The Relief of the Finished Draft
I just finished a draft of my supernatural thriller, and I realized how long it has been since I finished a draft of anything, even though this isn't the first draft I've done of this script, or the last.
Still, I love the sweet relief of being done for the moment, the uneasy excitement at dishing it off to friends to read. The sense of dread and anticipation, of urgency mixed with the need to be patient.
In a few weeks, when I get feedback back on this draft, I'll pick it up again. Meanwhile, next on my writing agenda (which I'm determined to stick to) is to do a definitive version of my frozen time script, meaning that I need to take the stuff that made the past draft great, and figure what to add from it from last year's misbegotten attempt to follow the notes of a friend who was trying to set up a reading of it in Manhattan.
Then I need to tweak my other good script, "Touching Blue", so that it can be all it can be.
Hopefully that will give me three solid scripts to march into the rest of 2006 with. Plus I still have a lot of other scripts to think about. Should I go in and finally crack the story of my fantasy/comedy/romcom? Finish off my sexy/gross/sexy b-movie horror tale? Take a whack at the raunchy teen comedy that I outlined a few years ago, then set aside? Dive into either one of two projects that I've been brainstorming with what could be my first (long-distance) co-writer?
It's nice to take off the Scott the Reader hat (even if it is just for an hour or so here and there) and be Scott the Writer again. Here's hoping that 2006 is going to be a prolific one for both hats (and for you, too).
Now get back to your draft.
posted by Scott the Reader @ 12:26 PM
6 Comments:
Did you give yourself a treat? I always make sure to give myself some kind of treat when I reach a finish line.
"Scott the Writer" instead of "Scott the Reader". Hmmm. Maybe it's time to change your name and turn it into a self-fulfilling prophesy...!
Congrats. BIG congrats.
Way to go, Scott!
And I definitely agree with Chris. Treats are in order.
Congratulations Scott. Finishing is such a relief, and I know deep down you hope that this draft is THE draft, and at the same time know that another draft is inevitable.
At what point do diminishing returns kick in? When does an otherwise fine script go from great back to good on its way to awful?
On the subject of treating yourself, it's traditional to treat everyone else to a drink, so mine's a pint of Kronenbourg, ta! Well done on finishing the draft btw. :-)
Now that's more like it! I'll read it as soon as I can (which means the weekend after the Super Bowl). Of course, if the game is a blow out I could start on it by the dreaded half-bore show!
Here's your treat: Keep writing. Do not stop and rest. Even if it is just for an hour or so a day.
For which script to write next use this simple criteria: Find (or Choose) the idea you AND a studio (and producer) will get ridiculously passionate about.
Post a Comment
<< Home