Okay, so you want me to rewrite that whole article, but like I’m the one sharing it? Like I’m sitting here, just chatting with you, giving you the lowdown on screenwriting? Got it! Alright, buckle up, ’cause we’re diving in.
Hey there! So, you wanna write movies, huh? That’s awesome! But let me tell you, screenwriting? It’s a real art, you know? It’s like this delicate dance between being super creative and also knowing how to make something that people actually want to pay to see. You’re basically building a whole world for people to get lost in, even if it’s just for a couple of hours.
But here’s the kicker: for every amazing film you see up on the big screen, there are literally tons of scripts that just never make it. They land in what we call the “slush pile,” and honestly, most of the time, it’s because they fall into some pretty common traps that, if you just knew about them, you could totally avoid.
So, listen up! This isn’t some vague, fluffy advice. We’re going to get super practical here. I’m gonna give you the real ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ that separate the pros from the folks who are just dabbling, the stuff that makes a script unforgettable versus something that’s instantly forgotten. This isn’t about hoping for the best; it’s about making smart, calculated moves. Let’s do this!
First Up: You Gotta Get Story and Structure
Before you even think about writing a single line of dialogue or describing a scene, you have to get your head around how stories work and how they’re structured. And no, this isn’t about some super rigid template. It’s about understanding the core patterns that just resonate with people, the stuff that makes a narrative work. Trust me, if your story doesn’t have a strong backbone, even the most beautiful writing in the world is just gonna fall apart.
DO: Nail Your Logline. Seriously.
Your logline? That’s like your script’s entire genetic code. It’s your elevator pitch, the whole essence of your movie, squished into one super captivating sentence. It needs to tell us who your main character is, what their big problem is, and what’s at stake. And this isn’t just for selling your script later, by the way. It’s your guiding star for the entire story. A solid logline forces you to be super clear about what your movie is actually about.
Let’s look at an example:
- Weak: “A cop tries to catch a bad guy.” (Come on, that could be anything! No stakes, no personality.)
- Strong: “A disillusioned police detective, haunted by past failures, must outsmart a meticulous serial killer who stalks his victims using obscure religious metaphors, forcing him to confront his own wavering faith as the body count rises.” (See? Now we know who he is, who he’s up against, what the problem is, why we care, and there’s even a hint of a deeper theme!)
DON’T: Just Start Writing Without a Clear Idea.
Jumping into a script without a clear premise is like trying to build a house without any blueprints. You might throw some bricks down, but it’s gonna be a mess, and it won’t stand up. This almost always leads to stories that just wander all over the place, characters who change their minds randomly, and a script that just… doesn’t know what it wants to be. That “I’ll just figure it out as I go” thing? Rarely works out in a professional way. You gotta know the story you’re telling before you even start telling it.
DO: Master the Three-Act Structure (and know how to play with it).
Okay, so the three-act structure isn’t some kind of prison, but it’s a super powerful framework. It totally mirrors how storytelling naturally works. You’ve got your setup (Act I), your big confrontation (Act II), and then the resolution (Act III). Understanding this helps you figure out where to put those big turning points, how to build tension, and how to develop your characters effectively.
Pro-tip here: Even if you’re into non-linear stuff, map out your core story points on a three-act structure first. Then, once you’ve got them, you can intentionally mess with the order or deconstruct them. This way, you know all your pieces are there before you start shuffling them around.
DON’T: Force Stuff to Happen Just Because.
Plot points should feel like they’re naturally growing out of your characters’ choices and the problems you’ve set up, not just some random thing that happens to move the story along. If a character suddenly gets some new, unexplained power, or some super convenient coincidence saves them out of nowhere, it totally pulls the audience out of the story. It just screams “contrived.”
Check this out:
- Contrived: A character is trapped, then magically finds a hidden tunnel they never knew about, conveniently leading to freedom. (Uh, sure they did.)
- Organic: A character, who we already know is an amateur spelunker, uses their knowledge of cave systems to escape. (See? It makes sense because we already knew that about them.)
