Writing process?
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 09:27
We've heard that Woody Allen uses a yellow notepad and starts writing without any real process. What do others do?
Sat, 07/18/2009 - 13:35
#2
Thanks for sharing
Seems that index cards and pinning/taping them on a corkboard/wall is a pretty universal way to beat out the story.
Sat, 07/18/2009 - 16:22
#3
Outlining, Index Cards, etc
I have done many of the different ways of writing. I used to just dive in, every script, jumping in and writing. In my head I would always have a beginning, middle, and end..but just started writing scenes. Many of my early scripts were this way.
Since about two years ago I write out my Beginning, Middle, and Ending..really flushing them out. Then every time I come up with a scene I add it to the mix and see where it works the best. But once I have a really flushed out Three part structure...again my beginning, middle, and End..I start writing. I like to be free to just flow and I have found that if I try and write a full fledged treatment..I have a harder time writing striaght through. It has taken alot of the creative jiuces away from me. Maybe that;s just me. But it did every time I tried to Outline.
Anyway, thats what I do!
Mon, 07/27/2009 - 10:58
#4
I tend to agree
It sort-of seems as if the story idea dictates the earliest stages of a project. If I have a burst of an idea for a scene, then I'll dive right in and write it. If I have a broader idea that's bascially just a concept, then I may need to research more and play around with loglines / notecards. Eventually, though, regardless of how I got started, I'll need to "beat out the story and plot points" in an outline.
Fri, 08/28/2009 - 19:18
#5
I don't have a process. I
I don't have a process. I come up with ideas faster than I could possibly write them all, and mostly build them in my head in visual memory, moving from one to another as the mood and memory strikes.
Later on I begin writing in Word and putting things together. By then every idea has been done over in fifteen rewrites and is relatively settled.
I've only just recently had tome to start throwing them together as screenplays instead.
It's different for each project I'm working on, but I started Rock Springs by just jumping in. I started writing the screenplay before doing anything else. It started going downhill at about page 15.
Then I started outlining the most important parts of the story on note cards based off of the inciting incident and the climax. It was like 12 or 13 cards. Then I wrote short bios for my main characters: history, character traits, families etc.
Then I wrote a bunch of scenes on more note cards to fill in the story between the cards that I had, and put them on cork boards in order (this was very helpful - it's easy to get back to the screenplay when you have your story in order right in front of you). These cards are simple: only the scene heading, beats that outline the scene, and the mood. Oh, and I also numbered them to keep them in order.
There was also some research into a couple of locations that the script is based on, and a certain business that is a key plot device.
But now I'm finishing the script based on the cards I have. I've got about 45 pages done, and the second half of those have been a breeze thanks to m research and plotted-out note cards.
And that's it.