Screenwriting : How do you begin writing your script? by Karen Ray

Hi, Karen Ray. Welcome to the community. I always start with a script outline. Some writers start a script without an outline, but I write myself into corners if I don't make an outline first. Stage 32 has a webinar called "Outlining Your Feature Screenplay" (www.stage32.com/education/products/outlining-your-feature-screenplay).

Stage 32 has a blog that'll help you navigate the platform and connect with creatives and industry professionals all over the world (www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-platform-...).

Stage 32 had a live Community Open House yesterday. It'll also help you navigate Stage 32 and connect with creatives and industry pros. The recording will be available to watch soon (www.stage32.com/education/products/stage-32-july-community-open-house).

I suggest using a photo of yourself as your profile picture. People will feel more comfortable networking and collaborating with you if they know what you look like. And if you have a picture, your profile will show up when someone searches for you. You can upload a picture by clicking the gear symbol in the top right-hand corner and selecting “Edit profile” in the drop-down menu, then clicking the red button underneath your location and choosing "Update profile picture."

Grab a pad of paper, a spiral, and get a pen. Write down one though or one simple idea or one snippet of dialogue or one thing about one character. Skip two lines and do it again with a new thought.

You do this until every single thought, idea, snippet of dialogue and bits of characters are out of your head. Fill that pad up. Fill that spiral up.

Next, write a B, M, or E before each and every bit. This is beginning, middle, and end. Then sit yourself down at the computer and you type B - ____ and what ever that idea, thought or snippet is. Just input it all.

Sort it all by B, M, E (the computer will do this for you). Then organize all your Bs in order, then your Ms and finally your Es. This will be the first time you will see what you have as a story.

Done? Oh hell no! Then start banging it all into shape working from your BME document. Also known as an outline.

What are you set ups? Payoffs? Clues? Revelations? Character arcs? What are your sequences? And on and on.

You will force your story into existence.

You will hammer the keys on the keyboard until you need a new keyboard, and then hammer those soulless keys into submission.

Then after days and weeks, you finally sit down and type FADE IN. Then you don't stop until you type FINAL FADE OUT.

Get fresh eyes. Forget the compliments, you want the honest feedback. What worked. What doesn't work. Hammer the keys again ... new fresh eyes, Writing is really rewriting.

Now stop reading, and get that pad or spiral and a pen!!!

Hey Karen Ray Great question! There's no single "right" way to start, but here are some approaches that work for different types of writers:

The "Jump In" Approach:

Some writers do best by diving straight into scenes that excite them most. If you're the type who discovers story through writing, this can work beautifully. You can always go back and develop character maps later.

The Foundation Builders:

Others need character maps, world-building, or basic plot structure before they feel confident writing. If you're someone who gets stuck or lost easily, some upfront planning and outlining can actually save time on the back end

The Hybrid Method (Most Popular):

Start with basic character goals/conflicts

Write a rough outline or treatment (even just a page)

Begin writing but allow flexibility for discovery

Develop deeper character work as you learn who they are on the page

Character maps aren't delays if they help you write more confidently and consistently. But they become procrastination if you're using them to avoid actually writing.

Do you have a clear sense of your main character's want/need and the central conflict? If yes, you're probably ready to start writing. If no, spend a day or two on basic character work first.

Most importantly there's no perfect preparation. At some point, you have to write pages to discover what your story actually is.

Hey Karen! Starting writing has always been a tough thing for me, but I find a few kep steps can really help.

Firstly outline your story - once you have an idea that you're really passionate about take the time to develop it - dot points will do, if you know what you want out of your story and characters the rest comes a little easier. Start with characters, compelling people that you'd want to watch on screen and see what you can put them through.

There are plenty of different ways to start off a script itself, that can be from theme establishing to character driven. Studiobinder has a series that explains this idea well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw_ysaoVlt4

But make sure you give yourself every chance to explore your ideas!

Go with your idea and then go to the community to learn how to turn that idea into something on the page.

QUESTION: "How do you begin writing your script?"

ANSWER: With a hard deadline.

I start by creating a dramatic situation in which the main character finds himself.

Hello Karen, great ideas list above but, some of those have worked for me and some have not, but I found that these FIVE actions will work for me nearly every time...

1) Write a BRAIN DUMP of everything I have ever thought of for my story is a good start. Make at least one copy and "cut up/copy and paste'the brain dump into Beginning, Middle, and End. Fine tune each section with this question "What must go first?". In my mind I had mostly worked out the Outline, Big Beats, info dumps, simple character motivations and hopefully the Ending.

2) Write Act Three AND ADD TO THE BRAIN DUMP.

3) Write EIGHT LogLines that concretely escalate the Stakes, the last LogLine of the eight is the Climax of the Story, then write a one to two minute resolution scene. AND FIT IT INTO THE BRAIN DUMP.

4) Read the BRAIN DUMP.

5) Write my first draft.

Good Luck

Howdy, Karen. Good ideas above. The brain dump works pretty well. Typically, I just start with that one favorite scene that's been playing non-stop in my head. That gets me excited to keep pushing the story out. I'll work backwards and forwards from there.

Hey, I just finished my first feature script not long ago — just a need to get it out of my system.

What worked for me was this: I didn’t overthink it. No character maps, no endless outlines. I just saw the scenes in my head and started writing, almost like transcribing a film that was already playing. Later, once it started forming a shape, I went back and fixed structure, arcs, and all the “rules.”

My take? If you’re feeling something strong — write it before it fades. And trust your gut more than any textbook.

Hi Karen. Great post. At the end of the day, it all depends on the writer. You need to find what works best for you - and it may not be what benefits someone else. So, try different strategies, see what helps you progress an idea into a story.

If you'd like to talk further, by all means message me.

My biggest advice to you is ready for this?.....write!