[...] Scott Myers reminds us the ultimate truth in Neil Gaiman’s quote… you can’t show something unless it’s finished. “Finish what you’re writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.” [...]

Well, I don't believe in the 'first' draft concept. It follows that your best writing should be what you get on the page first. Simply because, no matter how many drafts your script goes through, the person that ultimately sees it is going to say something like, "This is the greatest script I've ever seen. It will rewrite well!!!"

Mike, like I say, there is no right way to write. Every writer is different. Every story is different. One of the reasons I quote a variety of writers in On Writing and Screenwriting 101, plus include all of those audio, video and written interviews is to expose readers to all points of view. Maybe SOMETHING by SOMEONE will stick with this writer or that. For instance, here is a quote from screenwriter George Axelrod: “Writing is such a mysterious process for me. For example, I don’t use a computer, because I like the manual feeling of building something with my hands. Someone said to me recently, “Computers are wonderful. You can just push a button and change a character’s name.” Change a character’s name! In my opinion, you’ve got to go to court and throw the whole script out if you have to change a character’s name. The name is part of his identity. When I want to make a change, I retype the whole page. Each time I put something through the typewriter, it gets tighter and cleaner—and better. The first half of any script of mine has been rewritten forty—fifty times. That’s the way you begin to get the stuff to jump off the page.” So he rewrites and rewrites and rewrites while writing a script. Whatever works for you. That's all that matters.

Scott, I totally get that. I'm just not a fan of the term rewrite right now. I wish it would dry up and blow away. It goes to my total rejection of what the industry has become right now. Have you seen my latest post?