How to start writing?

[lesterf]

Hi everyone,
I'm a complete newbie, with no writing experience at all. I have an idea in my head that I think would make a great movie. I'm also an animator, so I think visually. That's why I'd like to write a movie script, as opposed to a book.

My question is, how does one start to write a script from an idea? Right now I have some rough ideas for the basic premise of the movie, a few scenes are developed, but there's no ending yet. The hard part is that it's all in my head, floating around and constantly changing. My lack of writing experience is making it difficult for me to write anything down at all.

I'd really be interested in learning how some of the forum members start writing their scripts. What is everyone's first step? What do you do when you have an idea, and a blank page in front of you?

Thanks in advance, and I apologize if this is covered elsewhere. I tried to search the forums, but didn't find anything this basic.

[dpaterso]

Welcome to the forum.

If you haven't already, check out the screenwriting tips (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24087) thread (it's a sticky at the top of the forum, often overlooked :)) which contains info plus links that you may find useful, including how to format scripts, screenwriting software, sites with free scripts for educational purposes, etc.

My top advice would be: read more scripts. Find out how your favorite movies were written -- how the words translated into the images that captured your imagination.

When presented with that blank first page, I fill it by typing. Yeah, that's a dumb-sounding answer, but it's also true -- I try to think of the best scene to kick off the story. That's usually when something is just about to change.

-Derek

[Joe270]

I have always written down the idea, a sort of log line. Then I fleshed that out a bit for the rest of the tale to check length and content. Then made notes on characters and specific scenes that I just had to write to get out of my head.

Then I'd hand write it, then put type it into a computer and format it.

Now, prior to writing the script, I'd suggest focusing on structure. It'll save a lot of time and keep you filling where needed and keeping it brief where neccessary. Darn it, I can't find that website address. Sorry, I'll try to find it and re-post. It's a template that shows where to hit the high points on a given page.

[Joe270]

Man, I am just not internet savvy.

Let's try this, if it doesn't link then at least you'll have the address.

http://www.screenplaymastery.com/structure.htm

Like Joe C. said, the 'tips' thread is packed with good stuff.

I have always manually formatted my screenplays, so I can't comment on the script software. I down loaded it, however, and intend to try it with my next screenplay.

This oughta gitcha started.

Best of luck.

[Stylo]

Hey lesterf,

personally, I tend to write my whole idea from start to finish longhand. I feel that this allows me more freedom to begin with, and I'm more inclined to jot down ideas during other tasks, like cooking the dinner.

Often I, like you, have no ending when I begin this process; it just comes to me as I write.

Next, I flesh it out on the p.c. giving it some structure, then I hack it about a lot until I'm sick to death of it.

After that I do something completely different for a few days, then come back with fresh eyes and perform the first re-write (of which I do several) .

The most important thing to remember, like dpaterso said, is to write something, even if it seems like a pile of poo at the time, it will improve!

[Joe Calabrese]

Read produced scripts.

Watch films with a new eye. Look at what happens when and ask why things happen the way they do and see if you can figure out why. Don't be entertained, be enlightened.

Buy the Screenwriters Bible for formatting and basic structure.

Keep a journal and write down all your ideas.

Once you feel you have all the material needed, write it.

Then rewrite it half a dozen times.


Welcome and good luck.

[whistlelock]

Study the form. Know it before you start your first draft. Study your genre. Know how and when things are supposed to happen.

[scripter1]

All these guys are pretty much thinking CRAFT.
That's all right. There is time for that and perhaps everything can kinda be worked on and learned all together.

This is just my method.
When an idea first comes to me I start writing it down. The basic outline of it and various plot points along the way. As I write I really do try to think of how it would end. I try out various types of characters, wondering how such and such character would turn the story. Then I start wondering and asking myself "what if." What if this thing happened?
Where does the story go if a building collapses, or someone gets shot, or lost, or another character finds out the secret or gets threatened.
What ever. Just brainstorm until you hit on something that works.
Then follow the conclusion to the end.

