Screenwriting : What's Your Style? by Libby Wright

Happy Monday, Libby Wright. I have blocked off time to write, but sometimes I have to write while I'm doing other things. I outline. I make a really detailed outline for a feature script or TV series, and I do a quick outline for a short script. What about you?

I wish....waiting for retirement when I have all the time in the world - or not :-D

There is no motivation. I write since it’s my job and I show up whether I want to or not. I treat writing as if I’m working on a show and have to collaborate and turn in assignments to a show runner. I plan, develop, outline then here comes the script.

off and on throughout the day, everyday. Early mornings are the best time for me. I've been "pantsing" since I started 3 years ago. (we really need a better word than pantsing)

I am proposing winging it or free styling. no idea where pantsing came from.

What´s "pantsing"??

It's when someone writes a story without planning or outlining first, Ville Hildén.

Pantsing - I think it refers to doing something by the seat of your pants - something early pilots did when instruments were rudimentary and you had to fly and navigate instinctively.

A good coffee, PB&J and all stuff planned out, a solid writing routine, that's how it works to me.

Daily, even if it's only two pages. Constant self-editing.

Hi, Libby Wright I've tried both. The honest answer is I'm never not writing. Just because I'm not typing on a keyboard or scribbling in a notebook I am always plotting out stories in my head. The spark that occurs when you hear a phrase or song or see something that intrigues a thought then a story is born. I guess I lean a little more towards being a "pantser"

I'm disciplined. I write six hours a day - five days a week. I'll usually put in 2 or 3 hours on the weekends. I work on one project at a time until it's finished. In the old days, I would have to juggle several projects simultaneously but those days are behind me. I just love writing. Outlines, are important . Jumping into something without a fully-realized plan doesn't work for me. Not saying the plan is set in stone, of course. That's what being a creative is all about. I got into a habit of reading the entire script (to whatever point I stopped the day before) everyday before I begin. Good for catching any mistakes or, more often than not, finding some new insight into the story or characters. Again, this was something I learned when I was first starting out. Good luck!

Hello Libby Wright, I usually write and create from 9am–5pm, then shift into deep work from 1am–4 am. It’s my first year, so I’m still figuring out the rhythm. I plan most of the project upfront, outline the acts, and fill in scenes as I go. I hold off on the ending until all the scenes are in place, then I adjust it to fit what’s evolved.

both. I usually have a complete scenario in mind. then I create a visual schematic of my story and fill in the voids as I write. listening to music that is relative to the scenes I’m working on is critical. If I hit a block I head out on the trail and record my thoughts as I hike. exercise always clarifies and solves problems.

Hi Libby Wright. What is a "pantser" ? I am not a native English speaker, so I don't know what it means :))

I like to write mainly at night, mostly after work and on the weekends. Sometimes, when I have an idea, I jump right back into one of my screenplays if I I'm able too. Othertimes, I jot it down and wait until I'm able too. I currently work two jobs right now, so I haven't really found a lot of time to sit down and have some dedicated time for writing. However, I'm almost finished with "Sacrilege", a horror story six years in the making!

I write when I have time and I am definitely a pantser. Typically get in between 4-6 hours, between lunch break and after work, of writing time.

About 10:00AM to 4:00 PM.

Former Pantster. It didn't work for me. Now, outline but loose enough to leave room for surprises. Beginning and end firmly set. Vomit draft then up to 14 drafts to final.

I write during the quiet periods at work between 9:00 to 17:00, and in the evenings any time before midnight is fair game. I'm also a mix of outliner and pantser, in that I plan things before I begin but don't necessarily follow the outline when I'm writing lol (what comes out naturally is often better than what I planned)

Definitely a panster for the individual show episodes but have a broad general outline for each of the 3 seasons for what parts of the storyline get introduced when and how it wraps up each season.

I've had a really bad year. I haven't been able to produce much in writing and I'm not sure why.

Hope you have a better year in 2026, Bill Albert!

Bill Albert We all have bad years. It gives us time to use those experiences for writing later on. Taking time off because of "life" is very normal. Whatever you are doing enjoy it and take stock of the landscape cause you maybe using it in a future script.

