So you’re asking, what does a children’s book writer (me) know about screenplays and scripts for television or radio? Until a few months ago, absolutely nothing. Forward a few months, and I find myself representing a screenplay writer, who has also published many books. I know many facets of the publishing, editing, and promoting industry of writing, so how hard could this be?
Well, editing the writer’s 1st screenplay had me baffled as an editor. Why are so many words in capital letters that aren’t technically capital letter words, and why are so many things in parentheses? According to the author, the capital letters are to emphasize the tone for the actor/narrator to use; the words in parentheses are to inform the technical crew of what needs to be done.
A script (or screenplay) is the written content for a visual story such as a play, television show or movie. While scripts often contain information for performers and crew, such as stage directions and production notes, they primarily focus on the dialogue between characters in the story.
The purpose of writing the script a certain way is to help actors know what to say to portray specific characters correctly—hence the capital letters to portray intensity. The script also includes cues for the stagehands to know when special effects are needed.
What type of media requires a script? Television, films, radio, documentaries, plays, and even video games. All these types of scripts have different word count specifications to fit their needs. So check out specific requirements for each type of screenplay before submitting it to contests, agents, etc.
Here’s some good advice about screenplays and scripts.
Want to know more about the writer I’m representing who has created an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sci-fi script for television entitled Gardens, Grove, and Mechanical Trees.
Original artwork cover copywriter G. Mitchell Baker.
Gardens, Groves, and Mechanical Trees
Screenplay reviews for Gardens, Groves, and Mechanical Trees:
Dog-Eared Reviews May 2023 I loved it and did not want it to end. Brilliant job.
Literary Titan, April 2023 Its engaging format, consisting of dialogue and narration, is both informative and intellectually stimulating.
Book website for G. Mitchell Baker: http://gmitchellbakerauthor.com Facebook G Mitchel Baker: https://www.facebook.com/gmitchell.baker/about_details
I am a children/teen author and love good deals for children. Check out deals for children’s books here.