for me, i have a would-i-keep-reading-this-if-i-were-a-contest-judge test.

it's a simple and surprisingly useful way of looking at a script or, really, any piece of writing. you have to have someone want to keep turning the pages, or else you're really in trouble, no matter how thematically interesting your work might be.

i really evaluate my work page-by-page, is this dramatic? is there tension? is there a reason to find out what happens next? if yes, keep going. if not, think more.

I actually think #4 applies to screenwriting. Just replace romance with the genre you are writing.

For me, I like to OVER-think while in Final Draft and OVER-OVER-think while in outline. I think how the lines sounded. I try to picture my "mise-en-scene."

In the end, I read it like I hate myself.

I don't. I'm a pretty good judge of quality cinema.

In addition to Scott's Mantra, hey you should copyright that, I think WE - as writers - should add:

Force yourself to write down your thoughts about the movies you watch. Be meticulous in looking for "plot points," characterizations as to genre, DIALOG, DIALOG, DIALOG, and the way the director works with the raw script.

If only I could give up my cushy web developer job...Not.