Screenwriting : Hi everyone! Quick question: by Queila Doyle

After completing the outline my first draft usually takes a month. Rewriting, getting feedback, rewriting some more, etc. usually takes another few months. From start to finish about six months.

I mull the idea over and over in my head for days/weeks - until I have an idea of the beginning, middle and end. When I sit down to type it, I can get a first draft done in 2 to 4 working days (8 yr days). If you count the time I spend cooking it up in my head, that's 24/7 thing.

I have no idea, I abandon it in the first act, because another idea for another story came to me.

The only thing I write anymore are adaptations from novels. It takes me two months working on them for about two or three hours a day.

I try to write to the length of time I'd have if I was being paid as a professional - no more than 3 months on a TV show. That's for outline, first draft and revisions.

Of course, you can take longer than that, but I'd say try to get something written within a quarter. At least, that's a goal to work towards. Doesn't mean it won't take you 6 mos to a year, e.g. to get a story written. You can also work towards the 1, 2, 7, 14 schedule which will have you writing 2 features in a year.

Deadlines are great because they give you a goal, but don't be afraid to give your writing rest time by putting it away, working on something else, and coming back to it later. All of which will extend how long it takes you to work on it.

Give yourself a deadline... just like you give your protagonist to sort out a life snafu. Take as long as you need, but try to do at least a little something everyday. The more you write, the faster you get.

I don't give myself a deadline. Once I get an idea that won't leave me alone. I merely write 1-5 pages per day until the story is complete. Then cut and edit until it shines.

Queila Doyle sometimes a deadline, it's taken me about four to six months to write several of my feature spec screenplays,

I'm now working on number seven and it's actually going a bit faster not necessarily by intention but maybe I've gained some clarity about the process

so it is moving forward with a bit more focus and continuity this time around!

2 weeks max. But that's just my pace -I work until it's done, without stopping. Helps with organic continuity.

CJ Walley just wrote a book called "Turn & Burn" which outlines his strategy to writing a feature fast. Like a month fast. Check it out on Amazon!

Hi. To write a feature takes me a few days but the editing is where I struggle the most. And no, I don't give myself a deadline.

David Steinberg threads on Twitter of writing a script within 6 working days and how can it be done....guess money would be prime setter of deadlines there, but it's mostly knowing to to execute the process - outline-treatment-draft....

Personally, I do set deadline cause everything you wish to complete u must give it a beginning-end frame...but it's usually a longer run and that goes for my workplace too... of course anyone offers some 0s raise on my fee I can gladly turn in a worp for them :)

I typically write comedy sketches, then find ones that would work best as a movie. Other times ideas just happens. But a deadline/? on What? Whos getting a Feature Film asked for before its written? Lucky them. I see it all as short stories till a bunch of material is decided on. But like. Star is Born, was a overnight idea, then that was forwarded to bradley by kanye west.. Trolls 2 was pitched in a email, then was the second project stolen by those writer, that is mine. They also used a tractor pull animated to make that octopus in a truck that mcgyvers main was star in. Trolls came as I asked my son, (who was 21.) what would be a good plot for a animated and he came to a refugee crisis. I came to make a rock band that helps fund the fixing of the problem. Those writers arent very good. Knives Out . Was just a idea I put on Facebook, that the writers picked up via Jay Z and Kanye . The Head Writer then went on tv late night, (Where I get Jokes Each Night.) Talking about how they paid for 2 writers and not the 3rd. Who was me, and my idea. ( Amanda Peets Husbands Words). Bring the Funny was a quick pitch, took like.. few hours to come too. That was actually pitched to Kenan to say thanks for busting them in the kevin hart SNL get on up sketch. Where Kenan Goes.. No, we Like Dave. Im that Dave.. Its how i now get stuff on. My most recent, thats likely getting made this summer, took over 8 months to write. Then i passed it to a director that liked the idea and was asking for it back at 5 months along. Over and over rewriting the idea to flow better. Deciding on characters.. direction of the story.. I took a historic thing, and put a spin on it, but the storyline itself due to its real history, really made it easier to write. I dont have any deadlines, till someone is asking for a rewrite, or something not done, then still.. whats the deadline ? Everything moves so slow. My deadline is I try to get my stuff to Snl by Monday, even that is rough and they rewrite the idea to see where they see it going. I got one on the Christmas Show that was emailed on the 2nd that month. Not my First. K? Just write It, dont care how long it takes, or how it reads, then go back. Oh, and I dont stick to the same project for too long, I get burnt out. When your having a problem on flow.. or concurrence.. come up with a comedy sketch. Write that up, then come back. Look anywhere for it. I like going to the news, and making fun of a story. Its easy, and its a nice break, often leaves you with another project after. If you look up who is in control of director of marketing at marketing firms, and not the companies you want the ad at, then email them. AND give it FREE. It sometimes gets on too. not often but thats how i got a National run Chettos Commercial. I have a Progressive Commercial too, (Gary the game show commercial) but not via direct email. If you email Marketing Directors of national commercials, and not the companies, thats where to send comedy sketches, and then its still only if they like it. You have to write the whole thing out, all the words used, and whats happening in it. Jay Z's Team takes about 4 weeks to get a pilot to a series on, from pitch. I pitched a my cousin vinny tv show, they took material from and their slant. 4 weeks later lines from pitch on tv. Emailed Studio. Show was pulled. His Movies take 6 months from my pitch. They write using my stuff from 2013-about 1 year to 6 months ago.. Brockmire was part of a idea that became green inferno. That came like. . 4 weeks later. Then next season was Brockmire. That Tom and Jerry was them, they put broken doves in the trailer, i put it on facebook and got blocked for posting for 3 days. I pitched a Tweety and Syvester Movie, same basic layout, but no storyline. Took them 6-8 months. Thats the pro length of time from pitch to a facebook to on .

If it's for a production company they usually give me a week to 2 weeks to write it (once they gave me 2 DAYS to submit a script!). They usually have a treatment ready for me and I follow the treatment, so it's not like I start from scratch. The first draft can be a week, then another week for rewrites depending on their notes.

For my own work I've taken YEARS to write it, then edit edit edit until I'm happy with it.

For me it isn’t the writing that takes a lot of time. It’s research, studying the genre, developing the characters, determine the theme....then write a bloody good treatment...then I go speedwriting....just follow the treatment and when writing THE END...the daunting rewrite begins. Well if anyone can do this in a month, I’m in awe!!!

A feature takes about a month for the first draft, starting with an outline/treatment. Subsequent drafts can vary, as having time to let them sit on the back burner can do wonders for having realizations and leveling those scripts up. Deadlines can be great to inspire starting and to pace oneself to. First drafts I write to deadlines and, when possible, give more flexibility to the following draft.