What's your writing technique?

[Madbandit]

I basically write an outline (sometimes detailed), write a rough draft in longhand script and type it up. What's yours?

[PainTed]

Initial concept/logline --> outline --> first draft. I'll usually find my title in there somewhere. I never write longhand. And I love Celtx!

[Moviequill]

Get in the car -- (the basic idea when it comes)

Start the engine -- (dive in and start writing, dialogue, scenes etc)

Rev the gas pedal, bring it close to red line -- (grasp on to something, find your direction, theme, main POV, start tailoring script toward it)

Pop the clutch and nail the gas -- (write, write, write, get through a first draft, who cares how many pages or missing stuff)

Stop for beer, smokes and a fill-up -- (edit the first draft, cut out what wasn't working and build on what is, hone it, rewrite it)

do NOT stop and ask for directions (unless she is wearing a leather mini and fishnets) and if you do indeed find yourself completely lost, and I am talking heading from Boston to NY and see the sign for Dallas, only then pull over and do a map

[cynicide]

1: Get concept.
2: Decide if concept is worth the work.
3: Leave concept in head for somewhere between 6-24 months.
4: Decide it's time to write a new script because I'm repulsed by the one I've been working on.
5: Begin taking notes, thinking about characters, planning set pieces, finding theme, etc.
6: Start outlining.
7: Fight urge to begin writing before outline is done.
8: Write first draft.
9: Do a quick rewrite, not making significant enough changes due to overconfidence in the quality of the first draft.
10: Give to readers, get corrected on quality of first draft.
11: Put the script away for a while and either work on something else or focus energies on drinking the pain away.
12: Look at script again, see gaping holes and massive flaws. Loathe self.
13: Rewrite.
14: Give to readers. Script has improved, but still isn't good enough.
15: Begin to hate script.
16: Rewrite.
17: Contemplate other career choices.
18: Rewrite.
19: Start to become nauseous at the idea of facing this script for another day; writing sessions become shorter, infrequent and less productive
20: Rewrite.
21: Get so disgusted with script that I can no longer look at it. Tell myself that the next one will be better and put current script away, never sending out to anyone who matters (agents, managers, etc) because I know it's not good enough and don't want to look stupid.
22: Repeat.

[dpaterso]

1. Carve wooden alphabet blocks.
2. Crush insects and beetles for ink juice.
3. Steal paper at gunpoint.*
4. Block-print FADE IN: and go from there.

* it always comes out better on stolen paper.

Newspaper clippings work too. Just don't get your scripts mixed up with ransom or stalker notes.

-Derek

[TheKeenGuy]

Most commonly...

Logline
Rough notes, establishing theme, characters, conflict, etc.
Beat Sheet-style outline, usually most detailed in the later acts
First draft on Final Draft
Rewrites
Notes/Feedback from others
More rewrites
Frustration
Shelving

[briking]

Originally Posted by TheKeenGuy

Most commonly...

Logline
Rough notes, establishing theme, characters, conflict, etc.
Beat Sheet-style outline, usually most detailed in the later acts
First draft on Final Draft
Rewrites
Notes/Feedback from others
More rewrites
Frustration
Shelving

Rinse and repeat...

[Kwinnky]

Get an idea
write a logline
show logline to others
perfect logline
write out beats, sequences, or just what happens in each act
put down scenes on index cards
write first draft
do something totally unrelated to the project for a while.
rewrite
show to people
polish
register with WGA

[marcoguarda]

Ohmygod !!!!

Is There A Technique !?!

;]

M.

[Charli]

Work out the ending and the crisis-this-point-means-everything point of the story, then I just pray, sweat, sweat, pray, sweat, cry, sweat, pray... repeat.