IS IT POSSIBLE TO TEACH YOURSELF SCREENWRITING?
So, you want to be an autodidactic screenwriter.
(Autodidactic is a fancy word for someone who is self-taught)
A lot of new screenwriters feel that they should be able to learn the craft and master all of the necessary skills on their own. There’s a galaxy of information available online - often for free - and many, many books, videos and seminars, courses that anyone can learn valuable information from, so on the surface, this seems like a very reasonable conclusion.
And it is.
It is possible.
But it is much, much more difficult than most realize.
And taking this route often sets new screenwriters up to fail. Despite their best efforts and, at times, even after years and years of self-study, very few autodidactic screenwriters ever achieve any kind of success. So, why is that?
1. You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
The first problem is simply that none of us truly know what we don’t yet know. Without the additional perspective of someone who has already learned the craft and has made all of the usual mistakes, it’s just not possible to appreciate what you are still missing. What you don’t yet understand. And especially the WHYs. WHY certain things are important. WHY things do and don’t work. WHY the industry expects very specific things presented in very specific ways.
Although there really is a massive amount of excellent and insightful information available online - which, in itself is difficult to manage - much of it is uncomplimentary, and trying to create a cohesive whole out of numerous different perspectives and methodologies can quickly confuse new screenwriters.
You ask yourself:
Which way is the “right” way? Why do these various excellent strategies or techniques not seem to work together? How do I take excellent theory and turn it into a practical procedure I can count on and use over and over again? Why does my script not elicit a positive response? Etc.
2. How Do You Take This Mess Of Information And Make It All Work Together?
And so, the second problem is just deciding who to listen to, what specifically to absorb, what to ignore, and how to integrate everything into a durable, repeatable, and dependable method you can make your own. Personally, I’ve never met anyone who has done that successfully by themselves. Often times they’ll drown in too much information that ends up distracting more than it educates. I certainly did.
3. You Need To Be Excellent At Very Different, Uncomplimentary Things
The next issue I can identify is the very strange alchemy required of screenwriters that demands they be excellent at both TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS and also CRAFTSMANSHIP.
NOTE:
Years ago I used to talk about the achemy of screenwriting being a combination of SCIENCE and ART, but today, I avoid using the word “art” at all costs. In another post I detail why I don’t like to use the word “art” in any capacity when I’m talking screenwriting. In short, I think it’s a mistake to suggest we are artists making art. The art is the film. We are making blueprints for art. We are NARRATIVE ARCHITECTS, not artists.
There are a great many technical disciplines required in screenwriting and there is also a great need for high-level craftsmanship. It’s unusual that anyone develops equally at both.
“Of all writing mediums screenwriting may be the most exacting, laden with rules and expectations. Many writers who have excelled in other arenas find that the guidelines and requirements of screenwriting are highly specific and very demanding. Break the norms, or fall short of meeting expectations, and you are instantly flagged as “green.” That can end your chances to accomplishing a typical early goal such as advancing in a screenwriting contest. And it will utterly rule out the opportunity to be considered for representation, much less becoming a writer for hire.”
- Berri Evans, bigbigideas.com
With this in mind, a self-taught screenwriter must develop considerable and focused skills in two very different areas of discipline: PAGECRAFT (the technical stuff) and STORYCRAFT (the craft of creating an effective story)
PAGECRAFT
If your screenplay does not “look” like a screenplay, meaning if your script deviates in any significant way from all of the expected norms regarding how things are presented on the page, you’ll never get anywhere. PERIOD. And make no mistake, the single task of learning screenplay formatting is a massive, complicated deal that will take a lot of time and experimentation. YEARS.
Consider the film industry as an exotic foreign country. You do not visit such a place and demand that everyone who lives there learns and communicates using YOUR native language. You learn how to speak the local language fluently and when you’ve done that, you can begin communicating effectively with the locals - AND you will gain at least a little respect from them for putting in the effort. Anything short of that and you’ll be considered an annoyance.
Please, Get The Proper Software
You can cut a LOT of time out of your learning curve if you immediately start using proper screenwriting software. It will take a lot of the guesswork out of the equation and quickly help you learn the basics. That’s NOT to say it will answer all of the formatting questions you have, not even close, but it will help
The industry standards continue to be FINAL DRAFT 12 and MOVIE MAGIC SCREENWRITER, but those both cost several hundred dollars unless you find them on sale or you get a discount code or you win them somehow.
