How to Format your Novel for POD

You have written your novel, now you want to self-publish via print-on-demand on a self-publishing platform, such as Createspace. What is the best book template for your novel? Page formats, paragraph settings and font styles are crucial to the overall appearance of your novel.

The Best Book Format for Novels

Writing a word-perfect novel with a compelling plot is only part of the picture. Making the book look good in print is another matter. A well-written book will be letdown if the appearance is anything but professional. Fortunately, there are tools aplenty on any Word program to enable the writer to make a book look good in print.

The Best Book Template for Novels on Createspace

You might have saved your novel on a Word document or similar. Before experimenting with the page format, save a copy of the file in case anything goes wrong.

Firstly think about the dimensions of your novel in paperback. CreateSpace’s self publishing platform offers an array of book sizes. It is up to you, but I favour 8”x5”, which is most consistent to the size of novels. Open a new document and select ‘page layout.’ This can be found at the head of the Word toolbar. Set the page dimensions to 8”x5”. Set the margins to mirrored format, the outer edges, 1.9cm; and 0.33cm for the gutter (the binding edge of each page). The thicker the book, however, the wider the gutter needs to be (a 600-page novel requires a gutter of 2.5cm) You can download a template from Createspace, but I would rather use the template as a guide and tinker with the settings myself.

At this stage, you can insert the page numbers. I prefer to insert the numbers centrally at the foot of each page.

Book Templates for Novels

It is time to copy and paste the main body of text from the original document where your novel is situated and place it into the new document. Select ‘all’ by holding down ctrl and A, then copy. Paste the text into the new document. Whilst all text is still highlighted, use the ‘fully justified’ setting. This will make each line of your novel equal in length.

Paragraph Settings for Paperback Books

Indentations and paragraph styles also need setting up. Never use the spacebar to indent paragraphs as this will look ugly. Backspace any you have inserted. Eliminate empty ‘returns’ between paragraphs. Highlight the entire text by clicking ctrl and A. Click on the small box next to ‘paragraph’ (if viewing the Word toolbar on ‘home’.) Under ‘indentation’, select ‘first line’ and indent by 0.3cm (a standard setting for paragraphs in books.) The first line of each paragraph will be indented. Check throughout the document to ensure the formatting is how it should. Backspace the first line of text beneath each chapter.

Suggested Font Style for Novels

There are many font styles to try for the main body of the text within your novel. Take a look at a published novel that looks good to you and emulate the font style and page setting. To get an idea of how the text would look, highlight a section of text in Word and click on the fonts menu and then simply hover the mouse over a font style. The list of font styles which would be suitable for novels can be found below. The choice is up to you but avoid scripts that are hard to decipher or too fancy. Fonts sized 10 would be ideal, but use a larger size if the novel is a teen novel or a large-print book for the poor sighted.

Suggested font styles for novels: Book Antiqua, Bookman Old Style, Cambria, Segeo UI Light, Levenim MT, Candara, Century, Corbel, Garamond, Georgia, Gisha, Iskoola Pota, Miriam, Simplified Arabic, Times New Roman, Tahoma and Traditional Arabic.

Chapter Heading Styles

There are many chapter heading styles to try. I simply number my chapters by using the number figure underlined and in a slightly larger size than the body of text. Alternatively, you can express your chapter headings in words, bold it, underline it or use a larger font. For unity, I would use the same font style throughout the novel.

Provide space between the chapter heading and the start of the text. You can return a set number of times beneath each chapter heading (around 10 or so, remembering to use the same font size for the lines). Or you can set the lines spaces by clicking on the small square next to ‘paragraph’ (on Word home). Under ‘spacing’, set the amount of returns you need (in points) within the field ‘after. This will create the desired space between the chapter header and the main body of text.

Copyright Page Settings

Remember that the first page of your novel is page 1, and odd pages will be displayed on the right-hand side of each double page. Put the title page on page 1 and the first page of your novel on any odd-numbered page. You can place copyright details (I prefer a small font for this, around point 8 or 9) centrally on the copyright page. You can add a graphic or image within the pre-matter to give the book some flair. Airbrush some of the background out in your chosen photograph in ‘Paint’ to isolate the design on the page. Insert the image into the book (but don’t compress). It doesn’t matter if the image is colour, as the POD setting will be black and white anyway. Creating a table of contents is a lengthy process, so I have described this in a separate article.

