Fifteenth Entry: The Dialouge Box
During my outlining process I have been coming up with some great ideas for dialogue and various scenes. What if I forget all of my awesome scene and dialogue ideas when I’m still outlining? Not a problem.
1. I am establishing a dialogue box.
2. In that box I will place slips of paper with my little bitty ideas for the script.
3. Every time I have an idea I will write it down and place it in my dialogue box.
4. When it is time to start writing my script, I will open the box, sort through every idea I had and write the ones I like best into the script.
5. Perfect. No more forgetting 
Fourteenth Entry: How to have fun while developing great characters.
No, I have not given up on outlining, I’m just taking a break, and working on characters. Working on Characters will help me with the deeper stages of outlining. Here is how to develop some great characters.
1. Look up popular baby names from the year your character was born in (if you’re looking for names).
2. Write pretend Facebook profiles for them. Please make sure you don’t use the real Facebook, it’s against the rules to make real profiles for fake people. Use Notebook, Google Sites, or any type of Word Processor to do this. Make an Info page for them.
3. Have an open mind, don’t stress yourself to get back to your outlining, just keep it in your mind. Deadlines are not my friend when it comes to outlining.
4. Observe real people, you will find great characters all around you!
Thirteenth Entry: Now we’re back to the beginning…
Back to the beginning. All started over. Guess what that means? Outlining! We came up with a new idea and now we need to outline it! Just like the last idea. Hopefully I’ll do a better job with outlining this time. I’m going to take outlining to a whole new stage. Its going to be a bigger job, with a lot more steps and a lot of more hole filling. I’m tempted to start writing now! I have my idea, and I want to start scripting! But even more then that I really want to have an excellent script that doesn’t end up in the dreaded Cemetery. I will outline, and outline, and outline more. Maybe this time my script will be more successful.
Twelfth Entry: Busy, dreadfully busy
Are you too busy and can’t find time to work on your ideas, outlining and scripting? Try setting aside a certain time or day/night just for your writing. Make it your special writing time.
Eleventh Entry: A handy tool for Planning: NoteBook
As I’m working on this new story idea, I found a useful tool for developing ideas day by day. Its a program called “Notebook”. You can use it as a journal, or, you can use it for a plot developer. Its has a place to write for every day. All you have to do is write down a little bit more of your plot everyday. Keep adding a tiny bit everyday. In a little while, you’ll have a pretty good plot, and you won’t be killing your brain trying to come up with two pages of a plot in one sitting. Just a couple sentences per day. Keeps your brain light, but it keeps the writing regular. Check it out and register for free at: http://notebook.stillthinkinghq.com/
Tenth Entry: Cemetery for Screenplays.
There is a place, a dark, sad place, where screenplays are laid to rest, at a very young age. That place is called “Screenplay Cemetery.” Windy, cold, foggy and despairing, this is where victims of severe writers block bury their dead stories. I have had at least 5 screenplays delivered there. A few days ago I talked about Setbacks, and breaks. I told you not to give your screenplay up yet, and to keep it in the back of your mind. You see, if you keep giving up at that point, you’ll have a library full of unfinished scripts. Its so true. Here’s one of my scripts that I buried. This script was badly written, and I don’t feel like going back to it.
I really don’t know what I’m doing next. I want to write, but I can’t get myself any further on my original script. I have other ideas in my head that sound so much better. I’m supposed to give you advice when I post, but right now, I’m still figuring this out myself.
I’m just going to put my screenplay on the shelf. I’m going to explore this new idea that I have. I will try to prevent myself from making the same error with this new idea as I did with my old one by doing these things:
1. I’m not going to delete my old script, I’m just putting it on the shelf.
2. Before I start writing the script for my new idea, I am going to take it through a much longer process of development and outlining.
3. I will do a thorough check for any holes before I start writing.
So now, we are going into stage one again. I feel lousy about it, but I have to do it.
Dear old script, RIP.
Check for the next entry: Before the outline.
Ninth Entry: Setbacks and breaks
So A little while ago I said I had started writing. I need to take a break. I’ve had some setbacks, and realized some flaws in my preparations and outlines. It hurts and its not fun. You start calling your story garbage. Hating it. This is normally when beginners would give up. Once they start writing they notice the holes and flaws in their stories and just give up. I have done it sooooo… many times. Now here’s an important factor. Sometimes, idea’s are meant to stay ideas. They’re just not screenplay material. It’s sad, and its a fact. Here’s the good news, sometimes you just need to stop writing and take a break. Look at your story from different angles when you think of it, rest your brain and just leave it in the back of your head. When you want to think about your story, you’ll have better ideas. Your brain should not be interrogated, racked and tortured everyday. No one wants to be forced to think, or tell something, so treat your brain right!
