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How to Write a Script: A Breakdown of the Basics

Young Black female Screenwriting writing a script

Author: Anna Keizer

Expert Sources: Thomas Bezucha • Justin Malen • Sharon Soboil

Last updated: Sep 30, 2023

Reads: 16,150

Anna Keizer is a Los Angeles-based screenwriter and filmmaker. She has been writing for film and television for 15 years. She holds a B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago and an M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has been an Academy Nicholl Fellowships Quarterfinalist and an Austin Film Festival Script Competition Second Rounder.
FULL BIO

  1. Introduction
  2. Frequently Asked Questions About How to Write a Script
  3. Learn and Prepare
    1. Watch films and read scripts that inspire you
    2. Read screenwriting books
    3. Find a screenwriting software program
    4. Know your formatting terminology
      1. Scene Headings
      2. Action Lines
      3. Character Names
      4. Dialog
      5. Parentheticals
      6. Transitions
  4. Choose a Theme
  5. Pick a Genre
  6. Select a Setting
  7. Create a Compelling Protagonist
  8. Include Conflict
  9. Develop Supporting Characters
  10. Craft a Logline
  11. Write a Treatment
  12. Outline Your Script
    1. Use three-act structure
    2. Make sure each scene drives forward the plot
  13. Set Goals for Yourself
    1. How many pages a day?
    2. When do you want to finish by?
  14. Revise Your Script
  15. Get Feedback
  16. Recommended Screenwriting Books
  17. In Closing
  18. Sources
  19. References
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Actress
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Best Boy
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Screenwriter/TV Writer
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Colorist
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People also ask

  1. How do you write in script format?
  2. What is a sample script?
  3. How do I start writing a script?
  4. How do you get started as a Screenwriter?
  5. How do you write an opening scene in a movie?
  6. How long does it take to write a screenplay?

How to write a script involves far more than just putting a story idea to paper.

To have a screenplay that’s ready to be read by others – and hopefully produced! – it’s vital to understand and follow the steps that come between that million-dollar idea and its realization as a feature-length script.

The process of turning a story idea into a 100-page screenplay is one that takes time, effort, and planning. To be honest, it’s an undertaking by which even veteran Screenwriters can feel overwhelmed. But when you break it down like we have below, you’ll immediately put yourself in a better position for scriptwriting success!

As we dive into the essential elements of how to write a script, we’ll hear from the following Screenwriters regarding their insights on the screenwriting process:

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Write a Script

How do you write in script format?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

The great thing about writing screenplays today is that you can choose from a wide variety of screenwriting software programs that largely take the guesswork out of formatting for you.

But understanding how all of those script format elements work together is still key when writing your screenplay! So let’s go through some of the basics for writing in screenplay format:

  • Select your preferred screenwriting software.
  • Create a title page for your screenplay.
  • As you begin writing your screenplay, create a scene heading for each new scene.
  • Keep your action lines concise. As the term implies, limit it mostly to action happening in a scene. Refrain from explaining the emotional state of characters or providing exposition that should be conveyed through dialogue.
  • Create unique character names for each figure in the screenplay to differentiate them from each other.
  • Be tough on your dialogue. Cut anything that does not inform the character or move forward the plot.
  • The dialogue should almost always provide enough insight into how the Actor should speak it. Use sparingly parentheticals to elaborate on dialogue delivery.
  • Refrain from including camera direction in your screenplay. Leave that to the camera crew!
  • Likewise, the inclusion of too many transitions in a script can be distracting. For instance, it is not necessary to include “CUT TO” from one scene to the next. In most cases, “FADE IN” to begin your script and “FADE OUT” to conclude it will suffice.
  • Stick with traditional formatting elements such as 12-point Courier font size. Veering away from these conventions can again be distracting for someone else reading your script. Never take away the focus from the story you are trying to tell.

What is a sample script?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

A sample script, commonly referred to as a spec script, is a screenplay that’s written without any contract in place for the Screenwriter to get paid for it.