Keep in the back of your mind a theme, or a point. What lesson do you want your charactes to learn? HOW is your main character going to be changed through the course of the story? What do you want the audience to take away from it?

At this stage you kind of need the idea to perculate and get itself orgainized. When you've got the basic concepts then flesh them out in an outline. Go into as much detail or as little detail as you need.

The point right now is to capture the excitement of your story.

During those times that you DON'T feel like writing or that the story is working do some studying.
Check out WORDPLAY and scriptsecrets.net for some great articles. Read The Writer's Journey by Vogler. (there are other great books about character and story but I'm sorry I can't think of them right now.)

Most of all, HAVE FUN CREATING!!

[NikeeGoddess]

if someone told you, "i'm going to write the next great american novel" and then says, "i haven't really read a novel yet." you'd think he was crazy. how can one expect to write a novel and hasn't read hundreds of novels by now?! same goes for screenwriting. read, read, read scripts. there are many free and available online. and there are many available to purchase in paper form. probably someone here will provide you with many links. ie - http://www.scriptsecrets.net has a library of scripts.

read on! then you'll be even more motivated to write.

[small axe]

Wiser advice above than I can improve on, but here's a newbie thing that was sort of a revelation to me: decide a movie you really liked, a few years old, so it's not super-fresh in your mind, so you cannot remember specific scenes or dialogue, but you know "This was a great movie"

Go find the screenplay on the internet (see those links, to free movie scripts) and READ THAT SCREENPLAY.

Then see the movie again.

Then re-read the script, having seen the movie.

It hit me like a ton of bricks: that movie started with some pretty widely-spaced words on a page!

It's possible. It's a thing you can do.

But, the 'widely-spaced words on a page' ?

That's not a lesson "how easy it is" or "gee, there's nothing to it"

That's a lesson how "precise it is" and how well-crafted and polished. You don't have a lot of words, and you gotta create a world, and characters that'll live in the reader's mind.

But it can be done. There's talent, and there's the craft.

(I'm stumbling towards both, hopefully!)

Oh, and here's something I'll add before many voices pounce on me forgetting to add:

You don't do the read-watch-read thing once. You do it 50-100 times -- as a good start!

[zeprosnepsid]

As people above have mentioned - learn the craft.

But the way you write it depends on you. Everyone does it different. Heck, I've done it differently from script to script. Some people just start at the beginning and attempt to write it through (oftentimes without knowing where it's going to end up). Some people write outlines and summaries and treatments (followed by more in depth outlines and summaries and treatments). Some people use notecards. Some people just write the scenes they have and work around them.

So the short answer is - whatever works! Just start writing something.

[Plot Device]

Joe C. and Small Axe both gave great advice:

- Pick out your favorite movies
- Read the scripts for those movies
- And in this way, get a "feel" for it

BTW, if you are an animator, don't you work from scripts already?

[Plot Device]

Once you feel you have all the material needed, write it.

Then rewrite it half a dozen times.



Only a half dozen?????


;) :D

[Joe Calabrese]

Only a half dozen?????

That's a good start.

[nganok]

You must see if you truly have a taste for this art form and it takes time. Make many mistakes, post on here and get reemed by your critics. Mold yourself like clay into a good writer and learn the craft the hard way. Oh yeah READ SCRIPTS.

[scripter1]

is how you want to come at the story.

According to Bill Martell there are two ways to work up a story.

1) You have a really cool character in mind and so you concoct a story that makes THAT character grow.

2) You have a STORY and then you concoct characters that make the STORY grow.

Give me a little while and I'll pull up the articles and some other things on the subject.

[icerose]

Since everyone has covered the read scripts angle and learn the formatting, I'll cover some of the other with Scripter.

When I first have an idea, I write down everything I can think about it. Even if it changes, I jot down alternatives, story angles, motivations, character backgrounds.

For me this really helps solidify the story.

One thing that helps is to really get to know your characters. They each need a background, a life before the movie started, they need likes and dislikes, interests, turn-offs, dating history, bad events and good memories so they can be fully formed lives. They also need flaws.