Uploading the Novel into Createspace

Once you are happy with the look of your novel, embed fonts into the file by clicking on the office button on the top left. Click on word options, and then ‘save.’ Tick the box ‘embed fonts.’ Doing so will ensure the fonts and page settings appear as they should in the print copy.

Save the file as PDF by clicking ‘save as’ and selecting PDF for print. This will create a separate PDF file. Under the 2-paged view, go through the book to ensure everything is as it should before uploading it onto Createspace (or similar self-publishing platform.). You should have a book synopsis and book cover design prepared (covered in separate articles). For a straightforward novel with no intended colour images, or elements that fall outside the margins, select ‘black on cream’ (although black on white is available if preferred). Select ‘no bleed.’

Internal Book Previewer

If publishing on Createspace, you will be able to preview your book’s interior as how it would appear if in print in the book preview. This view should be the same as the 2-paged PDF view described earlier, but I always check this over too. Formatting errors or typos can only be amended by deleting the PDF file (as it is read-only), amending the problem on Word then saving as PDF again. Upload once more. Once the book looks perfect, submit for review. This takes a few days.

How to Format Books for Print on Demand

Getting your novel to look great in print depends upon page formatting, font styles and paragraph settings. Without these considerations the novel could look amateurish. Try out different font styles and observe paragraph settings so that they conform to the standard settings of novels. Check out each page under the book previewer to ensure the overall appearance of each page is as it should. I always order a proof copy of the novel initially to uncover hidden issues with the print version.

More Advice on Self Publishing Novels

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How to Sell your Book with an Author Blog

How you plug your book can impact upon your book sales. But unlike networking your book with tweets and facebooking, or pitching your book on Amazon, an author blog gives the writer free reign to offer information about the book to an audience wanting to find out more about you and your work.

Where to Plug Your Book Free

Numerous publishing platforms can be used to market your book, namely Shelfari, Librarything, Linkdin, Smashwords and of course, Amazon. I have written a separate article on the best websites to plug your book. An author blog however gives you the opportunity to go more in depth about your book(s) in a way not always possible when posting material about your book on a host site. This is the key to ebook marketing.

Blogging for Book Sales

A book synopsis is the only requirement on a typical ebook publishing platform such as the Kindle store or Smashwords. Both allow authors to back link to their own website so that readers can find out more about the author’s work. You can of course link it from your Facebook page or Twitter. Amazon’s Author Central however enables the writer to link a live feed direct to his/her blog, so that the latest post is visible on the Author’s page. Why not use this book marketing resource?

What Does the Writer Blog About?

Rather than repeating lengthy information about your book on various sites, provide a link back to your blog from book marketing sites. Offer information that will enhance the sales of your book, suggestions of which might be the following:

• Background information on your book(s) such as what inspired you to write the story, how long it took you to write and how you overcame technical issues with the plot.
• When your next book will be out; similarly if your latest book is to be the first of a series and how many books will be in the series. When will each be released?
• Provide a book sample that might not be accessible on the Look Inside feature of Amazon or Smashwords. This might be a pivotal part of the novel midway through.
• Dates when your book(s) will be offered at a reduced price.
• Free promotion days when your book(s) can be uploaded free.
• If and when your book will be available on the Kindle Lending Programme, allowing Prime Members to borrow your ebook for free.
• Where print copies of your book can be purchased.
• Where and when books signings are to occur.
• Novel writing competition short-listings or winnings.
• Reviews of your books by noted individuals, book magazines or periodicals.
• Author interviews.
• Write a Novel in a Month updates.

Market You Book by Blogging

Blogger and Wordpress are two examples of free blogging platforms. I personally prefer Blogger because it is part of Google. So long as Google stays around, so will Blogger; it is easy to use, easy to perform analytics and easy to Adsense for additional income to royalties. The original purpose of Blogger was to keep a weblog, an online diary, hence the name. The tradition has continued. Bloggers still use a more informative and personal writing style than on hosting websites. This allows the writer to connect with the audience in a way not always appropriate on a hosting website.

Book Marketing with an Author Blog

Most readers require only the synopsis (or pitch) of an author’s book and a clear decision on whether to purchase. Others might like to find out more about the author’s work. An author blog is the ideal method. There are few guidelines to adhere to, you can freely plug your book in a way that most suits you. You can offer additional information on your book regarding dates it will be free, if sequels will be released and your ideas behind your novels. Such a writer’s blog will enable you to link back to this information from networking and marketing websites for an audience that wants to find out more about your books.

