Is this normal...?

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  • Is this normal...?

    I'm currently writing a script but the manner in which I'm writing it I feel is fairly unorthodox; I'm essentially just writing orphan scenes, content to return later and connect them with bridge scenes, so to speak.

    I'm completely new to screenwriting, so apart from all my pervasive formatting concerns, I just have one question: Is there a downside to this method of writing?

  • #2
    Re: Is this normal...?

    It sounds as if you are talking about writing individual scenes which definitely might be good ones in the screenplay, but you do not yet have a specific plot where they will have a place.

    That is all right. The method may even act to jump-start your creativity. But ultimately you have to work out a story line with specific events that are collected into scenes that make sense in relation to one another.

    "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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    • #3
      Re: Is this normal...?

      There's the downside that you can grow to abhor the prospect of writing those bridge scenes because they would seem dull and obligatory.

      Personally I prefer to outline and then write from the beginning to the end, just jotting some ideas or dialogs for he future scenes in another document as they. strike me. This way I can control the flow of the film better, too, because it's as if I was watching it right now as I'm writing.

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      • #4
        Re: Is this normal...?

        Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
        That is all right. The method may even act to jump-start your creativity. But ultimately you have to work out a story line with specific events that are collected into scenes that make sense in relation to one another.
        I definitely have an overarching plot worked out, it's simply a matter of filling in the gaps.

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        • #5
          Re: Is this normal...?

          Originally posted by goldmund View Post
          ...Personally I prefer to outline and then write from the beginning to the end, just jotting some ideas or dialogs for he future scenes in another document as they. strike me...
          100% in agreement.

          After I've completed my outline, the thing may be 60-80 pages, and I can literally paste it into my screenplay template. Then, it just becomes a matter of breaking the paragraphs and bullet-points into scene headings, description and dialogue. Literally paint-by-numbers, and often the first draft is done in barely 3 days. It does make the outlining the hard part - where all the rationalization, research, structure, etc. is done - but then the actual screenplay emerges in almost real-time (well, 3 days, but those go very fast and are actually kind of exciting).

          I've posted this before: Here's a screensnap of a completed outline for one of my scripts:

          Mister Buttle's Great Odyssey

          See all the headings on the left? They're completed before I write a single word of screenplay. The "Loglines" heading will have the full history of logs, maybe 30 versions. Specifically, notice the headings for "Dialogue" and "Scenes"; that's your solution. It's where I put quickee notes of really cool bits that I want to be in the screenplay, later.

          I do try to keep those snippets to a minimum, because they're a distraction at the outlining stage, but sometimes they come out of nowhere and of course are too hard to avoid recording.

          Anyway, this is merely MY way of doing things. Some people use little 5x3 cards. Others use some dedicated outlining software - I just use old WinWord. But doing outlines is one way to prevent yourself from getting bogged down by the immensity of trying to come up with a story from a yawning blank page 1 and figuring out how to make 110 pages out of it.

          Incidentally, I also have a document called ideas.doc that is simply a collection of cool scenes/dialogue/ideas but which, at the time, aren't the foundation of a story. Many, many of my stories emerge from it eventually, and it's then that I start the outline doc, such as you see in the link.

          We all face creative writer's block, but I do find that outlining at least prevents "technical" writer's block - we don't need to put methods or processes in our way that prevent our getting our ideas onto the page/screen.

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          • #6
            Re: Is this normal...?

            I write out of sequence. Certain scenes are easier to write or more pressing in my brain, and I write those first. It gives me a great running start, and those scenes help me establish the tone and depth for the rest of the script.

            I can't imagine writing any other way.

            Good luck.

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            • #7
              Re: Is this normal...?

              Originally posted by Mikey_Corolla View Post
              I'm completely new to screenwriting, so apart from all my pervasive formatting concerns, I just have one question: Is there a downside to this method of writing?
              I don't think there's any downside if you're looking at this as practice in writing scenes and learning how to write in screenplay format. But just be aware that writing scenes and plotting and writing a screenplay are two different exercises. I know this because – basically – all I've ever done is write scenes (and short scripts), which are fun – but the one time I wrote a full script (which wasn't very good) that it made it clear to me that you also have to do the "hard work" at some point. (That's when I got out the index cards and found out that the "linking" process wasn't as straightforward as I thought it would be.)

              That said, everyone works differently. Maybe you have the talent and ability to make a really good script using the method you describe.

              Good luck – maybe you could post some sample snippets (not necessarily from the screenplay you're working at) on the feedback forum for comments.
              STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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