How to Write a Screenplay in Word & Save a Script Template

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Learn how to write and format a great screenplay in Word
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There’s no need to drop hundreds of dollars for scriptwriting software when you already own the most powerful program out there: Microsoft Word! Producing a professional screenplay with MS Word can be done in a number of ways. Whether you use macros (small programs that record your keystrokes and automate repetitive tasks later) or create some custom style and formatting options for yourself, your script will be ready for TV, film, or theatre in no time. In this article, we go over how to write a screenplay in Microsoft Word, and we've included some expert tips from professional writer and film producer Melessa Sargent.

Quick Steps

  1. Open a screenplay template in Microsoft Word.
  2. Edit the template as desired.
  3. Save the template so you can use it again.
  4. Adjust the style and formatting to match screenplay standards.
  5. Create macros to help speed up the writing process.
Part 1
Part 1 of 5:

Creating a Screenplay With a Template

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  1. 1
    Open Word and choose the screenplay template. When you first open Word, you'll be greeted with the home screen. At the top of the screen will be a row of templates. Click More templates to view all of Word's templates, then use the search bar to search for "screenplay."
    • The template in newer versions of Word is called "Write a screenplay." Click it, then click the blue Create button to get started.
    • If you're on an older version of Word, go to File > New Blank Document when you first open Word. Then, search for the screenplay template, which is just called "Screenplay."
  2. 2
    Adjust the screenplay template as desired. While there are some general standards when it comes to formatting your screenplay, there is also a little wiggle room for creativity as well. Check with the studio you’re writing for to find out how to customize your specific document.
    • Adjust the margins. Click on the Layout tab, then click Margins . Change the page margins to 1" on the top, bottom, and right, and 1.5" on the left. [1]
    • Add page numbers in the top-right corner. Click on the Insert tab, then click Page Number > Top of Page > Plain Number 3 . Click the check box for Different first page , as the first page of the screenplay should not have a number.
    • Ensure the font is set to Courier or Courier New in size 12.
    • Edit the title page to your liking. Word's template comes with a photo and title, as well as tips on how to create your own great title.
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  3. 3
    Create your own template. Once you've edited the Word template to your liking, you can save this as a new template. Go to File > Save As > More options… , then choose a location to save your file. Type a name for your template in the file name box. Then, in the drop-down "save as type" menu just below the file name box, select Word Template . If the document contains macros, select Word Macro-Enabled Template . Click Save . [2]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 5:

Using Style and Formatting

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  1. 1
    Consider using style and formatting patterns to format a screenplay. If you’re unhappy with the template layout provided by Word, you can modify the style and formatting of your document to create new formatting patterns. These patterns can be used again if you save them, or you can create a new template based on a document that uses these style and formatting rules. You could think of formatting as creating your template.
    • According to Sargent, you want as much white space on the page as possible—avoid writing lengthy paragraphs and stick to dialogue and descriptions of the scene.
  2. 2
    Select a line of text. The text might be a character name, a piece of dialogue, or some stage directions. Select the line of text by clicking the left button on your mouse with your cursor at the left edge of the line of text. [3]
    • Alternatively, you could highlight the text by clicking the left button of your mouse to the right or left of the line of text you want to adjust.
    • Finally, you could highlight text by bringing up a blinking cursor within the text you’ve written and holding down the shift key and an arrow key to highlight the text you want to format. To highlight text to the left of the place your cursor is, hold the shift key and the left directional button. To highlight text to the right of the place your cursor is, hold the shift key and the right directional arrow.
    • If you have multiple lines of text, you can select them at one time and apply the formatting changes you desire to all highlighted lines.
  3. 3
    Open the Styles and Formatting pane. With your text highlighted, click on the word Format on the menu bar. The drop-down menu will display several options. Click on the words Styles and Formatting . This will open the Styles and Formatting pane.
    • Alternately, you can open the Styles and Formatting pane by clicking the Styles and Formatting button on the toolbar. Click the Styles and Formatting button next to the script character drop-down menu to open the pane. The button is found at the far left edge of the toolbar. It contains two letter "A"s, each of a different color, with one positioned above and to the left of the other.
  4. 4
    Select text with similar formatting. Right-click on the still-highlighted text you selected initially. A drop-down menu will open with a number of options. The bottom-most option reads Select Text with Similar Formatting . Click on this option with the left button of your mouse. All text with formatting similar to that you originally highlighted will become highlighted.
    • So, for instance, if you have all character names in a certain font and size centered exactly above a line of text, you can highlight a single instance of any character’s name, then use the "Select text with similar formatting" option to adjust all character names in your screenplay at once.
  5. 5
    Select the format you want. After highlighting all the text you want to assign a given style, choose one from the pane on the right. The Styles and Formatting pane should still be open on the right of the screen. Choose the style format you want to change the highlighted text to by left-clicking on it.
  6. 6
    Create a new style. If your highlighted text does not conform to an extant style, you can assign the formatting and style within the highlighted text a name by clicking the button near the New Style button at the top. You can then assign a name, align the text to left or right, choose your font, and make other adjustments as you see fit.
    • Word is powerful software, but it can be more complicated to write a screenplay in Word than screenwriting software like Final Draft. According to Sargent, a lot of people in the film industry use Final Draft to write screenplays. "I like Final Draft because it's always up to date, and they have great customer service. If something isn't working, you can call them for help, and they will talk you through it on the phone.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 5:

