This document serves as a beginner's guide to screenplay writing, covering essential elements such as structure, character development, and the difference between screenplay and novel writing. It provides tips to overcome common challenges like writer's block and emphasizes the importance of creating relatable characters through imaginative descriptions. The guide encourages aspiring writers to take action and offers resources for further assistance.

1. What Is A Screenplay?
A Beginner’s Guide To Screenplay
Writing
http://www.howtowriteascreenplaythatsells.com

2. So, You Think You Can Do Better?
How many times have you
watched a boring movie
and felt that even though
you haven't actually
written a screenplay, you
can still tell a story
better than that
Hollywood script writer?

3. What Are You Waiting For?
Maybe it's time for you
to stop being a
"wishful player" and
produce that story that's
been swirling around in
that creative brain of
yours all these years.

4. How do I put my story into a
screenplay format?
• What is a screenplay exactly?
• How is it structured?
• How does one describe characters,
scenes, environments, etc.?
• How do I write a screenplay that will sell?

5. Where Can I Find Help?
There always seems to be such a lack
of appropriate guidance and tips on
how to start such a challenge.

6. So What Do I Do?
Sure, you can find suggestions online, you may
even come across some valuable instruction, but it
always seems to fall just short of what you truly
need in order to bring your story to life.
Likewise, when you ask someone of authority how to write
a screenplay, chances are high that they will not provide
you with the true guidance in which to see your vision come
to life.

7. Learning The Ropes
Nonetheless, there are some tricks and tips
you should know before you hit that
keyboard. . .

8. Trick #1: To Dream In A
Professional Manner
So here you are, you've got your story in
your mind (where it has been locked away
for some time more than likely) and your
convinced it will be highly engaging to an
audience.

9. You Know Your Story. . .
You believe in your characters, the plot, the
sub-plot, the location, all of it...but every
time you sit behind the keyboard, your
mind draws a blank and your vision
quickly recedes back into dreamland…

10. Dream While You Write!
Don't misunderstand me, you must dream
your tale before it becomes a reality, the trick is to
dream professionally...meaning you must dream
your script as you pound the keys on your
keyboard. Imagination only takes you so far until
work must take over. . .

11. Writer’s Block
Don't worry about writer's block. Every writer
experiences days in which nothing will come
forth. Every script has had moments when
"writer's block" freezes the artist's mind to
the point where it's difficult to even type the
word, "Hello".

12. Fight The Mind-Freeze
The key to you creating the next Hollywood
script is to fight that mind-freeze and push
through the fog, even when you have
convinced yourself you'd be better off
watching a movie then writing one. . .

13. Trick #2: Believable Characters
This is very important! You've got to get the
audience caring about them in one way or
the other, so when something happens to
the individual characters, the one reading
the script is moved, either to joy or sadness,
pain or comfort, etc.

14. Making Them Real
One very good piece of advice is to write
what you already know. In other words, pick
someone you have known -or do know- and
describe that person's quirks, likes, dislikes,
habits, mannerism, sense of humor, and all
the little things that make them real.

15. Bringing Them To Life
Building off this knowledgeable foundation will
produce highly believable and interesting
characters (granted that the person you are basing
them on is not mind-numbingly dull). A fascinating
this that may happen is sometimes your characters
will surprise you as he/she evolves . . .

16. Taking On A Life Of Their Own
Sometimes your characters they may even spook
you a bit. That is often a natural progress as they
are coming to literary life. You should not fear
this, on the contrary, roll with it and see where it
takes you (as long as you keep your screenplay on
track, otherwise it can be construed as lack of
focus).

17. Describing Your Characters
Another critical realm is describing those
traits I mentioned in your characters in order
to bring them to life. Remember, the first
rule
of writing is . . .

19. Don’t Bore The Reader
You don't want to write (tell) the reader that
one of your characters is tall by simply
saying; “Bob is very tall."
That is lacking in imagination and it loses
the interest of the reader quickly. By
the time you get to killing them off, the
reader will be glad they’re dead!

20. Showing vs. Telling
You would want to describe (show) Bob's height…maybe
this way;
• "Bob ducked his head slightly as he walked
through the doorway."
To describe (show) someone who is large one might say;
• "Mark was stuffed in the chair in front of
his boss’ desk."