A spec is simply a story that the Screenwriter wants to tell. It’s possible that their script may one day get optioned or outright bought, but at the time that they write it, there is no assignment or agreement that they will get compensated for it.

So why are spec scripts sometimes called sample scripts? Because that’s often the purpose they serve. Even if a spec script is never optioned or sold, it can be used as a sample of the Screenwriter’s work to help them get representation or even a gig for a different project.

A Screenwriter must have samples of their work for Managers, Agents, Producers, Executives, and even other Screenwriters to read. Without a sample script – and in many cases, it’s recommended to have several on hand – no one will be willing to take a chance on representing, working with, or hiring a Screenwriter.


How do I start writing a script?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

This is how to write a script:

  1. Learn and prepare
  2. Choose a theme
  3. Pick a genre
  4. Select a setting
  5. Create a compelling protagonist
  6. Include conflict
  7. Develop supporting characters
  8. Craft a logline
  9. Write a treatment
  10. Outline your script
  11. Set goals for yourself
  12. Revise your script
  13. Get feedback

Is script writing easy?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

In a word, no. Script writing isn’t easy, but for many people, the difficulty of creating a story out of literal thin air is exactly why they do it! To be able to put to paper – or a computer screen – a film or television idea from your imagination is a challenge to be sure. And while time and experience can make each script writing session feel a little less daunting, even veteran Screenwriters admit that it never gets much easier.

How much do script writers get paid?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

The salary of a script writer can wildly vary according to multiple factors, including experience, medium, type of writing for that medium, and union status. Screenwriters often write what are called spec scripts, which are screenplays they write without an assignment to do so. Meaning no pay at all. Rather, the goal with these types of scripts is to generate interest in the Screenwriter themselves with the possibility of also optioning or selling the script at some point. If a Writer is hired for a writing assignment, the payment can still fluctuate widely depending on what it is they are creating, for whom, and under what timeframe.

Is writing a script harder than a book?

Anna Keizer (CareersInFilm)

It’s a completely subjective answer when it comes to whether writing a script is harder than writing a book. Though they both tell stories, they tell those stories in markedly different ways. All to say, if you have a story you want to share with the world, consider that no matter how you realize it, it will be a significant undertaking regardless of specific medium.

Learn and Prepare

One quick note before we get started… Creative undertakings like writing a script can be helped by the tips we’re about to give, but give yourself space to find your own writing rhythm. No two Screenwriters will have the same process, and that’s okay. And in many cases, the steps we give will overlap with each other.

And with that being said, it’s also important to remember that screenwriting is a craft. So just like with any other skill, how to write a script requires education and preparation.

Frozen by the prospect of writing your script? This video offers some advice on choosing the path of least resistance to get started.

Whether you gain that learning through an institution like a film school or entirely on your own, it’s key to understand what makes a good script, as well as the tools that help it come to life.

How do you get started as a Screenwriter?

Sharon Soboil (After We Fell, After Ever Happy, Love on the Air)

I’ve been doing it for a long time. I have thoughts on how I would have done it differently. One of the things I would do is make a short, and I would try and get that short into festivals. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. I have some friends who have made shorts for $5,000 that were really successful in festivals and it made all the difference. They got their Agents, their Managers, and they got attention.

If you do make a short and it does start getting attention, I’d say hire a PR person if you have the money to do that. That can get you even more attention.

Write and write some more. All the time. The more you write, the more the muscle is exercised. And read every screenplay that you can. They’re all online now, so I would say whatever genre takes your fancy, go online and find those scripts and read twenty of them. You’ll see the same sort of first, second, third act structure, generally speaking. That’s really helpful with getting it inside your bones, if you will, on where those acts should fit and where those moments should fit.

Listen to the Scriptnotes podcast. I think they’re fantastic and they have such great information. 3rd and Fairfax is another podcast that’s really helpful. I would take classes from smart, well-connected people. Like if they’re the Showrunner that’s doing a four-week class or something, I would go to that class. That’s a connection.