Character-Driven Narrative: This Is the Heart, People!
Characters! They are the absolute pulsing heart of any good screenplay. We connect with people, their struggles, their wins, their mess-ups. A script can be technically perfect, but if the characters feel like robots, it’s gonna fall flat. On the other hand, a slightly rough script with amazing, relatable characters can totally soar.
DO: Make Your Characters Real. Like, Deeply Real.
Your heroes and villains shouldn’t be cardboard cutouts. Give them backstories, conflicting desires, weird habits, and unique ways of speaking. Dig into their inner battles and their outer struggles. What do they want? What do they need? What’s standing in their way? And remember, show us who they are, don’t just tell us.
Actionable idea: Create whole biographies for your characters that go way deeper than just what they look like. What were their childhood fears? What are their secret dreams? Their biggest regrets? Their biggest lies? Even if you only use 10% of that in the movie, it’ll inform 100% of how they act and what they say.
DON’T: Stick to Boring Stereotypes.
Seriously, avoid clichés like the plague. The “tough young cop,” the “evil CEO,” the “damsel in distress” – yawn. These rarely grab anyone. Challenge yourself! What if that “tough young cop” secretly loves tending delicate bonsai trees? Or the “evil CEO” genuinely believes their destructive actions are actually good for society? Inject some unexpected complexity.
DO: Understand Character Arcs.
A really good character, especially your main one, goes through a transformation. They start somewhere (maybe with a flaw or a wrong idea), and by the end, they’ve grown or changed because of everything that’s happened to them. This is where the emotional payoff comes in. And a character arc doesn’t always have to be positive; sometimes, they descend into darkness, too.
Think about it:
- A shy character learns to stand up for themselves.
- A cynic finds hope.
- Someone selfish learns to sacrifice for others.
DON’T: Let Your Characters Act Randomly.
Once you set up who your character is and what they want, stick to it! If you say someone is super smart and meticulous, they can’t suddenly start making a bunch of dumb, out-of-character choices just because you need the plot to move forward. It jars the audience and makes them stop believing in your character, which means they stop believing in your story.
Quick tip: If a character really has to change drastically, make sure there’s a super clear, well-explained reason for it in the story. Maybe a traumatic event changes them, or they get new information that completely shifts their perspective.
Crafting Awesome Dialogue: It’s More Than Just Talking
Dialogue is like the blood flowing through your characters. It shows us who they are, moves the story forward, and deepens your themes. Great dialogue isn’t just about what’s said, but what’s implied, what’s not said, and how it’s said.
DO: Make Your Dialogue Do More Than One Thing.
Every single line of dialogue needs to earn its spot. It should reveal character, push the plot, raise the stakes, give us information, or add to a theme. If a line isn’t doing at least one of those things, it’s probably just filler.
Example:
- Weak: “I’m going to the store now.” (Pure info, could probably just be shown.)
- Strong: “I’m off to face the dragon. Wish me luck, though I doubt it will make a difference.” (Reveals the character’s fatalism or humor, sets the stakes, hints at conflict.)
DON’T: Write On-the-Nose or Explanatory Dialogue.
This is probably the biggest mistake I see! Characters should not explicitly say how they feel (“I am angry!”) or dump big chunks of backstory or information directly into their lines. It just sounds fake, and audiences are smart enough to figure out subtext.
See the difference?
- On-the-nose: “As you know, Bob, our company was founded in 1982 by my eccentric grandfather, who always believed in disruptive technologies, which is why we must now launch this risky new product.” (Ugh, exposition dump!)
- Subtextual/Organic: “Grandfather would have loved this. He always said, ‘If you’re not breaking something, you’re not building anything new.’ Let’s break some new ground.” (We get the info naturally, through the character and the theme.)
DO: Seriously, Embrace Subtext.
The real magic happens in the space between the lines. Subtext is what characters really mean, even when they’re being polite, lying, or avoiding something. It adds layers and gets the audience actively involved in figuring out what’s truly going on.
