Screenwriting : Working on the next draft by Ashley Byron

If the story can be told w/o the scene, cut it. Don't keep anything that doesn't further your plot.

Heather ok thanks for the tip. I am trying to get this script ready to send out.

These are questions I ask myself.

What do I learn in this scene?

Do we already know this? (Can I drop this scene)

A scene should push the story along while we learn something. If we are seeing things repeated, that scene should be dropped. For example, a person can only fall in love once. After that we must see that they still love the person.

Final question. If I remove the scene what happens to the story. Do we need what we learn in the scene for the story to make sense.

I'm currently in this position with my first script Ashley Byron I love each part too much, but the script needs to be cut down. I'm going to give the work to the good folks of stage32 and get some coverage and refine it based on their notes, and I'll gain valuable knowledge to improve my writing as well :)

I apologise in advance, it's not what you want to hear, but I suggest you put it away and start something else. You're too close and trying to guess at what someone else wants rather than you being happy with it. The more you write the more you learn. I've just picked up the first thing I wrote from 10 years ago and was surprised how much I still liked the idea, but I've learned so much in the time since that I can write it much better now.

You've got years of writing ahead, and everything you write will be better than the last. It's a bitter pill, and I refused it then, but I can serve the story better now with more distance, greater perspective, and more life lived to inform the characters.

Your first script won't sell but your best script might.

Take a rest, then polish it up. You first start with the cosmetics (the fun part) and then you gradually move on to the bigger parts. As most said already "do I need this dialog" or "is this action double or not". You'll figure it out.

Have someone read it. Sometimes we look at our script for so long, we don't see what we don't need. Also, ask yourself this "does it contribute to the end result. And does it move the story along?" If not, then get rid of it.

Thank you for all your advice .

Just keep at it. You will get it to the place you want it to be. It took me over 2 years to get one of my stories where I wanted it to be. At some point you just have to stop or you'll work on your script for the rest of your life : )

A movie is never finished, only abandoned. ~ George Lucas