How do YOU write rewrites?

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • How do YOU write rewrites?

    I'm writing out the third draft. My method so far has been basically taking a copy of the previous draft and from that altering, inserting, deleting, rewriting, parts in favor of the revisions.

    There's other ways of doing it. You could start with a blank page and then, with the revisions in mind, conclude that anything you don't include from the previous draft was not all that good or not integral to the story. Or you could put one draft at one side of your screen and the latest draft your working on at the other side and work like that.

    Anybody with some material that they're serious about is likely to do rewrites - what works for you and what other methods are out there?
    "This kid is going to be big"

  • #2
    Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

    I make a list of all the things I want to change as I go through - sometimes I print out the script and mark it up, sometimes I just make a Word file with my notes.

    Then I open up my latest draft, save it as the next numbered draft, and go through the notes in order. I'm a big fan of doing things chronologically.
    Chicks Who Script podcast

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

      Chronologically works. That's pretty much my method in a nutshell.
      "This kid is going to be big"

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

        Bottom line, you have to be able to evaluate your own script. Each sceenplay is completely different -- and really that the problem with giving advice.

        The problem can be simply your execution of the story is wrong -- say you're writing a sports drama, but everytime you need to push the character forward the writer hasn't setup goals for him to complete. You're going to end up with a ensemble piece and no ending. Difference between TV and Feature writing.

        Another problem could be a character doesn't fit the piece.

        Most of the time it's that you didn't preplan or develop the script enough before you started to write it. Having a point to start with and one to end with(before you begin) is a great help... and even having 52 points inbetween to see how each scene plays off each other helps.

        Whatever I do is situational to the project I am working on...
        But this wily god never discloses even to the skillful questioner the whole content of his wisdom.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

          What Reddery said - it depends on the script, and pre-writing can save a lot of rewriting.

          Usually I do several rewrites, which are each part of a larger rewrite. The first is the "big picture" rewrite where I look at how the overall story works or does not work and make big changes if required. I don't want to rewrite some scene that will not end up in the script. Then I will do scene rewrites, and then character rewrites for individual characters. But there are also additional rewrites, depending on the script - if there's a mystery I also do a quick pass to make sure motives and clues are there and working.

          All of that so that I can sell the sucker and some idiot in development can say, "What if they were cowboys?"

          - Bill
          Free Script Tips:
          http://www.scriptsecrets.net

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

            I go over what I wrote the previous day and do little edits as I see them... or feel them... going back over the few pages brings me back into the mood/atmosphere/feel of the story so I am running at full speed when I get to creating fresh pages... then when I type FADE OUT I do the process all over again... until I can fly though the whole thing in one shot and at least feel good about it
            "you have to write right, right?" -- Todd Gordon

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

              There was a thread about this a few weeks ago - you should track it down.

              People seem to have very different methods of approaching re-writes. It can also depend on what stage of re-writing you are at and why you are doing it.

              Some writers evaluate the script, make some notes, then start writing from scratch with a blank script. Others re-work the script, keeping what they like and modifying what needs changing. I do the latter - I delete scenes and work from notes about what needs fixing. Perhaps I'm not confident or competent enough to start from scratch. Some writers also do a re-write that might focus entirely on story or structure and a separate re-write - often late in the process - solely to refine dialogue.

              One of the advantages of re-writing from scratch is that you don't fall into the trap of being unable to kill your babies, where you retain scenes or dialogue that have become favorites but which should be lost and without realizing it you write so that these can be kept instead of writing what's need to make the story stronger. In the end you'll re-write however it works best for you.
              "Friends make the worst enemies." Frank Underwood

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                Originally posted by reddery View Post
                Bottom line, you have to be able to evaluate your own script. Each sceenplay is completely different -- and really that the problem with giving advice.

                The problem can be simply your execution of the story is wrong -- say you're writing a sports drama, but everytime you need to push the character forward the writer hasn't setup goals for him to complete. You're going to end up with a ensemble piece and no ending. Difference between TV and Feature writing.

                Another problem could be a character doesn't fit the piece.