Helpful Tips for Marketing Books

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Ten Tips on Niche Blogging for Profit

Making money blogging is straightforward if you know how. The crucial requirement is finding a niche subject matter you love and love writing about – all the better if your niche blog serves a gap in the market. Here are my top ten tips on enhancing your blog’s earning potential.

Write Quality Articles on your Blog on a Niche Subject

Make your blog content original, interesting, useful and worthy of visiting. Give visitors a reason to stick around. This will lower your bounce rate (the rate at which visitors click in and click straight out). Each post should ideally be a sufficient length of around 400 to 1000 words long broken down in to bite-sized paragraphs that is easier on the eye than monoliths of text. It must be free of typos, bad grammar and gives something useful. This is the most important element of your blog: your content.

Make your Blog Big

Search engines like substantial blogs. Add content to it regularly and keep building it up until your blog becomes a real player in its website genre. Who wants to hang around if a blog only has ten pages to offer? A well-sized veteran blog will eventually earn back-links if the content deserves this sign of approval.

Adsense your Blog

Making a living from your blog means monetizing it. Sign into Google’s Adsense and get your blog site approved. This will only happen if you already have good articles posted. Adsense is one of the best ways of making money from your blog as the adverts displayed are usually contextual, and visitors are more likely to click on an ad. Clicks equal Adsense revenue, nice for your pocket.

Make your Blog User-Friendly

Garish background colours are harsh on the eye and small fonts frustrating for the poor-sighted. Give your blog a professional look. Get a happy balance between images and text. Think about how the visitor can navigate around easily. Organize you post links into categories. 'Google Translate' is an invaluable tool to put on your blog for non-English speaking visitors.

Affiliate your Blog

Affiliate links is a great way to earn from your blog; if a visitor clicks on a product link and makes a purchase, you will earn commission on sales. One of the largest affiliates is Amazon Associates. If your blog is about house renovation, why not include products related to home improvement? This will unlock your blog’s earning potential. Take care not to go overboard with affiliate links or this could make your blog look more like an advertising placard.

Keyword you Blog for SEO

SEO marketing comes with practice, but with good keyword use, you can make you blog easier to find for those looking for information your blog offers. This is known as search engine optimization (or SEO). Using keywords in article posts is a lengthy subject, so I have dedicated separate articles to beginner’s guide to using keywords and the money word matrix.

Write for an Online Magazine that Allows Back links

Back links, or links pointing to your blog from a large, respectable website will improve your blog’s ranking, valuable Google juice. There are many online magazines that will allow you to do this. Write an article that relates to the niche topic of your blog and link back to it. Use Facebook or Twitter to the same end. Link-farming should be avoided (buying hundreds of links for the sole purpose of improving your blog’s ranking).

Preserve Good Standards in Blogging

Avoid any gadgets that cause adverts to pop up when visitors come. It is the quickest way to deter people. Copying and pasting someone else’s work or consistently sourcing Wikipedia will undermine your credence as a writer. Avoid link farming, content farming, spamming, keyword stuffing and viruses. Don’t post offensive content. Keep your blog clean and respectable and people will keep visiting.

Be a Persistent Blogger

Your earnings will go up and down. This is normal. A lean patch may dent your motivation. Don’t let it. Blogging is a long term game. The more content you add, the more your blog will be worth. And if your niche subject interests you, you are more likely to keep blogging and your blog will succeed in time.

Give your Readers what they Want

Once you get regular traffic to your blog, you will be able to view ‘traffic sources’, keywords people are using to get to your blog. Look out for any search queries you have yet to fulfill on your niche subject. Searching ‘all time’ will give a bigger picture. If a regular theme keeps coming up, write an article to satisfy that search query.

Secrets to a Good Money Blog

You can earn money from your blog if your write about a niche topic you love and few others are writing about. Keep adding content. Adsense your blog and conduct some keyword research before posting your articles. Make it easy to navigate around and free of unpleasant surprises. Most importantly, make the blog interesting, useful, original, funny, or whatever. And be persistent. Blogging is about numbers as well as the quality, the bigger the blog, the better.

