Nobody cares how fast you write your screenplay

At first glance, "FAST" Screenplay may seem to imply that you'll zip through your screenplay effortlessly. You will do that — but not before mastering the process. One of the greatest professional lessons you can learn is this: No one will ever care how fast you wrote your spec screenplay.

They care how fast it reads.

Look, anyone can blast out a hundred page screenplay — just type some words on the page. The problem is that producers can't use those rushed, sloppy, poorly-written drafts.

So, why call this system "FAST" Screenplay?

Three reasons, found in the 3 definitions below. Whether you join us in this system or not, if you're serious about screenwriting, please understand these definitions — they're a lesson in what the producer needs and what makes you a screenwriter they want.

 

The 3 Definitions

These are in order of importance. The first definition is the most important of all:

1. A screenplay that reads fast

   Imagine opening a screenplay that's amazing. What happens? Instantly, you're hooked. You're drawn into the story, the characters are intriguing and compelling, they're doing fascinating things, with drama unfolding in a way that engages you — makes you want to find out what happens next.
   
   A screenplay that reads fast is a screenplay that has captured the imagination of the reader.
   
   Think of the opposite: A screenplay that's boring, unimaginative, unrealistic, flat, etc... is slow! It's a chore to read. You have to slog through it — you can't wait to be finished.
   
   But producers won't read those. There's no time and no reason to do so. A slow read gets thrown onto the reject pile fast! With a fast read, however, the reader or producer will often reluctantly keep reading — even when they don't really have the time. It's such a rarity in fact, that a truly original, compelling screenplay is like a magnet. People are drawn to it. Because when it's fast, it's working. ...And that can be designed.

 

2. A screenplay that's written fast

   Remember, nobody cares how fast you wrote your screenplay — they only care how fast it reads. So when we talk about a screenplay that's written fast, it must ALSO be a screenplay that reads fast.
   
   But a screenplay that reads fast can only be written fast by someone with the speed and skill of a master.
   
   Think about anyone who has mastered a craft. They can do what is complex and difficult to most people almost effortlessly. They know intuitively what works and what doesn't. A master screenwriter will know as they're pondering a storyline if it will work or not, whether a line of dialogue is good or not, or whether there's a market for the project or not.
   
   When you develop the skill of writing fast, you necessarily master the skills of writing with expertise. The better you get with characters, the faster you'll write. The more experience you have with dialogue, the more quickly you'll punch it out. The more challenges you've overcome with subplots, subtext, theme, conflict, pacing and everything else, the more natural and fluid you'll be on future projects. Any writer will "speed up" with practice. You begin to recognize weak spots more quickly, and know how to solve them. You begin to take better ideas further, faster.
   
   In the professional arena, a screenwriter who writes engaging, compelling screenplays quickly, is a writer who will be very much in demand. Producers often need changes for practical, business-related reasons. They need to know they can trust a writer to deliver pro quality work on a deadline. As you improve your skill and speed, you improve your value.

 

3. A complete screenplay development system

   Knowing that the goal is to create screenplays that read fast — with the speed and skill of a master — we've created a complete screenplay development system with a name that will always remind you of your goal (which is defintion #1).
   
   Definition 3 is the screenplay development itself, built upon the 4 primary phases of the writing process, with a setup and a payoff (a "before" and an "after"), and an alignment phase.
   
   FAST is an acronym:
   F is for Focus — where you focus your ideas into a story.
   A is for Apply — where you blast out your draft..
   S is for Strengthen — where you make your draft solid.
   T is for Tweak — where you tweak it into a page-turner.
   
   These four phases are the core writing phases through which every writer must go on every project. By calling this system "FAST Screenplay," we created a mnemonic device that simplifies the creative writing process and keeps your objective (a screenplay that reads fast) firmly and clearly in your mind.

 

Speed is relative, and improves with experience

Ultimately, you're not in a race with anyone. The goal is NOT to blast out screenplays that can't be used — that does no one any good. If you write a slow screenplay — one that's a chore for the reader to get through — YOU waste time writing unproducible screenplays and the PRODUCERS waste their time reading them.

FAST is not about rushing anything. In fact, your first time through the system will take some time. But by investing that time, you give yourself the skill and knowledge required to increase your speed with every subsequent project. You develop the ability to write fast screenplays that read fast.

When you can consistently create compelling, production-ready screenplays quickly and efficiently, you become a screenwriter of genuine value — a writer whose work will be worthy of the screen, and one producers will hire.