Every writer, whether a screenwriter, novelist or poet, faces the daunting, often paralyzing task of the first draft of any piece of writing. The blank page stares back at us, exemplifying our fears of imperfection and inadequacy.
It can be very easy to feel overwhelmed with the task in front of us, to doubt whether our ideas our good enough, or to second-guess every sentence before we’ve even written it. But here’s a truth that we’ll all come to understand: that the first draft is not all about perfection, but about making progress.
The first draft is the foundation of our creative process, where our ideas tumble out unfiltered, characters come to life in expected ways, and our story begins to take shape. It’s no wonder that the first draft has a reputation for being messy, disorganized and full of flaws, but that’s the whole point of a first draft!
In today’s blog, we’re going to destigmatize the first draft, and discuss what one should look like. We’ll discover why its imperfections are not only acceptable but vital to writing our screenplay. We also like to be practical here at Celtx, so we’ll spill our best tips and advice on how you an embrace the chaos and start writing, whether is a feature film, short or TV pilot!
The Vomit Draft Philosophy
As we’ve already established, the first draft doesn’t need to be perfect, and that its goal is to push us forward in our creative process.
Enter the ‘vomit draft’, a term beloved by writers and screenwriters who embrace the messy, unfiltered nature of early writing.
A vomit draft does exactly what it says on the tin: a place for you to get all your ideas onto the page without worrying about grammar, structure, or even coherence. It’s about emptying your creative brain with no self-editing involved!
…shitty first drafts. All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts.
Anne Lamott (Bird by bird, 1994)
Screenwriter Anne Lamott is right with her sentiment: no one writers’ brilliant prose, screen action, or even dialogue, on their first try. It’s all about building a foundation for success later, and there’s nothing more satisfying than improving on a draft!
Tony Gilroy, writer of Michael Clayton and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story agrees with Lamott’s theory, that you don’t want to rush to the final product, and to not even touch the screenplay format until the very end of the process. In this lecture in partnership with BAFTA, Gilroy discusses how he prefers to write freely for as long as possible.
“If you go onto screenplay form and try to figure out your movie, it’s like putting on a tuxedo to go to a diner or something. I don’t know what you’re doing, I don’t want to be in screenplay form until the bitter end, and I’ll get to that at the very end of this thing. I do not want to want to put on my tuxedo until the very end. I want to continue to make a mess, I want to write an outline now. I want to write the movie. The faster we can do it the better. I’ve done it in as little as four days…These documents are 30, 50, 60, they can be 80 pages long, but it is the whole movie…it’s like every scene, that’s what we want. We want this loose, ugly, but really proper version of the movie altogether.”
Tony Gilroy
Check out his full lecture below!
In short, your first or ‘vomit’ draft of your story doesn’t have to impress anyone. In fact, it’s not supposed to!
By silencing our inner critics during this first phase of the writing process, we give ourselves permission to explore our ideas freely, even if they’re messy or nonsensical.
Common Characteristics of a First Draft
So, what can you expect from your first draft? Hold onto your hats, as it’s going to be a messy one. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing! Let’s explore what you may notice from a first draft.
Overwritten Dialogue
Your characters may sound like they’re delivering internal monologues than having a conversation. One of the very good reasons for this is that you’re still figuring out who your characters are and is a terrific opportunity for you to let them talk, discovering who they are and their purpose in your story.
Underdeveloped Scenes
Some of your scenes may feel flat or rushed, lacking the emotional beats or vivid details they’ll need in the final version. Again, we’re just here to build the foundations at this stage, so there’s a chance to enhance or improve what we have later on.
Structural Inconsistencies
You may find significant or smaller plot holes that you’ll need to reconcile later, along with abrupt tonal shifts, or find loose ends to tie up in later drafts.
Remember, all these flaws are essential. Think of them as the breadcrumbs leading towards a polished piece. Yes, it can be a real rollercoaster ride of emotions to reach the end, but it is essential, and you’ll learn a great deal about yourself as a writer.
Screenwriting extraordinaire Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, The Social Network) is also no stranger to the daunting feeling of starting a new story.
“When you start writing a first draft and you get to page 40 and you’re changing your mind about things – keep going. Don’t go back to the beginning. Keep going and get to fade out, because by the time you get there, you’ll have learned a lot about what you’re writing.”
Aaron Sorkin
Examples from the Industry
Sorkin and Gilroy aren’t the only writers who embrace the imperfections of a vomit draft. Many screenwriters in Hollywood have had their most iconic films begin as imperfect ideas.
Star Wars: A New Hope
With early drafts simply being named ‘The Star Wars’, George Lucas’ first impressions of the now cult classic sci-fi franchise were almost unrecognizable from the final film.
Luke Skywalker was originally a grizzled general, Han Solo a lizard-like alien, and the Force wasn’t even a concept. It wasn’t until after countless rewrites, that Lucas refined the story into the timeless space opera we know today.
