Syd Field, the highly revered screenwriting teacher, whose books titled "Screenplay" and "The Screenwriter's Workbook" have occupied my shelves from day one (five years ago) is quoted as saying that the hardest part of screenwriting is finishing the third act of the first-words-on-paper draft. Writer's delay themselves in finishing this draft because they don't want to deal with what comes afterwards....the REWRITE!
I am suffering from this problem. Although I am delighted that the words are flowing very well to the enviable end, I find myself doing everything and anything other than writing to finish the first draft. I have been living and breathing this story for a long time now and it's almost sad to be finishing the first draft. It's almost done. The easy part is almost complete. What lies ahead is the drive through bumper-to-bumper traffic. That inevitable struggle of improving on what you've already written. THE REWRITE.
While I slowly progress to the end of this draft, I am reminded that it is recommended to print off the first words-on-paper draft, hide it in a drawer and take a week off. I am so overwhelmed and involved in the story that a writer needs separation from the work in order to gain a better perspective of what they have written.
But I am battling a full-time job which I primarily work until 9pm/10pm most nights and this is when I should be writing. So not only do I find it hard to write during the day but now at night also. But all is not lost. I am so very close to finishing that I am reeling in the soon-to-be accomplishment that is finishing my first draft.
In a week or so, I will be celebrating.......and then rewriting!
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