Screenplay Writing and Editing – What to Keep and What to Throw Out

Two key elements are of importance when it comes to the preparation stage of writing or rewriting a screenplay. Advice from Hollywood Script Agents involves details and the big amount of attention you need to pay them. The detail is what glue your script together or ruin everything.

When you finish with your screenplay, you want it to be consistent, articulate and refined. You want all the ends to be tied up perfectly. Loose ends are definitely things you don’t want in your script. Two things every script writer needs to decide are the parts he or she wants to keep and the parts that need to be cut off.

It is better all round to learn to do the editing before you submit your script to interested parties, according to Hollywood screenplay agents. The core to screenplay editing is to have knowledge of what to throw away and what to stick to.

Below is a guiding list to help you polish your script.

Stick to:

1. Key visual items and descriptions that the story can not do without.

2. Anything that boost and complement your story.

3. Plot links – without which you can not move to the next scene(s).

4. Conversations that, if cut off, make the story lose its coherence or meaning.

5. Characters with a specific goal that helps move the story along.

6. Any surprise you can provide to the audience. A script is not yet complete without a twist of surprise in it. It is a lot better if you can build things up to the revelation of such secret at the end. The smart practice is to drop hints along the way and show the audience the surprising truth as close to the end as possible. This naturally works very well with mysteries.

Throw away:

1. Visual items and/or descriptions that are not needed absolutely for your story to continue. There is no need to add such just because they are beautiful. It doesn’t improve your story and they may obscure the story you want to tell. The core idea of your message should reach your audience and not fall victim to confusion.

2. Anything that confuse or bewilder your audience.

3. Characters whose existence have no justification. If they don’t push your story forward or do anything significant, take them out. No need to people your screenplay with a number of characters as if there is a quota.

4. Meaningless dialog. Be consistent with the character you have created, make them say only things that they will say in order to push the story along. Each of your character is moving toward an end and the things he or she says should help open the way to this end result. Your story will acquire solidity and strength if you make use of these suggestions, according to screenplay agents in Hollywood.

There is hardly a second chance in Hollywood for love from a literary agent or film producer. Avoid any unnecessary mistakes and ensure that you are distributing the best of your work.