To write a screenplay, write a logline, outline the story, write the whole first draft in screenplay format, then rewrite. Writers commonly complete the draft before revising so they can judge the whole story, not just its opening.
- Screenplay
- Also called Movie script
- A screenplay is the written script for a film or television program. It commonly uses a standard format to show each scene, what happens, and what the characters say.
Write a screenplay from idea to revised draft
- Choose a story you want to follow
Give a character a concrete goal and something that stands in the way.
- Write a logline
Summarize the character, goal, and central obstacle. Use the summary to test whether the conflict gives you scenes to explore.
- Outline the scenes
List what happens in story order. Look for choices that cause the next event.
- Write the complete draft
Put the scenes into screenplay format. Writers commonly aim to reach the ending before returning to revise.
- Rewrite the story
Read the complete draft, identify what prevents the story from working, and revise the affected scenes.
What do you need before you start a screenplay?
Start with a character, something they want, and a reason they cannot simply have it. For example, Mara repairs a small town's flood pumps. She wants to warn the town about a damaged gate, but her supervisor refuses to sound the alarm.
Choose a problem that makes your character act. Mara can inspect the gate, challenge her supervisor, or warn residents herself, giving you actions to put on the page. The screenwriting glossary explains unfamiliar terms as you meet them. Try today: Write what your character wants and what prevents them from getting it.
How do you turn an idea into a logline?
Turn your idea into a logline by naming who acts, what they want, and what opposes them. For Mara: When a flood gate begins to fail, a pump mechanic must persuade her town to evacuate despite her supervisor's refusal to issue a warning.
- Logline
- A logline is a story summary, commonly written in one or two sentences. It names the protagonist, meaning the main character, their goal, and the central obstacle.
Use the logline to test the story, not decorate it. Unlike “faces her past,” “must evacuate her town” gives your mechanic a visible task. The guide to writing a logline develops this test. Try today: Replace a vague goal with an action you can show.
How do you outline a screenplay?
Outline your screenplay by listing scenes in order and checking how each event causes the next. Mara discovers damage, asks for an alarm, and gets refused. Because she cannot use the official warning system, she takes evidence to the residents.
- Outline
- An outline is a plan that commonly lists scenes or key moments in story order before the screenplay is written. It lets you examine the story's shape without drafting every scene.
For each planned scene, note what your character attempts and what changes. If Mara only repeats her warning, nothing changes; residents demanding proof gives her a new problem. See how to outline a screenplay for a fuller method. Try today: Write the consequence beside each scene you have listed.
How should a screenplay be formatted?
Use screenplay format to separate where a scene happens, what happens, and what people say. In Mara's scene below, the location comes first, followed by visible action and spoken words. Screenplays commonly use 12-point Courier, a fixed-width typeface, on US Letter paper.
- Screenplay format
- Screenplay format is the layout commonly used to separate a script's scene headings, action, character cues, dialogue, parentheticals, and transitions. A scene heading gives location and time; action describes what happens. A character cue names the speaker; dialogue gives their spoken words. A parenthetical adds a brief delivery or action note; a transition indicates a change between scenes.
INT. PUMP STATION - NIGHT
Water trickles beneath the control room door. MARA sets a snapped bolt on the supervisor's desk.
MARA
The gate won't hold. Give me the alarm key.
The SUPERVISOR closes his fist around the key.
SUPERVISOR
Not without an inspection.
Mara looks at the water spreading across his floor.
MARA
Open the door.
- The scene heading places the action inside the pump station at night.
- A visible action shows the supervisor refusing Mara's request.
Keep the action tied to what the audience can see or hear. Instead of writing that Mara feels betrayed, show her watching the key disappear into her supervisor's hand. Try today: Write a scene heading, a visible action, and an exchange of dialogue.
How do you write the first draft?
Write toward the ending rather than repeatedly repairing the opening. If Mara's confrontation feels awkward, leave a note about what needs work and continue to its consequence. Writers are commonly advised to finish the draft before rewriting, so they can judge the story as a whole.
- First draft
- A first draft is commonly understood as the first complete version of a screenplay, from its opening scene to its ending. It gives you a whole story to assess and revise.
Keep unresolved questions beside the draft while you continue writing. A note such as “Find out how the alarm operates” separates research from the scene's immediate purpose. The guide to finishing your first screenplay develops this approach. Try today: Draft the next unwritten scene before rereading your opening.
How long should a screenplay be?
Feature screenplays commonly run about 90 to 120 pages. Use that range as a reference, not a reason to pad scenes. If Mara has already convinced the residents, another scene repeating her warning needs a different purpose or a place outside the draft.
When assessing length, look for repeated events before cutting individual words. If the story feels thin, examine where choices lack consequences rather than adding conversation. Return to your screenplay outline to inspect the sequence. Try today: Mark a scene that repeats an earlier result, or a choice whose consequence remains unwritten.
How do you rewrite a screenplay?
Rewrite by identifying a story problem and changing the scenes that cause it. If residents trust Mara without seeing evidence, strengthen the moment she earns their trust. Give the residents a reason to trust her, rather than only smoothing her dialogue.
- Rewrite
- A rewrite is commonly understood as a new pass at a draft to improve the story, scenes, or dialogue. It can change the story's structure, meaning how its events are arranged. A polish adjusts lines.
Read the draft with a separate page for notes. Record where the goal becomes unclear, where events repeat, and where decisions lack a reason. Choose a connected problem to address before changing scattered lines. The guide to finishing a screenplay helps you carry the work beyond reaching the ending.
Try today: Name the story problem your next rewrite will address. Write the intended change beside each affected scene before revising the dialogue.
Scriptsolo is a place where Idea, Outline, and Script stay connected in a workspace. It offers directions; you make every creative decision and decide what belongs in the story.