4 Ways To Improve Your Screenplay
So, you’ve finished your feature screenplay! Congratulations! Just getting here is a huge accomplishment. Take a moment to be immensely proud of that stack of printer-fresh papers in your hand. Think about what the story means to you and how you envision it being brought to life. Your passion and your plan are twin engines that will power you through the next stage of the process: editing.
In my years of working as a creative executive, screenwriting mentor, and script doctor, I’ve read hundreds of scripts, and taken dozens more through the professional development process. Here are 4 tips for improving any screenplay:
#1: First 10 Pages
This one’s an oldie but a goodie – always assume you have around 10 pages to capture the attention of an executive or reader looking at your script. Most industry executives have something like 10 to 20 scripts on their to-read list at any given time; their assistant might have more like 20 or 30 additional scripts. Assume that whoever is reading your material is under-slept, over-caffeinated, and looking for reasons to pass and start reading the next script in their pile. Don’t let them! Create an engaging hook, make sure your unique voice is featured, and give a sense of your genre, your dramatic question, and the shape of your story in those first 10 pages.
#2: The B Story
While your main plot, also known as your A story, may consist of comedic hijinks, action sequences, or romance, the heart of your narrative, your B story, should be taking place right beneath the surface. The B story follows the inner emotional journey of your protagonist as they reckon with their fatal flaw. Structurally, your B story works in tandem with your A story – it’s a parallel three-act structure. When your protagonist faces their dark night of the soul moment at the bottom of Act 2, their answers lie in confronting their fatal flaw and ultimately making a change, which sends them into Act 3.
In an example from my favorite movie, the dark night of the soul moment of Fight Club (1999) comes when the Narrator learns that he and Tyler Durden are the same person. His fatal flaw is personified. However, he realizes that he cares more about protecting Marla than being with Tyler, and this sends him into Act 3. Make sure that your B story is just as tightly written as your A story, and that your protagonist transforms over the course of the narrative.
#3: Midpoint Twist
While most screenwriters are familiar with three-act plot structure, there’s a sneaky element that can sometimes trip writers up: the midpoint twist. It’s the secret ingredient that distinguishes an iffy Act 2 from a great Act 2. The midpoint twist should come around the halfway mark of your story, and it’s a false victory or false defeat that sends the story in a new direction. The midpoint of Fight Club (1999) is Tyler Durden letting the bar owner beat him up and giving out his first homework assignment: start a fight with a stranger and lose. This shifts the story from being about Fight Club to being about Project Mayhem, and marks the first schism between Tyler and the Narrator – lighting the fuse on a powder keg that will explode in Act 3. If you’re struggling with your second act, creating or revising your midpoint might be your answer.
#4: All Characters Need A Story Purpose
Character editing can be an extremely difficult part of the process – we all love our characters! However, a good way to pressure test your cast is to make sure that every single character has a narrative purpose. If your main character has a best friend, why are they in the script beyond being a sounding board for the protagonist? Would the story look the same if you took that character out? If the answer is yes, either leave them out or give them a piece of plot to work with, so they can have a meaningful impact on the progression of the story. This is especially important in comedies, where it’s tempting to include a character just because they’re funny… don’t do it!
This step is also essential for getting actors interested in your screenplay, as actors want fully fleshed-out, three-dimensional characters to inhabit.
In my experience mentoring screenwriters and editing scripts, these tenets come up again and again, highlighting three essential aspects of any successful screenplay – salability, unshakable plot structure, and purposeful character development. If you’re unsure how to get there, use these tips as a guide, and don’t be afraid of that red pen! 🖍️