Handwritten scripts
There are various strategies to writing screenplays. All of which are valuable depending on what phase in the process you are in. In the early conceptual phase, an excellent way to approach writing is using a plain old pencil, index cards and a rubber (eraser for those outside of Australia).
This process was taught to me by a prolific Australian film director who swears by it for all of his screenplays.
Have a defined writing space, where you can avoid all possible distractions.
Wake up as early as possible to avoid all distractions - this early brain also is ideal for writing (some may prefer other hours of the day though).
Set a goal to do at least 1-2 hours of sitting at that spot without moving.
Using only a pencil and medium-sized index cards initially begin writing whatever you want to visually communicate, grab a new card for a new scene. Each index card represents a scene (a scene can end up being as many index cards as you choose, but once that scene finishes grab a new index card and number it whatever it needs to be numbered.
You should be economical with your word choices even if they are just ideas initially. But try not to be too much of an editor at this point (there's plenty of time for that).
Once you complete your session set the index cards up on a wall in order of how you imagine the scenes to appear on screen, (left to right most likely).
Then leave the room and continue on with your day. Return either later in the day, if you are blessed/cursed with unlimited writing time. Or return to read what you have concocted the next morning session.
You may edit as much as you wish but the main aim is to have the bare bones of your screenplay story on the wall. This will end up being a lot of index cards most likely.
When you do go to edit your writing the pencil and rubber are your tools to edit freely and focus on that particular scene only, as opposed to seeing a giant Celtx doc (screenwriting program) in front of you. It changes your perspective on the story you are creating and importantly allows you to be flexible with changing and improving the work. It is possible that most screenplays end up being in digital format too soon which may result in a potential for the writer to believe that the work is almost ready (some of the time).
There is a point of course where you need to transfer the index cards into a digital format. This is rewarding because if the steps above are followed then you will end up with a solid 'first digital draft' that has already had many iterations in analogue (if that is how we might refer to it). Of course, as I mentioned from the outset this is just one way to skin a cat, it certainly has helped Damien and I develop Unegen: The Burning Tree and I'll use this process for whatever I write next.