Scott, great article. That's my process of writing: When I write, I prefer to begin with a plot. I tend to think about it in a kind of "progression" of steps. 1) Three Acts (basic idea, nothing is really going on here. I'm still developing the characters) 2) Syd Field's Paradigm (increasing the steps related with the emotional of characters) 3) Hero's Journey and Archetypes (deeply increasing the steps, each one related with the feelings of characters - their past and view of the future [picking "ideologies" for the polishment of the archetypes[ What am I doing, accordingly to you? Outside-in, Inside-out or the best of both worlds? I never begin without a plot, but at the same time, I never decide the next step without characterization. Thanks.

Arthur, when you say you begin with a plot, do you mean you LITERALLY start with an idea for a plot? No characters attached? Normally I would think when someone says they begin with plot they'll say something like, "A guy has to live his life over and over again." Well, you're actually starting with character, too, because there is the GUY. My inclination given that idea would be to ask questions about the guy: What is his conscious goal? Probably to stop living his life over and over. Why does he find himself in this situation? There's something he likely needs to learn or some aspect of his psyche which needs to emerge into his consciousness. In other words, it's not just a random plot in my perspective. It happens to this guy because that's his narrative destiny. Same thing with plot points. Yes, they may be events that happen to the Protagonist, but s/he also make choices and do things that create the circumstances in which those events happen. So how do they make those choices? What type of thoughts and feelings go into those decisions? Why do they have those thoughts and feelings? From the looks of it, it seems like you make sure to get your character work in pretty early in the process and I'd say that's a good thing. Whether one would call it outside-in writing or inside-out writing, it's semantics. As long as you're not forcing characters to do things they wouldn't naturally or logically do in order to squeeze them into some preset sequence of beats, you're doing all right. But as always, the caveat: There's no right way to write a script. Every story is different. Every writer is different. The goal is to find what works for YOU. If this approach you have works, great and good for you. Thanks for your comments and best of luck with your writing!

Scott, Thanks for the answer.

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