In this industry, it’s ultimately all about your connections. The minute that somebody brings you under their wing and they start caring about you, you can keep in touch with them and it makes it easier later on when you’re in need of something.

Get a Script Coordinator job or a Writers Assistant job. That will put you in the room with Staff Writers on a show and you will pick up quickly how they break down the season, the episode, and the story. Too, you’ll understand getting notes, and how the whole show moves from development into production, editing, and the press and airing of the show. Especially if you have a kind Showrunner, they can include you in much of their process.

Finally, if you do have a social media presence, that seems to be attractive. It helps you potentially. If you don’t, who cares. But if you do, tell anybody and everybody to let them know you do. If you have 150,000 people that are following you, your Manager or Agent wants to know that.

It’s just writing; writing and knowing people. Getting to find your tribe.

Thomas Bezucha (Marvel's Secret Invasion, The Good House)

I think you start by watching as many movies as you can and reading as many scripts as you can. I remember diving into Preston Sturges’ scripts. The thing that’s great is so much is available now that wasn’t back when I was that age. It’s interesting to see many different styles. Before you set out on a career, you need to learn. You need to verse yourself in the skill. There’s a format. Read and see as much as you can.


How do you write an opening scene in a movie?

Justin Malen (Yes Day, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Father Figures)

It really depends. There are times when I have a very clear idea of what the opening scene should be before I start writing–sometimes, it’s the first thing that pops into my head when I think of the premise. There are other times, though, where I work out the characters and basic plot/structure in general and then have to figure out what the best specific opening should be.

Obviously, you want that opening scene to be as captivating as possible–to really grab the reader (and, ultimately, the viewers)–and it also needs to establish the tone of the movie… but I’ve found it’s most helpful to just get something down and keep moving forward in the script. As I get further into the script, I get to know the story and my characters better, which frequently then helps me go back and either confirm that my opening works or rewrite it to what best serves the movie.

I just finished a script where–the whole time I was writing–I felt confident about the opening (because I thought it was strong comedically)… but then I got to the end and realized the main character would never have acted that way! I wound up changing it to something that I don’t think is quite as funny but works better for the movie overall. And maybe later on in the development process, I’ll find a way to amp up the comedy without compromising the character.

Thomas Bezucha (Marvel's Secret Invasion, The Good House)

I definitely want something that, in a way, is going to be the whole movie in an image, or a counterpoint to a thing. I just did this Kevin Costner movie, Let Him Go, and started with this image of horses in a barn. It’s a morning scene, and I ended with the break of dawn at the end. You want to tie things in thematically. You have to think, what’s the image?

Go watch The Road Warrior; it has a spectacular first five minutes. You have no dialogue and you know exactly who that character is and what’s going on.

It’s interesting because it’s sort of an art form that’s all about economy. It’s conveying the most with the fewest amount of words.

Watch films and read scripts that inspire you

If you want to write a screenplay, hopefully that means you love movies! Maybe there’s even a particular film or two that sparked the idea of writing your own.

Watch them again, but this time with a critical eye. Even better, if you can get your hands on the scripts of those films, analyze them from FADE IN to FADE OUT. Why do they work? What do you notice about the dialog, the conflict, the characters?

Read screenwriting books

If you’re learning how to write a script in school, you might be assigned a screenwriting book or two. If not, it becomes all the more important that you seek out these resources to learn from the experts on what makes for a great script.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field and Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee are two great reads acclaimed for their content and advice for Screenwriters both new and old.1

At the end of our article, be sure to check out our complete list of screenwriting book recommendations!

Find a screenwriting software program

A script has a format all its own; it is markedly different from that of a novel or other prose type of writing. For this reason, don’t make it harder on yourself by trying to format your screenplay through non-scripting programs like Word or Pages.

Instead, use software made for Screenwriters. Final Draft is hugely popular in the screenwriting world, but it’s hardly the only option. Celtx, Fade In, Highland 2, Movie Magic Screenwriter, and Writer Duet are just a few alternatives.

