How To Write a Screenplay For Beginners

If you’re an absolute beginner, getting started in screenwriting can be intimidating.

By following the 10 articles in The Beginners’ Guide to Screenwriting, you’ll cover all the basics of screenwriting.

Each article covers a different topic, with reference to well-known Hollywood screenplays to highlight key points.

You’ll also find a handy “Tip of the day” with each article, and links to other useful sources of information.

If you’re a beginner, start at number one and work your way through. By the end it will all seem a little less daunting.

More advanced screenwriters can dip in and out of the articles and take whatever you can out of each one.

Note: This section is still in development - the third party site that was carrying these articles shut down! As soon as they are back online I’ll insert the links.

1. Introduction: What is a screenplay?

2. High Concept Ideas: Hollywood’s Holy Grail

3. Outline

4. Characters

5. Scene Structure

6. Sub-text

7. Dialogue

8. The Big Finish

9. Dramatic Openings

10. The Re-write