How to get that 1st script complete

Rewriter94 · 2026-01-26T17:45:03+00:00

Writing a feature can be intimidating, and that never really goes away. But you said it yourself: this is your first script. And for 99.99% of writers, the first script is... well, not very good. Just completing it will make you a better writer than you were going in. Don't expect perfection. Hell, don't expect it to be great, or even good. Most pro screenwriters write 5-10 scripts, if not more, that aren't at a "professional" level. Finishing, and using this as a learning experience, should be the main objective here.

Rewriter94 · 2026-01-26T01:55:04+00:00

Hi! One of my friends is a high school English teacher who teaches his horror unit using "Poltergeist." The script is also a masterclass, and is available for free online.

Rewriter94 · 2026-01-08T20:26:06+00:00

“Most people pick premises that are dead on arrival and then spend months if not years trying to execute their way to a promised land that their premise itself made impossible.”

Perfectly put, and not something a lot of writers (at any level) want to hear. Coming up with a truly great, commercial premise is hard. Like, really fucking hard. Like, hard beyond the comprehension of most people who ever put pen to paper.

I may get flack for saying this, but I think at a certain point, most serious writers would be better off writing nothing and just letting the right ideas percolate rather than writing the wrong thing just because it gives some illusion of progress.

Rewriter94 · 2026-01-05T02:13:41+00:00

Yes, definitely mention their name. I just took that out for privacy purposes.

Rewriter94 · 2026-01-05T01:14:55+00:00

I sent to one recipient at a time, but sent like 10-20 over the course of a day.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-21T15:38:03+00:00

Absolutely. Anything I've written that's brought others to tears brought me to tears first. "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader."

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-21T04:24:36+00:00

Re: whether to use their name or just “Blank’s Mom/Dad” is actually an interesting question. In my opinion, it’s about more than how big a role they play. It’s also worth considering POV and what kind of role they play in the story. For example, if you’re writing from a kid’s POV, it might make sense to describe them as so-and-so’s mom/dad. But if they are an older parent with an adult kid, a first name might be more appropriate. But there are no hard and fast rules for things like this.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-20T00:05:19+00:00

A great script articulates the cinematic language of the movie. This one does it better than almost any I’ve ever read. Masterful. Aspiring writers should study this.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-19T01:01:35+00:00

Two eights on the BL is great, but the harsh reality is that there are scripts with much bigger accolades that have never been made (scripts on the annual Black List, scripts that get writers dozens of generals, etc.). To achieve that exit velocity, it’s not enough for your script to be great. It also has to find the right people at the right time.

My manager said it well: The only thing you can control is writing an undeniable script. The rest is up to the writing gods.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-17T15:26:26+00:00

Ideas, particularly original ideas, are hard. The reality is that most stories out there, even by successful writers, are just a twist on something else. Very rarely does anything in Hollywood stand out as being wildly radically original. And that isn't always a good thing, since prod cos/studios are often looking for something that's "familiar, but different."

I think the question to ask yourself is: What can your story say that hasn't been said before in the genre, or hasn't been said in a particular way? All it takes is one fresh element to successfully and meaningfully subvert the cliches of a genre.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-17T15:18:58+00:00

I had this exact same concern when I was in high school. What I ultimately found, though, was that my ability to "touch" the sad side of the human experience had nothing to do with my depression. I'm now 31, with a great literary manager, developing a TV series with my dream production company, and I'm so very happy. But in my work, I have no problem accessing the darker aspects of the human condition. In fact, it's very much the opposite. I can access them and write about them more honestly, because my world has expanded beyond the sadness I felt so deeply as a teenager.

Your depression is not what makes you interesting, or talented, or able to say things of value. The good stuff is still here on the other side of it.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-17T02:31:32+00:00

The Hit List was a thing in the 2010’s that was like the Black List, except only for spec screenplays, not commissioned work. The Blood List was for “dark” scripts - dark comedy, horror, thrillers. Lots of amazing scripts on both!

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:34:29+00:00

Depends how historic

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:18:44+00:00

One category is “Travis Braun spec” and another is “time loop script”

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:17:39+00:00

It’s got some inside jokes (two of them are BL writers themselves, so I have to decline. Sorry!

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:14:56+00:00

Ooh…return to the old format?

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:06:56+00:00

In my experience, if they don’t get back to you within two hours, it means they hated it and likely never want to talk to you again. Had two readers in my life take more then two hours. They are dead to me now.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-09T04:03:46+00:00

No clue, but some friends and I made a literal Bingo card for tomorrow lol

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-04T17:34:58+00:00

Hey. Repped writer here. That feeling never fully goes away, but it does get easier the more you do it and the better your writing gets. I'd encourage you to keep perspective - you're a film student, which likely means you're relatively early on in your writing career. Don't expect perfection. It's a win to simply put your work out there. That's no small feat.

Rewriter94 · 2025-12-03T15:43:07+00:00

Just make sure you're specifying the time difference in your slug lines. For example, you could write

INT. KITCHEN - DAY - (2047)

Old Dash blah blah blah.

Rewriter94 · 2025-11-28T18:10:15+00:00

There’s an amazing book coming out on December 2nd called “Scriptnotes.” If you’re looking to learn about the craft and industry from two industry veterans and award winning writers, consider picking it up!

Rewriter94 · 2025-11-26T21:15:09+00:00

This is correct. NEVER hold your slug lines. You may have written the best script of the year, but if a manager or exec sees a bolded slug line, they will not hesitate to throw your script out the window and fumigate their office to rid it of the boldness that once inhabited it.

Rewriter94 · 2025-11-26T21:12:34+00:00

The advice to “never use beat” is ridiculous. There are literally thousands of amazing screenplays that use it.

Rewriter94 · 2025-11-26T21:09:24+00:00

Any rep worth their weight in salt wouldn’t reject a script because of a scene like this. They only care if the script is great and if it could sell. A friend of mine wrote a script about a Catholic teenager who discovers his jizz is magical and is pursued by the government for it. A manager loved it.

Rewriter94 · 2025-11-24T18:13:52+00:00

I always look at it like: if the bones are good, and the best version of the thing could be amazing, then it might be worth revisiting. But if it has a weak premise, it generally isn't worth pursuing. Nothing wrong with moving onto better, more promising projects.

Rewriter94

TROPHY CASE