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The Scourge of Planted Negative Book Reviews

There is more freedom now than ever for customers to review books to help other readers make the decision of whether to purchase a book. But with growing abuse of the book review system, how can a potential reader tell is a bad book review is a planted review or not?

When Amazon’s Rating System is Gamed

There has been a lot of talk about so-called planted reviews, bogus book reviews from people who have a vested interest in the writer. This might be a family, friend or an affiliate. A rash of five-star reviews always looks suspicious, but what about the negative review? Sadly, negative reviews can also be given for all sorts of unprincipled reasons, which at the heart, has little to do with the actual book.

Abuse of Amazon’s Book Rating System

Some writers ask other writers to reciprocate good reviews or click the ‘like’ button if done in kind; other writers will refuse to reciprocate if the book is deemed substandard. Still, the negative review is not left where otherwise, it might. Such a system open to abuse is likely to result in a mound of five-star reviews and ‘likes’ from an unbiased foundation. Most avid readers trawling for a good book to read will only see the five-star reviews and purchase on the weight of what is displayed, only to be disappointed with the book. But in similar fashion, a good book given a one-star review for an unethical reason could result in the reader passing on what could be the ideal book to read. How does the Kindle customer tell if a one-star book review is bogus or not? Well, take note of the following:

When Negative Bad Book Reviews Should Not be Trusted

Amazon is reluctant to remove a one-star review unless it contravenes their guidelines, which are:

• The review attacks Amazon’s services rather than the book.
• It contains obscenities.
• The review reveals confidential information.

This still leaves the book ratings system open to abuse. Bad reviews are freely left for all sorts of reasons and there is little the writer can do about it. I personally believe a bad review should be removed if:

• The book review contains spoilers.
• If it makes reference to the overwhelming positive reviews received, due to suspicion they were planted. Reviews should be about books, not about other people’s reviews.
• If there is any reference to the book being written by a self-published author.
• If there is evidence the review is written by a rival author.
• If it attacks the author in any way.
• If the reviewer admits to only the reading the first part of the book.
• If the reviewer didn’t understand the book.
• If there is evidence the reviewer has multiple accounts with Amazon and is leaving bad reviews under different personas.
• An ill-conceived review with only 1 or 2 lines.

I could say, a rambling review that goes on and on and on, but this has on occasion helped the book’s sales.

Bad Reviews by Rival Authors

Sadly, some authors deem it necessary to ‘bash’ rival authors within their genre with a bad review to dent their sales. A writer can also receive a torpedo simply for spamming their book on author forums and blogs. Yes, spamming is a nuisance, but is not cause to leave a negative feedback on their book. There is also a culture of disdain for the indie writer, particularly from mainstream writers and publishers who see them as a scourge on what was once a monopolized publishing platform.

How to Tell a Bad Book Review is Planted

If a potential reader stumbles upon a one-star review and decides to take caution, consider the following:

By all means, read the bad review. But then read the sample pages free from the look inside feature. Does what the negative reviewer say really add up? A bad review that be-cry a book full of clichés and poor writing would not stand up if the first ten pages or so prove a compelling opening with original writing style.

Click on the reviewer’s other reviews. If the book review is the only review left (and more crucially time has elapsed since without any other reviews), take the bad review with a pinch of salt.

Is the review an avid reader too? Are the other reviews on books or totally unrelated products? Has the review proved ‘helpful’? Beware of this too, for it is too easy to click ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Read the comments thread left by other reviewers if there is one. How does the reviewer rank on Amazon’s reviewer’s ranking system? This can be ascertained by clicking on the reviewer’s link.

A Truly Bad Book

A negative review only has credence in my view, if the reviewer has good grounds to give it one star. This might be because of the following:

• Careless typos and grammatical mistakes throughout the book.
• Full of clichés and stereotypes.
• If the book has substandard narrative, characterization, a flabby plot or is poorly-researched.

The bad review should be properly and thoughtfully written and be only about the book, not the author, not about other reviews and not about Amazon’s service. Reviews as a result of a verified purchase should be ranked higher.

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Top Ten Questions for Online Magazine

Top Ten questions to ask before committing yourself to writing articles for online magazines. How can the writer be certain that the platform is of good quality and is likely to yield sufficient income? From the viewpoint of a Featured Writer of a top online magazine, this is what I would ask.

