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Last week we exploded the First Myth of Screenwriting ("You got it or you don't,") which says that if you have screenwriting talent (which, of course, you all do) then it will present itself, full-blown, with your first (or certainly your second and without-a-doubt your third) script, and that one of those works (probably the first, etc.) will launch your prestigous and lucrative career. The reality is that (as with any other worhtwhile endeavor in life ) screenwriting takes dedication, hard work, and TIME to develop. And because of the insane nature of the entertainment business, in most cases it takes quite a while to work at all, let alone prosper.
The Second Myth of Screenwriting is...You Don't Have to Rewrite (if you nailed your first draft.)
Now I know that you all know this, and that you're rolling your eyes and have your finger poised over the mouse right now, ready to abandon this column. But, I'm telling you, if you're a new writer, you DON'T know this. And I can make this claim because, having taught countless students just like yourselves, I know that most new writers think rewriting consists of tweaking a character here, changing some dialogue there, maybe adding a scene, maybe axing another.
In reality, rewriting is a massive task, and represents just as much work (if not more) than cranking out a first draft. But it is doable. Here are the steps:
-Find two-to three reliable and HONEST peers to review your work (and this DOESN'T mean parents, spouses, or romantic partners who will simply gush and tell you what a genius you are.) It means finding (ideally) fellow writers or like-minded souls who won't hesitate to give you honest, constructive feedback.
-Gather opinions, and use your best intuition to figure out which notes are worthwhile and which are trash.
-Do the work. Be open to completely revamping your script, changing whole story lines, adding (or axing) characters, and other similarly huge changes. Then, when you've got another draft, get ready to do it all over again. Finally, when you've gone through this two or three times, be open to going back to your original draft and (if it's called for) putting everything (or just a few things) back.
-Then move on. Don't spend your entire life rewriting the same script. Again, develop your intuition and "feel" when your script is ready and can't be improved any more. Then go to the next screenplay. This way, you'll build up a portfolio of scripts, each one better than the last, until you have Critical Mass (we'll explain what that is later.)
These first two myths (and their corresponding realities) seem like downers, but not to despair. As we work our way through the remaining five myths, you'll also learn that part of the reality of screenwriting is that it's NOT as hard as a lot of you believe. So stay tuned! |
