How to Write a Great Script in Final Draft 13

One mistake novices make is that they think if they buy a screenwriting program like Final Draft, they can become a screenwriter. That’s only partially true. Final Draft (or any screenwriting program) can help you write a screenplay but you still need to develop the skill necessary to tell a great story.

The company that makes Final Draft recently released version 13, which comes loaded with lots of features for helping you organize and structure a story. Only after you’ve defined the bulk of your story should you even consider writing it as a screenplay.

If you try writing your screenplay before you even know your story, you can’t help but write a complete mess that you’ll need to heavily revise in the future. That means you’ll likely waste time and risk never finishing your screenplay at all.

With Final Draft 13, you can organize your story using digital index cards called a Beat Board, then arrange your story until you know most of what happens from beginning to end. Then fill in as many details as possible until you know your complete story. Only then should you try writing it as a screenplay.

For anyone who has a copy of Final Draft 13, you might be interested in my Udemy course that teaches you how to use Final Draft’s many features to help you both format a screenplay and structure a story. To learn more about my Udemy course, “How to Write a Great Script in Final Draft 13,” click here.

Any screenwriting program will help you format a screenplay properly. What you need to develop are your storytelling skills to create a compelling story that someone will want to see, read, or hear. The best screenwriting program won’t make you a screenwriter but any screenwriting program can make it easier for you to translate your story into a screenplay format.

So never mistake your tools (like Final Draft) for a magical elixir that will create your dreams for you. Only you can pursue and achieve your dreams. Programs like Final Draft will simply help you get there as long as you know the direction you want to go in the first place.

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