Make Money Writing Articles

It seems a dream come true. You can make money freelance writing and there are an increasing number of online magazines to write for, such as Squidoo, Suite 101, Hubpages and Associated Content, each one working in a slightly different way. Some are better than others. But how can you make the right choice? Well, from my experience as a freelance writer, I have devised the top ten crucial questions the prospecting freelance writer should ask before committing to any online writing platform.

Opportunities for Home at Home Writers

Are there opportunities for the writer to advance? Some online magazines offer incentives to make more money if you write quality articles of a certain number. Squidoo, for instance, allow your articles to earn an increased portion of the ad revenue share according to how well your articles perform (tier 1, 2 or 3). At Suite 101, you can advance to Featured Writer in a topic of your expertise (if the post is available).

Magazines with Good Ranking

Is the online magazine well-ranked on Google? A good ranking will increase the chances of your articles being seen and read by those Googling for information your article offers. A few adjustments to how Google ranked websites (the Panda algorithm for one) caused a serious de-ranking of some online magazines, particularly Suite 101. Google’s intention was to penalise ‘content farming’ and/or poor content. Sadly, copying and pasting and regurgitating of information brought down the good writers as well as the bad within such online magazines by association. I myself have suffered a serious reduction in earnings because of this algorithm. Having said that, I have learned an awful lot about freelance writing from the writers’ forum. This brings me to the next question.

Online Tutorials for Writers

How good are the writers’ resources of the magazine? Is it easy to navigate, to read reports? Are the tutorials clear and is there good writer support from editors or administrators? Importantly, is the forum helpful and friendly? A well-organised magazine will also look good on the browser, and this is also an important matter. An online magazine that looks professional will help your reputation as a writer. This brings me to the reputation of the magazine.

Reputable Magazines to Write For

An online magazine with a poor reputation is to be avoided. This might include poor writing content, such as typos and/or grammatical errors within the articles. There might be few editors to police this problem. Consistently sourcing Wikipedia or an inferior website for factual information; not including a proper bibliography to add credence to the information offered might suggest laziness. Content farming, copying and pasting blocks of someone else’s writing will only get tagged by Google. A bad reputation will soon spread over the Net and once this happens, it is difficult to clean it up afterwards. Prevention is better than cure.

Copyright to your Articles

Another question to ask is whether you retain copyright to your freelance writing. This might be a sticky point if the writer wishes to use a particular article within a book. Having said this, you can always completely reword the article so that copyright infringement no longer becomes an issue. Read the small print before opting into an agreement with the online magazine.

Freelance Writing Powers

How much powers do you have as a writer? Can you edit your own work? How long do your articles have to be? Some magazines request around 400 words or more; others might only be 200. Shorter articles might increase your chances of being found due to sheer numbers of articles you area able to write. A longer article is likely to have more long-term value, as if it is well-written. Google likes long articles. Think about the time you are likely to spend on each article and the likely returns. A longer article will obviously take more effort than a short one.

Can you use a little slang to make a point? A UK writer writing for a magazine across the pond might experience issues with certain colloquialisms. One editor did not know what an ‘Atlantic low’ was, a term often used in the UK to describe a cyclone, and I had to change the wording.

Write about What You Love

Does the magazine permit you to write only about the things you love, or is there a requirement to fulfill criteria? Beware of writing for money if this causes your writing to suffer. If you write only about what you love, you are more likely to succeed as a freelance writer. Earning money from articles is a numbers game – the more you write, the more you will earn.

Google Juice to your Blog

Does the online magazine allow you to link back to your own blog or website? Creating backlinks to articles that relate to one another can increase the ranking of your own blog and make it easier to stumble upon. Some online magazines request in return that you put their widget on your own blog.

Getting Paid to Write Freelance

Most online magazines pay you by dishing out a share of residual income earned from advertising or affiliate links. These most frequently come from Google Adsense or referral fees from an affiliation. How are you paid? Some pay up front, others pay you as a passive source of income. An upfront fee often means a one-off payment, which might be OK if the writer needs the money fast. However, the passive option in the long run is more lucrative as your articles will continue to earn you income. Look out also for minimum payout, as if it is sizeable, you might be waiting a few months before you earn enough to get payment.

How the Writer is Paid

Make sure monies earned are paid in a convenient way for you, which might be by Paypal or directly into your bank account. Cheques can be a pain, particularly if you are a non-resident of the country you are earning the money from. Do you get paid by vouchers? Are the vouchers likely to be used?

