Welcome Stephanie,

What the majority will tell you are the following:

1. to write your characters out first. flesh them out. if you don't care for your characters why should we (keep that in mind as you develop your characters).

2. write an outline. make sure their are no glaring plot holes.

3. then write the screenplay from the heart. this is the first draft so mistakes are allowed.

4. leave it alone for a couple of weeks. forget about it.

5. revise it. I say a good two or three times and then you can post it.

I also believe if you look around this section of the website, you will find more useful information that will help you more.

Hope this helps,
Gabe

P.S. most importantly, if you actaully do post your script on this website, read and comment on other people's scripts. It builds up good repore with the other members. And I'm sorry for many revisments, but i gotta do this well.   

Thanks Gabe!

Its really hard right now because I have 3 different ideas, I just dont know who/what to start with first.  I guess this is a problem for a lot of people, I just have to go with my gut!

I suffer from the same thing. I just go with the first one that hits me. If I get stuck on one, I move to the next one until I get unstucked with the previous script. That's what I'm currently doing.

Write what interests you most. I usually keep a notebook so I can write my ideas down and characters.

Gabe

Steph, welcome to the boards!!

I think the mistake that I see new writers make most often is basically just forcing things out.  A couple years ago when I first signed up at SS I was still in that trap.  The best way to approach a first screenplay is to just be relaxed, first and foremost.  Just let it come naturally!!

As Gabe pointed out, it's a good idea to write an outline of what you want.  Make descriptions for your characters, scenes, etc.  

And the best way to excel is to read the work of others IMO.  By reading, you see how other people approach their stories and you can get inspirations like "oh hey, I want my characters to be colorful like that" or "oh hey, this thriller sucks, I gotta avoid that kind of stuff in my writing!"  

Hope that helps a little.  Just don't feel the need to rush anything!

Wow, I am really getting some good advice, this is great.  I have to remember to be patient, last time we did this, we had zero patients.  Thanks to all!

Hi Stephanie;

I'd also suggest looking through some of the screenwriting books that help with formatting and basic set-up. However, that being said, they are only guidelines, not laws.

To echo what the Greg and Gabe mentioned, look at the many excellent scripts posted here and read through the comments. There are some great scripts posted that exhibit a fine style and very professional presentation. Again, read the reviews and learn from them.

I always have alot ideas in my head trying to bust out, so it is a great idea to have a few notebooks handy to jot down ideas when the inspiration strikes.

I usually develop a basic plot line first, research about the setting, story etc (if needed), build the characters (deeply, based on that research), then flesh out the story with plot points on an outline. "Well begun is half done."

Hope this is helpful to you, and best of luck.

Good Luck to you! Joe

thank! Another issue I have is that the ideas I have are completely different.  I have a romance/drama and a thriller .  I am a huge fan of horror/suspense/thriller genres...being scared is such a rush..lol...and on the other hand I have this really great story that has a love triangle accompanied with life's many curve balls and drama!  I just dont know which to start first.  I really love both!

Hi Stephanie,

Welcome to the board.

The best advcie I can give you in terms of what to write first is this.  Write what you're more comfortable with, meaning where you have the most familiarity.  Do you fidn yourself watching more suspense thrillers or stories about slice of life romantic triangles?

This actually plays a fair part in writing since the formulas involved are already in your subconcious, believe it or not.  Definitely go the comfortable route first, then expand into other genres as you become more familiar with story and structure.

Other than that, the best advice I can give for writing on the whole is to remember that you can't please everybody.  No matter what you write, there will be people who like it, and people who don't.  As long as the format is there, you'll be on the right track.

My suggestion is start working on a short. That way you can learn the formatting and alot of the basics without the time commitment of writing a feature.

Out of your ideas, pick which ever one you feel has the most depth and that YOU will have the most fun writing and working on...(sounds like you'd enjoy the horror/thriller).

Suggest start working on something though. I always feel better when I have an idea that turns into something concrete. Set yourself a goal...Suggest by this time next week you'll have an excellent little short ready to post, and I'll look foward to checking it out. Contests and challenges are a great way to get going!

Good luck! Joe

That sounds like a plan. Thanks!  I know what I am about to say sounds really weird, but I am a serial killer buff.  I've read tons of books and love true crime novels.  I may go with something along those lines.

I agree with "Good luck! Joe" Try your hand at a few shorts first. Once you think you have a firm grasp on storytelling, format, structure, etc, try your hand at a feature.

http://www.MoviePoet.com is another screenwriting site, and it's main focus is, and I quote, "Celebrating the beauty and economy of language in short scripts." There's a contest every month, and there's still time to get five pages written on the topic. There are a few Simply Scripts (hereby known as SS) members there, too.

I think the #1 thing to do is to have fun. Writing shouldn't be a chore. If you don't enjoy the story you're on, put it away, and come back to it when you're refreshed and ready to go.

Good luck!

Hey Steph

Couple of things I haven't seen yet.

Learn about your craft. While no book is going to tell you how to write a screenplay, there are some that will help you study the fundamentals and help unlock some of the mysteries around them. Two that come to mind are Syd Field's Screenplay and Robert McKee's Story.

Also read a lot of screenplays, both good ones and bad ones. Sometimes you learn more from what doesn't work than what does.

A website I love to frequent is http://www.wordplayer.com/. It features a bunch of articles from screenwriters Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. They have posted any new ones in years but there still great reads.

But don't let this fool you. The hard part is writing. Watch out because there may be times when you convince yourself that re-reading one of these resources is as good as writing.

Like everyone said, prep work is essential. Know your characters, who they are, what they want, what they'rre willing to do, etc. Know your story. Every story has an underlying message. What's yours?

Oh and just a personnal favorite of mine. When designing your story, use flashcards. I'll typically do one per scene or small sequence, writing the jist on the front and notes on the back. It helps you see how your story's following and you can rearrange easily.

Important note, even when you're writing if you feel you may have to switch things around, do it. It's your story but sometimes the characters take over. Everynow and then, let 'em.

Well, with that said, hit the keyboard/typewriter/pen and paper. Good show.

well last night while i was trying to fall asleep, ideas popped in my head, so i jumped up, grabbed a pen and starting writing notes.. so i am sure that is a start

A suggestion I have is to check out the sticky on this board labeled "Screenwriting Palette." It's derived from The Screenwriter's Bible, and pretty thoroughly walks you through the entire writing process. Obviously, every step need not be followed, but it's helpful to get you going.