Scriptwriting involves more than an understanding of the standard screenplay format (more on this in a moment). It requires a personalized writing process and a mastery of the three C’s of scriptwriting: concept, characters, and conflict.

If you are writing your first-ever screenplay, check out our helpful 1-minute video below!

Let’s now dive into each step of the script writing process.

If you’re reading this article, chances are you already have an idea that you want to turn into a script. Maybe you have a few!

Now, trying to find an objectively “good” idea might miss the point of storytelling altogether. What could be a good idea for one person might be a terrible idea in someone else’s hands. Ultimately, writers should focus on ideas they’re passionate about, and that they can authentically explore with their unique voice.

1. What’s a story only I can tell?
2. What idea scares me the most – and why am I avoiding it? This might be a sign of a unique theme!
3. What are the hot takes or beliefs I’m most passionate about?
4. What character transformations have I witnessed that I’ll never forget?
5. What sort of world and/or characters would I be excited to dedicate the next months of my life to?
6. Which story can I already picture the perfect ending to?
7. What sort of story would easily flow out of me without much thought?

If you have several ideas, it might be challenging to decide which one to focus on. For Ray, the decision is simple: “It’s the idea I wake up thinking about. If I don’t wake up thinking about an idea — if there isn’t something inside me subconsciously trying to claw its way out — I won’t do my most inspired work.”

A logline is a one to two sentence description of a movie that hooks the reader through efficient and careful wording. The trick here is to be descriptive without being too wordy. You want to give your reader a sense of the movie they’re in for and ideally leave them with a desire to know more about it.

Even if you’re not pitching your script to anyone, having a succinct understanding of your story can be extremely valuable before you start writing.

Check out these great logline examples below:

• Forrest Gump: Several historical events from the 20th Century unfold from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, whose only real desire is to reunite with his childhood sweetheart.
• Django Unchained: With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.
• The Hangover: In Las Vegas, three groomsmen lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, forcing them to retrace their steps in order to find him before the church bells ring.

A screenwriter’s process is personal, and there’s no approach that works for everybody. Some prefer to dive straight into the writing process once they have a general idea in their mind. Others prefer to do some pre-writing work.

“I like a rough outline, so I know where I’m going – but I like to leave a lot for discovery and surprise along the way,” says Screenwriter Matt Lieberman (Free Guy, The Addams Family, Scoob!). “That’s the real fun part for me. Coming up with ideas and scenes that you didn’t even know were in you. Painting characters into a corner and figuring out an interesting way for them to get out of it.”

As you build your own writing approach, you might find these steps from the scriptwriting process useful to include:

Even if you aren’t writing a historical film, real life details can be incredibly inspirational, which is where online or print research comes in. You can also absorb other pieces of art or fiction to help get those creative juices flowing. Some writers even visit locations where their story is set, soaking in the environment both visually and emotionally to bring authenticity to their work.

Characters are ultimately going to drive the events of the story, so having a deep understanding of their backgrounds, goals, and personalities is a must.

Some writers create a broad strokes overview of the plot and/or character arcs, listing out the major moments (or beats) of a story in order. This is called a beat sheet.

A script outline is a more detailed version of the beat sheet, adding weight to the characters and plot.Whether formatted through bullet points, scene headings, or another concise approach, it’s a blueprint of the story from beginning to end.

Once an outline is complete, the document can be converted into a film treatment. This is where all the elements that had been delineated in the outline are set in a synopsis form. Here, the story should seem less mechanical and possess its own narrative flow, with additional information as needed.

While most treatments fall between ten and thirty pages, others can go much longer. “When I wrote the script for Captain Phillips, I was working off a treatment that was 65 pages,” explains Ray. “I had so much information I had learned about the Merchant Marine and how it worked.”

Some screenwriters find music to be an instrumental part of their writing process. For instance, Screenwriter Ashley Avis (Black Beauty, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West) creates a list of songs she can listen to before or during her writing sessions. Not only can it inspire cinematic moments, but revisiting the same playlist can train your brain to easily slip into the world of your story.

