"Wordiness." This came up in another thread, so I thought I'd start a new one. I went back and rewrote the first theatrical feature screenplay I'd ever written. The original had roughly 20K words. The rewrite had fewer than 12K. That's like 40% fewer words! And here's the thing: Exact same characters, exact same story. Words are the screenwriter's arch enemy. Why? Because when a reader realizes he's reading, the "film" is over. I think it takes time to be able to write "lean." The writing needs to be clever. We write "long" because we want to make sure the reader "gets it." We don't trust ourselves. Yet. There's a large action film out there (can't recall the title) whose screenplay describes a long on-screen battle between two multi-thousand-man armies as, "They fight." That takes a bit of courage. Thoughts?
Screenwriting : How many words? by Hank Isaac
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I am currently reading The 40-Year old Virgin and American Beauty so I can get ideas of how to cut out unnecessary words. I am also learning how to direct actors and directors with my script. In the end, the script must be re-worked but we can certainly make it easier for others to read and enjoy the script. Hank you make a great point when you say a reader should never realize he is reading. My issue comes from my desire to spread my vision with others. Overwriting tends to eliminate the need for Directors, Casting Directors, Wardrobe and Makeup Artists, and nearly half of the production team.
I think I was the person who use the term "Wordiness" in a thread. It's not just how many words are used in the action for description, its also the ORDER of words so they make sense. @Hank, from 20k to 12k? How many pages is/was your script?
@Marvin: 120 down to 108.
I always write my first drafts "fat." I let my characters talk way too much. Sometimes they surprise me with insights or attitudes I had not foreseen. I then trim the fat in the rewrites.
Way to go Hank. Good jaaaaab!
Like I said... Wordiness...
Exposition is not a screenwriter's friend. You need to show the action and not tell it.
Amen to that!
@ Jacqueline... Again, wordiness