  | It’s easy to get bogged down in the rules and requirements in most screenwriting books. “Catalyst on ten.” “Something big on twenty five.” “Coy peanut butter reference on fifty four.” But all of these page counts ignore what should be your biggest concern as a writer. This article will focus on how to avoid the pitfalls of writing by the book: Obsessing over page counts. KEEP READING |
Why All the Fuss Over Page Numbers?
It’s easy to write an article eschewing the idea of working by page count, but that’s not the point of this piece.
Keeping track of where you are in your story can be helpful. And it’s smart to have a general idea of where your script is headed.
We often reference page counts in the notes we provide to our clients.
But that’s with the understanding that nothing is set in stone. We reference page numbers because they’re literally the only way to differentiate one page from the next, but we don’t expect clients to take these suggestions literally.
Always remember: Page counts are general guidelines, and your story does not have to adhere to them.
I’ll say that again…
Keeping track of where you are in your story can be helpful. And it’s smart to have a general idea of where your script is headed.
We often reference page counts in the notes we provide to our clients.
But that’s with the understanding that nothing is set in stone. We reference page numbers because they’re literally the only way to differentiate one page from the next, but we don’t expect clients to take these suggestions literally.
Always remember: Page counts are general guidelines, and your story does not have to adhere to them.
I’ll say that again…
It sounds really simple, but I know for a fact that writers slave over hitting the prescribed beats at exactly the right moments.
When Chelsea and I started out, we did exactly that. No joke. We would rewrite entire sequences just to land a plot point like Blake Snyder said we should.
It was totally insane.
When Chelsea and I started out, we did exactly that. No joke. We would rewrite entire sequences just to land a plot point like Blake Snyder said we should.
It was totally insane.
What Really Matters
Chelsea and I committed an entire library of screenwriting books to memory. Then we got pissed off when our scripts didn’t work, even when they followed every rule exactly.
Some of you may have had a similar experience. Or maybe you’re still learning. Still reading those books, and studying their lessons like Gospel.
But you don’t need to.
Instead, take a look at the problem that every single one of these books is addressing with their page requirements…
Most amateur screenplays are boring. They lack momentum. And nothing happens.
That’s it. They’re telling you when and where and how something should happen, but all you need to know is something has to happen.
In screenplays, something always has to be happening.
It’s that old ‘every element has to move the story forward’ idea, boiled down to basics.
It sounds dumb when you put it so simply. It’s almost painful to read.
Something has to happen. That’s it.
Some of you may have had a similar experience. Or maybe you’re still learning. Still reading those books, and studying their lessons like Gospel.
But you don’t need to.
Instead, take a look at the problem that every single one of these books is addressing with their page requirements…
Most amateur screenplays are boring. They lack momentum. And nothing happens.
That’s it. They’re telling you when and where and how something should happen, but all you need to know is something has to happen.
In screenplays, something always has to be happening.
It’s that old ‘every element has to move the story forward’ idea, boiled down to basics.
It sounds dumb when you put it so simply. It’s almost painful to read.
Something has to happen. That’s it.
Stay in the Moment!
As you write your next script, instead of worrying about when things are happening, or what’s going to happen next, ask yourself, “What’s happening right now?”
If the answer isn’t immediately clear to you, you’ve got some big problems with your screenplay, and you need to give your concept a tune up.
Focus on surprising yourself and grabbing your own attention. Think about your audience. What do they expect and how can you subvert that?
While it's of course important to know where you're going structurally, none of that matters if you don't know where you are.
Make it happen. Not on page two, or three or four. Right now.
If the answer isn’t immediately clear to you, you’ve got some big problems with your screenplay, and you need to give your concept a tune up.
Focus on surprising yourself and grabbing your own attention. Think about your audience. What do they expect and how can you subvert that?
While it's of course important to know where you're going structurally, none of that matters if you don't know where you are.
Make it happen. Not on page two, or three or four. Right now.
On that note, here's what I'd like you to do next...
1. Leave a comment. How are you going to apply this insight into your writing? Or if you're still feeling a little lost, describe your problem in the comment section.
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3. Most importantly, if you're not on the email list, sign up now. That's where we share the juiciest articles, updates and deals.
2. If you're a screenwriter, or if you're interested in screenwriting, follow us on Twitter. We often share links to discussion topics and articles we don't discuss here on the blog.
3. Most importantly, if you're not on the email list, sign up now. That's where we share the juiciest articles, updates and deals.