As we’ll discuss in a later section, screenwriting has its own unique format that differs from all other writing. Luckily, screenwriters have access to a variety of writing software that makes it much easier to follow the formatting norms.

Some of these include:

• Final Draft: The industry standard for screenwriting
• Fade In: An alternative to Final Draft that some professional writers prefer due to its modern interface
• Celtx: A free screenwriting software alternative
• WriterDuet: If you’re co-writing a script, this online software allows multiple writers to work on the same project at once

When it comes to screenwriting, getting your readers to feel and care about the characters is the goal.

“Screenplays are an intellectual exercise designed to elicit an emotional response,” says Ray. “If I write a script and someone calls me and says, ‘This is the smartest script I’ve ever read,’ I have failed 100 percent. Because I’m reaching them in their head instead of their guts. Belief and love are the ones that hit you in your guts. They’re the ones that make you feel. They make you root for something.”

If you want to see what gut-punch storytelling looks like in action, the WGA’s list of the 101 best screenplays of all time is a great place to start.

Writing a story is a highly personal process. While there are many theories that treat storytelling like a science, a writer can always find a new and unconventional way to tell an impactful story.

However, here are ten helpful writing tips to consider throughout the scriptwriting process:

1. Give every scene a purpose, such as developing the plot and characters, revealing a theme, or achieving a tonal goal.
2. Show, don’t tell — often called the golden rule of screenwriting — emphasizes using the visual nature of film to let audiences discover meaning through action, not explanation.
3. Keep the audiences wondering, “What happens next?”
4. Start scenes late and end them early to maintain forward momentum.
5. Static characters are boring. Consider adding character arcs to make your characters more interesting. And on that note…
6. Make sure the beats of your characters’ arcs are believable. Transformation is a process!
7. Escalate the conflict towards a memorable climax.
8. Check that every character’s dialogue reflects their personality and background. If all your characters sound the same, it’s probably a sign they’re underdeveloped.
9. Make the read enjoyable. Consider adding your own voice or style to the action descriptions to capture the tone of the story.
10. Remember, this is just your first draft! Rewrites are inevitable, so don’t stress out too much about making everything perfect.

Writing a script is a process. It can take months to write the first draft of the script. During this time, writers might get sidetracked with other ideas, or lose faith in their story.

The comforting news is that nearly every writer, whether they’re working on their first script or their hundredth, struggles with this. “Some days it feels like new worlds, beautiful dialogue, lyricism and art simply pour out of you,” Avis explains. “Other days you feel like you are a complete and utter failure and will never write a decent page again… But, I love to write. I love what I do desperately, so I push through for the days when the little bell rings true.”

Many professional writers go as far as calling the first draft the “vomit draft,” acknowledging that while it may be rough, it’s a vital step in the creative process. Because of this, it’s important to recognize that the goal is a finished draft, not a perfect draft.

Here are some accountability methods you can try out: 

1. Set achievable goals: Ten pages a day is harder than it sounds, and might even be overwhelming on days where you’re not feeling inspired. That’s why some writers set a much smaller, more manageable goal: just one line a day. Ironically, once the pressure is off, they end up writing several pages anyway.
2. Create a routine: Whether it’s daily or weekly, building your writing goals into your life routine can help ensure consistent progress.
3. Find an accountability buddy: Writing doesn’t have to be a solo journey! Joining a writing group or sharing your goals with a fellow creative can provide you with the extra support and motivation to keep on track.

While writing a first draft is a bit of a sprint, writing a good script is a marathon. It’s mind-blowing how many obvious issues and solutions reveal themselves in the editing process. Luckily, no one expects to see your first draft, and you can edit, revise, and rewrite as much as you need.

When Avis has a draft, she spends time reading all the dialogue out lout to hear “how it sounds in the air – does it sound truthful, real, authentic?” Other writers recommend setting the script aside for a couple of weeks before returning to it with fresh eyes.