21. Making The Reader “See”
That tells the reader either Mark is a big-boy, or
the chair is too small for him. Of course which ever
point you want to get across will be up to you.
Defining the difference between the two could be
as easy as saying;
"Mark was stuffed into the small seat in
front of his boss’desk."

22. Action Always Speaks Louder Than
Words
Another example would be if Steve can't pay
his bills and doesn’t care, you may describe
it this way;
"Steve sifted through his overdue
bills tossing them one by one into
the trash can."

23. The Difference Between A Novel And A
Screenplay
There is a vast difference between book writing,
and scriptwriting. In a novel you would go into
detail about whether or not the character is inside
or outside, and what the environment entails . . .

24. Write – Don’t Direct!
A screenplay -is more often then not- far
more simplified then a novel in this manner,
for it is a visual produced by the director
instead of a vision created by the readers
imagination.

25. Remember You Are The Writer
One thing you want to be careful of, is directing the
characters too much. In other words, don't dictate
every little facial expression or movement in a
characters scene. That is the director’s job, not
yours.

26. Examples Of Directing In Writing
Steve Robbins picked up the news
paper and scowled as he read the
front page. He then locked eyes
with his partner, Charlie McGee.
"It was you," Steve growled.
“you did this?”

27. Examples Continued
“What?” Charlie asked, stuffing
his face with a doughnut and
washing it down with lukewarm
coffee. “He had it comin.’”
“You stupid bastard.” Steve walks
away, shaking his head.

28. To Much For A Screenplay
That example was way to much info for a screen play. A
screenplay describing this would be something like;
EXT. NEW YORK CITY NEWSSTAND - DAY
STEVE ROBBINS flips the magazine attendant a nickel
and picks up the morning paper staring at it. CHARLIE
MCGEE is standing next to him, eating a doughnut and
drinking his lukewarm coffee. Steve jabs his index finger
into the front page and locks eyes with Charlie. . .

29. Screenplay Layout
STEVE ROBBINS
It was you.. you did this?
CHARLIE MCGEE
He had it comin'.
STEVE ROBBINS
He was barely twenty! He was just a kid!
CHARLIE MCGEE
Yeah well, he should have kept his mouth
shut!

30. Fight The Temptation To Direct
It is very tempting to end this
scene with something like;
Steve Robbins throws the newspaper
in Charlie’s face and storms away.
In a screenplay, that would be
directing.

31. Action And Dialogue
This scene tells you quite a bit without a lot of
description. It tells you they are in New York. It
also tells you it's probably late morning because
Charlie is drinking lukewarm coffee and having a
doughnut.
The scene is a time period piece because
Steve Robbins only paid a nickel for the
paper.

32. The Mystery
The scene also tells you there was likely a
serious crime committed for it was in the
news, and something clued Steve into the
fact that it was Charlie who committed it.

33. Keep The Reader Guessing
It tells you they are partners, but what it
doesn’t tell you is…are they mobster’s or
are they crooked cops?

34. Don’t Give Away Too Much Until
It’s Time
In a novel I would probably end the scene leaving the
reader still wondering their identity this way;
Steve Robbins stormed back up to Charlie, their faces
inches from one another's.
“You have any idea how much focus you put on our
operation by this, do ya?” Robbins growling through
clinched teeth.
“Relax…” Charlie assured him. “I took care of it… it’s
gonna be fine, I promise.”

35. So…What Is A Screen Play?
In short, a screenplay is a structured
collection of scenes with mostly dialogue
and action to carry it through.

36. Much More Ahead!
There are many more aspects to writing a
screenplay that will sell of course. These examples
are but a few. If you have found these suggestions
helpful, and would like more information on how to
make your screenplay the best it can be, you are
welcome to a free report from an actual Hollywood
Script Writer . . .

37. Now, GET WRITING!
The very best of luck to you and the amazing story
you keep locked away in your mind… it’s time to
share it with the world…
I look forward to seeing your work up on the big
screen!
Here's to you becoming the next Hollywood script
writer!

38. What Now?
Download Your FREE Report Here:
http://www.howtowriteascreenplaythatsells.com