Try this: Read your dialogue out loud. Does it sound like real people talking? Do real people always say exactly what they mean? Nope! Real conversations are messy, indirect, and full of unspoken meanings.
DON’T: Waste Time with Small Talk.
Unless you’re specifically trying to show awkwardness or reveal something about a character through their mundane interactions, skip the “hello,” “how are you,” and other pleasantries that add nothing to your story. Get to the point! Every scene has a purpose, and every line should serve it.
DO: Give Every Character a Unique Voice.
While you don’t want caricatures, your characters should sound distinct. A gruff detective shouldn’t sound like a refined academic, and a street-smart teenager shouldn’t talk like they’re from a Shakespeare play. Their dialogue should reflect their background, education, personality, and even their emotional state at that moment.
Here’s a good test: Could someone who’s not looking at the script tell who’s speaking just by their dialogue? If not, you need to work on their voice!
Visual Storytelling: This Is a Movie, Not a Book!
Screenwriting is not like writing a novel. You’re crafting a visual experience. Your words on the page are basically instructions for what the audience is going to see and hear. If you ignore the visual part, you’re fundamentally misunderstanding what a screenplay is.
DO: Think Visually. Show, Don’t Tell.
This is the golden rule, seriously. Instead of writing “She was sad,” describe her staring blankly at a rain-streaked window, with a single tear running down her cheek. Instead of saying “The room was messy,” describe discarded pizza boxes, laundry draped over furniture, and stacks of unread books. The reader (and later, the audience) should see the story unfold.
Example:
- Telling: “She was an angry person.”
- Showing: “Her jaw was clenched, knuckles white on the steering wheel as she sped through a yellow light, muttering obscenities under her breath.”
DON’T: Over-Describe Everything.
While showing is super important, don’t go overboard describing every tiny detail of a costume, a set, or an action. Only describe what’s essential to the story, the character, or the mood. Trust the director, the production designer, and the actors to fill in the rest. Your script is a blueprint, not the finished painting.
Quick tip: If a descriptive detail doesn’t reveal character, doesn’t move the plot, or doesn’t contribute to the tone, you can probably cut it.
DO: Use Action Lines Smartly and Economically.
Your action lines should be short, active, and clearly tell us what’s happening on screen. Use strong verbs! Break up long paragraphs of action into shorter, punchier sentences. Focus on the important actions and visual moments.
Look at this difference:
- Bloated: “The character, who was very tired, slowly ambled down the street, feeling a sense of dread, and looking around timidly for any sign of danger that might be lurking.”
- Concise: “He shuffles down the street, eyes darting, throat tight as the shadows lengthen.” (Much more impactful!)
DON’T: Get All Director-y With Camera Angles.
Unless a super specific camera angle is absolutely crucial to what you’re trying to say (like a POV shot from a character to show their perspective), avoid telling the director what to do. Things like “CLOSE UP ON HAND,” “PAN TO DOOR,” or “FADE TO BLACK” are for the director to decide. Your job is to tell the story; their job is to make the movie.
Example:
- Unnecessary Direction: “ANGLE ON JOHN, as he nervously eyes the ticking clock on the wall.”
- Effective Storytelling: “John’s gaze snaps to the wall clock. The seconds tick loud enough to fill the room.” (You get the implied close-up through the character’s focus and reaction, without telling the director what to do.)
Pacing and Tension: Keep ‘Em Hooked!
A well-paced script is like a really good conductor, guiding the audience through exciting moments, quiet reflections, and building suspense. If your pacing is off, people will get bored, confused, or feel like the ending was rushed and unsatisfying.
DO: Mix Up Your Scene Lengths and Rhythms.
Not every scene needs to be a big chase or a huge dramatic fight. Varying your scene lengths and the intensity keeps things interesting and prevents the reader from getting tired. Throw in some short, punchy scenes with longer, more reflective ones.
Think about it like music: Does your script have crescendos and quiet moments? Fast parts and slow parts?