Creating a Macro for Setting Up Scenes

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  1. 1
    Think about why you want to set up a scene. Typically, in a screenplay, the master scene heading (also known as a slug line) is the series of words that broadly identify the content that follows. For instance, scene headings might read "INT. OFFICE - DAY" (interior office during the day). This helps orient the screenplay’s reader to the scene. [4]
    • Scene headings should, as in the example above, be in all caps, two lines down from the last line of dialogue or description in the previous scene.
    EXPERT TIP

    Melessa Sargent

    Professional Writer
    Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020.
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer

    Anyone can write a screenplay. You don't have to go to school to be able to write a script. Start with a solid idea and do a lot of writing to consolidate your ideas before you start crafting the screenplay.

  2. 2
    Click View > Macros > Record Macro . Type a name for the macro. Since this macro is for setting up scenes, assigning the name "Scene heading" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure you’ve selected All documents at the bottom of the drop-down menu reading "Store macro in."
  3. 3
    Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro. Assign the macro to F2 (or whatever button you want to assign it to) using the "Press New Shortcut Key" clickable box. Click Assign or press Enter , then click Close .
  4. 4
    Look for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Press Enter on your keyboard twice to skip two lines. Go back into the Page Layout tab and change both indentations back to 0 . Open the Home tab and click the bottom right corner of the Font section to open the dialog box. Then, in the Effects section, check All Caps and click OK .
  5. 5
    Finish the macro. Click the View tab again. Click Macros > Stop Recording . F2 (your shortcut key) will now skip two lines down the page and capitalize text, preparing you to enter a scene heading.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 5:

Creating a Macro for Description

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  1. 1
    Think about why you want to create a macro for description. Description in a screenplay offers more info than does the simple scene heading. It might offer details about the type of lighting, weather conditions, or other descriptions of the physical location of the scene and its characters. [5] Description is located two lines below the scene heading in a standard sentence format, with the first letter capitalized and a period at the end. For instance, below a scene heading like "INT. OFFICE - DAY," we might read descriptive info such as "The window is open and the lights are flickering on and off."
    EXPERT TIP

    Melessa Sargent

    Professional Writer
    Melessa Sargent is the President of Scriptwriters Network, a non-profit organization that brings in entertainment professionals to teach the art and business of script writing for TV, features and new media. The Network serves its members by providing educational programming, developing access and opportunity through alliances with industry professionals, and furthering the cause and quality of writing in the entertainment industry. Under Melessa's leadership, SWN has won numbers awards including the Los Angeles Award from 2014 through 2021, and the Innovation & Excellence award in 2020.
    Melessa Sargent
    Professional Writer

    Write spec scripts for inspiration. A spec script is like writing the next episode of a TV. You have to know the characters' voices and mannerisms so you can carry on the show from where it left off. Many writers write spec scripts to help them write their own scripts.

