Resources for Screenwriters
LOGLISTED RESOURCES
Great writing takes more than a blank page.
Whether you're outlining your first screenplay, revising a pilot, looking for feedback, researching the industry, or trying to get your work in front of the right people, these are tools and resources worth knowing about.
We've included a mix of free, open-source, and paid resources from across the screenwriting community — including a few tools we've built here at Loglisted.
Looking for somewhere to start? Write the script. Read great scripts. Get feedback. Rewrite. Everything else comes after that.
Write Your Screenplay
Tools for screenplay formatting, drafting, outlining, and getting the words onto the page.
WriterDuet
Freemium
Collaborative screenwriting software that works in the browser and supports industry-standard screenplay formatting.
Best for: Writers who collaborate or want to write from multiple devices.
Final Draft
Paid
One of the most widely used professional screenwriting applications in film and television.
Best for: Writers who want established industry-standard screenwriting software.
Fade In
Paid
Professional screenwriting software with screenplay formatting, revision tools, production features, and support for multiple platforms.
Best for: Writers looking for a full-featured Final Draft alternative.
Highland
Paid / Limited Free Options
A distraction-free writing application built around plain text and screenplay formatting.
Best for: Writers who prefer a clean, writing-first workflow.
Arc Studio
Freemium
Screenwriting and story-development software with outlining, formatting, and collaborative tools.
Best for: Writers who like combining outlining and screenplay writing in one application.
Fountain
Free & Open Source
A plain-text markup format for writing screenplays without proprietary screenplay software.
Instead of worrying about formatting while you write, Fountain lets you create screenplay-formatted documents using simple text conventions.
Best for: Writers who value portability, plain text, and open formats.
Trelby
Free & Open Source
An open-source screenplay editor designed specifically for screenplay formatting and production.
Best for: Writers looking for completely free desktop screenwriting software.
Analyze & Improve Your Screenplay
Tools and guides for understanding what's working, identifying potential weaknesses, and approaching your next rewrite.
Loglisted Screenplay Analysis
Free · Open Source · Loglisted
Upload a feature screenplay or television pilot and receive AI-assisted analysis across story, structure, character, dialogue, pacing, tone, marketability, and other screenplay metrics.
Loglisted is designed as a diagnostic tool — not a verdict on whether your screenplay is "good."
Best for: Writers looking for another perspective before paying for coverage or sending a script out.
Explore: Free Screenplay Analysis →
Free Script Coverage Guide
Free · Loglisted
What does screenplay coverage actually measure? When is professional coverage worth paying for? And where can automated analysis be useful?
Our guide explains the differences between human coverage, automated screenplay analysis, scoring, and writer feedback.
Understanding Screenplay Scores
Free · Loglisted
A score can summarize information, but it cannot objectively determine whether a screenplay works.
Learn how screenplay scoring systems should be interpreted, their limitations, and how scores can be used constructively during revision.
Read: What Is a Screenplay Score? →
Loglisted Methodology
Free · Open · Loglisted
See how Loglisted evaluates screenplays, which categories are considered, what the scoring system is designed to measure, and where its limitations lie.
Read Great Screenplays
One of the best ways to learn screenwriting is still the simplest:
Read screenplays. Lots of them.
Script Slug
Free
A large online collection of film and television screenplays available for writers to read and study.
Best for: Finding produced scripts from a wide range of genres.
IMSDb
Free
The Internet Movie Script Database hosts screenplays from a broad collection of films.
Best for: Searching older and well-known feature screenplays.
SimplyScripts
Free
A longstanding collection of movie, television, radio, and unproduced screenplays.
Best for: Writers looking for a broad script archive.
BBC Writers Script Library
Free
A collection of scripts from BBC television, radio, and other productions, along with educational material for writers.
Best for: Television writers and anyone interested in studying professionally produced scripts.
Awards-Season Screenplays
Free
Studios and distributors frequently release screenplay PDFs during awards season.
These can be some of the best opportunities to read recent produced screenplays exactly as they were submitted for consideration.
Tip: Search for "[film title] screenplay PDF" or check studios' official awards pages.
Learn the Craft
There is no single correct way to write a screenplay. These resources offer different approaches to story, structure, dialogue, rewriting, and the realities of working as a screenwriter.
Scriptnotes
Free / Paid Archive Options
Screenwriters John August and Craig Mazin discuss screenwriting craft, filmmaking, and the professional realities of writing for film and television.
Best for: Serious discussions of both craft and the screenwriting business.
Go Into The Story
Free
A long-running screenwriting resource covering craft, storytelling, professional screenwriting, and script analysis.
Best for: Writers who enjoy deep dives into story and screenplay structure.
StudioBinder Screenwriting Resources
Free
Educational articles and videos covering screenwriting, filmmaking, directing, production, and visual storytelling.
Best for: Writers interested in understanding how scripts translate to production.
No Film School
Free
Articles, interviews, news, and filmmaking education across writing, directing, cinematography, producing, and post-production.
Best for: Writers who want a broader understanding of filmmaking.
Sundance Collab
Free & Paid Resources
Educational programs, events, workshops, and resources associated with the Sundance Institute.
Best for: Writers interested in professional development and independent filmmaking.
Get Feedback & Talk to Other Screenwriters
Writing is solitary. Rewriting usually shouldn't be.