Thanks for all of the great responses. I write a very general outline with some plot points that are key, then I'm 100% a pantser. I can't tell you the number of times I've exclaimed something like, "I can't believe he/she just did that." My poor husband doesn't know what to think lol!

You're welcome, Libby Wright. I tried to write a one-page script today without outlining, and I couldn't start the script.

Thank you Maurice and Ron

You're welcome, Bill Albert.

Short stories and poetry? Pantser. Anything longer than that? I have a plan. Sometimes a full plan, sometimes just a loose outline and characters, but I got some kind of something planned out.

My writing week is very structured. I get to write 4 days a week.Each day is broken up into 1/3 of my dedicated time for outlining and world building, 1/3 for line edits and rereading previous day's material, and 1/3 for new content.

It's not so rigid as that, but that's kinda how my workflow goes on writing days.

Hi Libby.

I’m Yin Yang. I chart my major plot beats, then I let the characters do their thing.

I write when opportune, but at least three hours every weekday, sometimes seven or eight.

I look for an hour a minimum a day or max two hours. I’m disabled so I manage my energy well and about two hours is what I’ve got for the day. I don’t have a scheduled time but to get started I put on my playlist for the script, set my timer for fifteen minutes and go for it.

This helped me write two features in 6 months. I think I’ll stick to it ;)

Creative spurts. Most often acted on in downtime.

Libby, I end up writing late at night each night (starting at 11:30 PM Central time)...after I'm done going through emails and LinkedIn messages.

I just pick up the pages, and write till I hit that satisfaction core, only to pick it up (that same work) whenever I feel that rush of creativity again.

No schedule. Though, sometimes I time myself. Do I wanna use 4 hours today? 6 today? Just 30 minutes today? All I wanna make sure of is that I hit that satisfaction button by the time my time's up. If not, I block out all discipline and extend my writing time (for the days I set times for) until I get results. Worthy results.

I tend to work on concepts in a casual fashion for months and then BOOM, there's something I'm feeling passionate about and I flip into a highly organised routine.

I'm fortunate to have a lifestyle where I can though.

I don't start writing until I've figured out the main structure of the story. Structure and form are really important to me because, no matter the genre, a movie has to be entertaining first and last. When I have an idea for something, I tend to know how it starts, what the middle act is, and how it ends, and then I start throwing as many ideas down as possible. I refine that into a bullet point outline where I can arrange my ideas coherently and pace the plot out.

From there, I start writing; letting my imagination fill gaps as I go from bullet point to bullet point. I also edit as I write, blowing up some ideas and removing others. I can write on average 5 pages every time I sit down, but I can do 10+ if I have things really figured out. I know when I finished the script when I meet my last bullet point. I leave the script alone for a while after that. I go off and do other things and ruminate on sticking points that have stayed with me. I go back when I have a strong idea on an edit and start revising the writing then. Editing for me is difficult as it depends on how strongly I feel about the material. Sometimes it comes in spurts where I edit sections at a time. Other times, it's a tsunami and I rewrite and restructure top to bottom.

I like to keep things around 90-100 pages, if I want something others to read. For me, I can easily go past 100 pages for things I'm writing and editing for fun. Everything feeds into everything else; some ideas from one script make their way into another, or goes off to spur another story entirely. I have a good backlog of completed scripts and near-complete scripts now because of this.

I'm the definition of a streaky writer. It's mainly based on how crazy a day I've had/am having at my day job vs how jazzed I am about the script I'm writing.

Hello everyone, I've been here for a while. When it comes to the plot, it varies for me, if I have time, I write for a few hours, but more often I don't have time, so I have to set a specific time for writing. The plot is also different, sometimes there is an idea but no development, sometimes one word, an image, a fragment of a film comes to mind and the whole plot comes together. Another thing is that there is a plot, but the characters are less expressive. One thing I know is that everyone moves in a specific environment, lawyers in another, athletes in another, and, for example, a chef in another, and this gives me ideas for the development of the plot, unfortunately, for now, most of these ideas are on the computer disk or in my head, but it's time to change that.