Many screenwriting software programs provide complimentary trial periods where you can practice with it to see if it’s the right fit for you. Explore your options to find out which program best suits your needs.

You can also get the down low on all things formatting by reading our Screenplay Format Made Simple article!

Know your formatting terminology

Even with screenwriting software freshly installed on your computer, knowing what all those different elements on your screen are is critical to how to write a script. Some of the most common scripting elements include:

Scene Headings

Scene headings, or slug lines, are used to introduce each new scene. They include whether the scene takes place inside or outside, the location, and the time of day.

Action Lines

Action lines convey information that cannot be stated through dialog. That being said, action lines should mostly comprise of exactly that: action. Refrain except where absolutely necessary from explaining exposition or character emotion in action lines.

Character Names

We need to know who’s talking, right? Hence, the inclusion of each character’s name above their dialog.

Dialog

Dialog refers to the element where a character is speaking to another character or to themselves or even the audience via voiceover. However, wordy or bland dialog can be the death of any script. Make sure each line has meaning and could only be said by the character saying it.

Parentheticals

A Writer at times may want to include a parenthetical, which is a direction stated beneath a character’s name. While periodically vital to conveying dialog tone, parentheticals should be used sparingly, as the dialog itself should be clear enough to denote tone.

Transitions

What Writer doesn’t love writing FADE OUT? It comes at the end of every screenplay, and it also happens to be an example of a transition. Outside of FADE IN and FADE OUT, however, use transitions sparingly as well. They typically stand in for editing cues, which is beyond the realm of the Writer.

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Choose a Theme

Know what you want to say through your screenplay.

How can you include a theme in your script without it coming across too heavy or pedantic? This video explains.

Do you believe that love conquers all? Good always prevails over evil? There’s no place like home? Sure, a script should have an interesting setting, compelling protagonist, and dynamic conflict—as we’re about to explain!—but it always begins with the theme revealed through these elements2.

Pick a Genre

Some Writers recoil from the idea of writing for a particular genre. But just how easy do you think it would be to convince a Producer or Development Executive that you have the next big sci-fi romantic horror dramedy based on a true story?

Have a favorite genre? This video explains why it could be to your benefit to stick close to it in your screenwriting work.

The point being, it’s okay to write within a genre. Especially as an emerging Screenwriter, it can be quite beneficial, as genre denotes certain elements inherent to how to write a script3.

Romances have love stories. Horror films have monsters. By choosing a genre, it can give a writer a much-needed framework for how to structure their narrative, which is a good thing.

Select a Setting

Where in the world—real or otherwise—does your story take place?

As this video demonstrates, the locale you choose as your script’s setting can be highly important to its success.

Creating a fully dimensional and detailed setting is absolutely fundamental to how to write a script4. Think about it this way… When someone tells you that they’re going on a trip, what’s the first question you ask? “Where are you going?” The reason being that before you can ask why they’re going or what they intend to do, you need to know where in the world they’ll be.

Create a Compelling Protagonist

With just the mention of Oz, Amity Beach, or Wakanda, many people can immediately draw up from memory these incredible and indelible worlds. But most fans of The Wizard of Oz, Jaws, and Black Panther love these films not just because of where they’re set.

Not quite sure what it means when someone mentions the story’s protagonist? Watch this video to learn about this critical character in a script.

They love them because of Dorothy, Brody, and T’Challa. The steps of how to write a script would be meaningless without creating a compelling protagonist because it is that very person who keeps audiences invested.

A protagonist does not have to be perfect. In fact, that would make for a very, very boring movie. Great protagonists come with flaws – that’s often why audiences can relate to them.

Bottom line: To keep viewers invested for the two hours they set out to devote to your movie, make sure that the protagonist is interesting enough for them to see their story through. Give them a goal to chase after and plenty of obstacles to that goal. Speaking of…

Include Conflict

Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West. Brody and the shark. T’Challa and Erik Killmonger. What makes the journey of a protagonist compelling is watching them overcome opposition to achieve their goals. Conflict – whether in the form of a person, animal, natural disaster, internal struggle, or otherwise – is critical to a great story.5

Conflict might feel uncomfortable, but that’s exactly why screenplays need it! Click into this video to learn more about the importance of conflict.

