Script Writing Vs Screenwriting
When someone says they want to be a writer, there are two main paths that can be pursued. They can either pursue writing as a craft, which is writing essays and stories and developing your storytelling skills, or they can write for theatre or screen.
The first type of writers is usually called “scriptwriters” because their work is mostly in writing short scripts for television shows or films. These script writers must also have at least a degree in media production, film or TV, so that they know how to put together a story and what types of scenes make up a given segment.
That said, even authors don’t always fit into this category! Some people consider themselves writers but only write non-fiction such as blogs or books. This is definitely an important distinction to make though, since most people associate fiction with reading novels and gosh darn it we should enjoy reading them too! (More on why later)
I would say that most people are not clear about what exactly makes up a writer. What kind of writing a writer does comes down to personal preference and style, just like anything else. Some people prefer writing short stories over longer ones, some people love dialogue more than action, and some people feel more motivated by events happening quickly versus slowly.
All these things are part of being a writer.
Writing process
When it comes to scripting, or writing for screen, you do not have to write a script starting with an idea. You can start at the action or setting, or even both!
This is different than screenplay format, where you must begin with a situation and then create a protagonist and antagonist before creating an event that leads to a conclusion.
In written fiction, the event, character, and climax are all three linked together. It is more fluid that in film, where events build up towards something bigger.
With scripts, you can jump into any of these areas and add onto them as needed.
The hardest part about scripting is knowing what kind of story you want to tell. What stories have inspired you? What genre does your brain go crazy trying to analyze?
By breaking down those concepts and reworking them, you will find yourself writing new material quickly. Start by choosing a topic, person, or area that inspires you and work from there.
Artistic freedom
As creative professionals, we as writers are given a lot of artistic liberty to tell our stories in any way that feel natural to us. This includes telling stories through dialogue, narrative, flashbacks, etc.
This is not always the case for screenwriters.
As professional storytellers, we must stick to certain rules when it comes to writing scripts. These include things like having a clear protagonist, developing their character, establishing theme, and so on.
These fundamentals can get very limiting at times because there are an infinite number of ways to apply them. For example, you could have a script with no characters at all!
That would definitely be telling a story, just not your own. So, being a writer means learning how to take advantage of these limitations to inspire new ideas.