There are, however, FREE options such as WRITER DUET and KIT SCENARIST, out there. Do not delay. Do NOT try to write screenplays in WORD or on some goofy app on your phone. Do it right and get proper software, or don’t bother.
Nothing rubs me the wrong way like seeing people submit screenplays for competition (!!!) as a Word doc. It’s nonsense. If you’re not going to take your craft seriously, why expect anyone else to?
It does not matter how amazing your story is. If it doesn’t LOOK like a screenplay, it will not be TREATED like a screenplay.
And regularly consult experts like Dr. Format, aka Dave Trottier for any particularly difficult problems. Read your script out loud front to back so you can hear every word. That’s a very different and more critical experience than simply reading it. Which reminds me …
If You’re Going to Write, You’d Better Be Reading Too
There are at least two dozen very good and completely free screenplay libraries available online and very few new screenwriters bother to visit them. This boggles me.
If you plan on becoming a successful screenwriter, you SHOULD be reading as often as you write. You should be reading screenplays that are similar to the one(s) that you are trying to write. You should be reading lots and lots and LOTS of screenplays from different writers all working in the same genre, tone, and with the same type of themes and subject matter that you are playing with so you can see exactly how successful screenwriters solve the same problems you are trying to solve:
How do I present this story on the page in such a way that the reader pictures only what I want them to see?
How do I make certain my script can’t be interpreted any way but what I intended?
How do I prevent readers from misinterpreting ANYTHING?
The masters make sure that the scripts they write appear in the minds of their readers exactly the way they intend them to. That’s NOT an easy thing to achieve. That doesn’t just happen by chance. It takes a deeper understanding of the entire world and process of screenwriting than most self-taught writers have access to.
But … there are ways to help.
Read While You Watch
Read a screenplay while you are watching the film that was made from it. Go back and forth between the screenplay and the finished film or TV show and carefully examine the exact words the writers chose that resulted in the images you are seeing on the screen.
Ask yourself these questions while you Watch & Read:
How does the writer convey what they want the camera to show without specifying any camera directions?
How does the description indicate what is significant versus what is insignificant?
How was the action described to evoke the visuals without using camera angles?
How is the description used to convey character through visuals?
How is the subtext – the emotional undercurrent of the scene – conveyed through the characters’ behavior and reactions rather than dialogue?
How does the choice of words support the tone within a scene as well as across the script?
How are all the elements working together to support the theme?
STORYCRAFT
There’s no single route that works best when teaching yourself how to craft effective stories that will specifically translate well to film
This takes time and a deeper understanding of screenwriting. If you’ve spent your life weaving stories in some other writing discipline, then you likely have some sense of the fundamentals. But it’s not something that ever comes quickly.
Again, READING plays a huge part in developing the skills and insights required to craft a cinematic story that will elicit a positive emotional response from your audience. Over time, you will develop better instincts if you read a LOT of great screenplays.
This is grossly oversimplifying the effort required, but the shortest possible list of core elements that you must have dialed in before you start writing anything is:
Your protagonist’s transformational arc
A differentiating “Hook”
The effective use of theme.
For a more thorough explanation of each, read the post through this link:
You also need the opportunity to share your work with other people to whom you can give permission to be constructive and even critical in their feedback. FRIENDS AND FAMILY DO NOT COUNT. You need to know that your screenplay works as intended for an audience of strangers.
And here is where we start to see just how problematic teaching oneself can be. It’s not impossible of course, but it is much harder if you attempt to learn alone and in a “bubble”.
Get The Support You Need
You need to interact with other writers. You need to share your work. And you need the additional perspective that colleagues and allies can give you. There’s an old African proverb that goes…
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far - go together.
That’s an amazing insight - but it does NOT apply here. When you are learning how to write screenplays …
If you want to go fast - find a mentor.
If you want to go far - join a community.
In both cases - faster and farther - you need to connect with and learn from or alongside other people.
If you are interested in learning quickly, efficiently, and with better results, consider joining the TSF community. The fundamentals course is inexpensive and, once you’ve completed that, you’ll gain access to an entire community of like-minded and supportive new and emerging screenwriters just like you.
From there, if you want to accelerate your learning and elevate your work, consider the COACHING and MENTORING options available from The Screenplay Factory as well.
Here’s a quote from the “King of Coaches”, author, speaker, and professional mentor Steve Chandler:
In a way, [the confusion that comes with teaching oneself] is part of the path.....to mastering anything ... any sport, any musical instrument, any profession....the early awkward stage...just a stage, but awkward.