Check out one of his early drafts from 1974, a whole three years before the first movie’s release.
You can check out the rest here!
Back to the Future
In early drafts of Back to the Future, Marty McFly’s time machine wasn’t a DeLorean, but a refrigerator! Well, more like a laser device called a ‘power converter’ which was housed in a refrigerator. This was then loaded onto a truck and powered by a nuclear blast.
The now-iconic car only entered the picture after practical and creative considerations during rewrites. One of these considerations was to do with safety, and mainly that director Steven Spielberg was worried that children would try and climb into fridges to be just like Marty McFly and get stuck in them.
Also, a DeLorean is much more memorable than a refrigerator! The decision was certainly a hit, with the car becoming an 80s pop culture symbol that we all recognize.
Juno
Diablo Cody’s Oscar-winning script for Juno underwent significant revisions, mainly in its tone. Early drafts of the movie leaned heavily into quirkiness, but subsequent edits brought more depth and authenticity to the characters’ emotions.Cody often talks about how director Jason Reitman had a huge influence on the overall tone of Juno and how he helps her create a balance between humor and emotional depth, particularly in addressing sensitive topics like teenage pregnancy.
“I feel that I cannot take responsibility for the tonal choices
Diablo cody
made in this film. I am not an experienced filmmaker, but I’m learning
that’s something the director establishes. My screenplay, I think, is
inherently quirky and twee because I was influenced by quirky, tween
movies when I wrote it. Then Jason came in and he’s the master of tone
and was able to strike a balance.”
Check out more from Cody’s interview alongside Reitman with CHUD.com right here.
These are just a few examples that illustrate a vital point – that your first draft is indeed just your foundation. The magic happens in the rewrites, where you’ll refine and reshape your story.
Editing in Stages
So, you’ve now written your first draft and you’re ready to start editing. Yes, the urge to tweak every sentence as you write can be tempting, but over-editing during the first draft stage often kills momentum.
Instead, focus on editing in stages once you’ve completed the draft, and have a key goal for each stage. Here is one way you could structure those re-writes.
Big Picture Rewrites
Look at the overall structure of your movie. Are all the major plot points working? Are the character arcs satisfying?
Address these broad strokes before you dive into smaller details.
Scene-Level Edits
Once your structure feels solid, refine each scene individually. Focus on pacing, emotional beats, and dialogue. Does each character in every scene have a clear goal? Do they drive the story forwards? Is every scene absolutely necessary in telling your story?
Polishing
Now is the time for nitpicking. Fix typos, tighten sentences, double check your formatting, and ensure everything flows smoothly.
That’s where your second draft will emerge, and you can start the process again. However, don’t run yourself in circles, and know when it’s time to stop!
Techniques to Help Your Editing Process
Here’s where the practical stuff comes in. Staring at your draft all day does have its limited benefits, however, there are so many tools on offer to you that can help elevate your drafts to the next level!
Peer Reviews
Share your draft with trusted friends or your fellow writers. Fresh eyes can look out for anything you’ve missed, plus give you constructive feedback on your script as a whole.
Invite your peers to collaborate and give feedback directly in Celtx
Storyboarding
Why not visualize your script in storyboard form? Use index cards or storyboarding software to help you map out your narrative.
Find out everything you need to know about storyboarding with our dedicated blog here!
Software Tools
Programs like Celtx or Final Draft can help streamline script formatting and organization, freeing you to focus on storytelling. Not sure which software is best for you? We’ll help you make the ‘write’ choice – click here to find out more.
Encouragement to Start
Sometimes the most difficult stage of the writing process is just starting. We all can recall many occasions where we stare at the blank page, agonizing on where to begin.
Here are some of our top tips to help you break through writer’s block and just start writing!
Set Small Goals
Don’t aim to write an entire screenplay. Instead, start with a scene or a few pages at a time. As you progress, you’ll slowly build momentum.
Love a challenge?
Check out challenges we created for NaNoWriMo that you can try any time of year!
Eliminate Distractions
Create a dedicated writing space for yourself where you can focus on writing your first draft. Make it as minimal, or cozy as possible!
Freewriting
Spend ten to fifteen minutes writing whatever comes to mind about your story, even if it is messy! Exercises like this can help unlock ideas and break through mental balance.
But most importantly, always remember your end goal! The first draft is just step one. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to exist. As novelist Jodi Picoult would say:
“You can’t edit a blank page.” – Jodi Picoult
Ultimately, finishing your draft, no matter how rough it is, is an accomplishment in itself! Embrace this messy, yet critical step in bringing your story to life.
The first draft is just the beginning. Celtx is here for every step of your journey
Need more help? We’ve got you covered:
- How to Write a Good Story Using the Five-Act Structure
- Does Your Script’s Title Page REALLY Matter?
- Mastering the Art of Screenwriting: Part 1 of Our Screenwriting Series
