How to Become a Pro Scriptwriter: The Essential Tips
Here’s what it takes to become a professional scriptwriter
Do you always find it hard to put your thoughts into words? Maybe you even wonder if being a scriptwriter is a good way to make a living?
Well, let us help you to answer these questions in a simple way and hopefully inspire you to become a scriptwriter in the future!
Scriptwriter?
It’s someone who is able to create an amazing story that makes a movie, video, or even a picture come alive.
There is no manual about how to become a good scriptwriter, but you definitely need to be able to write!
There’s no right or wrong way to write a script or story, but lots of practice will make you become a better one.
Everyone can write, but not everyone can be a good writer. If you want to hone your skills into a career, we would recommend you keep reading this article.
After a long journey of compiling ideas and resources, we’ve succeeded in creating a few simple and short tips for you who are interested in being a scriptwriter.
Write More and More
Yes, writing. If you want to be a good writer, you have to practice more every day. I know this is so classic, but it’s true that a lot of practice is going to help you get the feel of it.
You can simply start by writing about your daily life, school, work, family, or anything else.
Start putting your thoughts and ideas into words, type them on your laptop, or write them on a piece of paper.
It doesn’t matter. Write quickly whatever comes to your mind.
Read. Read. Read
To write more you need to read more. By reading, you will get lots of new ideas and views about how stories are written.
A lot of famous writers were inspired by reading either a script, newspaper, book, novel, or anything.
It doesn’t mean you are allowed to copy the story. No, your story has to be original. It has to be written by you and yes, your writing has to show YOU in the way you present your story.
You can also read some tips and tricks about writing that have been written by many professional screenwriters.
Watch Movies
A writer needs a lot of inspiration, and many writers find inspiration in movies.
If reading is hard for you to do, yes you can watch a lot of movies to be inspired by their characters and plot lines.
People tend to find it easier to watch something on screen than to read sometimes.
Make sure to do some heavy research on specific topics that you’re interested in, and use that information to enhance your writing by watching some great movies related to your topic.
Join Writer Courses or Clubs
Go get signed up to a writers club! Learn from those who have been in this arena for a while so that you can see what the writing world looks like.
By joining a club, you get to experience a lot of new things such as debating your ideas or thoughts and sharing your experiences and difficulties with people who share the same interest as you.
When you’re first starting out, make sure to find a good and supportive club, not one of the competitive ones.
Why?
Because you need someone to support you, not kick you down! We scriptwriters are human, and we have fragile hearts. It’s so important to get constructive comments from people who are able to support you but who can also help you to improve your writing skills.
Travel
Pack up your bag and go travel the world! By traveling, you are going to expand your horizons and also get to see lots of different things which will help you foster new ideas as you put pen to paper.
“Travel” doesn’t mean you need to go to the most amazing places in the world (even though it might be really great for your screenplay), but travel can be done differently by doing some hiking, walking, or visiting a lot of museums and other public places.
The point is not where you go but the journey during that time, meeting and seeing a lot of new things that can give you some new ideas and experiences and a new point of view as you look at the world.
Learn to “Fall”
Everyone learns from mistakes. Mistakes teach us to be better, and most importantly, they teach us to not repeat the same mistakes.
As we said in Step #1 above, you need tons of practice so that you get the feel of it.
Learning to “fall” indirectly helps you to improve your skills by avoiding mistakes that you’ve made.
Mistakes in writing are so common, so please don’t worry about it as long as you do not keep repeating the same mistakes over and over.
Download FREE e-Book: The Ultimate Explainer Video Script Handbook
Proofread Your Script
Okay, we are almost there. But, guess what? You need someone who is able to proofread your script. This person has to be capable of giving you specific and supportive feedback.
This is a crucial part of the script that is often skipped by a lot of new writers.
The reason you need to proofread your script is to avoid any spelling and grammatical errors that might have slipped into your script.
You don’t want to fail because of typos or grammatical errors, right? So make sure you have someone proofread your script before you send it out to the whole world, but if it’s hard to find someone, at least make sure to proofread it yourself before sending it out.
Don’t Forget to Take a Break
A masterpiece does take a lot of time and effort.
Take a day or two before you finalize your script. Since you have been working on your script for a long time, save the file and look at it again after you feel refreshed.
By taking a break, you will get a fresh point of view about how you want the story to be written and read.
Make a Stunning Portfolio
You need a portfolio to “show off” your writing skills to the world. That’s why all the tips above are needed to help you get different views and genres for your writing.
Professional industries don’t want to see just one or two of your works. They want to see more from you so that they know where your writing level is.
So, keep writing a lot of different scripts in different genres to show the full range of your talent.
Sell It
Post your writing on the official website for professional scriptwriters or make a blog to share your writing with agents or any movie studios out there!
After you’ve developed your skills a bit, try entering a competition so that you can learn more about writing and how other writers are showcasing their skills.
Many professional writers are “discovered” by joining competitions because, in these kinds of competitions, you will meet a lot of professional judges and producers who look for great masterpieces.
Sometimes, it can feel like there is no chance that your work will ever be produced. But, you know… there are no successful people in this industry who magically became famous without trying.
If they could do it, you can do it too. It takes time but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
Try by starting with something small first, like making a script for explainer videos. It would surely help you to spread your wings and help you get your foot in the door as you explore a new industry.
Read more: The Ultimate Cheatsheet to Explainer Video Scripts [INFOGRAPHIC]