                Most of the time it's that you didn't preplan or develop the script enough before you started to write it. Having a point to start with and one to end with(before you begin) is a great help... and even having 52 points inbetween to see how each scene plays off each other helps.

                Whatever I do is situational to the project I am working on...
                That's what I do. I think of the idea, then the theme, then the beginning, then the end. I write an rough outline, then a rough draft and type a draft that can easily polished.
                "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                  I read through the draft and make a few notes on what needs to be fixed on what page. I then open another document and begin from scratch with my previous version printed out or in PDF form. If the second draft is good enough, then I"ll start editing on top of drafts.
                  what the head makes cloudy the heart makes very clear

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                    I generally make a list of everything I want to change or work on. If the changes are major - carving out entire subplots, replacing characters - I start a new draft, copy-pasting over usable scenes from the earlier draft. If they are less radical, I save the earlier draft as a new file and work from there. I normally work in passes, with each pass targeting a specific issue: Fine-tune Character A's dialogue. Fix a hook with no payoff. Make my use of ALL CAPS internally consistent. Etc.
                    Patrick Sweeney

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                      Best advice that I can give you that has helped me, print out the last draft of your screenplay and edit it by hand. This might be because my mother was a teacher and OCD with corrections.

                      Something about being able to write in the margin, cross things out and flow freehand brings a secondary sense to life, especially if I've been spending my time writing on my laptop.
                      "When you come out of medical school, you're a doctor. When you come out of law school, you're a lawyer. When you come out of film school, you're a waiter." - Jon Turtletaub

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                        Originally posted by KristofferDouglas View Post
                        Best advice that I can give you that has helped me, print out the last draft of your screenplay and edit it by hand. This might be because my mother was a teacher and OCD with corrections.

                        Something about being able to write in the margin, cross things out and flow freehand brings a secondary sense to life, especially if I've been spending my time writing on my laptop.
                        When I get down to the polishing & tightening stage on a script, I absolutely do this. Some things just pop out more on the page than on screen.
                        Patrick Sweeney

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                          If it's easy fixes like switching around scenes, taking out parts, adding to existing scenes, typos, etc I'll do it on the existing draft.

                          If I get notes that suggest a major overhaul of deeper aspects like storyline, plot, character development, etc I'll start from a blank page and pull scenes where they come in, assuming they worked in the previous draft. Usually if you try incorporate major notes into your current draft you won't change enough. Blank pages force you to build it from the ground up. It's amazing what you will see when you have blank pages before you.

                          My manager actually complimented me a few weeks ago when we were talking to my agent. He said that I was "great at implementing notes and wasn't afraid to kill my babies." I was surprised because I thought it took a lot of convincing for me to take out those scenes

                          I think the most I ever printed out was 3-4 pages of a scene I was messing with for my spec.

                          The truth is, is it's a different process for everyone. As long as you are getting results and improving your script with every draft then you are doing better than some.
                          Quack.

                          Writer on a cable drama.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                            Originally posted by reddery View Post
                            Bottom line, you have to be able to evaluate your own script.
                            This is what's hard, and this is where most people need some tools. I have my own approach, for what it's worth.

                            I make a matrix. There are as many rows as there are scenes and there are 3 columns. Column A is simply what happens in each scene - a sentence or two for each scene. It amounts to an outline. Column B describes - for each scene - how character and character arcs are developed. Column C describes how each scene contributes to the Theme.

                            Some of the cells in columns B and C will be empty, but if I see that I have six or seven scenes in a row with nothing in columns B (or C) I know that I have a problem.

                            And I know there's a whole community that goes ballistic every time Theme is mentioned, but look - if you have a coherent theme you can always write a logline!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: How do YOU write rewrites?

                              Here's my method...

                              Once I've reached that point when I feel I've done everything I can to make this script as good as it possibly can be, I break it up into 3-page chunks. I then spend one day on each 3-page chunk.

                              I treat it as a stand-alone document. One day, one chunk. And my only goal for that day is "how can I make these 3 pages better."

                              It's basically a page 1 rewrite but because you're doing it in small chunks, it doesn't feel nearly as daunting. It's only 3 pages at a time.

                              A month later, I have a final draft.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X