All writing is discipline, but screenwriting is a drill sergeant.
Robert MckeeRead
Secure writers don't sell first drafts. They patiently rewrite until the script is as director-ready, as actor-ready as possible. Unfinished work invites tampering, while polished, mature work seals its integrity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Successful writers refine their work through multiple revisions to ensure quality and integrity.
This quote by Robert Mckee emphasizes the importance of patience and thoroughness in the writing process. It suggests that great writing is not produced in haste; instead, it requires careful rewriting and editing to transform initial drafts into polished scripts that are ready for directors and actors. The underlying message is that unfinished work is vulnerable to changes and misinterpretations, while well-crafted pieces maintain their intended impact and quality.
Themes
WritingRevisionQualityCraftsmanshipEditing
In practice
Example use cases
A motivational speech about the importance of diligence in creative endeavors.
More from Robert Mckee
All quotes →Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact.
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Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.
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Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story, of terrific characters and a world driven by your passion, courage, and creative gifts is still not enough. Your goal must be a good story well told.
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Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers break rules. Artists master the form.
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We rarely know where we are going; writing is a discovery.
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