Amateur writers often confuse between scriptwriting and content writing as both have a lot in common
And what is common among these two writing forms? Well, both blogs and scripts aim at telling stories.
In fact, at the crux of any art form, you will find a narrative, a message, a story.
The art of storytelling through narrative blogs or scripts is what keeps the reader engaged.
So, how should one go about it? Can you script a blog? And how exactly do you benefit from it?
I will be answering all these questions and more.
At Page Potato, we have a team of niche-based content writers who can create engaging, unique content for your website from scratch.
The basic format for both bears significant similarity and includes the following elements
Introduction
Getting started with your first blog comes with its fair share of trials. For starters, you need a good topic to write about.
Once you have the topic ready, you need a well-defined structure for your blog. Every blog follows a standard structure- introduction, middle, and conclusion.
Content in any form must be attractive to readers. If you want people to read till the very end of your masterpiece, it is your responsibility to add content that keeps them glued to it.
The paragraphs must narrate a kind of a tale with coherent paragraphs and a story that transits from one phase to another effortlessly.
Idea Development
Now, for anything to be transformed into a script, you must have an idea to build upon. It is also important to understand if your idea is exciting enough to strike a chord with the audience.
And while you are at it, try to picture the audience you would want to cater to.
Will your writing be a piece of satire or will it have an emotional quotient attached to it?
It could even include portions of both, or many other genres. However, be careful while you mix genres as it may leave the audience confused.
Once you have an appropriate theme in mind, create dramatic situations around it to garner the attention of the target audience.
Budding bloggers often have a hard time trying to figure out their target demographic. We have an insightful blog that explains the difference between Millennials and Gen X really well that might help.
Do your own research to see what type of content you would be most comfortable writing about and make a note of all relevant advancements before you pen down your script.
Formatting Systems
Arranging content neatly ensures that it is easily comprehensible. Also, using varied fonts and formats for emphasizing different sections of the script enhances its value.
For example, you may want to write text in bold for the reader to pay special attention to.
This also helps in making the content look visually catchy and refrains the reader from getting bored.
Character
Characters drive ideas into stories. They have the ability to leave a long-lasting impact on the audience.
You may take care of every intricate detail while writing a script, but if your characters are not interesting, there is not much you can do to expand your readership base.
Characters set the very base of connecting with readers. They must hence, be relatable to the target audience.
The protagonist must be such that readers can empathize with. He must be embarked on a journey that others would wish to know all about.
Tip: Use your blog to tell a story. Emotional engagement with the audience often plays the trick here.
Beginnings
The beginning of your story must hit the nail on the head. It is this section of your script that will have maximum impact on the curiosity of readers.
Do not make a melodramatic opening that eventually fades away.
Do not overload readers with too much information about the past.
If there is any detail about the character’s past that you feel needs to be reflected on, add it in a dramatic manner while narrating the story in the present tense.
Introduce your theme and characters in this section and do it differently.
Subject your character to a difficult situation and let readers chase after what happens next.
Middles
Well begun is half done! However, keeping readers interested takes a lot more than just a grand beginning.
The middle section of a script is the longest and hence requires extra effort to be put in by the writer. The content must be such that readers wait with bated breath for the next scene to unravel.
Even the laziest of all guys must be coaxed to stay up and read through till the very end. Such must be the impact of drama and emotions in this section that readers get lost in anticipation.
However, make sure that you remain in control of every facet of the storyline and bend it smoothly towards the desired ending.
Endings
Endings could be a major letdown for readers if they are too obvious or predictable.
The mantra to a great ending is satisfying the audience with a continuation of what they have been reading until now, but with a slight twist or surprise.
The story must end with a meaningful climax that makes readers reflect on it for a long time.
Scenes
Scenes are representations of thoughts complete in a single frame. A scene could depict drama, comedy, romance, or emotion, depending on the requirement of the script.
Scenes must be written such that they are easy to comprehend. Light words with simplified meanings often result in enhanced readership.
Content must be easily understandable such that readers get the crux of the situation at a glance.
Dialogue
Dialogues are used to express the underlying emotions of a script. It is important that you maintain a clear voice and be as natural as possible while writing them down.
Let them be simple, yet impactful. Mold them according to the characters’ traits and silently observe how they cast a spell over the audience.
Different scenes will require dialogues to be delivered in varied tones. Use intonation and adjust cadence to express effectively.
Rewriting
Getting an unbiased opinion of your work will help in proofreading and also pointing out the banal and boring portions of the content.
This activity is crucial for producing a great script.
Once you get a second opinion, critically analyze your masterpiece on your own.
Make notes on where you can improve the content. Simply rework the weak spots of your script to add a little more oomph and voila! You’re set to impress.
A quick tip- you don’t always have to begin the whole content piece from scratch. We have a wonderful article on how you can refurbish old blog posts, and recycle them for better engagement and relevancy.