These communities can help writers exchange feedback, discuss craft, and learn from other people's experiences.
r/Screenwriting
Free Community
One of the largest online communities devoted to screenwriting, with writers ranging from beginners to working professionals.
Best for: Craft discussions, industry questions, feedback, and general screenwriting conversation.
r/TVWriting
Free Community
A career and craft-focused community centered on writing professionally for television.
Best for: Writers pursuing television writing careers.
Done Deal Pro
Community
A longstanding screenwriting and entertainment-industry forum covering writing, representation, deals, competitions, and the business.
Stage 32
Free / Paid Options
A professional networking platform for filmmakers, writers, producers, actors, and other entertainment-industry professionals.
r/Loglisted
Free · Loglisted
The community around Loglisted, screenplay analysis, transparent scoring, AI-assisted evaluation, and open-source tools for writers.
Ask questions, suggest features, discuss scoring methodology, report problems, or debate what screenplay analysis should — and shouldn't — attempt to measure.
Find Opportunities
Fellowships, labs, competitions, and professional-development programs can provide writers with mentorship, exposure, community, or opportunities to develop their work.
Requirements and application periods change frequently, so always verify current eligibility and deadlines directly with the organization.
Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting
One of the best-known screenwriting fellowship programs for emerging feature writers.
Sundance Institute Programs
Labs and development opportunities supporting filmmakers, screenwriters, episodic creators, and independent storytellers.
Film Independent
Programs supporting filmmakers and writers through labs, mentorship, education, and industry development.
Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition
A screenplay competition associated with the Austin Film Festival and its broader screenwriting community.
Humanitas
Programs and initiatives supporting writers and storytelling across film and television.
Television Writing Programs
Major studios, networks, and entertainment companies periodically operate writing programs, fellowships, and workshops for emerging television writers.
Because these programs change over time, check individual studio and network websites for current opportunities.
Research the Industry
Understanding how Hollywood works won't write your screenplay for you, but it can help you make more informed career decisions.
Writers Guild of America
Resources related to professional screenwriting, contracts, credits, residuals, working conditions, and the business of writing.
Best for: Understanding the professional screenwriting landscape.
WGA Foundation
Educational programs, archival resources, events, and materials focused on screenwriting and television writing.
IMDb
Film and television credits, cast and crew information, production history, and general industry research.
IMDbPro
Paid
Expanded professional information including representation, contact information, project data, and industry profiles.
Deadline
Entertainment-industry news covering film, television, representation, studios, streamers, deals, and personnel changes.
Variety
Entertainment business news, reviews, industry reporting, and analysis.
The Hollywood Reporter
Film and television industry reporting covering creative, business, awards, and entertainment news.
Protect Your Work
Understanding copyright and ownership is part of being a professional writer.
U.S. Copyright Office
Official information about copyright law and registering creative works in the United States.
Best for: Learning what copyright actually protects and how federal registration works.
Writers Guild Script Registration
Information about screenplay and written-material registration services offered through the Writers Guild.
Important: Registration and copyright are not the same thing. Writers should understand the distinction before deciding what protection they need.
Free & Open-Source Tools for Screenwriters
We believe writers benefit when useful creative tools aren't locked entirely behind subscriptions and submission fees.
Fountain
An open screenplay markup format.
Trelby
Free open-source screenplay writing software.
Loglisted
Free, open-source screenplay analysis and script scoring.
Loglisted Source Code
Developers can inspect the project, report issues, suggest improvements, or contribute directly.
Understand Script Evaluation
Screenplay evaluation can feel unnecessarily opaque. These Loglisted resources explain how we think about it.
How Screenplay Analysis Works
Learn what screenplay analysis can reasonably identify — and what should remain a matter of human judgment.
Read the Screenplay Analysis Guide →
What Does a Screenplay Score Mean?
Why two readers can disagree, why scores aren't objective, and how writers can use scoring without writing for the algorithm.
Read the Screenplay Score Guide →
Our Methodology
See how Loglisted approaches screenplay evaluation and why transparency is central to the project.
Loglisted White Paper
A deeper look at open-source screenplay analysis, AI-assisted scoring, transparency, limitations, bias, and our philosophy around creative evaluation.
Meet Other Writers
Writing communities are stronger when some of those relationships happen away from a screen.
Loglisted Screenwriter Events
Loglisted hosts networking events for screenwriters in Los Angeles designed around meeting other writers, filmmakers, and creative professionals without the awkwardness of traditional industry networking.
Explore Los Angeles Screenwriter Events →
Discover New Screenplays
The Loglist
The Loglist ranks eligible screenplays submitted to Loglisted by format, genre, and scoring metrics.
Writers can make strong work discoverable, while managers and producers can browse emerging screenplays and request an introduction.
The Black List
The Black List is a platform for writers to showcase their projects for industry professionals and get high-quality evaluations from vetted readers.
Built for Writers
Loglisted exists because useful tools for writers shouldn't always require another submission fee, subscription, or closed evaluation system.
We're building a free and open-source screenplay analysis platform around three ideas:
Useful feedback should be accessible.
Scoring systems should be transparent.
Writers should stay in control of their work.
If you have a screenplay ready for another set of eyes, you can start with Loglisted for free.