1.11: The First Read

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When you initially complete your first draft of the show you will want to sit down with the group and read it out loud. It will more than likely make you physically ill. You always think that it won't, but it does. Characters will be inconsistent, the story will feel jumbled and it is very easy to lose heart. Trust your process and your team! You have already done the impossible. You created something that did not exist. Celebrate your achievement and refinge the work.

Ask the group what worked. There are always elements that don’t work but if your focus on those your show will not progress, your team will pull apart, and you will lose motivation. Look at the elements that did work and build off of that. What characters came through? Which characters do you want to develop more? Which events really worked and can you make them better? Then, ask how can we rewrite the other scenes to fit with what we created and want to keep? Make sure that the discussion is positive and do not let it drift into a realm of negativity.

Some plot points may need to be reworked, you may find that a small side character fits better in a different role. Adjust and begin rewriting. Your process is going to be revising, the reading it out loud the revising some more.