Instead of giving up the moment you have problems, just try shutting the laptop for a bit, closing the notepad, and doing something else for a little while. Don’t throw it away, just give it a break. You’ll either find a better story that you are more fired up about with less holes, or, you will discover ways to fill the holes in your old story. Just always keep your old story in mind. Let your ideas float around and get bigger in your brain. Read, write little stories, change activities for a while. Giving your script a break will relax your thinking skills, and help you find the right direction. I haven’t thrown my script idea away yet, I’m just letting it sit, and exploring new ideas, and meat for the old ones. So sit back and relax. Its not over. You’re just on vacation.
Eight Entry: Writing
I finally have got to the point where I get to write it! Although I may have to retrace my steps every now and then, this is a good place to be. Yay! If you are starting your script I recommend you use Celtx® too format it with. Its a very helpful screenwriting project program, and I use it all the time. Go to Celtx.com, and tell me what you think of it.
Seventh Entry: Additional Characters
I’ve finished my three main characters now, but there are still a lot of secondary characters that I have to do. Instead of doing a full profile sheet for them, I just wrote down all of their names, and now I’m going to write down their Character Traits. These characters aren’t important enough to do a whole sheet on, unless you really want too. When I mean secondary, I mean people such as the Neighbor next door, the Customer in the shop, or the Guest coming over for tea. Really any one but the Mains and the Antagonist. For these people you only need to know a little bit about their mannerism, and you should be very well off.
Sixth Entry: Main Character Development
OK, so now it gets fun Characters are up to do now, and I just finished working on my first Main Character.
Now, a good movie script has to have exceptional characters, people who they can relate to, and people who they feel sorry for.
Here are two protagonist outlines for you to follow. You don’t have to answer ALL of the questions, only the ones that apply to your character. Download them now
This is really one of the funnest things to do in the prep- script process. Enjoy this time!
Fifth Entry: Outline Finished
I sat down, with no music. And started writing in one of the craziest fonts I could find. Guess what? I finished the 1st draft of my outline! It really worked. The silence and the pure focus was a huge help. I feel really accomplished now. Yay! Remember though, don’t start outlining till you’ve done all the earlier steps. It won’t be half as easy without them.
Fourth Entry:
I have to vent. I HATE OUTLINING. Technically, I should have an outline before I tell you about it, but I haven’t been able to get myself to do it. I just keep putting it off. Sorry. Its hard. Its easy to give up on. This is the most important part of a good story, but its also a time when most writers give up. I know I can’t do that… so I’m going to try this. Tomorrow will be entirely dedicated to outlining. Nothing else. No music. No blogging. No web surfing. When I’m done, awesome! Then I can tell you guys how it worked. Also, any tips on outlining would be welcomed.
Third Entry: Research
I was just about to go straight to outlining, when I remembered a very important step. Research. If you know nothing about your script’s topic, you will run across lots of problems in the actual scripting process. For instance, if you wanted to write a script about a French Pastry Chef, you would want to do your homework on French culture, and pastries. Otherwise your script would be unauthentic, and shallow. This is actually a fun, more relaxed part of writing a screenplay. Take out books from a library, look up your topic on the internet, and watch movies or documentaries about it. Go all out. Get a notebook, or a word processor document and write all of your info down. Don’t forget to save it!
Second Entry: The Idea of the Idea
I think for me, idea’s are the easy part. I constantly have them in my head. The problem is, most of my ideas are just rough little bits of dialogue, or character’s we would like to portrait, or a tiny section of a story.
But those aren’t going to write a screenplay. And that’s where outlining comes in…. But that’s another entry, so lets keep to the idea thing. If you don’t have an good idea, you shouldn’t be writing a screenplay, period. But here is something you really don’t want to do; Be so desperate to write a screenplay, that you rack your brain to come up with one. That, is because forced ideas normally come rebelliously slow, not to mention, you will be more apt to use other peoples ideas in a twisted form, because your brain is so desperate.
If you want to come up with a good idea, the best thing to do is to wait. Fast from movies. If you watch any kind of movies they should be old black and white ones. Another thing; Don’t think about it all the time! It will totally stress you. Take baths, and walks in the woods, and the rain. Just soak in life. Movies are about life. Unity, love, and family in the real world will inspire you.
First Entry: The Beginning
I need to write a screenplay for a film, and I need to keep up with my blog. So I thought I would combine them.
So, I write my screenplay, and blog about the woes, and joys of the tedious but rewarding job.
Starting tomorrow afternoon, I will begin work on my screenplay. I will take you from outline, to final draft. I have never finished a script before, but I will persevere.
My story is about is a historic figure. and you will have to guess which one it is as I slowly reveal this person in my writing.
I hope that you will learn from my experiences.