How to Write a Script

Think you're the next William Shakespeare or possibly Charlie Kaufman? To find out, you'll have to write a script to showcase your talents. Here are a few easy steps to get you started.

Steps

Get your story straight. Come up with a specific idea of what you want to happen in the play or movie. Create the premise and purpose of that story. What are the circumstances and what are the goals of the story and main characters involved?
Your characters will drive the action on the stage or screen, so make sure you make them interesting and innovative. It may not be necessary for you to develop all of the characters right away, but some writers need to have everything set out before they can begin working. Find your method and work with it.
Create an outline or treatment. Before you begin actually writing dialogue and script, it might help to create a basic roadmap of what will happen in your story. Sketch out a general plan and envision how events will unfold. This should be told in the third-person. Most submissions to agents and producers will also require a treatment.
Maintain your style. Remember, scripts are all about action and dialogue. Make sure your characters speak realistically, and try not to mix styles of speech and vocabulary too much unless you are going for a certain effect.
Ensure that different characters have their own 'voice' based on their background, which will affect their word choices and dialect. This will stop your characters from blending into one another.
Set the scene. Don't forget to include important details such as time of day, setting, and actions of the characters in the scene. These are nearly as important as the dialogue that occurs.
Format your writing. Skip lines between one character speaking and a different one speaking, especially if you're handwriting it. This will enable those reading the script to distinguish between speakers more easily, and also allow space for notes, or you could just get a screen writing program.
Edit yourself. Continually revise your writing, and, if possible, show the script to a friend or adviser who has writing experience and can critique and improve the script as needed. You may also write your script in various ways, introducing people and even in brackets telling the reader what is happening that the narrator is not reading. i.e. Jeff walks off the stage or John closes the door behind him.

Tips

Write INT when the scene is inside and EXT when its outside. Also write the setting next to INT or EXT.
Characters names are always written in capital letters. When recognizing the speaker, the name should be either above or on the left side of the lines.
Stage direction/other direction is written in Italics.
Words that should be stressed or said more clearly are written in bold or underlined.
Your script should have a cover page. It should clearly show the title of the play, the author of the play, and the approximate length of the play.
When you are ready, you may want to use one of the film industry's online scouting services, to get your story and screenplay reviewed by industry executives in a protected platform of exposure.
Before pitching your screenplay, you'll want to get electronic proof-of-creation. You can do this online.
You also may want to invest in some sort of script writing program, such as Final Draft. These programs format everything for you and all you have to do is write!
You may want to attend a scriptwriting class, which will give you helpful hints on the nuances of writing a full script, especially things such as plot development, character development, and dialogue.
If you would like to have your script performed on stage or screen, you will need to contact an agent who can help you send it to the necessary people (producers and directors). It is often a long and arduous process to get a script accepted, so be patient.
Try it with a friend so you can get a new perspective on the story. They might have some ideas too.
All scripts must contain conflict, progression and status changes, or will be uninteresting to read or watch.

Warnings

Make sure, if you are serious about your script, to have the idea copyrighted before telling anyone about the idea to avoid the idea being stolen.

Sources and Citations

Article adapted from wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Write a Script. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.