This is not theory. This is exactly how I start every screenplay. I keep things small, honest, and shootable from page one. I will show the tools I use, the order I work in, the templates I keep, and the mistakes I fix quickly. Follow this and you will have a script you can actually film.

How I Start My Screenwriting (Step-by-Step Guide)

Below is the exact checklist I follow before I write a single scene. Learn it, use it, then read the detailed explanations that follow.

• Create one clear idea (one-sentence compass)
• Make a working title and open Celtx (project setup)
• Write a short logline and a one-line theme statement
• Write short character sketches (3–6 lines each)
• Do a 3-act card outline (scene cards in Celtx)
• For each card, write beats → scene skeleton → scene draft
• Write dialogue in your dialect — short, natural lines
• Add only production notes that affect writing (props, reveals)
• Respect the one-page ≈ one-minute rule while planning
• Finish a fast first draft (2–3 weeks target)
• Edit in three focused passes (structure → character → polish)
• Do early table reads and record them
• Create a simple shootable version and a location grouped plan

Detailed, practical steps — exactly what I do

1. Create one clear idea — one sentence

I never start with more than one sentence. That sentence is the compass for every decision.

How I craft it: ask: who, want, obstacle — and put them into one line.

Example: “A mother must choose between protecting her family’s secret and saving her son’s future.”

Why this works: when your idea is one line you can test every scene against it quickly. If a scene doesn’t lead toward that decision, cut or save it.

2. Make a working title and open Celtx (project setup)

I create a new project right away. Celtx is my central workspace: script, cards, notes, and production planning all live there.

1. Name the project (temporary title is fine).
2. Paste your one-sentence idea into the project description.
3. Create three folders or card-sets: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3.
4. Set up a notes page for recurring motifs, props, and locations.

I keep everything in Celtx so when the script is ready I can export shootable pages or a PDF for actors immediately.

3. Write a short logline and a one-line theme statement

The logline is the marketable sentence; the theme statement is the emotional question you will answer.

Logline: A mother hides a family secret to protect her son, until a visitor forces a choice that could ruin them all.
Theme: Is silence protection or poison?

Put both at the top of your project. They will become your decision filters.

4. Character sketches — short and practical

For each main character I write 3–6 lines: label, want, fear, speech habit, one moment that reveals them.

MOTHER — 45. Wants: her children's safety. Fears: shame and poverty. Habit: replies with short proverbs. Moment: secretly keeps the ledger that holds the truth.

These live in Celtx notes. Before each writing session I read them to keep voice and choices consistent.

5. 3-act card outline — scene cards, not paragraphs

I use Celtx cards to map each scene. Each card contains:

• Slugline (INT./EXT. — location — time)
• One-line action summary
• Scene goal (what the main character wants here)
• Production note (if needed)

Example card:

EXT. COMPOUND YARD – DAY
Mother shells beans; Ette Joe returns worried.
Goal: Ette Joe wants help; Mother wants silence.
Note: Close, intimate frame. Natural light.

I arrange cards within acts until the emotional arc flows — then I start writing beats for each card.

6. Beats → Scene skeleton → Scene draft (my three-step writing unit)

This keeps scenes small and fixable.

1. Beats: 1–3 short lines describing important moments in the scene.
2. Skeleton: slugline + 3–6 action lines + which characters speak.
3. Draft: full dialogue, small actions, and minimal production notes.

Why this order: if the skeleton fails (no conflict, no goal), you save time before writing long dialogue.

7. Dialogue — I write it how people speak

I write dialogue in my dialect, with local rhythm, short lines, and space for pauses. But I keep dialogue functional — it must reveal character or move the scene.

EXT. COMPOUND YARD - DAY

Children run past. MOTHER shells beans.

                    ETTE JOE
            (breathing hard)
            Mama, them don tell me say the chief dey look for me.

                    MOTHER
            (without looking up)
            Say wetin?

                    ETTE JOE
            Say I do wetin we no suppose do.

                    MOTHER
            (a long beat)
            If na shame, you carry am come house.

Use silence. Let actors fill pauses — sometimes a look is enough.

8. Add only the technical notes that affect writing

Because I shoot and edit my films, I sometimes add short production notes — but never full shot lists in the script. Keep these examples:

• Essential prop: the ledger must be visible on the table.
• Reveals: note a reveal through a window or mirror when it changes the story.
• Lighting note only if it changes action (e.g., “candlelight hides the ledger”).

All other technical planning goes to a separate shooting document.

9. Respect the one-page ≈ one-minute guideline

I plan length using this rule. If my card outline shows 45 cards, I expect roughly 45 minutes. For YouTube films I aim 30–60 pages depending on story depth.

10. First draft: finish fast, edit later

I set a target: finish the raw first draft in 2–3 weeks. Speed matters — a finished draft gives you something to fix. Try not to rewrite every page as you go; push forward until the story is full.

11. Edit in three focused passes

My rewrite method:

1. Structural pass: Cut scenes, move beats, strengthen the spine.
2. Character pass: Ensure each action follows character wants and fears.
3. Polish pass: Tighten dialogue, remove redundancies and tighten actions.

After each pass I read key scenes aloud and note where the rhythms fail.

12. Early table reads — record and learn

I do a table read as soon as the script is readable — even with two actors. Record it. Listen for:

• Lines that don’t sound like people speak
• Where the room goes silent (good) or confused (bad)
• Timing and emotional beats that need stronger setup

Table reads find problems faster than solo editing.

13. Create a shootable script and a short shooting plan

Before casting and location scouting I make two documents:

• Shootable script: remove writerly notes, leave only essential production notes.
• Shooting plan (one page): group scenes by location, list cast per scene, props, and time of day.

Grouping by location saves time and money on set — especially when working with a small crew like mine.

14. Practical schedule I follow (example timeline)

Typical timeline for a short local film:

• Days 1–7: Idea, logline, character sketches, and card outline.
• Days 8–21: First draft (beats → skeleton → scenes).
• Days 22–28: Structural and character pass.
• Days 29–35: Table read, final polish, create shootable script and shooting plan.

This timeline is flexible, but having targets keeps me disciplined.

15. Troubleshooting common beginner problems

Problem: Scenes feel flat — nothing changes.

Fix: Ask “what does the character want in this scene?” If there’s no clear want, add one.

Problem: Dialogue feels like explanation.

Fix: Cut lines that state feelings; replace with small actions, reactions, or props that show it.

Problem: The story drifts from your idea.

Fix: Revisit your one-line idea and theme statement. Remove scenes that do not move you toward that center.

16. Small practical habits that make a big difference

17. One external resource I use

I use Celtx to keep my work organized: https://www.celtx.com/

Examples and templates I use (copyable)

One-line idea template

[WHO] must [WHAT] but [OBSTACLE].

Example: “A young father must hide a shameful past but his son’s future is at risk.”

Character sketch template

NAME — age. Want: [short]. Fear: [short]. Habit: [short]. Secret or lie: [short].

Scene card template

SLUGLINE — short action line.
Goal: [what the character wants here]
Obstacle: [what stops them]
Note: [prop/lighting/production note if needed]

Final encouragement — finish and learn

I started by writing short films in my dialect and shooting with one camera. Temple Abasi and Ette Joe began as small, imperfect scripts that I finished. The act of finishing is how you learn. Finish one script. Shoot one scene. Then repeat.