How I Write A Script, Part 9: Second Draft

Here's another in a series of 10 posts about how I approach writing a script. Previous posts:

Part 1: Story Concept

Part 2: Brainstorming

Part 3: Research

Part 4: Character Development

Part 5: Plotting

Part 6: Outline

Part 7: Script Diary

Part 8: First Draft

PART 9: SECOND DRAFT

The second draft is all about fixing story problems. The problems can be manifold, but the typical issues I run into include:

* Story structure: Perhaps the first act is 45 pages long. Two big plot points in Act II feel too close together. The final act feels rushed. I spend a lot of time feeling my way through and reworking the story structure.

* Logic problems: Events happen or characters do things which don’t make sense. If a reader doesn’t buy that one of my characters would logically do something they do, then I’ve got a big problem.

* Lack of focus: This pertainS to the plotline, subplots, character functions, themes and transformation arcs. Almost always, in the writing of the first draft, a lot of this ‘stuff’ emerges, so the issue is really more about digging deeper into what I’ve surfaced, pulling together the various elements.

* Episodic: There will be sections or scenes within the script that feel episodic; this almost always is the result of that ‘stuff’ not having a strong, direct link to the Plotline or an accompanying subplot.

* Emotion: Is the emotional experience of the storyline working? Do I feel anything? Do I feel the right things? A script reader wants to feel something. What are the points of emotional resonance in my script?

I’m also always on the look-out for callbacks, lines or bits of action which I’ve uncovered in the writing process: Implementing those carefully in the script is a great way to provide both continuity and measure a character’s emotional growth. Plus, I like to kick around themes which emerge, see how I can best use those to tie together the overall story.

I may take as much as 2-3 weeks to break down the first draft. This can require more brainstorming, character work, plotting and the rest. If I need to, I create a hybrid outline to help steer the writing of the second draft. And then I write the draft.

In some ways, this is almost more difficult than the first draft because it represents a lot of grunt work, all the while knowing that there may still be story problems lying in wait. This is where I call upon another writing mantra:

"The only way out is through"

If I allow myself to get caught up in the enormity of the process, that can paralyze me. And so I focus on this scene, this page, and even this side of dialogue.

Once I start the actual page-writing part of the rewrite, it typically takes around 4-6 weeks to get to FADE OUT. Obviously, that can vary, but I want to make sure to take enough time to iron out the big story problems.

After I get done with the second draft, I will oftentimes give the script to a handful of screenwriters who are my friends for feedback.

Once I finish the second draft, I like to take off a few days. Probably a good idea to try to stretch it to a week to get some distance from the material, but typically I'm pretty excited about getting to my favorite part of the process: the third draft. And that's the subject of my last post on the subject which will be available tomorrow.