Stuck in a Rut

8 pages today, most of which were written after 12:30am (Wednesday). I'm not sure I like anything I've written in the last 10 pages, largely because it feels like filler.

Part of it's that I only did a beat sheet for the story (clocking in at 7 pages), but not a treatment. I don't know what my winning formula to an ace screenplay is since I haven't finished one. But I was tired of planning and not taking action, so I went for it. There's always more to research, plot out, or another book on writing to read before you start. The goal isn't to make it great. Not yet.

The goal is to get something on paper, revise, and then make it great. Still, I feel like I'm in a rut. I knew Act 1, really well in fact. That's the reason Saturday was so productive, and I got the remainder of it out on Sunday. I know some of where Act 2 goes, but it's way more broadstrokes until I reach the midpoint. And getting there, well... It's going slowly. I don't like the scenes I've done, and I keep wanting to go back and revise. But except for tweaking a few lines each time I start a new day, I'm not going back.

I just have to get to the midpoint, then I'm taken care of until the last 10-12 pages which will need some blocking out. I could also easily skip where I'm at right now and start from where I know exactly how things play out, but that seems anti-process. Part of me wants to spend tomorrow writing a treatment so I can follow it to a T for this draft, but I know while it's a good move, it's a day (or more if I stall out there) lost. That could be 10-30 pages I don't get written (or 2). So for now, I soldier on, trying to make it all sing.

The other part is that the recent batch of scenes either don't do much with character (outside of introducing a B storyline) or enough with plot. I don't know the dramatic need of each scene, and so it feels kind of pointless. I'm trying to approach each one with a goal in mind, but some just feel like they need to be there so I'm getting them out. But they're not essential in their current forms, which is slowing me down. I guess I'm terrified of writing 65 pages, rather than 140 and then trimming.

Keeping the end goal in sight, not to mention the threat of a shorn face, really does work though. I've been upset that I haven't had time to do much work this week because editing gigs have gotten in the way, but it makes me value the time I do spend writing that much more. And even if I don't love (or even slightly like) what's coming out, it's flowing and I'm not wasting time. So yeah, small favors and all that.

I'm up through page 34 for anyone keeping track at home.