For example, “What if you went back in time and met your parents when they were your age?” is the premise for Back to the Future, while “What if a monster rescued a princess instead of a handsome prince?” is the premise to Shrek. Carry a small notebook with you wherever you go so you can take down notes when you get ideas.

Combine genres to make something unique. For example, you may have a western movie that takes place in space or a romance movie with horror elements.

For example, if one of your themes is isolation, you may choose to set your script in an abandoned house. The genre you pick will also help you choose your setting. For example, it’s unlikely that you’d set a western story in New York City.

Don’t forget to figure out a memorable name for your character!

If you’re writing a horror story, your antagonist may be a monster or a masked killer. In a romantic comedy, the antagonist is the person your main character is trying to woo.

For example, if you wanted to write a logline for the movie A Quiet Place, you may say, “A family is attacked by monsters,” but it doesn’t give any details. Instead, if you wrote, “A family must live in silence to avoid being captured by monsters with ultra-sensitive hearing,” then the person reading your logline understands the main points of your script.

If you don’t want to use index cards, you may also use a word document or screenwriting software, such as WriterDuet or Final Draft.

Have events in the future take place early in your film if you want to make a mind-bending movie with twists, such as Inception.

For example, if the scene is your character just shopping for groceries, it doesn’t add anything to the story. However, if your character bumps into someone at the grocery store and they hold a conversation related to the main idea of the movie, then you can keep it.

If the script is based on any other stories or films, include a few lines with the phrase “Based on the story by” followed by the names of the original authors.

Use any additional formatting, such as bolding or underlining, sparingly since it can distract your reader.

For example, a scene heading may read: INT. CLASSROOM - DAY. Keep scene headings on a single line so they aren’t too overwhelming. If you want to specify a room in a specific location, you can also type scene headings like: INT. JOHN’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY.

Avoid writing what the characters are thinking. A good rule of thumb to think about is if it can’t be seen on a screen, don’t include it in your action block. So instead of saying, “John thinks about pulling the lever but he’s not sure if he should,” you may write something like, “John’s hand twitches near the lever. He grits his teeth and furrows his brow. ” When you introduce a character for the first time in an action block, use all caps for their name. Every time after you mention the character name, write it as normal.

If you want to make it clear how your character is feeling, include a parenthetical on the line right after the character name with an emotion. For example, it may read (excited) or (tense). Make sure the parenthetical is 3. 1 in (7. 9 cm) from the left side of the page.

Tell others about your goal and ask them to hold you accountable for finishing your work.

Choose a set time each day to sit down and write so you don’t get distracted. Turn off your phone or internet connection so you can just focus on writing.

Make sure each character sounds different and has a unique voice. Otherwise, a reader will have a hard time distinguishing between who’s speaking.

If you’re writing a TV script, aim for 30-40 pages for a half-hour sitcom and 60-70 pages for an hour-long drama. Short films should be about 10 pages or less.

Start work on another script while you wait if you want to keep working on other ideas.

Try to read your script out loud and don’t be afraid to act out parts based on how you think they should be performed. That way, you can catch dialogue or wording that doesn’t work as well.

Start each draft in a new document so you can cut and paste parts you like from your old script into the new one. Don’t get too nit-picky with yourself or you’ll never finish the script you’re working on.