Screenwriting : How Many Drafts?? by Gavin Logan

I'd say do as many as you need to until you're happy with the finished product. But also, show it to people whose opinion you trust and take their feedback on board when you go forward. The script I'm working on now is in it's 4th draft, but I wouldn't have been able to figure out the kinds of changes I needed until I got some great feedback. If you do get to show it to industry people at some point, you don't have to say it's draft 18 or anything like that. I think that's somewhere you can stretch the truth. I often put the month and year as the draft identifier, rather than a number.

There's no magic number, each writer is different. Some people "Vomit" a first draft and then scale back, some plan their drafts more carefully. Do as many drafts at the script needs to get to a professional level. My tip - Write a treatment and character profiles BEFORE you start your first draft. It will help you with structure, close plot holes, focus story and build good characters.

The right number lies somewhere between 0 and 2,000. The low end means you are overestimating your abilities and will be appalled when someone suggests your story could use more work, The high end means you are anal retentive and lack confidence, and never intend to release your work into the world. My number is usually between 3 and 8.

Is this your first screenplay? I revised my first dozens of times until I could read it and had no more changes. Sent it to an agent and got signed. I hope that my next 5 won't require all the revisions that my first did, Hopefully I've learned more, honed my skill more and am not a rookie any longer.

Personally what I do is write and then revise a little, then send it off for analysis. I often don't agree with what I get back, but I do sometimes find some very valid points I hadn't considered. At that point if I think a major revision is needed, I'll put it in the drawer and move on to another project. If only minor changes are needed, I'll rework it until it sparkles (however long that is depends). Many times it's not until a few revisions in do I find the heart of the movie, a theme that was lurking under the text that hadn't yet presented itself. At that point I capitalize upon that theme by weaving it throughout the film and fixing any aspect that doesn't progress that theme.

I started with about 5 or 6, but right up through filming I have had about 12 or 13 new drafts as people have left the project, or joined!

@julio - 56 drafts! That's insane. You really should move on.

my rule of thumb is if you can't get it together after 6-8 drafts , its probably not going to to work for the time being. Lay it aside, work on something else. I have one script like that. I just cannot make it work!

Ahh Julio - If I had a dollar for every time I heard that...

Can be anything really- but rarely less that 8-10. Plenty of famous films in the 20s!

Yes, usually over 10 seems to be the norm after feedback etc. I usually get to three drafts before I go wide with it and then 4-10 are really iterations based on feedback. Even for our short film made last year I hit 12 drafts! haha ;)

I think we all need to agree first on what we call a new draft. Some people polish a little and count it as a new draft. To me a new draft is when I open a new file in Final Draft and revise the storyline. The number depends on the genre as well. I can get a straighforward romantic comedy or a TV pilot in 2-3 drafts and then just polish. However, a drama with complex characters or a thriller/mystery script with twists and reversal probably needs more than that to come to its full potential.

I agree with Irina. I don't count polishing or little changes as a draft, but if I significantly alter story events, that's when I'd count it as a new draft.

Yep, if I add new scenes or subplots etc I count that as a new draft, going through and just tightening up dialogue or spelling mistakes etc isn't a draft - I call that procrastination to avoid rewriting ;)

Usually about two or so after receipt of notes from "First Lay Down" of the whole story. The worst was 18 times. Happily that was only the once and for entirely different reasons.

Gavin - This might sound ridiculous... but... read your screenplay; bit by bit, from the end to the beginning. Let me know if anything very interesting happens.

Great comments. Good to hear everyones different opinions on the subject.

If you start with a solid idea and a good outline, you shouldn't need a ridiculous number of drafts. My latest feature is on revision #5 and it's pretty tight. Of course, #5 took me a month, so it's almost like 5, 6 & 7 combined. Of course that's just to the point I think it's ready to pitch. It'll likely get rewritten more as it moves into development.

At least 5-7 re-writes. Most of my spec scripts have been written 20+ times, based on notes and quality notes. If you have a script that a producer has optioned, then more. Screenwriting is a collaborative process, so you have many people to please. First, your story consultant (story editor), then a reader for a producer, then if it looks like it will go into production, a director, then your principal cast will insist on changes following a first read and then there is a table read during the last phase of development. I left out the number of reads involved if you're applying for grants, or if a manager or an agent wants a re-write along the way. Producers will insist on re-writes following their readers' notes. So figure on 20+. And this is if things are going well.

I'm on my 9th draft of my thriller and hope my manager will approve this one.

I usually do 5 or 6 drafts then send the script to Terri Zinner at afilmwriter.com She sends me notes and this focuses the faults and then I do another 3 or 4 drafts. You could go on forever writing. You get a gut feeling when you think the script is as good as you can make it.