How interesting would it be if Dorothy just took a nice walk with her new friends to Oz? Or if that summer at Amity Beach was uneventful with no unexpected apex predators on the loose? Not much of a story, right?

Though throwing obstacles at your protagonist might feel downright cruel towards this character you’ve created and love, it’s necessary for a captivating and ultimately satisfying narrative.

Develop Supporting Characters

Continuing with our cinematic examples, would The Wizard of Oz be as entertaining without the Scarecrow, Tin Man, or Cowardly Lion? Would Jaws be as engaging without Quint and Hooper? Or would Black Panther be as thrilling without Nakia, Okoye, or Shuri?

Invest in your characters… all your characters. This video explains why.

A great script doesn’t necessarily need to include a huge ensemble cast, but no matter how many supporting characters you have, make sure they are as vibrant and dimensional as the central protagonist.

Craft a Logline

You have a poignant theme, a dynamic setting, a compelling protagonist, great conflict, and colorful supporting characters. Now it’s time to fit all that into a single sentence logline. Sounds impossible, but at the root of every successful script is a logline that can faithfully represent it.

It might be only a single sentence, but for many Screenwriters, the logline is even harder to write than the 100-page script! Follow along as this video breaks down this script writing aid.

Plus, what happens when that fateful day arrives of someone wanting to hear about your screenplay? What if it happens at a coffee shop, an elevator, or another impromptu location?

You can’t retell your entire script. Not only will there not be time, but also that person likely won’t want to stick around to hear the entire lowdown on your screenplay. That’s why a logline6 is essential to whittling down your script to a single sentence.

Write a Treatment

While a screenplay is not prose, could the story of it make sense in prose form? As you follow the steps of how to write a script, it’s easy to lose track of the fact that at its core, your screenplay is a story. Writing a treatment can help you pinpoint if that story is working on the most basic level.

A treatment is a prose retelling of your script7.

Treatments can provide guidance for Screenwriters, and in some cases, they might just also get someone interested enough to buy the idea! This video explains how.

The length can vary from only a few pages to a few dozen, but having this document is vital for two reasons.

One, it can help you identify where parts of your story may be lagging or not fitting into the rest of the narrative. And two, it’s an important document to have if someone wants to know more about your screenplay but is not willing to read the entire script just yet.

Outline Your Script

Attempting to write a script that may end up being between 90 and 120 pages is no small feat.

From loglines to treatments to notecards, Screenwriters often rely on a number of aids to write their stories. Learn the importance of another tool, the outline.

While all those screenwriting elements like your setting and characters and conflict might feel vivid and fresh in your mind right now, that might not always be the case. Plus, even the most accomplished Writers can forget story details or get sidetracked before even hitting page 50.

That’s where an outline comes in.

Use three-act structure

An outline is first and foremost a textual blueprint of how you want your story to unfold, and that blueprint comes to life through a three-act structure. Three-act structure is the industry standard because it works.

The first act introduces the setting, the characters – and most importantly – the conflict. Act two comprises of the protagonist attempting to achieve a particular goal only to have that conflict get in the way of it. And act three shows the protagonist either succeeding or failing in their goal and the outcome that follows.

Make sure each scene drives forward the plot

Within the three-act structure are the individual scenes that make up a script. While many scenes can be funny, sentimental, terrifying, or otherwise entertaining, a key question to ask is whether or not every single scene is moving the story forward.

If a scene does not help in telling the greater story, it’s not fulfilling its purpose.

Set Goals for Yourself

Writing a script can be incredibly exciting and fulfilling, but it’s also hard work. And sometimes life can get in the way of it. That’s why like any other endeavor, goals must be set to ensure that you do eventually get to FADE OUT.

How many pages a day?

Consistency is key when it comes to screenwriting8. That doesn’t necessarily mean getting pages written every single day, but then it’s up to you to decide what that goal is by another metric.

