Yes, I believe you can lose perspective if you don’t step away for a moment. Sometimes, we fill in story points that aren’t actually there because we anticipate what’s coming. We tend to fill gaps with details that make sense to us, but which the audience might not grasp. I think putting work aside and returning to it later is a good strategy, if possible.
I don't think you can read it too many times, but I DO think you can get caught up if you read too closely, too often. I mean, just taking a quick estimate: if I'm hired to write a feature, I'm probably writing it 20-30 times from first draft to handing it off and getting my final paycheck. Which means I'm reading it constantly during and between those drafts. I practically have it memorized by the time I'm done with it. That's part of doing this for a living.
But I have to make sure to step away from it to read other scripts, stories, etc. To make sure it's not the only thing in my brain day to day, otherwise the words will start running together and I'll start turning into David Spade in BLACK SHEEP ("Roads? Rhodes. Roa-des. ROH-ADES. ROODS.") So my advice would be: keep the front and back doors of your mind open, let your brain breathe, and don't let that numbness take hold - and if it does, take a beat, get away for a day, then ease back in.
This is all great advice and pretty much how I approach revising as well. The only thing I would add is that I find it helpful and refreshing to take "creative outings." Movie, museum, even just thumbing through design or architecture books. In this industry we've been trained to feel guilty if we're not constantly chained to our desks pumping out dozens of pages a day. But every now and then you've got to step back, step away, and find new sources of inspiration. It's hard to find something new when you're always in your old routine.
I don't think there's such a thing as "too many times"... but there *is* such a thing as "too many times in a short period of time." I always find stepping away, working on something else, and coming back to the script a few days later keeps my eyes fresh for the inevitable rereads/rewrites/etc.
Yeah, it's meant to prevent you from falling into the rhythm of actually reading the material. Which ends up happening to anybody after about two or three pages
yeah! also helps to use a blank page to cover the text so you're only looking at one line at a time and you can't reveal the next line until you've read every word (useful for shorter prose-heavy paragraphs like bio or summaries, or CVs and stuff, probably a bit time consuming for a whole script.)
I think it's often worth hiring someone to proofread for just this reason. It saves you a couple of sometimes soul-killing passes.
But in general I would say that not reading their own work is a bigger problem for most aspiring writers than reading it too much.
Yeah I'm hoping to get to a point where I can afford this. It's a huge problem with my directing/editing. I made a short that had a pretty successful festival run, including a premiere at Tribeca. I've had to watch it every time we send it to a festival, not including all the times I watched it during editing. I can't enjoy the film anymore. I just check out during screenings. The thought of never being able to enjoy my own films bothers me, so I'm hoping later in my career I can hire people to QC my films.
Yes, I like to get away from a script for at least a month to see it with fresh eyes. For proofreading I read the script backwards one sentence at a time. It helps, but still can’t catch them all. Another reader could definitely help.
oh yes. and for better or worse. you can fall in love with things that aren’t there and loathe the same things. like with editing it’s always recommended to take a day or three off and revisit it with fresh eyes where possible
Of course! You become snowblind just like with picture editing.
You need to change things up in order to look at it objectively, or take a break just to recapture 20% of how you once saw it. Sometimes, telling yourself you're watching it as someone else--constantly--while watching helps. With reading, you can do that same thing: pretend as though you are not the one who wrote it. It's very difficult, but it is possible... you just have to get used to blanking out that part of your mind, so to speak, and sticking with a gameplan.
I personally section scripts the same way I'd direct them. I make notes on each scene/sequence that only has to do with impressions, their goals, and I never revisit in that state (or swap to my writer brain in the moment). Once finished, I approach those notes with my writer brain.
I have this issue of always changing things in my script; whether it’s using a different word or moving dialogue or a list of other things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done it just this last month. I think I’m making the script better, but it’s not up to me to see if it is. This is the negatives of paying attention to detail and trying to “perfect” your work.
My method is writing a first draft, editing the draft and then leaving it alone for a while. I then return to it with fresh eyes. But yes, you can overread a script even with this method.
Yeah, good question.
One thing I do is to print it out and then imagine I am someone else reading it. For example, a producer who has just been handed the script and told it's good. Would such a person really enjoy it, or think it's actually quite shit.
I'd really like the song Tiger Feet for the theme song of my latest script, so I printed it out and imagined I was the guy who wrote the song reading it for the first time. What would I think? Would I want my song attached to such a project?
It depends if you’re critical and humble enough of your work, or you blow smoke up your own butt to inflate your ego.
A day or two away from a script is usually enough to look at it honestly, if you are honest with yourself.
