Luckily for aspiring writers, there are many options out there where you can learn scriptwriting and unleash your inner storyteller. So if you’re looking for where to learn script writing and unleash your inner storyteller, this blog is the right for you because we’ll delve into the exciting world of script writing and we’ll explore various ways to develop this unique skill and how to apply it in real life.
Formal Education: Traditional Way to Learn Script Writing
If you’re the kind of person who thrives in a structured learning environment, this could be the best option for you because formal education offers a solid base in script writing principles, so let’s see some options to consider if you want to become a script writer:
- University Programs: Many universities offer script writing or screenwriting programs, where you can learn this art through a multi-semester program that usually provides in-depth instruction on the most important concepts like story structure, character development, dialogue writing, and the best formats to use in your scripts. A good advantage of these programs is that they usually culminate in opportunities to write and produce films made by students, offering invaluable practical experience for the future.
- College Courses: Many Community Colleges and some four-year colleges offer introductory and intermediate script writing courses that are really useful to start learning about the world of storytelling. These programs tend to be shorter and they provide a test of the craft without having to commit for a degree that may take long to complete.
Online Courses To Learn At Your Own Pace
Education has changed and become more accessible and efficient with internet and the new learning platforms, and script writing is not the exception, because you have more options where you can learn script writing, and there are many online courses that offer affordable options to learn from industry professionals, these courses are also flexible allowing you to learn at your own pace, let’s see where to look for these courses:
- Massive Open Online Courses: There are platforms like Coursera or Edx that offer different script writing courses from prestigious institutions and universities. And these courses can go from introductory to more advanced levels, so you can start and finish your learning journey in the same place.
- Independent Platforms: There are great platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, and MasterClass that provide a wide range of script writing courses by experienced script writers that will teach you everything you need about this art and how to write great stories. The benefit of these sites is that you have variety and a focus on different genres and aspects of script writing, so you can tailor the courses you take to your goals.
Learning By Doing: Embrace The Craft
To become a master at script writing you need to learn much more than just theory, you need to develop your skills by practicing as much as you can, and getting your stories out there, here are some ways to achieve this:
- Read Screenplays: One of the best ways to understand how professional structure their stories and make their characters relatable, is by analyzing their work, and read as much well-structured scripts as you can. Many scripts that have won several awards are available on the internet, you just need to do a quick search and start learning from the best stories ever.
- Write Short Scripts: One of the best ways to start learning script writing, is to start small and create short stories so you can craft longer and more complex stories as you become better. The advantage of starting small is that it would be much easier for you to spot the areas where you need to improve and the formats that you like the most.
- Join Script Writing Groups: Find a community of script writers, so you can share your thoughts and questions to people that can help you, you will also learn a lot by exposing yourself to different opinions and preferences of fellow script writers.
Additional Resources: Fueling Your Creativit
Let’s some some extra resources that will help you learn and boost your creativity, so you can delight audiences with the best stories they will experience ever:
- Books: Consider investing in books about screenwriting that will equip you with the best tools and secrets to learn script writing, some examples are “Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting” and Blake Snyder’s “Save The Cat!” because these are considered classics for beginners.
- Podcasts: It is also a good idea to find podcasts about script writing, because the guests of these podcasts are usually the best professionals in thies field, so you will learn from the best writers out there.
- Movies and TV Shows: The key here is to not just watch movies and shows like you normally would, instead you need to deeply analyze every detail of the structure of stories and how they’re presented to the spectator.
Tools To Practice Script Writing
There are many online tools that can help you in your learning journey, each of those tools have their own unique and cool features, but without a doubt the best script writing environment out there is Script-Timer, because this wonderful website offers all the tools you need in the same place like an AI Script Coach that will give you suggestions to improve your stories, a grammar checker to ensure perfect grammar and spelling, a word counter to keep track of the length of your scripts, and many more tools! You just have to sign up and you’ll unlock all these cool features for free.
