Dear Writer,
For the past month you wrote like mad and didn't correct a thing in your quest to reach 100 pages. Now it is time to revise.
So where do we to start?
I find the start of each revision project to be filled with excitement and possibility. The characters that I've missed spending time with are suddenly my best friends again and we're packing for our revision road trip.
However, that excitement sometimes morphs into procrastination because I get caught in the "Which came first: the chicken or the egg?" dilemma. I want to get feedback before starting the next draft. But I don't want to send out a draft that I know has issues, which can range from simple typos to huge plot holes.
So I waste precious writing hours brainstorming, hitting note cards, and thinking rather than doing. And by doing, I mean rewriting. I think the answer is somewhere in between, and the best thing to do is polish this draft quickly and get it out into the world.
(If what I've described doesn't happen to you, and you know of a better way through the process, please let me know!)
I'll share with you the best plan I've found conquering any revision procrastination:
- Read Revision Frenzy. It is a helpful how-to on the revision process.
- Post your deadline in the Revision Deadlines forum (and write it on your forehead), set it as your IM status, and tell everyone you know. (My deadline is June 4.) Remember that whole deadline-and-accountability thing that Script Frenzy offered you? Try to get the same structure in place for your revision.
- Plan to share. You'll want to get feedback from a few sources; different people will inevitability have different perspectives. Let your readers know when to expect the draft. This will make sure that they have time to read your script but will also help you stick to your deadline.
- Find a carrot. There are a whole mess of things to do with your polished script, from putting on a show in the backyard to applying for a fellowship or sending it off to a scriptwriting competition. Pick something that matters to you and work toward that.
To help you on your revision way, our wonderful sponsor The Writers Store is offering Script Frenzy participants a 10% discount on Development Notes in June. To take advantage of the offer, call them at 800.272.8927. I will be checking out the Development Notes and will report back on my experience in the Revision Deadline forum.
Please join me in the Revision Frenzy. I would love your company!
Cheers,
Jen
Program Director
10% off at the Writers Store
Save 10% off your entire purchase on software, books, and those ever-elusive script supplies (Acco #5 Brads!). It’s no secret that your writing journey will be made significantly swifter with the right tools! To take advantage of these limited-time offers, visit WritersStore.com and enter promotional code FRENZY at checkout or call the store. These prices are good to the end of the year. The Writers Store will kindly donate 10% of every sale that uses our code to Script Frenzy.
