I am always interested in hearing how others write. What works for you, and how do you get to "Fade out"?
I've been reading scripts, took classes in college, and read numerous posts. One thing I've found fairly universal is the need to write an outline. For a while, I attempted to follow that method and frankly found it to be a struggle—it took the fun out of writing for me. I do like to write treatments, but for specs, I find it better to just write and fix things in the rewriting process. I have the outline in my head, and barring a major head injury, it's not going anywhere. That process has worked quite well, and I wrote my last two scripts off the cuff. Maybe I'm just getting a little better at writing, but my past two scripts have been my best work personally. I feel that however you want to write, if you can get a good product out of it, that's how you should write. Yes, structure is universal and should be followed, but outside of that, I'm finding there are no hard or correct rules.
I'm curious to hear what you think and how you write.
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I'm an outliner. I need to know the bones of the story, else I get lost in that great wasteland known as the second act When facing a story problem, .I sometimes work backwards, starting at the endpoint, figuring out why that happened, and what led us there, and so on.
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I have a general idea, I take showers, I walk and I poop. In those times I think of ideas and jot them down. After that I try to connect the dots.
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Hey, Neil Jaye. I make a really detailed outline for a feature script, rewrite as I go once I start writing the script, and rewrite the script some more after I finish the first draft.
"I feel that however you want to write, if you can get a good product out of it, that's how you should write." Yeah, whatever works for the writer.
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I discovered Save the Cat five years ago, and it changed the way I write. I was a novelist for years, and like most, I have more manuscripts in my drawer than I'd like to admit. By going into projects with the beat sheet already done, I have less collateral. My process is: get inspired, write out the beat sheet, obsessively write for three days, change beat sheet, write for a month, turn in manuscript to editor, rewrite.
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I daydream about the story for a while and then sit down and let the chararcters sort of lead the way with their voices when I first sit down. It helps me with being neurodiverse in this way. I have an abstract, unstructured process for the first draft. Then I work the heck out of it after a table read to others or read out loud. I think being an actor for 40 years helps my writing. I got to FADE OUT 7 times last year.
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My creative spark always begins with an idea that I jot down in my notes app. Then I'll write a few bullet points about the storyline. These bullet points then get transferred to my beat board on FD where I create my storyboards. I structure my storyboards into 3 acts. I hardly ever begin a script without crafting a storyboard first. This process allows me to be able to pick up the flow of my script at any given stage of the writing process.
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Hello! Neil Jaye Thanks for sharing your process! I started my first screenplay in 2023 and it's the current one I'm re-writing. Here's my process:
1. Outline: When writing my outline, I started with a simple question, for example: Where does the film take place? I then break that down, and from there ask sub questions, like how many characters are involved etc. Once I get the basics done, I start to view things from an outside perspective, asking questions others would ask if they were viewing my story for the first time, then I answer those questions and continue this process until everything is fleshed out and intertwined into a complete story. If that makes sense lol
2. Character Development: I create a more detailed character arc, bios, and connections to one another and the premises.
3. Treatment - standard, I flesh out my outline with more detail here. I start adding important lines and give the story more personality.
4. I start the actual script.
For this one, I did start like a pitch deck where I really got detailed with the story and dynamics of the characters.
Since it was my first script, I'm sure I'll refine things and bring in new components to my processes.
Good luck with everything!
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Neil, I like to start out with a logline...and if I can sum up a story in 35 words or less, then I look for six plot points (a la made-for-TV movies and Michael Hauge's screenplay structure system).
After the plot points comes an "outline/scene list." I try to figure out 5 to 11 scenes leading up to a plot point. Once that's done, I work out thumbnail profiles of each major character.
All the time, I'm also doing research (mostly using some search engine).
Then it's time to start the script itself...and even then, I still do research just to work to make the script believable.
I just want the thing to be able to resonate with (at least) readers. If they dig what I'm doing, then, eventually, filmgoers and TV viewers will, too.
Thanks for the post! Great question!
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I can never put my finger on my process. Some projects work well just writing out, finding the story as I go along. Others I need to outline carefully. I don't think there are any wrong answers here. Everybody has a process, or processes, but ultimately the goal is to write. I highly suggest just trying to generate material every day. It's very easy to want to write, but tell yourself that "you aren't ready yet" or "the outline isn't complete enough." Those might be true but don't let that stop you from writing SOMETHING.
