 | For many writers, too much time is spent at the end of the screenwriting process, re-reading a script and making small tweaks that won't have much of an impact on the writing. Changing commas, tweaking tiny details, what have you. But if you're smart about it, you can use your last few reads to fine tune and improve your script in tangible ways. |
We've listed a preliminary "Final Draft Checklist" below. If you run through the list successfully, you can make those final reads as productive as possible.
Keep reading.
1) Work on character introductions.
Go back to your character introductions and see if you can write them a bit more vividly. The audience will spend the entire script with these characters, so the more clearly you can introduce them, the better. Note: This doesn't mean spend half a page introducing your hero, nor does it mean that every character deserves a big introduction. Be judicious, but unafraid to take a minute with your more essential characters.
2) Work on major locations.
If you've got a location that recurs time and time again, go back to that first introduction and see if you've described it in a way that the audience will remember. The more the audience can visualize your big locations, the more involved they'll be in the story you're telling. *This is particularly true if you're writing a TV drama or sitcom, which will likely use the same locations over and over again.*
4) Brainstorm alts for important comedic/dramatic moments.
In comedy writing, writers often brainstorm three or four alternative punchlines for their jokes to see if there might be a better option buried somewhere in the minds. Then they can have the luxury of picking their favorite of five options, rather than settling for what came out the first time around. Don't write comedy? Apply the same logic to the big dramatic moments in your story. See if you can write better images, or snappier comebacks in an argument. Alts are a fun and productive tool when you're making a final pass on your script. But beware... Too many alts and you can find yourself down an unforgiving rabbit hole. Don't be afraid to keep your original line in the script if you think it's the best, and try not to be blinded by the 'ooh shiny' effect, where you like something just because it's new, not necessarily because it's better.
5) Scan character names for similarities.
You've almost definitely heard this before, and it sounds a little silly, but character names that start with the same letter can be very confusing to read. That can not only piss the reader off, but it can actually get in the way of the story you're trying to tell.
6) Get a friend to proofread. After staring at the same pages day in and day out, writers can develop a blindness when it comes to silly mistakes like typos. We see what's supposed to be there, rather than what's actually on the page. So ask a friend (or pay someone) to proofread... Carefully. This is an important task, so only assign it to someone you trust. And you should proof the script too! If you want to improve your chances of catching little mistakes, read the script backwards. It's an old trick, but it works.
7) Stop reading.
At some point, you need to lock your script. So once you're done with your checklist, create a PDF and make a commitment to yourself... No more adjustments. Part of being a writer is learning to finish gracefully, so you can move onto your next project (or at least hold off on any changes until someone's paying you to make them). With every new PDF you create, you'll feel a sense of pride that will fuel your next script, but to do that, you have to be willing to stop tinkering.
Okay. This is just a preliminary list, but it will make you an active, purposeful reader. And that's way better than anxiously reading your script ten times before you send it out, moving the same comma back and forth every time. What do you do before you lock a script? Comment below with additions to the list!
Go back to your character introductions and see if you can write them a bit more vividly. The audience will spend the entire script with these characters, so the more clearly you can introduce them, the better. Note: This doesn't mean spend half a page introducing your hero, nor does it mean that every character deserves a big introduction. Be judicious, but unafraid to take a minute with your more essential characters.
2) Work on major locations.
If you've got a location that recurs time and time again, go back to that first introduction and see if you've described it in a way that the audience will remember. The more the audience can visualize your big locations, the more involved they'll be in the story you're telling. *This is particularly true if you're writing a TV drama or sitcom, which will likely use the same locations over and over again.*
4) Brainstorm alts for important comedic/dramatic moments.
In comedy writing, writers often brainstorm three or four alternative punchlines for their jokes to see if there might be a better option buried somewhere in the minds. Then they can have the luxury of picking their favorite of five options, rather than settling for what came out the first time around. Don't write comedy? Apply the same logic to the big dramatic moments in your story. See if you can write better images, or snappier comebacks in an argument. Alts are a fun and productive tool when you're making a final pass on your script. But beware... Too many alts and you can find yourself down an unforgiving rabbit hole. Don't be afraid to keep your original line in the script if you think it's the best, and try not to be blinded by the 'ooh shiny' effect, where you like something just because it's new, not necessarily because it's better.
5) Scan character names for similarities.
You've almost definitely heard this before, and it sounds a little silly, but character names that start with the same letter can be very confusing to read. That can not only piss the reader off, but it can actually get in the way of the story you're trying to tell.
6) Get a friend to proofread. After staring at the same pages day in and day out, writers can develop a blindness when it comes to silly mistakes like typos. We see what's supposed to be there, rather than what's actually on the page. So ask a friend (or pay someone) to proofread... Carefully. This is an important task, so only assign it to someone you trust. And you should proof the script too! If you want to improve your chances of catching little mistakes, read the script backwards. It's an old trick, but it works.
7) Stop reading.
At some point, you need to lock your script. So once you're done with your checklist, create a PDF and make a commitment to yourself... No more adjustments. Part of being a writer is learning to finish gracefully, so you can move onto your next project (or at least hold off on any changes until someone's paying you to make them). With every new PDF you create, you'll feel a sense of pride that will fuel your next script, but to do that, you have to be willing to stop tinkering.
Okay. This is just a preliminary list, but it will make you an active, purposeful reader. And that's way better than anxiously reading your script ten times before you send it out, moving the same comma back and forth every time. What do you do before you lock a script? Comment below with additions to the list!