I have an idea for a screenplay. Need advice on writing, please.

Hedylogos

Sorry didn't want to post this here, but did not see any other forum to put this. I have this idea for a screenplay, and i have started writing the characters, their names, a few locations etc. I know what kind of genre i want it to be, however my main problem is that i am not a professional writer and neither am i proficient in writing. I basically have a wacky and wild imagination so i have decided to write all my ideas down rather than just let them fester and disappear without doing anything about them.

I have been researching and i don't believe there is anything like it out there at the moment or in the past that i know of. I would love to get going with this, but being someone who has never ever tried story writing, let alone screenplay writing before, i feel a little out of my depth. However i do not want to give my idea over to somebody else, so is my only option trying to write it myself as best as possible?

Flyonthewall

What are you planning on doing with it once written?

With writing anything like that you need to get down the main idea, write as much as you can and then go over it and write a second draft, then go over it again and write a third draft. Check spelling and grammar and add and delete parts until it's right. You may find you end up with loads of drafts, but that's how it goes sometimes.

The more you write the more you'll improve and learn from your mistakes. If you're unsure about something then look it up or get someone you trust to check it.

As this is under employment I assume you plan to make money from it? In which case, there's far more to it than just writing it out.

agrinnall

Hedylogos wrote: »

However i do not want to give my idea over to somebody else, so is my only option trying to write it myself as best as possible?

A huge number (possibly the majority) of screenplays are collaborations between 2 or more people. Whether that would work where one person has the ideas and the other does the writing I don't know, but given the poor prospects for people who do know how to write not being able to puts you at a big disadvantage.

nicechap

Courses to develop your skills

http://www.citylit.ac.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=screenplay&cat=285

They also do wider creative writing courses

http://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/history-culture-and-writing/writing/creative-writing

BBC have a sub forum for budding writers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/

Writers Guild of Great Britain have lots of info

https://writersguild.org.uk/resources/

You can also email your idea to yourself to show you thought of it before you share with anyone, the old fashioned way was to print it and send it in a sealed envelope to yourself recorded/ special delivery. You then have to be very clear on what basis you share your idea/ concept/ draft with anyone, or any commercial organisation.

Good luck with your writing.

SailorSam

You should join a few writers forums where people bounce ideas off each other, you'll be able to get advice from more experiened writers. Perhaps try and find a night school class.
The OU do lots of mini free courses, i think some are for writers.

Flyonthewall

agrinnall wrote: »

A huge number (possibly the majority) of screenplays are collaborations between 2 or more people. Whether that would work where one person has the ideas and the other does the writing I don't know, but given the poor prospects for people who do know how to write not being able to puts you at a big disadvantage.

Most are them are written for a reason though. They're in the industry and working on the next play, TV show or film and therefore they have other people to work with and they know who they can trust.

That's not the case for the OP but to do anything with it it will, at some point, have to be given to someone else. If the idea is good then someone else could improve on the writing later on.

If their reason for not giving it to someone else is due to the risk of it being stolen it's generally unlikely and OP would have copyright if they wrote it down anyway. Either way, no reason why they can't work on it alone right now.

kezia

Futurelearn has a free introduction to screenwriting course coming up in February. www.futurelearn.com/courses/screenwriting
I did their creative writing course last year and loved it. Futurelearn is an offshoot of the OU I think, they have a huge amount of courses and all for free.


Good luck with your writing.

Hedylogos

Flyonthewall wrote: »

What are you planning on doing with it once written?

With writing anything like that you need to get down the main idea, write as much as you can and then go over it and write a second draft, then go over it again and write a third draft. Check spelling and grammar and add and delete parts until it's right. You may find you end up with loads of drafts, but that's how it goes sometimes.

The more you write the more you'll improve and learn from your mistakes. If you're unsure about something then look it up or get someone you trust to check it.

As this is under employment I assume you plan to make money from it? In which case, there's far more to it than just writing it out.

Actually, i wanted to post it elsewhere on the forum and was looking for maybe a forum on here for people who write to post this thread on. I haven't been thinking at all about making any money, but i have, however, been imagining the end product and having it shown on the big screen - would be amazing if it all came together how i would like it to and for my ideas to actually become a film - surreal wouldn't be the word, but let's be honest that would literally be a dream come true.

I don't have to keep the genre a secret, it would be fantasy/adventure/action kind of mixed in. At the moment i am just gathering everything in my head, but yeah the genre would likely come under the first two of the aforementioned. I would just like to get my idea/s out there for people to see really, nothing more, nothing less. I certainly haven't even thought about it as a money making option.

I know a lot of people are fans of the fantasy-esque genre, including myself (that's why my imagination is filled with fantasy world and adventure ideas because it brings out my inner child i guess) and people eat it up due to the popularity of Harry Potter, LOTR and GOT.

Hedylogos

It is funny how people are replying to this thread/me like i am a writer haha. I have never written anything before, so this is brand new and i am a writing virgin. I would love to become extremely competent at writing, but for now i am not counting my chickens on anything special coming from this. I just had ideas (like any other person) but decided to write them down instead of bottle them up.

Flyonthewall

Hedylogos wrote: »

Actually, i wanted to post it elsewhere on the forum and was looking for maybe a forum on here for people who write to post this thread on. I haven't been thinking at all about making any money, but i have, however, been imagining the end product and having it shown on the big screen - would be amazing if it all came together how i would like it to and for my ideas to actually become a film - surreal wouldn't be the word, but let's be honest that would literally be a dream come true.

I don't have to keep the genre a secret, it would be fantasy/adventure/action kind of mixed in. At the moment i am just gathering everything in my head, but yeah the genre would likely come under the first two of the aforementioned. I would just like to get my idea/s out there for people to see really, nothing more, nothing less. I certainly haven't even thought about it as a money making option.

I know a lot of people are fans of the fantasy-esque genre, including myself (that's why my imagination is filled with fantasy world and adventure ideas because it brings out my inner child i guess) and people eat it up due to the popularity of Harry Potter, LOTR and GOT.

Hedylogos wrote: »

It is funny how people are replying to this thread/me like i am a writer haha. I have never written anything before, so this is brand new and i am a writing virgin. I would love to become extremely competent at writing, but for now i am not counting my chickens on anything special coming from this. I just had ideas (like any other person) but decided to write them down instead of bottle them up.

Well there's certainly far better places to post than under Employment, but nevermind.

As you're writing for fun forget money and forget courses unless you find one that really interests you. Just start writing.

Don't worry about your English, just get your ideas down. You can always go back and improve on them later on.

I'd suggest looking at sites like Fictionpress and some writing forums. Post a few scripts/stories on there. I wouldn't post anything you may one day want published for anything like that, but you could post some stuff on there (or a similar site) and writing forums. That way you can get some feedback and you can look back at older posts and see how much you've improved.

Reading other stories/scripts is also a good idea if you wish to improve.

Tiddlywinks

OP - there are people still offering you advice on your other thread but - yet again - you've lost interest and moved on.

I really don't know why people still try.