Let me start by saying, I have written a total of three screenplays in my life. Prolific, no. Skilled, not at all.
During my time in my minor, I chose creative nonfiction and fiction over screenwriting. This was mostly due to the limited number of electives we were afforded during the program.
But the way I see it, screenwriting is a world writers can benefit from. Let’s break down the benefits:
- You’re limited to two senses – sound and visuals
- You have 90 to 120 pages to tell your story (1 page = 1 minute of screentime) meaning you have to learn to write on a budget
- If you’re thinking real world, you’ll need to write with a budget in mind (there are more limitations in a film than in novel writing)