It takes about a half dozen for me. In fact, I started an ancient Egyptian themed feature film (draft) that ended up being a Cable Network Episodic Drama, a Children's Education Cartoon Series, and an epic length drama. I found myself expanding the story from different character's perspectives. Call me a perfectionist... There is more than one way to skin a cat... and many ways to tell the same story. "The Most Beautiful Woman in Antiquity" is a feature length drama about Nefertiti and her husband Pharaoh Akhenaten the co-rulers of Egypt, who outlaw polythestic worship and force Egyptian subjects to only worship the sun god Aten. "Nefertiti On Trial" is the epic length drama (With Coptic subtitles) about Nefertiti's travails after Akhenaten is murdered, as she and loved-ones flee capture; during her captivity, and while she's on public trial for treason. [Perspective of a Ruler despised.] "Nefertiti" is the cable network episodic drama series that chronicals Nefertiti's life during her co-reign with husband Akhenaten; her own clandestine reign when she disguishes herself as Akhenaten; duing the reign of her child step-son King Tutankamun; and during the reign of her father Pharaoh Aye. [Perspective of a powerless powerful woman.] "Lil Titi If I Were..." is the Children's Education Cartoon Series about a headstrong smart little Princess Nefertiti who aspires to be more than a queen. The twelve part series follows Lil Titl who magically travels to our time and works on jobs in various professions. Series Goal - To encourage little girls to plan for their occupation futures and/or professional careers. [Perspective of a clever little Princess who wants to fulfill herdestiny using her brains ... rather than just beauty.] I asked myself which plot is most intriguing? Answer - From throne to justice seat. (With Coptic subtitles.)

I've never been asked what draft a script is at. A producer expects it to be at its very best when you present it to him/her. Having said that, I was told the successful Australian film 'The Castle' was written in 2 weeks. but having worked with the guy who wrote it, he would've had the story in his mind for a couple of years. 'nurturing it in the mind' is a term i like.

the first ever book i bough on screenwriting suggested 5 to 6, and every draft you focused on one aspect of the story. the Last being purely one of grammatical changes. Re-writes are essential. Writing is re-writing.

be careful to not write the spirit and soul from your story trying to make it perfect for the market with endless re-writes . When I was teaching screenwriting I found students who had a script they wrote from the heart rather than one they tried to write according to all the rules (which sanitized it),, always translated into a stronger film - always. Don't lose sight of the story's spirit.

I revise like mad! Sometimes I lay off of it for a couple weeks to write another script, and then go back to it with rested eyes. At any where at anytimes I could get an idea - a smart one liner and go back to it.

you MUST be in comedy Kate!!!??

comedy/horror maybe? Laurel and Hardy types in an Evil Dead scenario. I'm smiling at the idea---hang on, I'll write it!!

How long is a piece of string? I'm not a writer - I'm a composer - but I got this gem from a songwriters workshop once. The topic was re-writes. Apparently in the creation of the story that became the (movie) Sixth Sense, it was not until re-write number SEVEN that they got the idea that the Bruce Willis character should be dead! It takes what it takes man, especially in the pursuit of excellence! Good luck, and have fun with it! Best, Jordy

It's always good to get someone else to read it to get another perspective. If you have a friend who loves movies, get him/her to check it and see what they say. I've found this useful too.(but they have to love movies)

I also am editing my third draft and am totally in sync with what you're saying. My first one was fast and crap; second was a bit better. My consultant sent me back to the drawing board after it and made me study scripts from films I loved. That changed everything and I'm pretty happy with the third rewrite though I'm getting it more dialed in, concise and visual now

I wrote my first screenplay at University 2005 - still twiddling with it

No kidding? 8 years on the same story? Cool. I think it's time to cut it loose..I've been working on Changing Keys for about 8 mos as a comparison, LOL

I spent 5 years on and off working on NAKED BROTHERS and am now looking for representation for it. On the other hand, I spent only 4 months on DISTANT DREAMS and had it optioned by the first production company to read it.

Cool..Life's like a deck of cards.. the next draw might just be the card you're looking for

Yep, everyone's different. Hemingway re-wrote the ending of one of his novels 43 times because he had to "get the words right". Gabriel Garcia Marquez on other hand just sat down and wrote "One Hundred Years of Solitude" as if "it was dictated to him from above" and it came out just they way he wanted it.

The drafts never end though you need to know were to draw the line and say "That's Enough" and move onto other things. Chances are if the feature is taken up then you get a stream of edits from the Director.

I agree with Alex, everytime you read the script, you start writing it again. Best wishes.

Such great comments from passionate people..I think it's important that when we get further inspiration from above and other sources, that we edit and change the story, dialog or visuals to raise the bar..I've been reading many books that award winning scripts were adapted from which has been a great tool for enhancing my script

Jonathan, I know exactly what you are talking about, I was reading for the last two years. It has been extremely helpful and very informative. I am now taking my time in learning to write better "action scenes" when you love what you do, every day is a new learning experience. Best wishes in your screenwriting career.