Mind Your Business. Michele Wallerstein

are too hard to do. If you feel this way then you need to find a different vocation. Give up the writing and go into selling printing supplies, or go back to being a lawyer or teacher or wrestler.

      When you receive rewrite notes from me or anyone else it is your obligation to yourself to push a little harder and spend a little more time to improve your work. This is only the beginning. If you are able to make the jump into professional writing, you will be given more rewrite notes by producers, story editors, development executives, agents, managers, and actors. The powers that be in the business will have you rewriting yourself to death. Or, if you're really lucky, you'll be rewriting someone else, for a huge amount of money.

      Do it and get used to doing it. Even if you never sell this particular piece, I guarantee that you will grow from the experience and it will add to your writing skills tremendously. It is a fabulous learning process that will help you immeasurably.

      Paul Chitlik has written a wonderful book, Rewrite, which will be of great assistance to you. It is published by Michael Wiese Productions. Go to www.mwp.com to order this book.

      

EXERCISES

      1. Wait two weeks after you've finished your screenplay.

      2. Read it through in one sitting.

      3. Think of how it could be better.

      4. Begin to rewrite it.

      5. Repeat exercises 1-4 above.

BEWARE OF THE PITFALLS 8