I often get to know my characters better as I start writing, then when I go through the rewrite, I try to add in the little quirks and background, mostly in subtle form, to give them a whole feeling.

Just to forewarn you, your first attempt, even possible your first ten attempts are going to suck. It takes a lot of time to learn the craft. Dialog is one beast, action is another, character is a third, and story is a fourth. That doesn't mean that you can't fix it. The only thing you can't fix is an empty page.

So don't worry about making mistakes. Get your story out, even in the most hapazard way. Learn the craft, and have fun.

[Joe Calabrese]

This works for me and I don't think or assume it will work for everyone.

Here's my process.

I come up with an idea, either from reading, watching, or hearing something.

For instance, I heard a radio thing about the various bands in the military that perform for the troops (is. a Navy Heavy Metal Band or a Coast Guard Jazz band) and that got me thinking...

A concept... An up and coming Rock Star goes into the Army versus prison for doing something stupid (drunk driving or trashing a hotel room) and joins the Army Rock Band.

Then I must decide on tone. Will this be School of Rock meets Stripes or Ray meets Platoon? Comedy or Drama?

I decide on Drama but with some funny moments.

Then I think of a title.

American Rocker, Sergeant Rock and Roll, A Soldier's Song, Song of a Soldier.... Too many to choose from and not crazy about any of them so far. We'll just pick A Soldier's Song for now. Maybe something will come of it later.

Then I decide on the character. He's a drunk half the time, party all the time, lack of responsibility big ego dude.

Then I think of arc. This rocker will learn that life is not all one big party and will become responsible after confronting the conflict to come.

Then I think of conflict. He's definitely a fish out of water. He is a rocker who is forced to be a soldier, where he is surrounded by soldiers that are part-time rockers. During Basic Training and the first half of the film, he would be thought of as a joke by his commanders and although his platoon are impressed that he was a rock star, they quickly realize that he ain't no soldier.

That's okay but where is the big conflict? Where's the conflict for the rest of the film? Basic Training won't be the whole film.

So I think some more.

Stationed in Iraq, he performs for the troops and on a convoy gets blown up and he and the diver are now stranded in the middle of the desert. The drier is wounded and he must gather the courage, responsibility and strength to get this guy out safely.

Not bad. We'll keep that for now.

Then I think of an ending. Where do I want this to go?

I want him to save the private just in time. I want him to get a medal and then given the choice to leave the army and go back to rock and roll. He decides to stay.

Predictable... So...

He gets out and rocks the world in a tour, but sees that he is now different, a better man.

I like that better. We'll work on that during the next stage

Then I write an treatment or outline (although sometimes I just wing it and start writing the first draft once I get the main character and concept down.)

During this stage I add a girlfriend, a lawyer, the red neck judge who throws him in the army, the drill sergeant, some army dudes. The private. A friendly Iraqi girl....

Oh wait. I got an idea. How about I ditch the girlfriend and the Iraqi Girl becomes the love interest. She hides them in her farm...

OK. good.

So I keep adding to the treatment until I have the whole story roughed out, maybe snippets of dialog, certain actions, etc...

During this time I also do the research. Army Bands, Basic Training, Iraq stuff. My philosophy on research it to get details right, but I do not spend a lot of time on research because I truly believe that a story should work well on its own. Research is to get the logistics of the time and place right. The details. What kind of weapons used, rations. Lucky for me I was in the army so I know what Basic Training was like.

Then I copyright what I got, so I can start talking about it to people without fears.

Then I write the first draft.

Then I rewrite again... and again... and again...

SIDE NOTE: A Soldier's Song is currently still is treatment form with plans of writing it this winter. One of a dozen planned projects.

[clockwork]

Joe, you're too generous. That was a masterclass in outlining a writing project.

Coupla points from my perspective....

I tend to focus on the ending a little sooner. I know the above isn't standard routine every time for you but for me the ending sometimes is the first germ of the idea.

