Amazon debuts Storywriter: A Free Screenwriting Tool for Writing Film & TV Scripts

Amazon Launches Free Screenwriting Application. Amazon has officially introduced to the screenwriting marketplace Storywriter, a free screenwriting tool that can be used online and offline, for TV and film screenwriting endeavors. Users of the new application can utilize it on Amazon’s website or they can download a browser plugin that can be used with Google Chrome on PC and MAC. The screenwriting tool can be used to create standard format screenplays that can be submitted to Amazon for consideration (Amazon produces original TV programming and motions pictures), saved in the cloud, in a PDF, or printed out.

Final Draft is what most screenwriters use to produce screenplays but that software is not free. It will be interesting to see how Storywriter stacks up to Final Draft.

Additionally, Amazon will now be taking screenplay submissions from members of the Writers Guild of America and the Animation Guild as Amazon is ending its free option on script submissions.

The official press release by Amazon about Storywriter:

Amazon today announced Amazon Storywriter, a free, cloud-based screenwriting software for writers of all levels to create movie and TV screenplays in standard format, offering an alternative to costly industry options. Also, in an effort to further enable talented writers to present their work for consideration and to expand its search for the next great movie or TV series, Amazon will now accept drama submissions and will no longer take a free option on scripts submitted directly to the amazonstudios.com site.

Starting today, creators can simply log in with their Amazon account to access Amazon Storywriter. This writer-friendly software takes the pain out of formatting, with features including auto-format as you type and import/export of PDF, FDX and Fountain formats. Screenwriters can write online while their scripts are saved as they work, knowing all their material is being stored securely in the cloud. Additionally, they can write offline with a free installable Chrome app for Mac and PC.

“Amazon is thrilled to support the evolution of our creative community by offering advanced tools like Amazon Storywriter to assist both established and aspiring writers in telling their stories,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. “Amazon is dedicated to producing high-quality, original films and television series that customers love, and enabling more writers to obtain access to creative resources will ultimately help us discover great new talent. Just recently we were thrilled to debut the second season of Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, a kids show that came to us as a script submission. The show has been a huge hit with customers and a testament to the open door process—we can’t wait to see what comes in next.”

Amazon is always on the lookout for compelling new voices and interesting characters in series and movies that have the potential to become hits. Amazon continues to accept original scripts for feature films, primetime comedy series for adults, series for children between the ages of 2-14, and now for the first time also welcomes drama series submissions. In addition, Amazon will no longer take a free option on script submissions, thus allowing Writers Guild of America and the Animation Guild members to submit their original material through the online submission process.

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