They say the hardest part about writing is knowing what to write. As true as that may be, I think knowing how to format your writing correctly is a close second. Particularly, when it comes to writing scripts. There’s so many rules and formats that if you don’t follow them people won’t take you seriously.
Well excuse me for not using the font Courier to write my script. I was a little busy, I don’t know, crafting a masterpiece! Okay, so the things I write are not exactly masterpieces. But they have potential, right?
I remember when I first started writing, I would use Word to create a script. Then I would peruse websites like Script-O-Rama to see how to format the type. All Caps for character names, centered align dialogue, actions in parentheticals, etc. It was a pain in my butt. Sure I wanted to write like a pro, but programs like Final Draft will set you back $250 bucks. Yikes!
Then, one day, I was perusing a fellow local film producers blog (thank you Yajaira and Visual Edge) and there was my solution—Celtx! Holy Crap—an absolutely FREE script writing application. Complete with formatting tools, PDF creation, cast and crew notes, the works. I couldn’t believe I was writing in Word all these years.
So if you have dreams of writing the next Citizen Kane or Gone With The Wind, do yourself a favor and get this software. Seriously, it’ll let you spend more time crafting and less time formatting. Unfortunately, it won’t let you do much with the font. God I hate Courier.