Screenwriting : Do you outline? by Lee Jessup

All writers should outline, but 30 pages seems excessive. 10/12 is my go to number.

My outlines go to shit real fast. I start off beautifully, then, on page 4, I take a right hand turn. Every time. But, in most cases, I love where I go!

This is where a lot of screenplays die before they make it onto the page - lack of a clearly thought out plan of what is actually being written - great article

I do a very brief outline. Maybe 10 pages or so.

I have done a number of things. 1) just have a mental idea of what I want to happen and where I want to end up then I let things progress. 2) have a more detailed idea written down which I generally have to toss because I thought of something better while writing 3) write the book first 70K words is a heck of an outline.

70,002....don't forget your name!!

Of course I outline. My writing time is very limited. I need to know my story has a beginning, middle and end, that is satisfying and I'll be excited to write. I don't have the kind of time to spend three months on a story only to find out it's not going anywhere and was nothing more than a fun premise.

Do I outline? Only if I'm dead. Then it is done artistically, by the police department.

I don't know if I outline as much as I do detailed plot points... which I guess is kind of an outline. I try and write from the perspective of the character on how to get to said plot points.

I use the outlining as a tool... After 40 pages or so, usually, I have to add scenes in the middle and I take out a scene rapport and put under every slugline a short description of what happens, then it's easy to keep track of the big picture. Also it helps with synopsis and treatment when I have already summarized every scene.

I write a synopsis instead of an outline before I start the screenplay. Yes... I know... strange.