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This week's Answer: I've
Been Working On The Screenplay All The Live Long Day Yes,
I do, Sarah. My advice may be a bit profound,
possibly too subtle, and you may have a hard time
embracing its message. But here goes. finish
your screenplay I
know that may be kind of deep and could take years to
finally fully absorb. And
do you know the greatest well-kept secret for finishing
screenplays is? I
certainly don't. But I do know this: Screenplays
are never finished "What's
that?" you say. It's the truth. Or
another way of putting it is that, once you
"finish" your screenplay, many others will
"finish" it. The screenplay is a
mercurial, ever-changing form that can, like a chameleon,
take on the colors of its background, the
"background" in this case being the agent's, the
producer's, the investors', the director's, the actor's,
the caterer's, your mom's, and so it goes. That's a
lot of background to blend with. Instead
of thinking about finishing your screenplay, another way
to look at it is to just keep writing it until, as far as
you're concerned, there's nothing left to write.
Then, in a way, the screenplay "finishes"
itself. It informs you. I'll explain by
providing a dialogue between you and your screenplay: A
Dialogue Between You and Your Screenplay You:
I think I need to tweak the second act and polish the
third one. Screenplay:
Oh, no you don't! You:
That's amazing. Did you just talk to me screenplay? Screenplay:
I certainly did. No more polishing. You try
being tweaked hours upon end and see how you like
it. You:
But I'm not completely satisfied with my writing and need
to keep improving you. Screenplay:
Improve something else. Improve your forehand or
your macrobiotic cooking. I need a break. Soon
all these others are going to want a piece of me. I
need a vacation before a producer gets his hands on me. You:
I never thought of it that way before, screenplay.
Actually, I have done a pretty good job on you as you are
right now. Screenplay:
Exactly. That's what I've been trying to tell you. You:
Now that you mention it, I am pretty sick and tired of
seeing you day in and -- Screenplay:
I get the idea. I
hope you get the idea. Sometimes the trick is
to sometimes know when to stop writing. I'm
enjoyed communicating with you. I must go now.
I have to polish my letter to my housekeeper.
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