How to Write a Screenplay Like a Professional

Books are tremendous sources of movie franchises that end up as blockbusters. So it is a big edge for writers to learn how to convert their manuscript into a movie or TV screenplay. However, unlike books, professional screenwriting affords no room for creativity and individuality when it comes to format. So writers must be careful to follow the correct professional screenplay standards right down to the color and the way the pages are held together. Deviate from this and you risk instant rejection, especially by studio professionals.

While free form writing allows authors some freedom pertaining to things like margins, spacing and the like, screenwriting on the other hand affords no such freedoms. Any deviance form standard screenplay format will brand you as an amateur and your work will be summarily dispatched to the nearest waste bin.

So, how do you ensure that your screenplay follows the correct format? There are a number of ways:

1. Purchase a movie script sample from online services like Script City or Simply Scripts and copy the formatting in Microsoft Word. However, take extra care to acquire the screenwriter's original submission and not the shooting script. Many online services will sell you the shooting script which is a slightly different format. If you send in a speculative shooting script and it will be quickly rejected. The shooting script, however, will teach you how screenwriters give rise to cinematic poetry, so you ought to purchase and read a few screenplays. You will also notice that while the format is constant, style varies from screenplay to screenplay.

2. You can purchase books on screenwriting and tutor yourself. You'll save money, but remember, there is no room for error.

3. Although options 1 and 2 are viable steps, they are not advisable for serious writers. The smartest and perhaps even the easiest way to ensure your script is formatted correctly is by purchasing screenwriting software

A quick Google search for screenwriting software will return a variety of options that will overwhelm you. So it may be a good idea to read professional screenwriters blogs to learn about what writers are using. What worked for them can definitely work for you.

The two best sellers (by a wide margin- estimated at 60-75% of all scriptwriting software sold) and also the most popular among established screenwriters are Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter. Scripped Pro is an €in the cloud€ offering, which means you can work on your screenplay from any computer anywhere there is an Internet connection, which adds a level of convenience.

Lastly, it will help to have a definitive reference book close by to aid you with cinematic queries that may pop up as you write your cinematic masterpiece. In which case, a copy of David Trottier's The Screenwriter's Bible would be a good recommendation.

With the right software, the right sample scripts and the right reference book, you will be better-armed to take on the great movie-writing challenge. And with your professionally written screenplay in hand, you will find that it is well worth your effort.

For more writing tips, head over to the iUniverse Writers Tips and learn from the experience of iUniverse self-published authors.