I need shrinks

[Melvin Harris]

Recently, I came up with a seemingly amazing idea and spent a week fleshing it out. It was a great week until I realized that the idea would either end up as a convoluted mess, or a hacked to pieces shell that no one would care about. Since this realization, I have spent days and nights skulking around here reading and posting and not even touching the story... has this happened to anyone else or am I just a hack, I feel like a hack, like a hack that cares so much about what other people think that I am paralyzed creatively, I am a hack aren't I?

 

[Chris Messineo]

You're not a hack.

This is one reason why I always recommend writers bang out the first draft as fast as possible, before your internal critic begins filling you with self doubt.

Once, the first draft is complete you can spend as long as you want rewriting, but in my experience, if you stop in the middle of the first draft, it can be very tough starting up again.

 

[brianluce]

I am a hack aren't I?

Yes you're a hack. Feel better? Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get back to the writing business. First thing, sit down, shut up, and start writing your story. Don't make me mad. Okay?

 

[seunosewa]

Shut up and ... write??

 

[Melvin Harris]

Yes you're a hack. Feel better? Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get back to the writing business. First thing, sit down, shut up, and start writing your story. Don't make me mad. Okay?

Alright, alright!rogar-Shock(DBG):

Thanks...

geez

 

[Melvin Harris]

You're not a hack.

This is one reason why I always recommend writers bang out the first draft as fast as possible, before your internal critic begins filling you with self doubt.

Once, the first draft is complete you can spend as long as you want rewriting, but in my experience, if you stop in the middle of the first draft, it can be very tough starting up again.

No kidding. It's tough to kill the inner critic; I get pretty frustrated:badputer:

 

[alex whitmer]

Sleep easier knowing the first draft is often a hack-job no matter how many screenplays you've written. It's the 'fleshing out' as you say, and the foundation for the polished, 'unhacked' version.

Get it on paper and then read it over a few times. The glaring mistakes will soon surface.

I found by reading a printed version, it's easier to see the tech mistakes as well as the story flaws.

I'll gladly read it for you and give feedback.

Alex

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com
www.guerro.wordpress.com

 

[Huy Vu]

You know, I had a great idea once. It took me only two hours to finish the script. Then I filmed it and screened it and people started laughing at the parts that aren't supposed to be funny.

No you're not a hack. Beware of any script that sounds perfect on the first draft because you're most likely just kidding yourself.

 

[tmnt]

You know, I had a great idea once. It took me only two hours to finish the script. Then I filmed it and screened it and people started laughing at the parts that aren't supposed to be funny.

You directed Lady in the Water?

 

[Huy Vu]

You directed Lady in the Water?

No, that took me only an hour to write, and I was slightly drunk at the time :happy:.

 

[Melvin Harris]

Sleep easier knowing the first draft is often a hack-job no matter how many screenplays you've written. It's the 'fleshing out' as you say, and the foundation for the polished, 'unhacked' version.

Get it on paper and then read it over a few times. The glaring mistakes will soon surface.

I found by reading a printed version, it's easier to see the tech mistakes as well as the story flaws.

I'll gladly read it for you and give feedback.

Alex

www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com
www.guerro.wordpress.com

Thanks alot...

 

[mrWr0ng]

I just wrote a film trilogy and the whole thing turned in to a big convoluted mess with the last film being meant to explain all of the lingering questions left open in 1 and 2, but the actual draft not having explained any of those things and just adding more.

but hey, it's done, i know where the problems are, and now i can go back and fix them. you can't rewrite something you haven't written.

 

[Blaine]

Never, ever edit yourself as you go or you'll never finish. Make notes if you must but get the damned thing done...then edit (rewrite).

 

[DeSica]

You directed Lady in the Water?

Lol...the film that won't die...no matter how many times we shoot it down.

I know what the OP is going through. I'm supposed to have a script done by X-mas, and I'm only 6 pages into it. Haven't touched it in days...and didn't do much for weeks before that. I just can't get into it.

I think the problem was we (I) did so many versions of the treatment (46 pages/13 000 words, if I recall correctly) that I just got burned out on the story. I kept arguing for the next series of changes to be made as a script, so that at least we could move on to that stage.

Don't forget, what you call first draft isn't really a first draft. Many writers admit that the first draft they show to producers and such is often 2nd or 3rd re-write. Then the producers ask for small changes, and that becomes the official 2nd, 3rd, etc.