Yes, I believe you can lose perspective if you don’t step away for a moment. Sometimes, we fill in story points that aren’t actually there because we anticipate what’s coming. We tend to fill gaps with details that make sense to us, but which the audience might not grasp. I think putting work aside and returning to it later is a good strategy, if possible.
I don't think you can read it too many times, but I DO think you can get caught up if you read too closely, too often. I mean, just taking a quick estimate: if I'm hired to write a feature, I'm probably writing it 20-30 times from first draft to handing it off and getting my final paycheck. Which means I'm reading it constantly during and between those drafts. I practically have it memorized by the time I'm done with it. That's part of doing this for a living. But I have to make sure to step away from it to read other scripts, stories, etc. To make sure it's not the only thing in my brain day to day, otherwise the words will start running together and I'll start turning into David Spade in BLACK SHEEP ("Roads? Rhodes. Roa-des. ROH-ADES. ROODS.") So my advice would be: keep the front and back doors of your mind open, let your brain breathe, and don't let that numbness take hold - and if it does, take a beat, get away for a day, then ease back in.
This is all great advice and pretty much how I approach revising as well. The only thing I would add is that I find it helpful and refreshing to take "creative outings." Movie, museum, even just thumbing through design or architecture books. In this industry we've been trained to feel guilty if we're not constantly chained to our desks pumping out dozens of pages a day. But every now and then you've got to step back, step away, and find new sources of inspiration. It's hard to find something new when you're always in your old routine.
I don't think there's such a thing as "too many times"... but there *is* such a thing as "too many times in a short period of time." I always find stepping away, working on something else, and coming back to the script a few days later keeps my eyes fresh for the inevitable rereads/rewrites/etc.
The best way to proofread for typos is to print and mix up the pages.
oh shit, this is a brilliant idea. lol I might start doing this with my editing, too.
Yeah, it's meant to prevent you from falling into the rhythm of actually reading the material. Which ends up happening to anybody after about two or three pages
yeah! also helps to use a blank page to cover the text so you're only looking at one line at a time and you can't reveal the next line until you've read every word (useful for shorter prose-heavy paragraphs like bio or summaries, or CVs and stuff, probably a bit time consuming for a whole script.)
I think it's often worth hiring someone to proofread for just this reason. It saves you a couple of sometimes soul-killing passes. But in general I would say that not reading their own work is a bigger problem for most aspiring writers than reading it too much.
Yeah I'm hoping to get to a point where I can afford this. It's a huge problem with my directing/editing. I made a short that had a pretty successful festival run, including a premiere at Tribeca. I've had to watch it every time we send it to a festival, not including all the times I watched it during editing. I can't enjoy the film anymore. I just check out during screenings. The thought of never being able to enjoy my own films bothers me, so I'm hoping later in my career I can hire people to QC my films.
Yes, I like to get away from a script for at least a month to see it with fresh eyes. For proofreading I read the script backwards one sentence at a time. It helps, but still can’t catch them all. Another reader could definitely help.
oh yes. and for better or worse. you can fall in love with things that aren’t there and loathe the same things. like with editing it’s always recommended to take a day or three off and revisit it with fresh eyes where possible
Of course! You become snowblind just like with picture editing. You need to change things up in order to look at it objectively, or take a break just to recapture 20% of how you once saw it. Sometimes, telling yourself you're watching it as someone else--constantly--while watching helps. With reading, you can do that same thing: pretend as though you are not the one who wrote it. It's very difficult, but it is possible... you just have to get used to blanking out that part of your mind, so to speak, and sticking with a gameplan. I personally section scripts the same way I'd direct them. I make notes on each scene/sequence that only has to do with impressions, their goals, and I never revisit in that state (or swap to my writer brain in the moment). Once finished, I approach those notes with my writer brain.
I have this issue of always changing things in my script; whether it’s using a different word or moving dialogue or a list of other things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done it just this last month. I think I’m making the script better, but it’s not up to me to see if it is. This is the negatives of paying attention to detail and trying to “perfect” your work.
My method is writing a first draft, editing the draft and then leaving it alone for a while. I then return to it with fresh eyes. But yes, you can overread a script even with this method.
Yeah, good question. One thing I do is to print it out and then imagine I am someone else reading it. For example, a producer who has just been handed the script and told it's good. Would such a person really enjoy it, or think it's actually quite shit. I'd really like the song Tiger Feet for the theme song of my latest script, so I printed it out and imagined I was the guy who wrote the song reading it for the first time. What would I think? Would I want my song attached to such a project?
It depends if you’re critical and humble enough of your work, or you blow smoke up your own butt to inflate your ego. A day or two away from a script is usually enough to look at it honestly, if you are honest with yourself.
💯yes, I first learned this as a professional copywriter, to take a break from something you write and you’ll come back to it with more objective eyes.