20d • Nate’s Notes
Discarding one’s ego when both writing and working with a producer…
Is monumentally important.
First, when writing, I have long noticed that including our ego when composing ANY type of writing is DEATH to that writing’s ability to be out there, be seen, and be remembered.
Recently, in several of the conversations I’ve had with the producer in L.A., he suggested several changes to certain parts of the first 40 pages: both in terms of specific character’s actions, as well as the structure or order of certain scenes.
In each instance, I was defensive at first, but the more I weighed what the screen story needed and considered the many ways a story can work, I saw how it could work.
AND since I’ve always seen the WAY we re-write a story as concrete that sets—I realized that breaking up the cement to repour it so it’s better overall IS PART OF THE PROCESS, whether or not we are rewriting on our own or with help from a writing partner.
NOW—-on the flip side of this, it is IMPORTANT to stand your ground when you KNOW a suggestion doesn’t work. There are many ways to both screw up AND help a story.
The more honest we are about our own work and the more we practice seeing our work through the eyes of others, the more we can be confident with our talent and ability to build stories.
Though writing the first draft is a DIFFERENT PROCESS, look at rewriting your work as being like a lawyer. The theory and storytelling knowledge and practice you build up? that’s your law school. Then, each story you re-write is a “case” you are proving (esp. since every story gives some kind of argument as its theme. e.g. ‘Forrest Gump’ : even the least of us matter)——and as long as you or your writing partner can clearly argue why a new addition or a subtraction or other change helps the entire story even as it changes one part of it, then as long as you’re being honest and without ego, you can be confident in the change.
Hope this helps!
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Discarding one’s ego when both writing and working with a producer…
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