The Best Online Magazine for Freelance Writing

Before taking the plunge into writing for a magazine, conduct a little research. As writing requires a lot of commitment and time, you want to make sure the magazine in worth it. Check out the reputation of the magazine, its ranking on Google, has there been any negative reports about it? (to be differentiated from sour grapes). Does it look good, does it allow copyright retention, does it have incentives for good writing, and are there good resources and helpful forums?

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Book Marketing with SEO Firms

You have published your novels and need to drive traffic to your blog or webpage selling your book. Search engine optimization and Adwords would appear to be the most effective way to market your books, but it all seems confusing. The option of finding a good SEO expert would seem to be answer.

Leading SEO Firms for Writers

You do not have to look far to find lots of SEO companies promising to increase traffic to your site and get your blog ranked number one on the internet, or in this case, get your book sales going. The trouble is, they are all promising the same thing, and if the testimonials are not accurate, you may have already shelled out a lot of money before this becomes apparent.

SEO Firms to Avoid

I would personally recommend finding out how Adwords work and how to use keywords to drive traffic to your site. My articles on this blog: beginner’s guide to keyword marketing and use Adwords to sell your books will help clarify how the system works. All you need to do is create an account with Google to get access to all the free resources needed to SEO your book blog. This will undoubtedly save hundreds of pounds on book marketing. However, if you have some money to spend and would rather spend the time writing, I would recommend Google’s certified partners.

Google Adword Partners

I am naturally very wary of websites that promise something without recognized qualifications to back up their testimonials. I like to see the backing of reputable firms and customer reviews. This is why, if presented with the dilemma of finding an SEO company to help market my book, I would look to Google Certified Partners. These are Google-approved firms that can maximize use of Google’s tools such as the Adwords Programme, keyword marketing and analytics. Each firm has to pass a certified exam by Google which is pretty rigorous.

Google Endorsed SEO Help

Really, there are three levels of Google partners within each area: Google Certified Partners, Google Certified Trainers and Google Premier SMB Partners, offering different levels of expertise in each area, which might be Adwords campaign, website marketing (SEO) or search engine marketers (SEM). Their job is really to manage Adword accounts for clients wishing to market their business.

Where to Find the Nearest SEO Expert

A Google Certified Partner can be found worldwide, so you just need to conduct a search. Put in your location, your budget (your weekly spend on Adwords consultancy) and some basic information about your business, in this case, selling books. You will be presented with a list of SEO consultants that hold Google’s badge. Click on one and you will find out how many qualified employees are in the business and where their specialty lies, which might be search advertising, reporting and analytics or display advertising. You can also report a complaint if services offered do not live up to expectations.

Saving Money on SEO Consultants

Writing a series of books is time consuming in itself, which may lead the writer to hire an SEO expert to drive traffic to his/her writer blog where the book is being sold, (or at least to a webpage linking to your books). Doing this could save the writer the headache of trawling through instructions on how to create an Adword campaign or how to use effective keywords to market books. I would personally try to learn this skill myself, but if you have a suitable budget and little time, there is little harm in hiring an SEO consultant to help market your books. Google certified partners might be a safer bet.

Tips on Using Keywords to Market your Books

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Elements of a film script

You have a film script is in progress, but have spent so many hours on it you can no longer see the wood for the trees. To get a fresh view of your screenplay, take a look at the following questionnaire; it may help make your script project easier to manage and highlight issues unforeseen.

Screenwriter’s Check List

Screenwriting is not easy, but what to cut out is as important as what to keep in. Remember a screenplay is not like a novel, there are only around 100 pages or so to play with. The first 10 pages are most crucial, so think about the following questions when it comes to the opening of your screenplay:

Top Five Tips for the Best Screenplay Opener

1. What is the genre of the screenplay? Is it science fiction? Romantic comedy? Action movie? Erotic thriller? Spoof? Psychological? Or fantasy? The genre of your film is also your intended audience. Keep the film genre in mind when writing your screenplay.
2. What time or place is the script set? Is it set during WW2, is it contemporary or a futuristic scene? Is the story set in England? What is significant about the time or place regarding the plot? How does it impact upon the characters and the plot?
3. Establish the main characters. What sex are they? What do we need to know about them? How do they contribute to the opening scenes? Are we supposed to like them?
4. What is the main premise of the story, what is it about? This part might help conceive the logline of the film script, such as, ‘a gigolo meets a client only to be framed for murder.’
5. What is the general message or theme of the screenplay? Is it money and greed? Love conquers all? Is it about the spirit of the small person at odds with a large force, such as a corporation or nature?

