The Writing Life How to Write a Script with Molly Naylor
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Nov 20, 2023 Writer and performer Molly Naylor discusses scriptwriting with theatre director Jen Dewsbury. They explore crafting story ideas, developing a strong premise, and the importance of planning in scriptwriting. The podcast also covers challenges in scriptwriting, the essence of writing, and the benefits of collaboration.
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Plan Thoroughly Before Drafting
- Do invest time in planning documents (one-pager, treatment, step outline) before drafting the script.
- Use these to stress-test the idea and make the later 90-page typing phase fast and focused, because the planning is the art.
Scenes Are Action Building Blocks
- Treat scenes as building blocks of action rather than standalone pieces of beautiful prose.
- Script scenes must move the story forward; otherwise they'll be cut later despite good dialogue or imagery.
Treatment Shows Tone And Story Arc
- Use a treatment as an expanded synopsis in present tense to show the story's arc and tone without scene-by-scene formatting.
- A good treatment conveys mood (funny, spooky) and helps you check story intent as characters develop.