Screenwriting : What is the average amount of time it takes you to knock out a first draft? by Lee LaMarche

Ohhhh great question. If it's a genre I'm used to, like comedy, if it's a half-hour pilot, three weeks 'cause I'm thinking of the entire series as well. A feature, a month or two.

This is interesting as I’m writing my first feature draft currently. I’ve set myself a target of the second week in Oct as that gives me a month. As Joshua mentioned my comedy pilot I wrote earlier in the year took me 2-3 weeks.

It really does vary. I tend to write features only, and they usually end up around the 100-page mark on the first draft. It typically takes me 3-4 weeks around other commitments, but if I’m able to escape from everyone, I like to get through a first draft fairly quickly, so I could probably finish it in 2 weeks.

I usually write a first draft for a feature script in 2-3 weeks, but I can finish one in a week if I push myself, Lee LaMarche. I also like to rewrite as I go.

4-6 weeks for my 300 pages or so (I work 30+ hours a week AFK). Write it all down as if no one else will ever read it, right? Revisions/rewrites are much simpler in my world ;-)

It can vary so much. Also, sometimes people will step away from a script for a while to get some perspective, then come back and finish it. So I'm not sure how one would count that time!

Lee LaMarche how many pages we talking here ?

Matthew Kelcourse dang thats fast !

So, the reason I ask is that I am currently finishing 80-115 page scripts in 5-7 days. That is sometimes with a treatment and sometimes without. They have come out pretty good for first drafts with work definitely needed but still able to stand as something to share.

Typically takes me 11 to 18 writing days - each of those days writing 1-3 hours each. If I'm able to get more time at the computer, it could go much faster. My fastest to date was 2 days (writing 8 hours each).

A feature takes me about 4-6 months for story design. 14 - 60 days to write it.

Ian Milne define "story design"?

Probably because I’m coming from a comic book world, I do a lot of preparation and world-building before I even start writing. I try to really get a sense of my characters and get to know them. I write a general history of any major character’s life to gain a better understanding of who they are. While I’m writing my draft and the characters come to life on their own, I’m also still doing world-building as things come up. Once I feel I understand a character pretty well, things flow more smoothly. It can take me a month or so to finish a draft, with all of these side thoughts I’m working on, for a brand new story.

It takes me about a month or two at the very month. All spec screenplays are first drafts by the way.

Seven writing days is about what I expect, it's by far the quickest part of the process for me. Write fast and bad!

I really think it just depends on how you write, the genre/context, the creative flows you get into, etc. I don't think there is any really timeline on how long it should take you to write a first draft. It is a first draft after all, which will take longer to edit. For me personally, mine vary, and I've take two months to write a first draft and then another and accumulation of a few days.

Travis Seppala I'm a big believer in Robert McKee's Story. And so for me Story Design and my process is getting an outline and treatment done before I write word one. I usually start with the "index card" method many writers use to get the basic vision down. Then I start figuring out how many acts the story will be.. I take a look at positive & negative charges at scene/ sequence/ act climaxes...when I discover what the story is about in the story climax I then go back to the beginning and try to see how I can work with that theme from different angles, see what exactly my character arcs are, and try to be aware of symbolism and new ideas as i go back and forth through the story. Then I go through my treatment and give goals for page length of scenes and sequences -- that's usually when I have to go through everything all again...and again until I'm finally ready to write. Then I usually bang it out quickly and with a lot of confidence and joy.

Depends on how much material I have written previously left unused and how much I can copy/paste into something resembling a story. :)

The fastest, one week. The slowest, four months. The average, about two months. But I don't do what others call "garbage first drafts"; instead, I revise earlier sections as I add later sections. Inefficient, I know, but it is difficult for me to stop on day on say page 30 and just start immediately on page 31 the next say. Kudos to you, though, for being a fast writer.

Close to a year, considering unexpected happenings! With a lot of revisions. Satisfied and complete.

My last first drafts took 6 months.

Mine varies.

If it's pure inspa (based on personal experience) 7 days but normally it takes 6 weeks to 2 months. I always do all the work (research and outlining) upfront before starting.

Wow that's fast. It takes me about 2-4 months.

Christine Capone "Slow and steady wins the race."

Two months sober.

It depends on the script. I wrote one last year in less than 2 months. I just finished another one this week - based on a book - and it took me almost 5 months.

When it flows, it flows, ay Lee LaMarche? For me, it's 6 to 8 weeks for a first draft (that's no limitations, page counts, etc... and heaps of exposition to set the mood/theme of each scene to rewrite later). :-)

Matthew Kelcourse That's because you are penning five scripts at the same time! I wrote my first three in a little over a week for each one, but I didn't know what I was doing.

LOL Mike Childress - I tried working on more than one project at a time, but they began to bleed (no pun) into each other. I can only juggle two balls (unless on the court) by editing one while first-drafting another. Beyond that and I start drinking faster ;-)

Matthew Kelcourse I am a serve-and-volley guy so I need to multi-task for my sanity! Double-fisted in the pub and at the writing hub!

If well outlined, I can get through a first draft in a week (2 days is my all time record) but again that's just getting the first vomit draft on paper. After which i need a week off for my brain to reset, followed by the first revision draft to clean it all up and cut down on all the fluff.

ha, the first script I wrote 'Roll Credits' on took me about 10 yrs from starting. I tend to have huge breaks between writing and a day job.

Hi Lee,

Thanks for starting this discussion! At our studio, the screenwriters usually take about 4 to 6 weeks to complete a first draft, depending on the complexity of the story. We’ve found that having a solid outline significantly helps in speeding up the writing process. It’s interesting to hear how fast some writers can produce drafts—it highlights the diverse approaches we all have. For me, setting aside dedicated writing time each day really boosts productivity. Looking forward to hearing more about others' experiences!

Couple of weeks for a production ready draft. I have a very efficient process. I pre-write rather than rewrite, so my first draft only needs polishing.