I write whenever I can. I try for a couple hours every day, but regularly- it's about 4-5 days a week. Even writers need breaks. I am a plantster by trade- I both plan and write by the seat of my pants when it comes to novels. But when it's screenwriting- it's a bit different. I am learning that outlining is my friend- though I can still go a bit crazy and add in a scene or three when I'm not looking. Especially if I'm feeling that things are not being as logical as I hope. Plus, I love the little side questing on occasion. One thing I've been learning is that the whole one page equals one minute-- doesn't always fly well when I've got a lot of action and other aspects happening in a scene with either minimal dialogue or a lot. I'm learning- slowly- how to decipher where "my" page per minute really lies at and I think for me, it's a huge thing to become aware of- especially since I don't specialise in just one genre.

Definitely love outlines, and even go so far as to list my characters in a spreadsheet and fill in the blanks with full, thorough and detailed descriptors of everything about them, past, present and future, hopes and dreams, needs and wants. My scripts always feature strong leading women overcoming the challenges (and often evils) in a man's world, and they always win everything in the end, so writing within that genre is not difficult. Her story arc evolves from victim to victor yes! Have any of you ever adapted one of your screenplays into a book? I've done that with two of my animated short scripts, and the resulting illustrated children's books are selling nicely online. Trying now to adapt one of my feature-length dramas to a novel, and it is HARD, but rewarding, because I have writer's license I do not have in screenwriting. Wishing everyone a great rest of the week and nothing but success this and every year.

It often varies for me. I write whenever I get the chance—often daily, usually late at night in bed. I’ll even get to work early just to have some quiet time to write before clocking in. At work, I like to keep scrap paper on hand so I can jot down ideas between helping customers.

As for pantser vs. planner, I’m a happy medium with a lean toward planner. I like to map out as much as I can, but I usually hit a point where the outline stalls and I just need to start writing what I do know. If I’ve got a solid first act and a general sense of where the story’s headed, I’ll dive in and let the rest reveal itself along the way.

One recurring pattern in my process is writing scenes out of order—jumping to the moments I can already see clearly, then circling back to stitch the gaps together as the full narrative takes shape. It’s a bit like building a bridge from both sides and trusting they’ll meet in the middle.

I write every day. I make it the first thing I do. My mind is fresh and uncluttered, making it easy to focus.

A few months ago, I would've said I was a planner, but I just reached page 100 on the first draft of a feature, mostly by pantsing it.

I tend to write in spurts. I know I'm ready to begin a new script when I can't stop thinking about the story idea for several months. After all that time "in my head," I know the major beats. I don't usually outline, but I use notecards or lists to help me remember specific ideas. When I'm on a roll, I pants the rest.

Wow- isn't it amazing how different we all are in our styles? Yet we all get to the finish line eventually! I don't know what I am, panstser with basic plot points- what do you call that?

Thanks everyone for the great convesation. Moving my daughter cross country to be closer to her agent and acting gigs so I've been a bit out of touch :)

Libby Wright I think the whole "planner" vs. "pantser" thing isn't so much an either/or but more of a sliding scale.

Love this conversation! It's wonderful to see how each writer finds their own rhythm. Whether it's structured blocks or creative spurts, what matters most is discovering what works for you and honoring that process. Thanks for sharing your journey!

Aren't these basic points in a script called a script ladder, where the ladder in points details the most important events in the film script?

I tend to go in spurts. When writing, it seems I have become a morning person. I'll get up, reread what I wrote yesterday, and then push forward. Sometimes it's noon and I realize I'm hungry because I never got around to eating breakfast. I also think of little things while I'm driving on the freeway, so I'll voice text myself. And I'm definitely a pantser; doing so allows me to learn about my characters within the flow of my stories, and they often become far more likeable or interesting to me, and sometimes even surprise me, as I write them.

I write sporadically usually after aerobic excersize, I find that after long swims ( 50 meter pool or the pacific ocean) during the swim or bike the blood flow & oxygen to the brain is increased & creative juices increase & give me inspiration.

When not eating, sleeping or having a sundowner, I'm normally writing. Most stories - screenplays - are 'built' not 'written', so features and pilots are mostly pantser, the series is then planned from that. UNLESS it's from a book already written - I've done a few adaptations, including from my own. Writing a screenplay from a pre-prepared synopsis is a big mistake - fact - unless that synopsis needs overhauled when the screenplay is finished.