8 Tips for Better Script Writing
Script writing is one of the most creative processes I have come across. It drains you, it gets you exhausted, but a well-drafted script in your hands is the most pleasing experience ever. There are times you come across issues such as the inability to finish a script or not have a definite idea on where to proceed with a story. If you have encountered such difficulty, this is the article for you.
“Scriptwriting is the toughest part of the whole racket… the least understood and the least noticed.”
— Frank Capra
Here, I will be discussing some of the simple things I do to finish a script without any hiccups. Follow these simple things and get yourself a top-class script.
1. Visualise the story
I cannot put enough stress on this point. You need to sit and visualise the whole story in your mind whenever you get the time. What I do is visualise when I go for walks. Depending on the situations involved in the story, I play similar songs and go for a walk. This helps me kind of get an outline of the story without spending too much time just on building the outline.
“Visualisation is daydreaming with a purpose.”
— Bo Bennett
2. Know the ending
They say a strong beginning is one of the important things when it comes to a story. I say the ending is as important. There is no point having a thrilling story with a lukewarm ending. So, know how you are going to end the story before you begin to work on the script.
3. Know your characters
The characters are the most important part of any story. And the character development is essential to make an impact on the audience. So, take a pen and paper, write down the names of the characters and their traits. If you can, plot it down like a family tree to define the connection between each character.
“A story is built on characters and reasons.”
— Steven Amsterdam
4. Plot the route
Plan how you are going to proceed with the story. Know how many chapters are going to be there. Mark the chapters which consists of important plot points. Describe each chapter in a sentence or two.
5. Summarise the chapters
Now that you have an idea about how to proceed with the story, summarise the chapters. Elaborate the one or two sentences you have already written about the chapters describing the important plot points. This will prevent you from straying off of the storyline. If not paragraph, go for bullet points. It depends on your mood, I guess.
6. Write the draft
Take a shot at the first draft. Write the whole thing. Do not worry about the grammar or spellings. Let it be raw. Write whatever comes out of your mind. Why I stress on keeping it raw is because you will be able to catch the right emotions that way. You can give clarity to everything during the editing stage. But when you are writing the first draft, all you got to worry about is putting your thoughts onto paper.
“Forget the rules. Rules are for editors. Just write.”
7. Rewrite and rewrite again
Rewriting can be a bitch. But you have no choice. You have to rewrite the script as many times as you need till you reach the perfection you have always found while visualising the story. The editing work is done during this stage. Once you have a script which you find to be near perfect, work on adding those small elements which make it stand out. It is a taxing, but fun process.
8. Use Celtx
I have been using Celtx for two years now. It is one of the best tools you have at your disposal to write scripts in the right format. There is no need to worry about formatting when you have Celtx. You can switch from action to character and dialogues to transition with just a push of the ‘Tab’ button. You can also use it on your mobile or tablet devices. The whole process of script writing is made simpler by Celtx. (Not sponsored)
Here is the link. Go check it out now.
Thank me later
So yeah, you can follow these steps to write a great script which can then be made into a music video, short film, or a feature film. Go ahead and do it. Spare the gratitude, just credit me when you become successful.
