What’s Your Personal Writing Process?

In screenwriting, sometimes the biggest challenge is discovering the most effective writing process That Works For You.

For example, each and every writer has a different approach to how they:

• summon key plot points
• establish characters
• use subtext
• utilize themes
• generate dialogue
• control pacing
• optimize structure
• stay disciplined, hit deadlines, manage workloads
• generally generate inspiration
• etc.

As explored in our “Which Species of Screenwriter Are You?” article, no two writers are the same.

And their writing process can be wildly different, accordingly.

Ergo: we have collated a list of 50 of the industry’s finest screenwriters, sharing their creative writing process, where and how they find inspiration, and the tactics and strategies they use to get the best out of themselves.

1. Billy Wilder’s Writing Process

“If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.”

“I have ten commandments. The first nine are, thou shalt not bore. The tenth is, thou shalt have right of final cut.“

“The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then — that’s it. Don’t hang around.”