Check out how Academy Award-winning Screenwriter and Director Taika Waititi approaches writing a script, including a rewrite process that might surprise you.

You can also get some additional eyes on your script by sharing your draft to whoever will read it for free! When seeking feedback, consider the following:

1. Is my reader being objective? Hearing encouraging comments from friends and family can feel great, but is it helpful?
2. Do I trust this reader’s opinion? This doesn’t mean the reader has to be a professional writer. In fact, it might be most valuable to get the feedback of someone that’s part of your target audience even if they’ve never worked in the film industry.
3. Was the reader ever bored? Readers should always be wondering what happens next. Even a few pages of boredom can be the silver bullet of a great screenplay. If there are any scenes or moments where the reader lost interest, find a way to fix the problem.
4. Is the critique valid? Some notes can be incredibly helpful, while others can miss their mark. Ultimately, this is your story, and it’s your responsibility to separate the good ideas from the bad. However, if you keep getting the same note over and over again, then it’s probably a sign something isn’t working.

This excellent video from StudioBinder provides an in-depth look at script formatting, and why it’s important.

While screenwriting software makes it easier to follow the traditional screenwriting format, it can take time to truly get the hang of it. A good way to learn is by reading actual scripts and checking out some formatting walkthroughs, like our downloadable Scripted Format Guide, to see how it’s done.

Now, let’s break down the key elements of a screenplay…

Also known as Sluglines, Scene Headings establish the location where a scene is set, time (day or night) and whether things are happening inside (INT) or outside (EXT). They are written in all caps, and can be bolded if the writer desires.

Action lines define what happens in a scene. They describe everything the audience is seeing on screen, and are always written in present tense. When a new character is introduced, they are typically written in all caps, coupled with a character description.

Sometimes, writers put other important objects, sounds, or moments in all caps, italics, or bold to stand out within the action description.

All spoken dialogue, whether in voiceover or in-scene should be written as dialogue. The name of the character speaking should appear in caps, centered on the page. The dialogue is also centered, and appears directly beneath their name.

Sometimes you’ll want to make certain aspects of your characters’ dialogue be clearly distinct or very specific, and that’s when you can put a parenthetical between the character’s name and their dialogue to provide some extra direction and context on how the line is meant to be performed.

Script transitions are cues to the reader on how changes to the next scene can be executed. They can be effective communicators on the mood when a scene comes to a finish. Transitions are always capitalized and followed by a colon, with the exception of the final FADE OUT or CUT TO BLACK, which should be followed by a period.

While scriptwriting doesn’t follow a specific MLA or APA format, scripts should be free of obvious typos and errors.

Screenwriting rules are a hotly debated topic between novice and professional screenwriters alike. Follow the three act structure! Don’t get fancy with the formatting! Never give camera directions!

You might have heard all of these before.

While understanding what these rules are trying to accomplish is important, the ultimate goal is to tell the best story in a way that the readers can appreciate, even if that means going against the grain. As Ray explains, “We’ve seen lots of different characters and lots of different conflicts… What’s difficult is staying within the rules of good screenwriting and yet breaking them in a way that is unexpected and perhaps paradigm-shifting.” 

Uncovering actual industry guidelines from the so-called “rules” created by authors or influencers can be a challenge, but the most popular ones exist because they serve a purpose. This could include making it easy for readers to picture the script as a film, or adhering to tested storytelling techniques that have been proven to resonate with audiences.

Here are some big ones:

1. Beginning, middle, and end: There’s a lot of debate around the detailed three act structure covered in books like Save the Cat. While some executives might ask a script to follow said blueprint, the overall expectation is much simpler: All stories should have a beginning, middle, and end.
2. Follow standard formatting: While there is definitely some room for playfulness, there’s also a limit. Too many formatting changes can make a script difficult to read, confuse the expected runtime, and/or give off a sense of unprofessionalism.
3. Hook audiences early: With the rise of streaming and the ease of switching to another film at the click of a button, a strong opening has never been more important.
4. Avoid distracting typos: Everyone makes mistakes, but if a script is riddled with errors that make it difficult to understand what’s going on, that’s a major problem.