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Hi Neil -- for me, once I have a kernel of an idea (which is usually something off-kilter) I draft a light outline and follow the BUT, THEREFORE strategy that was articulated by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Once I have my inciting incident, understand what my characters want (both protag and antags) and have the resolution to the main conflict, I get into the script and just write-down until it resembles something you could call a screenplay. Then I revise, revise, revise, revise. I often feel dialogue is the last aspect of a script that locks in for me and repeated revision after first draft is what helps a script eventually stand out in that respect. I don't really put pressure on coming up with dialogue during the outline, but if I ever think of any good turns-of-phrase or one-liners, I definitely make those part of the outline.
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Hi Neil. I get the idea for the screenplay, and "see" the best scenes in my head first. I have a rough outline in my head but it changes as I write and join the scenes I pictured together. I found it gives me enough structure for a complete screenplay but enough freedom for my own writing to surprise me. I've been able to write several contest winning screenplays this way.
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I won't start writing until I have a sense that the story has something to say thematically. Some kind of resonance that I can bring to it. I'll do a loose structural model, but I'm not much for hardcore outlining or character bios. I liken it to a decent road map that I want to follow to get to my destination, but the journey is liable to change on me en route and I do love that aspect because it provides for discovery that I might not have encountered had I been so strictly wed to the details. In the process itself, I'll prep the start of my story on Sunday night by writing my first 3 key scenes on 3 index cards. Monday morning at 6 AM, I'm at my desk with those 3 cards and I am writing those scenes come hell or high water. Maybe 6 or 7 good pages per day. And I do that every day, prepping two or 3 cards the night before so I know where I'm going. And the first draft is generally done in 3 or 4 weeks. Works really well for me, but every writer's process is very different.
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I'm both an outliner and a pantser lol as in I start with an outline but don't necessarily follow it while writing. No matter what though I always come up with the title, protagonist, and general storyline before I start the actual writing. I like getting into the zone when writing so the characters and story take me on an adventure and I don't have to force anything to happen (unless of course I have to). I also try to hit a certain word count for novels and page count for screenplays per day until I finish.
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I start with a story concept and characters, then move onto the outline for the initial draft (beat sheet), sometimes making changes if certain ideas don't work out as getting going. Then I'll write a draft and make more changes based feedback and if I feel like something (be it a character or story point) isn't working.
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I don't do an outline until after I write my story. Then an outline of what I've written helps show me where something is missing.
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Neil Jaye I'm no expert, and I'm still learning, but here's my basic approach: I usually scribble down pages of ideas, notes, thoughts, quotes, etc, by hand in a notebook I carry with me everywhere. This can take day, weeks, months, even longer in some cases. Every few pages I congeal some of the notes and start putting together some outline ideas. After a while I have characters mostly developed, a basic idea of the story flow, themes, etc. Then I open Google docs and start writing a rough outline. I use numbered bullet points and my outline is basically "this happens, then this happens, then this happens," etc. It also includes lots of dialog bits and key visual ideas. Usually I get to around 100 of those bullet points for a feature length script. I print it out an carry it around with me for a while, scribbling notes all over it, drawing arrows, suggestions, etc. Then I retype it, adding in all the corrections and often combining bullet points so they get down to maybe 80. I might do this two or three times before I feel I have something I can start working with and actually begin writing the screenplay itself. It's a bit of a sloppy and imprecise process, but writing for me is mostly exploration.
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My process is I avoid writing until I absolutely have to write to make a deadline. :)
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I see the scenes and hear the dialogue in my head and just write what I see and hear. that's literally my process. but it will usually start by a scene playing over and over again in my head until I write it.
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I tend to get an idea that makes a story unique and enjoyable. I then work on an outline with some classic structure, but I don't get detailed with "beats." I attempt to end the story with something euphoric. I'd like viewers to love the ending. I also try to avoid extensive suffering in the middle of the story. I want the story to be enjoyable throughout — including times of great tension. A movie like Indiana Jones has tremendous tension, but is enjoyable to watch from beginning to end.
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