  2. 2
    Open the Layout tab (Page Layout tab in Word 2007) and set your margins. In the bottom right corner of the Paragraph section, click the little icon that opens the dialog box. Set 1" indents before text and 1.5" after text under the Indentation section.
  3. 3
    Go to View > Macros > Record Macro . Type a name for the macro. Since this macro is for description, assigning the name "Description" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure you’ve selected " All documents " at the bottom of the drop-down menu reading "Store macro in."
  4. 4
    Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro. Assign it to F3 or whatever button you want to assign it to using the " Press New Shortcut Key " clickable box. Click " Assign " or press Enter , then click " Close ."
  5. 5
    Record the macro. Look for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Hit Enter twice on your keyboard to skip a couple of lines, then go to the Layout tab and move both indentations to 0. Next, click on the Home tab. In the bottom right corner of the Font section, select the little icon that opens the dialog box to open it. Look under the Effects section, then deselect All Caps. Click OK .
    • In Word 2007, after deselecting All Caps, return to the Developer tab and press Stop Recording before continuing with the rest of the above directions.
  6. 6
    Stop recording. Click the View tab again and go to Macros > Stop Recording . F3 will now skip two lines down the page and be lowercase. If you do not bind the macro to the F3 key, F3 will not be useful as a hotkey to set up descriptive passages in your screenplay.
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Part 5
Part 5 of 5:

Creating a Macro for Dialogue

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  1. 1
    Create a macro for character names. Characters and their dialogue or actions typically follow the introduction and descriptive info, which sets a scene. They should be centered in all caps on the page with dialogue following on the line below.
    • To create a macro that will prepare you to input character names after writing the scene description, repeat the same steps used to create a macro for description in MS Word 2013/2016, but:
      • After changing the indentation back to 0 during recording, press the spacebar 22 times, then select All Caps.
      • Name the macro 'Character' and assign it to F4. Be sure that the first thing done during recording is to skip down two lines.
    • After pressing Stop Recording , F4 will skip two lines down the page (thus bringing the cursor to the correct character name position) and capitalize.
  2. 2
    Open the Layout tab to set your margins. There's a little icon in the bottom right corner of the Paragraph section. Click it, and a dialog box will open. Set 1" indents before text and 1.5" after text under the Indentation section.
  3. 3
    Go to View > Macros > Record Macro . Type a name for the macro. Since this macro is for dialogue, assigning the name "Dialogue" to this macro is a logical choice. Ensure you’ve selected " All documents " at the bottom of the drop-down menu reading "Store macro in."
    • Click the keyboard icon and assign the macro to F5. Click " Assign " or press Enter , then click " Close ."
  4. 4
    Record the macro. Look for a tape recorder icon next to your mouse. Hit Enter once on your keyboard to skip a line, then go into the Page Layout tab and move both indentations to 0. Next, click on the Home tab. In the bottom right corner of the Font section, select the little icon that opens the dialog box to open it. Look under the Effects section, then select All Caps . Click OK .
  5. 5
    Stop recording the macro. Click the View tab again. Click Macros > Stop Recording . F5 will now skip one line, utilize lowercase text, and prepare you to enter dialogue.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    If each page is supposed to equal one minute of screen time, what do I do with a page that only has one paragraph of the action end that equals one minute?
    Community Answer
    Just imagine that the action is happening or mime through it.
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      Tips

      • When it's time to shop your script around to producers, Sargent recommends networking with other writers. "A lot of it is about who you know," she says. Look for screenwriter classes and workshops in your area to build industry connections.
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      • Sargent also encourages workshopping your screenplays with other writers. "Have a lot of other people read it to make sure it's saying everything you want and need to be said," she explains. "If [the script] is ready to that point, you can go ahead and reach out to producers.
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about screenwriting, check out our in-depth interview with Melessa Sargent .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/writing-screenplays-in-word/
      2. ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Create-a-template-86a1d089-5ae2-4d53-9042-1191bce57deb?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
      3. ↑ https://www.techrepublic.com/blog/microsoft-office/15-ways-to-select-text-in-a-word-document/
      4. ↑ https://scriptmag.com/screenplays/ask-the-expert-sluglines-slugfest
      5. ↑ https://scriptmag.com/screenplays/ask-the-expert-sluglines-slugfest

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To write screenplays using Microsoft Word, use a template to create a polished script. Start by selecting “File” from the menu bar and choosing “New.” In the search bar, type “screenplay” to access the premade template. If you’re writing for a specific studio, check the guidelines for the margins, font size, font, and line spacing, which you can customize for your specific document. Alternatively, if you’ve already written a script or have a screenplay saved on your hard drive, open it in MS Word, click “File,” then “Save As” and type the name of your template in the file name box. Finally, in the drop-down menu, select “Word Template.” To learn how to use style and formatting patterns to format a screenplay, keep reading!

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