Beyond these basics, there are many books, websites, and social media accounts that have picked up on some more specific storytelling patterns. While none are gospel, some writers might find them to be helpful when it comes to testing out approaches and fleshing out their story.

Regardless of your stance on these other so-called rules, remember: If you’re being paid to write a script, then you’re subject to the whims and rules of whoever is paying you. Similarly, if you’re submitting your script to a contest or program, it’s important to read and follow their guidelines carefully, even if you disagree with the rules they put in place.

There are many completely valid reasons to defy expectations when writing a script, whether that’s breaking industry formatting standards or the going against the loose screenwriting rules:

1. It makes for a better story
2. It captures the tone of the scene
3. It reveals the writer’s unique voice

Let’s take a look at three successful scripts broke the rules in brilliant, albeit risky ways.

Case Study One: In Netflix’s Kate (2021), written by Umair Aleem, short fragments and minimalistic scene headings capture the fast-paced tone of the story, and showcase the voice of a writer who clearly understands the genre.²

Case Study Two:  Have you ever been told, “Never include images in your script!” Well, take a look at this page from A Quiet Place (2018), written by Bryan Woods, Scott Beck, and John Krasinski. While established screenwriters have more room to take big risks, this script is proof that nothing’s off the table.³

Case Study Three: Coralie Fargeat’s script for The Substance (2024) is a masterclass in using font size to emphasize the tone of the scene.⁴

Screenwriters have plenty of tools at their fingertips to make the scriptwriting process smoother and more manageable.

One of the most popular pieces of advice from professional screenwriters: join a writers group. Writing can be incredibly lonely at times, so having a group of peers to bounce around ideas with, read over drafts, and keep each other accountable is truly gamechanging.

If you live in a major US  city, there are probably already a few in-person groups you can join. Otherwise, online writing groups are a solid option!

For computer-savvy writers, there are highly-active pages on Reddit and Discord dedicated to screenwriting. The r/Screenwriting subreddit, for instance, hosts Logline Mondays, Beginner Questions Tuesdays, and Weekend Script Swaps for its community. Users can also ask screenwriting-centered questions to its over 1.5 million members passionate about the craft.

Script coverage is a professional evaluation of a screenplay, resulting in a multi-paged coverage report that highlights the strengths and weaknesses of a script.

There are many script coverage services available, with The Black List being one of the most well-known. However, many charge around $100 per report, so it’s recommended to first see if anyone will be willing to give you notes for free.

That being said, some more reputable coverage sites offer some great industry perks for scripts that receive great reviews. When you’ve expended all your free options, it’s worth considering whether or not these perks align with your career goals and strategy for selling your screenplay.

There are hundreds of writing books out there, with Syd Field’s Screenplay, Robert McKee’s Story, and Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat topping many lists. They tackle a range of subjects, including story structure, character development, theme, conflict, and pacing.

While reading screenwriting books can sometimes be helpful, reading scripts is always valuable. Script databases like ScriptSlug and IMDSb host thousands of scripts that can inspire your own writing.

Artificial intelligence is a highly controversial topic when it comes to screenwriting and filmmaking as a whole. Not only does it threaten many jobs, but it also brings up a number of ethical and creative concerns that have yet to be addressed.

In an early 2025 string of Facebook posts, Oscar-nominated Screenwriter Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, First Reformed) claimed that AI is better and faster than him at writing scripts.⁵ He implies it could replace countless writers, signaling a future where the scriptwriting process is radically transformed.

That being said, professional screenwriters occasionally use AI as a tool to advance their writing, rather than replace it. For instance, ChatGPT can be a much quicker tool than Google when doing background research for a script. It can spruce up action descriptions to make the read more entertaining, or even generate a couple of alternatives to specific lines of dialogue.

Like everything in screenwriting, it’s up to the writer to find the right approach that works for their goals while simultaneously preserving their creative voice and telling the best story possible.