In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Fred Gooltz recommends the Talking Draft method as a way to get a first draft down quickly. “The Talking Draft Method is the fastest way for playwrights or screenwriters to create scenes,” he says. “A writer records audio of themselves improvising all the dialogue and action, the audio is transcribed, then the text is reformatted into a script.”
Writers and filmmakers from William Faulker and Howard Hawks to Billy Wilder and Rod Serling have used this method to capture the rhythm of natural dialogue and spontaneous banter. “What the Talking Draft Method does better than anything to get your first draft done fast – like the speed of sound fast,” Gooltz says.
The method works well if you already have a tight outline. “I recommend breaking down all your scenes into a scene-by-scene beat sheet with page targets because these page/minute reminders will help keep you from rambling when the mic is on,” Gooltz writes. “Each scene description in your outline reminds you only of the vitals: what the scene needs to accomplish or what a character needs to discover in that specific location.”
Importantly, you should avoid editing as you go, even as you transcribe your audio. “Move at the pace of the scenes as they play in your mind’s eye,” Gooltz adds. “Don’t bother with transitions, parentheticals, or location slugs.” Done right, a talking draft can be finished in about the same amount of time as the expected run time of your finished product.