How to set screenwriting goals that you can actually hit? This video shows you how.

If you can’t write every day because of work, family, or school, how many pages can you complete in a week? In a month? Holding yourself to a standard you cannot keep will result in frustration and possibly giving up altogether. Instead, create a realistic page-writing goal that will keep you motivated and on track to finish your script.

When do you want to finish by?

Some Writers claim that they can punch out an entire script in just a weekend. If that’s true, good for them! But that doesn’t mean you’re not a proficient Screenwriter if it takes you several weeks or months to finish your own work.

Again, what is important is setting a deadline for completing your script that is realistic–and then sticking to it.

How long does it take to write a screenplay?

Thomas Bezucha (Marvel's Secret Invasion, The Good House)

I can only speak for myself. I spend much more time not writing than writing a screenplay. A lot of that is thinking. There’s a lot of procrastinating, but I do a lot of preparation.

I’m actually one of those people that does the cards. I have a card for every scene. I spread them all out on the floor of my apartment and I don’t proceed until I have a map of the entire road. You have to know where you’re starting and where you’re going to end. I definitely vary my route along the way, but I never start the car unless I know where I’m going.

Having said all that, it takes about 3 months. That’s for a first draft.

Sharon Soboil (After We Fell, After Ever Happy, Love on the Air)

It depends on who you are and where you are in your career. The people you’re talking to are probably in another job and doing this on the side until they can become a full-time Screenwriter. Generally speaking, if you sit down to write a page a day, you’re going to write two pages.

So, say you’re writing a pilot and it’s a drama: that’s 60 pages. If you’re writing two pages a day, then you’re gonna have a first draft in 30 days. That’s how I look at it.

Something I find about writing is that it really is a muscle. I came from a dance background when I was much younger. We did ballet every day whether we felt like it or not and honestly, that was so helpful with my writing career. I sit down to write whether I feel like it or not. No matter how you do it–if you’re writing something about your character or you’re writing a scene–you’re writing something that’s going to push that script forward.

Another thing I would say is: finish it. Just finish it. So often, Writers (especially younger Writers who I’ve mentored) don’t finish it. They’re in the middle and they start another one or they get busy, but they still want to be a Writer. You can’t do anything with an unfinished screenplay.

I think there are so many ways to go into the writing process. I’m a big treatment person. I write out as many pages as it takes, usually about ten, and write the whole story as a treatment.

Then I put that story into Final Draft. Then I go in and write the dialogue for those scenes. That’s been very effective for me. Because before I go in to write the dialogue, I’ve already sussed out the arcs and the characters and where it’s going to go and that kind of thing.

Everyone’s different. But the thing about the treatment is that it tells you the end, and that will allow you to get to the end.

No matter how long it took you [to write], if you take a week away, you’re going to thank yourself later. I know from years of experience doing this personally. I would be so excited that I finished a screenplay that I’d send it to everybody–Managers, Agents, and Producers. After a week I’d look at it again, see all these things I wanted to fix, and think: “Oh my God, I can’t believe I just did that.”

If you don’t look at it for a week, maybe even two, you’ll come back with fresh eyes and be able to find the issues that you couldn’t see when you were so madly in love with the fact that you wrote the end. It’s hard to do because you’re so excited. They’re waiting for it, everyone’s excited to see it. It’s not easy to do, but I’m always, always glad I did. There hasn’t been one time where I thought, “Oh, I could have sent that out.” Not once.


What do you want people to know about getting started as a Writer?

Sharon Soboil (After We Fell, After Ever Happy, Love on the Air)

I would say this: get in a Writers’ group. Find people whose writing you love, because if you don’t, it’s hard to have them give you notes. Ultimately, find your tribe that you can go grow up with. The people you meet at the beginning of your career are the same people you’re going to know in twenty years who are making your movies. They really are.

