10 reasons why screenwriting is harder than it seems

Writing a novel may seem harder than screenwriting; it's lengthy and complex. But screenplays take just as much effort and skill. Lets take a look at screenwriting and how it's not as easy as it may seem...

1. It's not just transcribing actors' speech.

What could be so hard about transcribing people's words? Unfortunately, it takes more than this. Not only is there authentic dialogue to emulate, but there's skilfully concise yet interesting descriptions required to set the tone and pace. Screenwriting has its own format, too. Get this wrong, and your script won't be taken seriously. Whilst novel-writing may appear very liberal in its allowance of many styles and approaches, screenwriting is a little more restrictive; a script is, after all, a vehicle towards other modes of creativity.

2. It has multiple purposes.

A script's aim is not only to tell a good story well, but to tell it within the confines of film-making parameters. The script may be your baby for a while, but it will later be adopted by others; script readers, script editors, directors, film-makers. Unless you're planning to do everything yourself, your script will need to pander to the requirements of different industry professionals in order to be seen, read and noticed.

3. Grammar and style are just as crucial.

Scripts use the present tense, not past tense or future tense, passive tenses nor even the present continuous tense. Reigning this in can be tricky. Readers, known as the “gatekeepers”, don't have much patience for badly presented and written scripts as it can be distracting. Put them off and you'll be awarding yourself black marks before they've even had a chance to assess your story's potential.

4. Dialogue plays an important role.

Realistic portrayal, seen also in novels, is not the only purpose of dialogue. Dialogue can hide truths and hint at emotions; something which it serves in both disciplines, but which is especially important in scripts. Scripts can't always reveal important information through dialogue lest it be seen as “expositional” or “on-the-nose”. There's no support from descriptions, either; in a novel we can be told all back story, character thoughts and atmospheric/emotional information in the prose to help us understand what's going on. Scripts require a more economical method.

5. It's a balancing game.

Descriptions need to be approached so they're not novel-like but not clinically boring, either. The key is “colourful brevity”: concise (no long paragraphs) yet informative and exciting descriptions to bring the settings, characters and their actions to life. Avoid thoughts, back story and lengthy or poetic descriptions in scripts, and try not to state the obvious. Descriptions can still be energetic and humorous; think “setting the tone”, as well as the scene. Script readers want to be entertained by scripts much like novel-readers want to be engrossed in prose.

6. You have 1 page to impress.

When submitting novel proposals to publishers and agents, you're usually asked to send the first chapter. With scripts it's the first ten pages, but the very first page is what really counts (“first” impressions). A first page needs to show that you know about screenwriting conventions, how to set scenes and convey characters. It needs to pack a punch: give a sense of the genre, tone and the story straight away.

7. It's a business proposal, not a private possession.

Much like a novel is written to be printed, a script is written to be produced. Unless you're a film-maker yourself willing to produce your own work, your script will be sold to others who will do with it as they see fit. Sometimes you'll get to be involved in this process and sometimes you won't. It can be harsh as much as it can be rewarding, much like any business transaction.

8. It's a collaboration.

Your script is written to be sold and produced. The minute it gets out into the big wide world, it's a collaboration between the writer and script editors, directors, producers, agents and many more professionals. Unlike a novel writer, script writers may sometimes have to relinquish control over their babies. A business deal might see you sell your script, only for another writer to be hired to rewrite it. Whilst this won't always be the case, it may be a part of a screenwriter's career.

9. The possibilities are endless.

Work as a screenwriter is never dull. There's different markets; not only genres and target audiences, but budgets and platforms. It's not just about writing a TV show or writing a film; it could be writing a play, an advert, a game, or a role-play for a business firm's training day. Each one of these markets needs a different approach, so knowledge and experience is essential.

10. You need other skills.

Being a screenwriter means being adaptable and being able to compromise. Much like when writing a novel there may be guidelines, structures to follow, deadlines to meet, meetings to attend and business deals to be agreed. But consider how your writing gets out there; for a start, screenwriters may have to pitch their own work. Could you stand up in front of industry executives and present your story concept and "business plan" in five minutes flat? As a working TV writer, a screenwriter may need to do all the above things, only to write a script and then be told to change it completely and provide a rewrite within a short amount of time. It takes more than just passion for a story, it takes adaptability and above all guts.

Michelle Goode is a script reader, editor and writer who operates from her little online empire: www.writesofluid.com, where she compiles writing resources, writes her blog and offers her services. When she's not creating fictional worlds through scripts and prose or writing articles, she's helping strengthen the work of others or assessing scripts for production companies, competitions and initiatives. Follow her adventures on her Facebook writer page, Writesofluid page and on twitter: @Sofluid.