Help me, I'm new to the screen writing process

don't do, listen, or type anything until you have a discrete, concise logline that starts with:

"The reasons I want to learn to write screenplays are....."

And then get educated according to your needs and desires. Choose wisely your resources.

Scriptwriting Secrets is a good place to start. It has a pretty good run-down of all the basics, and gives examples. As for software, I prefer Sophocles. It's cheaper than Final Draft and most other software, but I personally think it's the best. I've tried the others, but still prefer Sophocles. You can download the demo for free and try it...you just can't export, and printed pages say "Demo version of Sophocles" or something like that on them. But you get the rest of the options, which will let you know if you like it or not.

P.S. Yay, my 100th post.

Understand that your first script will be a learning process and will most likely be terrible. Expect to put it away and write a second and then a third before you think about shopping them around. Not everyone does this, but it's often wise.

First off, I know nothing but I'd down a multi-vitamin with a warm can of flat Schlitz beer each morning.

Then I'd start taking all of this pretty seriously, if you're serious about it. If not, of course don't. But if you are serious, don't be too serious, just be serious about the writing great stories part and how to sell your writing part of the equation. I guess you do need to be serious.

Good question to ask is - exactly what would you like to achieve? What are your writing goals? Do you HOPE to sell a spec, or are you serious about a screenwriting career? Answer to that may involve moving in your near future, etc., or rethinking your goals...perhaps thinking of this as a hobby?

Whatever your goals are, don't let anyone tell you that you're competing with tens of thousands of other writers from across the planet or dozens of pretty decent writers from the DD boards who clog the system with their/our queries. They're/we're not your competition. If you're good enough to be really good, you'll be competing with a small number of the best writers on the planet and a few really lucky sobs with great ideas who think a slug line is an insect trail and a couple of well-connected fvcks who probably couldn't pen a decent grocery list. Anyway, many of the talented writers are making loot already and it will be hard for you to get in, but there's always room in Hollywood for one more talented writer. Some killer competition out there I hear. But space is available. May be a place reserved for you. They're supposedly starving for great material.

But from the little I know, it really comes down to you and your own stories, you doing your homework, writing "great" scripts and learning as much as you can about the business of selling your work and hoping for a little good luck. But don't count on good luck and other people opening doors for you. Try your best to make those all too important contacts and keep a lucky rabbit's foot in your pocket, but place the burden of your success squarely on your writing. You'll cover all the bases, then. Let your writing open your doors. The best writers have the best luck is what I'm told...and people and opportunity tend to gravitate to them, through their writing. Don't count on being lucky. Be good.

Write your stories. Focus on your scenes. Each and every one of them. Learn all of the things you think you should know about the craft and business of screenwriting. Learn and learn and keep your ears open but listen always to your instincts.

You've stumbled into a good place. Weed out what doesn't sound right to you...like this novice to novice advice from me probably. Ain't no yellow brick road I can find. Keep your pen to paper and listen to the guides for you have tons to learn from them but realize you'll eventually have to find your own way through the jungle. Nobody owes you success. Nobody. No one cares whether you make it or not or if your stories are ever bought and produced. You'd better care a great deal to swing that vote in your favor. You will need perseverance. You'll need to believe in your stories.

And make sure you catch a tan along the way. It's not that serious.

Best of luck.

Buy Michael Hauge's book, Writing Screenplays That Sell. There is a section that shows you how to set the correct margins and tabs in Word. However, I am in the market for Final Draft version 6 or 7. if any one knows where to get it cheap? I hear its very good.

Keith

www.discountscreenwriting...tware.html

The good old BBC has a free script formatter that works on Word. In the right column on this page.

And as long as you're not a working pro, this one (again building on Word) works fine too, it's fully functional - it only prints 'Unregistered software' in the header of all your pages until you register.

The last one is also available in a Mac version!

--Nooz

I think you already answered the second question with the first. Programs like Final Draft pretty much put everything into format for you. Still, it's good to learn the format if you ever happen to be in a situation where such a program is not readily available.

Buy Movie Magic Screenwriter. Hands down the best of the screenwriting programs out there. Trust me, use word and half your time will be taken up with formatting! (I started on word...ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) Everyone from Francis Ford Copolla to Ted Elliot us Movie Magic. Go to www.screenplay.com and get a free trial download.

Also go buy Syd Field's 'Screenwriting' book. Best book out there for mapping out what a screenplay's paradigm looks like (what goes where). Will demystify the whole screenwriting process for you.

Hope that helps!

Winter in New York