If you do not already have a story idea where can you find story ideas? Story ideas are all around you. You can find new takes on classic stories or plots, like many Shakespeare plays, Classic novels like Les Liaisons Dangereuses which has spawned several film versions including Dangerous Liaisons , Valmont and a modern twist, Cruel Intentions. You can also find story ideas in the news. True life stories are a good spring board for your stories. Used as an inspiration, true events can give your story a sense of realism but you should create your own story, Titanic is an example of a true story used as a bases for fictional story. One thing to keep in mind, unless you have the legal rights to someone else’s true story, then you should not waste your time writing that story because you can never get it made.
Discovering your idea, fleshing it out and doing research may take longer than the actual writing of your screenplay. The planning and discovery phase of your story is vitally important to the writing process. During this part of the creative process, you can find what works in your story and what doesn’t. This is the best time to find plot holes, character flaws , weak characters , unneeded events and anything that might cause problems later on when you are writing the screenplay.
If you have a favourite story or movie, study how the author or film makers created this work of fiction and how it was able to capture your imagination. What about the characters do you find interesting? How was the plot designed to evoke your emotions and stir your intellect? How did the scenes flow from one to the other? Now think of your story and how you can capture the audience, introduce compelling characters, surprising twists and turns.
Great stories are able to touch upon the audiences’ emotions and feelings. Great stories allow us to connect with the characters and live though them in ways we can never do in real life. You as the writer, must make the audience care about your characters and the story they inhabit.
Screen Writer Ink
Fade In Is Just The Beginning