Screenwriting : Process of organising your writing - leading to a outline by John Fernando

Hi, John Fernando. I write my outline in Microsoft Word so I can turn it into a treatment after I finish rewriting a script.

Here's the template I use to outline a feature script (www.stage32.com/profile/811418/Screenplay/Outline-Template-for-Feature-S...). It's not a link to buy anything, and it's not about dolphins. :) The template shows the order of my outlines and what I include in them.

John Fernando The Save the Cat website also has a beat mapper. https://savethecat.com/beat-mapper. I start out in FD but end up mapping in Word. I would also recommend Maurice’s template.

#ILoveDolphins

Outline? What's that?

I usually just start with a rough outline, and whatever notes I've come up with while letting the idea stew. I don't write a detailed outline until I've already written the first act and part of the 2nd. It seems like I understand more of the story and the characters once I've actually started writing. I usually do this on pen and paper, but lately, I've been using Milanote.

I have a start and end point then I plot out what has to happen in between. Usually I write a rough draft without a plan I find that helps me figure out plot points. Maybe not the most conventional way of going about it but it works for me.

@Dan, there's software! I was not aware of that.

Thanks for sharing your outline process John! Super helpful

A copy of David Trottier’s A Screenwriter’s Bible that an Amazon dolphin left on my doorstep during the pandemic has helped.

I can see where this would be very helpful, especially for new scriptwriters.

I’ll write a dot point. Then the story will ripple out in all directions. I know what the story needs. So I start find ways of getting those into a story.

I claim a wall in the house, put up big paper, have all those things you listed but colour coded by character (pen ink) and paper 2 colors- tense rise action scene in yellow usually, other stuff (character dev/ tone / subplot like romance) in another colour, rise action yellow etc. This way scenes can move around on the board (or fall off board). Really helps when you feel lost at page 75.

Every script is a different story, be it research, outlining, conveying...it's is what keeps this occupation interesting...I know when I know...

I fall in love with characters, so I tend to flesh those out pretty well with details about them. I then turn to the story and section it out using the turning points as well and I use the color-coded index cards and post them on a wall in my room. I then go to my outline and start matching the character stories and quirks with the turning points and write on from there. I like the index card approach because I can reorder things as I go.

I've got a pretty tight structure building system I developed myself called Turn & Burn. You can learn more about it here.

These are all great methods

That's a good method. To each his or her own, I suppose.

You absolutely need an outline before writing your story though. It's like writing an essay. You have to structure it and plan your main bullet points before writing it.

Thanks for your responses.

You're welcome, John Fernando.