Do any of U dictate while someone else writes??

T

truehuss

Well-known member
My basic question is (and I dont know if there is a correct terminology for what I'm asking..so lemme know if there is) Do any of you guys dictate the story to someone who in turns writes your ideas in a more eloquent way/script format ?

by this I mean, I have alot of stories but I am not a writer. I would prefer to hire someone else to write the basis of my story in screenplay format as I go through the stories main aspects.

is that normal?
Now i am not being lazy, I just know that I am no writer but I am a natural storyteller who is interested in creating a few screenplays and I wondered if this has been done ( it HAS to have been) and if so what is it called so I can look for someone to do it... Haha

Thanks 4 any input!
 
I would LOVE to dictate my stories and have someone else do the work. I think the reason I don't is 'money' - you definitely either have to pay someone to do it for you, or have a writing partner who'd rather you come up with story ideas and they put it on paper, but what's more common for partners, is that both share the work equally.

I think every writer would love to dictate their stories and then go fishing...
 
You know..

There are a lot of screenwriters out there stuck for material. It's not unusual to have someone credited for story, and then someone else for screenplay, or collaborations on screenplays (directors especially).

However, if your strong point is telling a story, then you may as well spend some time and learn the formatting. The format stuff is easy compared to the storytelling! That's where most struggling writers fail, anyway.

But if you prefer not to write then you could start by finding a screenwriter who is stuck for material or wants to have a go adapting/developing someone elses work.
 
sounds good.. u know where i got the idea was I saw a movie with luke wilson and kate hudson where he would tell her the story and she was writing it. anyways, thanks for the suggestions fellas.. zaza, I will definitely check out that software.. tahts sounds exactly like the kinda partner i want ! lol
 
What? Like on the old Dick Van Dyke show? No.

Where would you get the "creative typist" to type up the script... and add the cool creative ideas within the scene? Why would they write your script and not work on their own?

Why not just write it yourself? Doesn't require great typing skills (I use 2 fingers and 2 thumbs) and there *is* a learning curve (like with everything else, practice is involved) - you will probably write several scripts before you get the hang of it.

By the way - "story by" credit does not mean the writer only came up with the story. Usually the writer wrote and sold a full length polished script, and then did several rewrirtes before being replaced by a bunch of other writers, and by the time the film was made the only thing left of thier script was the story... so that's the credit they get. Welcome to Hollywood.

- Bill
 
umm.. i have no clue what they did on dick van dykes show (sorry not that old) but I just wanted to know if this was/is being done by any scriptwriters.. maybe its just a typist you hire.. I was just asking ..

yes, I do realize practice is involved and that there is a learning curve. As I said, I am not a writer but I do have ideas.. This was just curiosity as if this was something people do or have done.. thats all dude..

Maybe I should visit your site and learn huh? lol
 
yeah, like how to eat the cake but not buy it......lots of writers had those ladies who typed for them....good luck finding one :Drogar-Love(DBG):

if you look long and hard enough you might find one.....if your stories then hold what they promise, GREAT!

but they better be good!
 
Isaac Asimov told a great story about efforts to have his wife type up stories he dictated on tape...

...it didn't work out because he would get so emotionally carried away sometimes while dictating dialog that his wife would have to summon him to explain the meaning of the spluttering squawking hollering nonsense left on the tape...
 
10s said:
Get a pocket voice recorder.
Click to expand...

I just recently bought one of these because sometimes ideas would randomly pop into my head and instead of struggling to write the whole thing out on a pad, I just say it right off the top of my head. It's a great tool for pre-writing and organizing a story. The only tough part is going back through all of it later.
 
In a word, "Nope."

I have been writing on computers for about as long as there have been computers to write on. The beauty of it is how malleable your work is -- cut, paste, insert, delete -- and you can see every bit of it fore and aft just by scrolling it.

And the software knows how to format, so you don't even need to sweat that. And 2 fingers each hand is about as fast as most ppl can think anyway.

Get a cheap spec-script program like Hollywood Screenwriter and have at it with those great stories :beer:
 
I actually have a small team of a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters. Only have to bide my time now until they produce another Star Wars.

But actually, I do see your point. Maybe what you want is more of a writing partner? I've known plenty of people who are better at grand structure and outlining (i.e. macrocosm writing) versus those who are much better at putting together snappy dialogue, strong exposition and solid beats in individual scenes (i.e. microcosm writing).

Could work, as long as you both put equal amounts of work into the final project. Let me know if you try it.
 
I always wanted a girl that would sit on my lap and take Dictation, like they used to do in those old movies and shows. But apparently, that was before "Sexual Harassment" came along.
 
Eximious said:
I actually have a small team of a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters. Only have to bide my time now until they produce another Star Wars.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't it suck, if they produced the shooting script for the *actual* Star Wars?

You stupid monkeys! This one's already been made!
 
I just don't understand the prevailing attitudes here.

All this guy is looking for is a write-for-hire project. I've done that several times -- writing scripts for people based on their story ideas. What's the problem? If the OP can afford to pay to hire a writer to handle the script, there's nothing wrong with that.

I'm good. And I'm available for hire. :)
 
Eximious said:
I actually have a small team of a million monkeys typing on a million typewriters.
Click to expand...

Capt Quirk said:
I always wanted a girl that would sit on my lap and take Dictation, like they used to do in those old movies and shows. But apparently, that was before "Sexual Harassment" came along.
Click to expand...


A female monkey sits on my lap, typing 80 wpm, occasionally slinging poo.
 
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All beginning screenwriters face the hurdle of wanting to write, but getting stuck in the mechanics of the screenplay format.

The only way to get around it is to write so you get used to it. Write a bad first scripts (which you'll show nobody) that has lots of formatting dilemmas -- flashbacks, simultaneous action between locations, telephone conversations, etc., so that by the time you get around to writing the "real" script you don't need to think how to format.

The other thing is to learn how to type. I can type as fast as I can talk (but unfortunately not as fast as I can think!)

Whenever I write now I don't even think about the formatting and can effortlessly put my thoughts on paper quickly -- miraculous considering how difficult I thought screenwriting was when I started out.
 
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