The industry is very fluid. One day your best buddy that you were in a writing group with is a starving Screenwriter and the next thing you know, he’s the Head of Development over at Sony. And if he knows about your screenplay, he might tell somebody about your screenplay because he loved it when he was a Writer in a group. Really—that happens. Go find those people. Go get those connections.

When I say those connections, I don’t mean the head of a studio; they have their own connections and they have their own people that they met twenty years ago. You want the Assistants. You want the Junior Managers. Especially if you’re at the beginning of your career. You want those Writers that are on something, because they’re going to get you a job on their show. It really does happen that way. It’s who you know and timing and all that.

When you find those people that you’ll grow up with in the industry, you guys will all get each other jobs forever. It could be in ten years that it happens or it could be one year. Or you guys could just read each other’s material forever and at least help each other get to the next level. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve known for my whole career because we were in a Writers’ group together.

And don’t forget: writing is rewriting, so get used to it. And, if you do option or sell a script and they put on another Writer, don’t let that ruin you. Hopefully, they will do a good job of making it better. It happens A LOT. If you don’t lose it completely on the Producer for having it rewritten, they’ll use you again, or buy your next script. And, sometimes, bring your script back to you to fix from the last person who rewrote you. So, for you, go write something else.

Revise Your Script

One of the best feelings as a Writer is finishing a script. When that happens, acknowledge that incredible accomplishment… But realize that you’re not done just yet. In fact, as the saying goes, writing is rewriting.

Rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite some more! Find out why editing is so essential to creating a successful screenplay.

Revisions aren’t just a recommended step of how to write a script – they’re essential to it. No matter how many screenplays you’ve written or times your films have been produced, no first draft is a final draft.

Even if you have to put your initial draft away for a while, which is generally advised so that you can come back to it with fresh eyes, know that revising a script is part of crafting a stellar screenplay.

Get Feedback

Writing a script can feel incredibly insular at times. And while no one can write that screenplay for you, a few trusted individuals can prove integral to making it better.

Got notes on your script? This video talks about how to tackle them.

You don’t have to get feedback from everyone from your mother to your neighbor to your best friend. In fact, it’s probably better not to ask those so close to you that they may not be candid for fear of hurting your feelings. But in finding a handful of reliable and honest individuals with knowledge of the craft, you can get valuable feedback on what to improve within your script9.

Recommended Screenwriting Books

The best way to become a competent Screenwriter is to write. As another saying goes, practice makes perfect. Reviewing well-written produced screenplays can likewise give you insight into how to create your own masterpiece.

But it can be immensely helpful to read screenwriting books as well if you’re just starting out or need a fresh perspective on the craft.

Some recommended books include:

Don’t let this list intimidate you!

You don’t have to go out and buy each one of them. That being said, even if you decide to read just one or two of the books on this list, you’ll find them incredibly informative – and possibly even inspiring!

In Closing

Sitting down to create a screenplay can be a truly thrilling moment. But without having in hand the proper steps of how to write a script, it can quickly become a confusing, frustrating, and disheartening experience. By not just accepting but rather embracing the process of it, it can become a far more satisfying undertaking with ultimately greater results.

Screenwriter/Director Thomas Bezucha and Kevin Costner
Thomas Bezucha

Thomas Bezucha recently adapted the neo-noir western Let Him Go, from the novel by Larry Watson. Bezucha also directed and produced the film which starred Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, and Lesley Manville for Focus Features.

Bezucha’s debut feature Big Eden, remains the most-honored film in the history of Gay and Lesbian Film Festivals and landed him on Variety’s list of 10 Screenwriters to Watch in 2000.

His follow-up, the hit holiday comedy The Family Stone, featured an ensemble cast led by Diane Keaton and also starred Rachel McAdams, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, and earned Sarah Jessica Parker a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Female Lead in a Musical/Comedy in 2006.

Bezucha also directed Selena Gomez in Monte Carlo for 20th Century Fox and wrote the screenplays for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, directed by Mike Newell and starring Lily James, and The Good House with Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline, which will be released in 2021 from Tribeca Films and Amblin Partners.