DON’T: Include Scenes That Don’t Need to Be There.
Every single scene in your script has to justify its existence. Does it move the plot forward? Develop a character? Establish a theme? If you can take a scene out and the story still makes sense, then cut it! This includes scenes where characters are just doing boring, everyday stuff that doesn’t reveal anything new or advance the story.
DO: Build Tension Slowly.
Suspense isn’t just about jump scares; it’s about building dread, anticipation, and uncertainty little by little. Introduce threats early, make the stakes higher and higher, and let the audience wonder what’s going to happen next. Use that rising action effectively.
Instead of: An immediate monster reveal, show signs of its presence first: a strange footprint, a disturbing sound, a whispered local legend.
DON’T: Make Conflicts Too Easy or Resolve Them Too Fast.
If your character solves their problems with hardly any effort or without a real struggle, the audience isn’t going to care. Conflicts need to feel earned, and resolutions should come after a lot of hard work and challenge. If you resolve things too quickly, it kills the tension and makes the stakes feel low.
The Polish: This Is Where Good Becomes Great
Once you’ve got the core story down, the real work begins: refining it. This is where a good script becomes a great script, and a great script becomes something that can actually get made.
DO: Obsess Over Readability and Formatting.
A clean, properly formatted script looks professional. Use standard screenwriting software (like Final Draft or Celtx) to make sure you’ve got the right margins, character names, scene headings, and dialogue formatting. If your script is hard to read because of formatting issues, it probably won’t get read at all.
Try this: Print your script out. You’d be amazed at the errors you see on paper that you missed on the screen. And read it aloud! Pay attention to how it flows.
DON’T: Cram the Page with Huge Paragraphs.
Whitespace is your friend in screenwriting. Break up those long blocks of action and dialogue. Use that empty space to guide the reader’s eye and make the script feel less overwhelming. Big paragraphs feel like work; short, punchy ones feel more like a movie.
DO: Revise, Revise, Revise (and then revise some more!).
Your first draft is just that: a draft. Professional screenwriters spend months, even years, revising their work. Look for ways to tighten dialogue, make action scenes punchier, deepen your characters, and strengthen your themes. Be brutal with your own writing.
Here’s a trick: After you finish a draft, put the script away for a week or two. Then come back to it with fresh eyes. You’ll be surprised at what pops out when you’re not so deep in the creative process.
DON’T: Fall in Love With Your Own Words.
Every word, every scene, every character is there to serve the story. If a beautifully written line of dialogue or a clever scene doesn’t actually help the story, you need to be ready to cut it. It’s hard, I know, but it’s essential for clarity and impact. “Kill your darlings” is a cliché for a reason.
DO: Get Feedback (and learn how to sort through it).
Share your script with people you trust – other writers, film professionals, or even just movie buffs who can give you an honest opinion. Be open to criticism, but also learn to tell the difference between helpful feedback and just someone’s personal taste. Not all advice is right for your specific story.
Ask specific questions to get good feedback: “Are the stakes clear here?”, “Is the character’s motivation believable?”, “Does the pacing feel right in Act II?”
DON’T: Argue About Feedback or Take It Personally.
Feedback is a gift, even when it’s tough to hear. Don’t try to defend your choices. Instead, listen carefully to why something isn’t working for the reader. If more than one person points out the same issue, even if they say it differently, it’s a huge sign that you’ve got a problem to fix. Your script isn’t you; it’s a piece of work.
Overcoming Specific Storytelling Hurdles
Beyond the big principles, there are some common issues that trip up even experienced writers. Tackling these head-on can seriously improve your script.
DO: Understand How to Weave in Exposition.
Exposition – that necessary background information – should be naturally integrated into your story and action, not just dumped in clunky dialogue or long voiceovers. Subtly reveal information through character interactions, visual cues, and the natural flow of the plot.
Instead of: A character explaining their past, show a quick flash of them having a recurring nightmare, hinting at some trauma.
DON’T: Rely on Voiceover as a Crutch.