And secondly, "Then I must decide on tone" represents the longest fight in my projects. Sometimes I get so hung up on making the right choices here that the project stalls.

Other than that I'm with you all the way.

(Seriously, that was superb.)

[Joe Calabrese]

For me, at least, I can't develop an ending until I know the tone and conflict first. A comedic ending is much different than a dramatic one. I create the actions that are determined by the conflict presented, rather than conflict determined by the actions one takes.

For me... It minimizes the inherent problems with action driven plots.

Also, I can't even start thinking without a logline to measure up against. It's my roadmap or blueprint and every scene I write I constantly refer to the logline and title and ask "does that fit?"

As for tone. I should have said Genre, but for me, tone and genre go hand in hand.

[scripter1]

of articles and adding some more thoughts.

I consider the beginning and the end the two most important parts.
I don't think you can have one with out knowing the other. How can you get where you are going, plan to get there, and make the correct stops along the way if you don't know where you are going?

Somewhere along the outlining and drafting stage you've GOT to figure out how the story will end.

Joe, yes indeed. Excellent lesson on story planning.

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/articles/zombie.htm

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/tips/Tip166.htm

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/tips/Tip274.htm

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/articles/pageone.htm

http://www.scriptsecrets.net/tips/Tip263.htm

[clockwork]

For me, at least, I can't develop an ending until I know the tone and conflict first. A comedic ending is much different than a dramatic one. I create the actions that are determined by the conflict presented, rather than conflict determined by the actions one takes.

Yeah, I should have said that tone isn't a problem if the ending I have in mind is clear enough. Tone is only an issue for me when my idea (however brilliant) is open-wide in terms of the genre it can occupy.

Incidentally, I use the word tone over genre. Tone suggests a more multi-layered understanding of the idea. Genre's a bit narrow for me.

[lesterf]

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to post these responses. I'm sorry to have dropped off for a while, but my work load is leaving me with little time to do anything else. Hopefully I'll be able to carefully read through the posts very soon. Looks like another big challenge will be to find the time to actually write...

[Goldminer]

At the risk of adding to Lester's time problem, here's my two cents - the crucial bit of an article I wrote a while back:

"1. Make your audience care. Get a person at the heart of your story who is deeply loved. Make terrible, awful things happen to them.

2. Make sure you are writing in a genre.

3. Happy Ending. You need one.

4. Love your hero, and force them to choose between two equally powerful alternatives at the end.

5. Design your villain so they can attack your hero in the most personal, damaging, agonising way. Love your villain as much as your hero.

6. Get your story right before you write a word of dialogue. Write a ten page treatment of this story, describing what happens to your beloved lead character.

7. Get a gang of your friends to read the treatment. If three or more of them pick up on a point independently, you might have a problem there. If enough people say something it is probably true.

8. Pick the first paragraph in your treatment. Think about it over and over again, visualise it in the bath, when you wake up, when you are walking along the street. Visualise what happens until you can run it through like a little movie in your mind, seeing what happens, almost hearing the dialogue. This will be your first sequence.

9. Get out your word processor, or your script writing software, whatever, doesn’t matter. You can format it later. Get that sequence down now. Write the scenes. Make the characters move, and talk, and feel.

10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 over and over again, until you have got to the end of your treatment.

You have just finished your first draft."

Works for me.

G

[lesterf]

Ok, a tiny bit of progress to report. I've read a few pages of the scripts to my three favorite movies: Blade Runner, Brazil, and Alien. That was a great idea to help me understand how the written script compares to the final movie. Then I suddenly got inspired to do some writing. I decided to write down all the pieces of the story that I have clear in my mind first. This way, they won't be forgotten. I'm still on the first sequence, but it's nearly done. I probably have a couple more bits to empty out of my head before I need to re-read the answers on this thread for more inspiration!
My commutes home are proving to be great times for thinking about my story. Sadly, I'm ending up with only about an hour's worth of time a week to actually research and write.
Thanks again for the fantastic ideas!
-lesterf