What do I recommend? Get good coaching...that's what coaching is for, it's how it works and why it works. Whenever I had the "time is running out" fears I would bring them to my coach. That's WHY you have a coach, so you don't have to solve this by yourself and take this on from a position of isolation, separation and loneliness. It's the whole point of coaching.
What is a mentor? (A Screenwriting Coach)
A mentor is someone who acts as an advisor to a less experienced individual, known as their mentee. Typically, individuals seek mentors who work in their same or desired field. The mentor helps this individual grow and develop as a professional, often offering advice based on their more advanced knowledge or experience. Mentorship relationships can be built through networking, personal connections, or formal mentorship programs.
11 reasons a mentor is important
1. Mentors support growth
Mentors encourage and enable another person's professional or personal development. A mentor can help focus their efforts by setting goals and giving immediate feedback.
2. Mentors serve as a source of knowledge
Mentors can provide specific insights and information that enable the mentee's success. For example, they offer instructions on how to perform particular tasks or develop useful skills.
3. Mentors can help set goals
A mentor can help their mentee set personal or professional development goals. For effective goal-setting, they can create SMART goals: specific, achievable, relevant, and time-based. These goals can help focus the mentee's efforts and make it easier for the mentor to track and assess progress.
4. Mentors maintain accountability
A mentor helps hold their mentee accountable for their goals. By tracking progress, the mentor helps the mentee stay focused and on track toward completing them. It can also ensure that the mentee does not forget about the goals they have set. Knowing that someone else is watching can serve as motivation, as the mentee likely does not want to let the mentor down by failing to meet goals.
5. Mentors offer encouragement
When the mentee finds themselves struggling to perform their job or reach a goal, they can turn to their mentor for support. This encouragement can motivate them to keep moving forward despite challenges. A mentor can also identify and express their mentee's strengths to instill confidence in them. Having a strong sense of confidence can make the mentee less likely to give up on their goals.
6. Mentors help make connections
A mentor can help build their mentee's professional network. When the mentee identifies professional or personal goals, the mentor can connect them to potential opportunities or individuals who can help them. As the mentor typically has more industry experience or a higher-level career, these connections can be valuable for career advancement.
7. Mentors are willing to listen
When an individual has ideas, they can use a mentor as a resource to discuss or try them. The mentor can provide unbiased advice or opinions using their relevant knowledge and experience. With these insights, the mentee can better understand what steps to take and whether to pursue the idea or walk away. Similarly, a mentor can also listen and advise them on daily concerns, such as workplace conflicts.
8. Mentors serve as a trusted ally
Trust represents a core element of mentoring relationships. The mentee must trust that the mentor has their best interests in mind and will provide accurate and honest guidance. Communicating regularly and following through on their promises demonstrate two methods of establishing trust in these relationships.
9. Mentors provide constructive feedback
A trusting mentorship relationship enables honest feedback. By establishing trust, the mentee understands that constructive criticism aims to build their professional growth rather than make them feel bad. Mentors can identify weaknesses and advise them on ways to improve. Because this is a professional relationship, the mentor plays an objective role. A personal friend or loved one may hesitate to identify the mentee's weaknesses because they do not want to appear critical.
10. Mentors provide guidelines
For individuals just starting their careers, a mentor can help set guidelines on professional expectations. These guidelines can help the mentee establish appropriate work habits that enable them to focus and perform successfully. These effective work habits can help them be more productive and to generate superior results.
11. Mentors have relevant experience
When possible, individuals should choose mentors who have experience relevant to their profession or goals. When mentors convey their successes, the mentee can use them as an example to strive toward and copy the steps they took. Mentors can also share the mistakes they made along their journeys. The mentee benefits because they learn lessons about the mistakes' negative impacts but do not have to suffer the consequences themselves. Learning about these experiences can also help prepare the mentee for the challenges they can expect to face and provide demonstrable advice on how to overcome them.
*reprinted from an article posted on indeed.com
SUMMARY:
The choice is yours and has to make sense to you, of course. And mentorship may not be the cheapest route available. Not in the short term, anyway. But mentorship is the fastest and most efficient method of learning ANY skill - screenwriting included. And, in many cases, it IS the least expensive way to learn when you consider all of the time and frustration, and experimentation it takes to absorb and understand a complex web of loosely related insights and strategies that you then slowly integrate and turn into actual skill. Simply put, nothing works better than being shown the way by someone who wants to help.
Do you have questions? Reach out and I’ll be happy to have a friendly, supportive, no-charge, no-obligation, conversation with you about any aspect of screenwriting. Let’s talk it out!
