How To Outline

Serious ScreenWriting HOW-TO: it's time to get nuts-and-bolts & nitty-gritty with a DETAILED, STEP-BY-STEP tour through a simple, flexible practical OUTLINE FORMAT for ANY kind of script - Feature, TV or Indie DIY.

PLUS! Tips on how to decide what Outline Format works for you, and thoughts on OUTLINE SOFTWARE.

BIG LIST OF QUESTIONS - To Figure Out If An Outline Format is HELPING You:

Is it helping you turn everything into scenes?

Is it showing you what the action is and who’s taking it?

Is it making each idea more specific and concrete?

Does it allow physical space for all of your thoughts?

Does it give you ways to distinguish between different types of content?

Does it help you organize and prioritize?

Does it help you explore and experiment?

Does it allow you to step back and look at the story or structure?

Is it easy to make changes, rethink, reorganize?

Is it showing you what’s ready-to-write and what’s not?

Is it safe? Can you lose it? Can you back it up?

Is it easy for you to operate?

Can you afford it?

Are you thinking more about content than process/technology?

Do you find yourself looking forward to using it?

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Learn to write for screens - ANY kind of screens, from Hollywood tentpole to streaming series to DIY indie.

Want to know more? Want to work with me? Go to WRITINGFORSCREENS.COM.

[MattLeader]

I've seen a lot of videos that stress the need for creating a script outline but this is the first one I've found that offers a practical way of going about it. This is great. Thanks so much.

[jakiyahcabell]

I just started an outline using this method and I CANNOT thank you enough for this video. The way the ideas are flowing without blockages because I am utilizing lines, fonts, and colors to organize my process has been a game-changer!

[bridgettestewart]

This guy is a natural teacher and I am so grateful for that! I’m learning so much! Thank you!

[parlove]

Sir, you have a brilliant system in place. I love your advice about: Color Coding, Pasting Scenes on the Wall and crossing them as we go, and removing everything else to know the journey of our Character. Simply Outstanding. Thank you for tutoring us your experience.

[taylorscott]

Thank you SO MUCH for making these videos. I am an animator that is trying to make my own stories. I’ve basically got all of the other parts of creating an animated story down except for writing. This has by far been the most challenging part of creating videos, and your channel has made this phase significantly less anxiety inducing! Thank

[ilovesenking]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experience! They say when the student is ready the teacher will appear... Here you are! ;)

[Elenuay]

Wow, I am actually using a similar method already (also with pages). But I did not think of colouring the text differently when adding notes and such. I might try that. And the list to cross off sounds very useful too. Thanks for the advice.

[philj]

Saving this bad boy vid to my saved playlists. Simple and to-the-point. Thanks Glenn!

[nathandean]

These videos are gold. Even though I'm a novelist, nearly all of your information is invaluable for me, too. Thanks for helping out us strangers, Glenn 💙

Also. I'd just discovered and bought Scrivener recently and was LOVING it ("I can organize all my info!"), but then I foolishly replaced my laptop with a Chromebook. Oops, no Scrivener for that, and all my searching hasn't found me a comparable program that works with Google's dumb OS.

Any viewer of Glenn's know of one?

[Chad_]

Great video, I definitely needed this. I'm writing my first ever script and it's like learning to walk. I'm a very organised guy and I love your style of outlining. I have my first act done and fortunately, I know where my story is going, how it ends, and have plenty of meat for the often feared 'Act II'.

I am sort of stuck at the minute. Because my story has three main characters, trying to juggle all of their wants, weaknesses, growth, failures etc is a bit of a headache. I love how you focus on each character by writing down what scenes they are in and seeing the world from their eyes. I'm going to use that to tackle my issue and complete this first draft.

Thanks again, and I'll be going through your archives in order to find more writing gold.

[Donna]

Thank you again, Glenn! Rewatching again:)

[blue_evolution_studio_official]

Thank you very much, for showing us how you write outlines, it really helped me a lot! And thanks for writing the questions in the description so I can paste them in my note (:

[emilyeshraghi]

Super helpful! Love this outlining approach! Thank you!

[losskopein]

Thank you. Thank you. Have a great day 🫡

[fotipitrakkos]

Your teaching style and philosophy is very refreshing. I'm a novelist/prose writer, but find it interesting and helpful to see what's up in the screenwriter world. I find a lot of "you must do this and that" mentality, but you simply give very handy tool to add to the tool kit.
I'm a poor organiser so this video helped me greatly.
Thanks

[iammello]

Amazing content. And lol at always including the outtakes! 😂

[aresaurelian]

As a child having nobody to play with at times I explored my grandmothers cellar I found a small desk with a simple chair slightly pulled out inviting me to sit. And there on the desk was an old typewriter...

Thank you for these reminders. Nuggets of inspiration.

[jessicalau]

Thank you soo much for sharing this! It is so very helpful! I always struggle with outlining my scripts. So glad you made this video and share with us! Thanks again!

[moritzathaher]

I watched this video a month ago, and have made notes according to your suggestion. I have also created a style template in MS Word and started using it. That way, my ideas flow very easily.

Now I use this method for anything I write, including writing song lyrics. Yes, I am a musician.

Today I want to watch this video again, just checking if you have any suggestions that I haven't followed.

I was surprised, because today I saw that you have added chapters to this video, making it easier for me to learn it.

I know, making chapters is tiring, so I really appreciate your efforts. But, if you wish, please add chapters for your other videos too. 🙏

Thank you for all the knowledge you share. Wish you long life and always healthy.

[wonderwomanx]

Lol LOVE the outtakes 🤪👌🏼👏🏼 This is truly valuable to me. I DID recently purchase Scrivener and excited to explore it. Thanks for your videos, you have captured my interest with your style and personal story you shared with Karen from Film Courage, where I discovered you yesterday, and now I’m obsessed and immersed in your Channel. TY 🙏🏼