Screenwriting Tips
Expert screenwriting tips by working screenwriters
Screenplays must be formatted according to the industry's rules - if you disobey or ignore these rules, most agents/managers will discard your script as its clearly not at a professional level.
Screenwriting software such as Celtx (excellent and free) and Final Draft will aid you greatly in obeying these rules but they can't do the job entirely. Consequently you need a solid understanding of the industry's formatting rules.
There are dozens of format guides available on the web. Three excellent ones are included below:
We strongly encourage the use of professional screenwriting software. They'll help you format your script correctly and should make your writing experience more enjoyable and faster. The industry standard is the excellent (but costly) Final Draft.
We highly recommend the open source (and free!) Celtx. It lacks some of the advanced features of Final Draft but is none-the-less an excellent offering and is easy to use.
To progress as a screenwriter it's essential you read as many professional scripts as you can. Many writers go as far as to say that you shouldn't write a screenplay until you've read at least a 100 professional scripts.
For legal reasons many sites offering free screenplays have been taken down.
You can find professional screenplays and teleplays (free to download) here:
Due to production work we have suspended our coverage service for now.