Voiceover can be powerful when used sparingly and intentionally (like to create a specific tone or show inner thoughts). But if your voiceover is just explaining what’s happening on screen or giving information that you could just show, it means your script is weak. It often shows you’re not thinking visually enough.
DO: Craft a Satisfying (Not Always Happy) Ending.
An ending should give a sense of resolution to your main conflict and character arcs. It doesn’t have to be a traditionally “happy” ending, but it should feel authentic to your story and themes. Your character’s journey should feel earned, and the consequences (good or bad) should make sense within the world and choices you’ve set up.
DON’T: End with a Deus Ex Machina or a Random Cliffhanger.
A “god from the machine” ending, where some outside, never-before-seen force magically solves everything, is super unsatisfying. And a vague ending or an unearned cliffhanger just to be “artsy” or set up a sequel (without a genuine reason in the story)? That often just frustrates the audience who’ve invested their time. Every choice, especially at the end, has to be justified by what came before it.
DO: Know Your Genre and Its Conventions (and how to play with them!).
Understanding genre conventions is super important. It gives you a framework, a set of expectations for your audience. Once you know them, you can either deliver on them really well or cleverly subvert them to add originality. But you gotta know them first! A horror film needs scares; a comedy needs laughs; a thriller needs tension.
DON’T: Let Genre Tropes Take Over Your Whole Story.
While knowing conventions is good, letting them completely dictate your story leads to bland, predictable scripts. Find fresh takes on familiar tropes. What unique twist can you bring to a classic setup? How can you make your villain more complex than the usual bad guy? Originality often comes from cleverly bending expectations.
The Unseen Pitfalls: Mindset and How You Work
Beyond the technical stuff, your mindset and how you approach screenwriting can either be your best friend or your biggest enemy.
DO: Cultivate Discipline and Consistency.
Screenwriting is a marathon, not a sprint. Writing regularly, even when you don’t feel inspired, builds discipline and muscle memory. Set realistic goals, create a consistent schedule, and stick to it. Consistency beats random bursts of creativity any day.
DON’T: Wait for Inspiration to Strike.
Inspiration is super unreliable. Professional writers show up at the page, whether they feel like it or not. Treat writing like a job – because it is. Inspiration often shows up while you’re writing, not before it.
DO: Read (and Analyze!) Scripts.
The absolute best way to learn screenwriting is to read excellent screenplays. Don’t just read them for fun; analyze how the writer achieved their effects. Pay attention to structure, pacing, dialogue, character development, and visual storytelling. Read scripts for films you love and films you hate, and try to figure out what worked and what didn’t.
DON’T: Unfairly Compare Yourself to Others.
Every writer’s journey is unique. Seeing someone else’s success can be motivating, but constantly comparing your progress to theirs can lead to self-doubt and just paralysis. Focus on your own growth, your own stories, and your own path. Celebrate your small wins.
DO: Be Prepared for Rejection (and learn from it!).
Rejection is just a part of being a screenwriter. It’s not a reflection of your worth; it’s just how a highly competitive industry works. See every “no” as a chance to learn, to refine your craft, and to keep going. Not every story is for every person.
DON’T: Give Up After the First Setback.
Success in screenwriting often comes down to sheer persistence. The writers who make it are rarely the ones who quit after one or two rejections. They’re the ones who keep writing, keep learning, and keep submitting, refining their craft every step of the way.
So, to Wrap This Up…
Screenwriting is tough, but man, it’s so incredibly rewarding. By consciously avoiding these common traps and really embracing all the ‘dos’ I’ve talked about, you can seriously boost your chances of writing a compelling script that could actually get made. This isn’t about following some strict formula; it’s about really understanding the core principles that resonate with audiences and industry folks.
Focus on telling a clear story, creating authentic characters, crafting evocative visuals, and nailing your pacing. Be disciplined, persistent, and always open to learning. Your unique voice, combined with mastering these fundamentals, is what’s going to pave the way for a powerful and unforgettable cinematic experience. Now go write something awesome!