an industry-standard screenplay formatting guide if you need assistance.

Formatting is one of those things that may seem tedious and unimportant, but it really does matter. You also want to stick with the beginning, middle, and end structure, and a 90-120 page count.

You've written a draft of your screenplay and you're feeling pretty good about it. But before you submit it to anyone, you want to make sure it's as strong as it can be.

So what do you do? You polish and refine it, of course! This means making sure the dialogue is sharp, the characters are fully developed, and the plot is watertight.

It can be helpful to get feedback on your screenplay from someone whose opinion you trust, so that you can identify areas that need improvement.

Use that feedback to make revisions. In some cases, this could be completely removing a character, so do not take revisions lightly. None of this should be a rushed process.

You've completed your screenplay - congratulations! Now it's time to start sending it out to agents, producers, competitions, etc. right?
Yes and no!
A lot of people make the mistake of blindly sending out their finished screenplay without doing any research. It's important to make sure your script is a good fit for the person or company you're submitting to, otherwise you could end up wasting both your time and theirs.

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Do some research on who accepts unsolicited submissions, or try to get personal connections through networking events or through writing programs.

I highly, highly, highly recommend you submitting your screenplay to competitions (that hyperlink takes you to a list I put together of the best screenplay and screenwriting competitions) as well, to get more eyes on your work and potentially win some recognition or even cash prizes.