Dealing With the Negative
Notes are hard. No way to sugarcoat it. They sting. You’ve put you heart and soul into your script, and all you hear are the negatives—what you did wrong or what is missing. What is really damaging is, as writers, we take the negative personally—we internalize it. We’ve failed. We’re not good enough. This is our default reaction. So, the first step is to recognize the way you are feeling and where it is coming from. You need to have a conversation with yourself, and work to create a positive frame of mind. “It’s not about me. It’s about the work. It’s going to take time and I will make it better.” Say it over and over until you chase the negative thoughts out of your mind. You’ve got to remind yourself there is a lot of good work in that screenplay, and you can, and will, make it better. You have to fight against internalizing the negative. Not an easy task, but necessary if you are going to re-ignite your creative energies.
The sooner you accept that you will rewrite your screenplay multiple times, the sooner you will be able to put the negative into proper perspective. It is equally important to allow yourself to write badly. As I’ve stated many places: “Perfection is the enemy of the good.” Forget perfection. Strive to be good and consistent. You will have days when your writing is remarkable and days when it sucks. So be it. It’s part of the life of a writer. Another truth is the more you write, the better you become—if you stay at it, if you are consistent, and if you see it as work. Writing is more about perspiration than inspiration. But if you have to be brilliant and amazing right out of the starting gate, then you are setting yourself up for a whole lot of disappointment. It takes a long time to become an overnight success. No one comes out of the womb with a finished screenplay.
You must be mentally prepared for notes. Steel yourself to the criticism that will be flooding over you. If you can, detach emotionally from the moment and listen, as if you were another person and this is not your screenplay. If you know in advance of a note meeting that you always planned to rewrite this screenplay, then you are already mentally prepared to do the work. (For more about how to gather and prepare for notes, in Screenwriting is Rewriting read the chapters: Notes and Working with Directors, Producers & Executives.)
The best way to deal with anxiety and a loss of confidence is to start working—make a plan—make lists. Taking action relieves anxiety. As explained in Screenwriting is Rewriting, gathering and organizing notes, creating a game plan, and revising your outline are positive steps to begin improving your screenplay.
Preparing for a rewrite is like training for a marathon. You need to get yourself ready physically and mentally. Mental preparation is essential. You’ve got to build mental stamina and desire. You’ve got to fall in love again—look forward to the work, and the chance to dig in. This is about your state of mind and attitude as you approach your rewrite. You can’t do a successful rewrite if you don’t believe in yourself and you don’t want to do it. You’ve got to put yourself into a “bring it on” state of mind. “I can do this.”
You may need some distance and time away from your screenplay before you are ready to dive in. You need to fill up the well. Exercise, go for a walk, take a long weekend, and clear your head before you begin. Clear a large block of time, tell everyone you love them, and then shut the door and get to work. Take your negative and transform it into the positive energy you need to bring to the work. You want a clear head and an open mind. You want to be open to new ideas and new directions, and you can only do that if open to surprises.
Also, let go. Don’t be precious with your words and your scenes. Don’t resist changing your work. Take chances and try different ideas. You’ve got your first draft and you can always go back, but first you need to more forward. In rewriting, things don’t always get better. Often they get worse, before clarity begins to rise out of the fog. (To learn more about the quirks of rewriting, see Screenwriting is Rewriting: Let’s Talk About Rewriting.)
Give yourself a break, and take a long term perspective. Your rewrite is going to take time and being impatient will not improve a single line of dialogue. Be a marathon runner, not a sprinter. You are in it for the long haul. Most importantly, believe in yourself and your vision. You can do it.
The sooner you accept that you will rewrite your screenplay multiple times, the sooner you will be able to put the negative into proper perspective. It is equally important to allow yourself to write badly. As I’ve stated many places: “Perfection is the enemy of the good.” Forget perfection. Strive to be good and consistent. You will have days when your writing is remarkable and days when it sucks. So be it. It’s part of the life of a writer. Another truth is the more you write, the better you become—if you stay at it, if you are consistent, and if you see it as work. Writing is more about perspiration than inspiration. But if you have to be brilliant and amazing right out of the starting gate, then you are setting yourself up for a whole lot of disappointment. It takes a long time to become an overnight success. No one comes out of the womb with a finished screenplay.
You must be mentally prepared for notes. Steel yourself to the criticism that will be flooding over you. If you can, detach emotionally from the moment and listen, as if you were another person and this is not your screenplay. If you know in advance of a note meeting that you always planned to rewrite this screenplay, then you are already mentally prepared to do the work. (For more about how to gather and prepare for notes, in Screenwriting is Rewriting read the chapters: Notes and Working with Directors, Producers & Executives.)
The best way to deal with anxiety and a loss of confidence is to start working—make a plan—make lists. Taking action relieves anxiety. As explained in Screenwriting is Rewriting, gathering and organizing notes, creating a game plan, and revising your outline are positive steps to begin improving your screenplay.
Preparing for a rewrite is like training for a marathon. You need to get yourself ready physically and mentally. Mental preparation is essential. You’ve got to build mental stamina and desire. You’ve got to fall in love again—look forward to the work, and the chance to dig in. This is about your state of mind and attitude as you approach your rewrite. You can’t do a successful rewrite if you don’t believe in yourself and you don’t want to do it. You’ve got to put yourself into a “bring it on” state of mind. “I can do this.”
You may need some distance and time away from your screenplay before you are ready to dive in. You need to fill up the well. Exercise, go for a walk, take a long weekend, and clear your head before you begin. Clear a large block of time, tell everyone you love them, and then shut the door and get to work. Take your negative and transform it into the positive energy you need to bring to the work. You want a clear head and an open mind. You want to be open to new ideas and new directions, and you can only do that if open to surprises.
Also, let go. Don’t be precious with your words and your scenes. Don’t resist changing your work. Take chances and try different ideas. You’ve got your first draft and you can always go back, but first you need to more forward. In rewriting, things don’t always get better. Often they get worse, before clarity begins to rise out of the fog. (To learn more about the quirks of rewriting, see Screenwriting is Rewriting: Let’s Talk About Rewriting.)
Give yourself a break, and take a long term perspective. Your rewrite is going to take time and being impatient will not improve a single line of dialogue. Be a marathon runner, not a sprinter. You are in it for the long haul. Most importantly, believe in yourself and your vision. You can do it.