Prior to his career in film, Bezucha spent a decade in Creative Services at Polo/Ralph Lauren, setting visual direction for store and environment design worldwide.

Screenwriter Justin Malen
Justin Malen

JUSTIN MALEN is a comedy writer who recently wrote the 4-quadrant feature film YES DAY for Netflix, which he sold as a pitch based on the children’s book by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. The film stars Jennifer Garner and Édgar Ramírez and will be released on March 12, 2021.

Justin previously served as an in-house writer for Illumination, working on several animated projects. Prior to that, he worked on CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG for Paramount Pictures and wrote a sequel to BAD TEACHER at Sony. His original spec BASTARDS was produced by Alcon Entertainment and Montecito Pictures. It was directed by Larry Sher and stars Owen Wilson, Ed Helms, J.K. Simmons, and Glenn Close, and was released by Warner Bros as FATHER FIGURES.

Previous to this, Justin co-wrote OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY for DreamWorks Studios, with Paramount Pictures releasing. It stars Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn, Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, and Kate McKinnon, and was directed by Will Speck & Josh Gordon and produced by Scott Stuber & Film 360.

Screenwriter Sharon Soboil
Sharon Soboil

An award-winning screenwriter, her start into feature writing took her around the globe: The sex-trafficking story Catching India, for Jennifer Siebel Newsom; The Wine Revolt to Bordeaux; her period rom-com Of Corset’s Mine to England, with Jason Connery directing being shot Summer 2021.

Keeping her sane during the covid lockdown, she was tapped by Voltage Pictures to adapt the third and fourth bestselling YA novels, After We Fell and After Ever Happy for the After franchise. Her true story ROO!, about a girl and her dog, is being produced by Resonate and Metro Int’l. Her TV movie Love On The Air was Hallmark’s submission for the Emmy’s, and a Leo Award winner.

She has written several shows for Amazon, Disney, and Freeform. Her half-hour comedy series Harmful If Swallowed, about the pharma world, was bought by Participant Media. Her female-led drama series, HOT, is set up with Bronwyn Cornelius and Element 8 and she is developing the series SAVED with Kerry David, starring Sharon Leal. She has been brought on to develop the TV series based on the NY Times best-selling book series Marked Men.

She is one of 36 storytellers in the off-Broadway show Period Piece (streaming in April) a series of funny and moving stories about menstruation. Sharon is an active member of the Women’s Writer’s Guild Committee, and sits on the board of the Hollywood Women’s Film Festival. She is repped by Josh Kesselman at Thruline Entertainment.

  1. 1Script Reader Pro. "12 Best Screenwriting Books to Read in 2021". Script Reader Pro. published: 2 April 2020. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  2. 2MasterClass. "10 Classic Movie Themes With Examples". MasterClass. published: 8 November 2020. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  3. 3Lannom, SC. "Ultimate Guide to Movie Genres — 90+ Genre Examples for Film & TV". Studio Binder. published: 13 December 2020. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  4. 4Renee, V.. "Setting: The Storytelling Potential of Film's (Often) Underappreciated Star Character". No Film School. published: 12 October 2015. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  5. 5Miyamoto, Ken. "How to Create Cinematic Conflict in Your Screenplays". The Script Lab. published: 29 May 2018. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  6. 6Kroll, Noam. "How to Write the Perfect Logline: And Why It’s As Important as Your Screenplay". Indie Wire. published: 18 February 2021. retrieved on: 6 January 2014
  7. 7Miyamoto, Ken. "21 Movie Treatments and Outlines That Every Screenwriter Should Read". Screen Craft. published: 14 October 2019. retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  8. 8Script Mag. "Goal Setting 101: Setting Writing Goals the S.M.A.R.T. Way". Script Mag. published: . retrieved on: 18 February 2021
  9. 9Jessup, Lee. "Getting Feedback on Your Screenplay or Pilot: Which Note to Take, and Which to Discard?". Lee Jessup Career Coaching. published: 18 February 2021. retrieved on: 2 February 2021
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