Finally, with these five elements established, is there a hook at the beginning of the screenplay? The hook is the precursor to the conflict to follow. It should draw the audience in. Can the hook be made more interesting or sinister or embarrassing or excruciating?

Writing Scenes for Scripts

Look out for scenes that serve no purpose or recap the purpose of another scene. Cut them out. Cut the length of scenes if this is possible. This means opening the scene as late as possible and ending early. No preamble is allowed; get straight to the action. Consider the following:

1. What location and time does the scene takes place? Is this influence the plot? Could an alternative time and place add tension to the scene? For instance, a couple arguing in a car could be more constrained if the scene occurs in a library.
2. Can a series of short scenes be made into a montage or series of shots? This can often add dynamism to the screenplay and advance the story more quickly.
3. Does the scene move the story forward?
4. Does the scene say something about the character(s) within? Can fewer characters improve the scene (it often does.)
5. Can the scene be changed to make it more original? (Watch out for subconscious sourcing of scenes previously seen in movies.) Can a clichéd element be replaced to make the scene more memorable for the viewer?
6. Do the characters’ motives contrast with one another? Can a little tweaking heighten this contrast?
7. What are the characters doing and where are they at the opening of the scene? Remember, action description should always follow a slugline.

Although integral to action scenes, dialogue is a crucial element in a screenplay and is looked at next.

How to Script the Best Dialogue

1. Is the dialogue necessary? Can any of it be substituted for body language? This is known as subtext and can often improve the screenplay.
2. Is it clear who’s speaking? Is the dialogue too similar? Can the words each character uses be made more different to one another? Can their backgrounds, attitudes or upbringing colour the words each character uses? Does the dialogue sound natural?
3. Is any of the dialogue simply there to inform on the story? Does it sound forced?
4. Are the characters’ motives reflected in what they say?
5. Is any of the dialogue wordy? Can some of the speech be cut? Can fewer words do? (it often does).
6. Is there any irony used? Can what is actually being said and character action be made different, as different as possible?

Essential Characters to a Script

The characters in your script are crucial for the story. If a problem exists with the plot, it is probably due to a lack of character drives. The following tick-off list will help highlight problems with characters within your screenplay and improve the plot.

1. Are all the characters crucial to the story? Can any be cut out? Can two minor characters be combined into one?
2. What are the motives of your characters? Are each character’s motives suitably different from one another? Is this sufficiently reflected in the action scenes, dialogue and subtext?
3. Do any of the action scenes not ring true of the character(s)?
4. Can altering the sex, age or culture of a character improve the story, create tension or an interesting spin?
5. Are there any stereotypes lurking within? Is each character plausible and interesting?
6. What stands in the way of the character(s) goal and how does this affect their actions and dialogue?
7. Are the characters’ strengths and weaknesses reflected in their actions and dialogue? Is this relevant to the story? Are we meant to sympathise with each character?

Plot Outline for Screenwriting

The plot of the story often comes out of character drives in a screenplay, and with sufficient conflict, obstacles and high stakes, can improve a screenplay. Think of the following elements when conceiving the plot.

1. Does conflict in the screenplay have peaks and troughs? Does this trend generally increase between acts 1, 2 and 3?
2. Do obstacles that stand between the character(s) and goal increase throughout the screenplay? Are the stakes high enough? What does each character have to do to win their objective? Can this be made more difficult?
3. Is there a logical passing of time with each scene? Is it day or night? How is this relevant to the story?
4. What is the ratio between character action and dialogue? Is there a lot of talking going on? Could the characters be doing something as they speak? Where are they in relation to one another in a scene?

Troubleshooting a Script

Working too closely on your screenplay can make problems harder to see. As well as getting some distance, completing a screenwriter’s questionnaire will help keep each element in sharp focus. Even if it is not revealed in the screenplay itself, try to answer all the questions. If any of the questions are unknown or not clear, this might reveal a potential issue with the screenplay.

Great Tips for Screenwriting

How to write a screenplay synopsis
Writing dialogue for film
The midpoint of your screenplay
Platforms for screenwriters
Add tension to your screenplay
Character names for your script