This advice is not only to first time screenwriters, but to first time novelists as well. Put the pen down! Save what you're writing, however, but do not write anymore! Diving into screenplays and novels is like diving into a waterfall. It's a long way down and unless you have experience in swimming, you will drown. Ideas are good to have. There are tests to go through to see if the idea will work and in what medium they would work in. I highly suggest starting with the great all American short story. There are numerous positives to starting with the short story and in the end you will one step closer to seeing your work on the shelves.
First of all, beginners rarely have their own voice when they start writing. Almost 85% of beginning screenwriters are copying what they see in movies and television. At the same time ignoring the great literary word that was around long before the big screen. Reading books and novels help you to see how characters are drawn out through their actions and thoughts and how they interact with other characters. Screenplays are especially hard because of the lack of narrative writing as opposed to literary works. Study your favorite authors and how they handle their characters within their writing. It’s common to find yourself copying the style of your favorite authors or authors who write your favorite style of books. This style may not be best suited for your voice. Short stories help you find your voice and your style in a small narrative fashion.
The other problem with screenplays and novels are the length it takes to write them. Screenplays vary in size from as little as 90 pages to as big as 130 pages while novels are normally around 40,000 to 75,000 (roughly 160 pages to 300 pages). Short stories can be as little as one page to twenty and will be an easier sell. You can sell a short story for a few bucks and get published to get your name out there. Although it may not sound as sweet as the screenwriter who just sold his script for six figures, you will most likely be walking on solid ground entering the writing world on your own talent rather than on someone else’s good word. Not to mention you’ll get used to finishing tasks rather than spending a year on one type of work.
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