How do you do your revisions?

I’m a fountain without a valve:

I gush on or shut off. 

 

After I frenzily finish a script, I completely ignore it for a few weeks. I put my attention elsewhere to cleanse my palette thoroughly. I make sure I have a lot of time with myself so I can hear my intuition.

Then, I dive back in. I’ll read and write and change pretty obsessively until I get it to where it “feels” right. Then I’m pretty exhausted again and I shut it all down, go to sleep, or go off to do something else.

This is me formalizing a structure to my natural creative process for your benefit incase it also happens to work for you.

The key is to trust your Self. Follow your intuitive desires, thoughts, curiosity, and inklings. I trust in my own timing as creator. I trust that when the time is right, this intellectual property will finish itself the way it wants to be, at completion. It always does.

It could be in the middle of a conversation with a new person, waking up thirsty, finally falling asleep after fighting against it, driving on the open road, walking, or doing any of the things I do in my life–  but my next moment of inspiration will strike. And the faucet whirls back “on” for it. Or for something else, and I follow that through, too.

It goes on in this cyclical manner for quite some time, again always until I get it to where it feels “right”.

 

The important things to remember are the things that SUPPORT your creation and the things that THWART your creation.

 

Fear, self-doubt, hating your self, hating your life, deep regrets, shame, and guilt will all THWART your efforts to create. If you’ve gotten as far as to have written and completed a screenplay there must be some part of you that is attempting to break free. If you’re being harassed by the above saboteurs, work on controlling your thoughts. It’s really hard. So work hard.

 

For those who live in and support themselves on the quality of their intellectual property, it’s of the utmost sincerest importance that your mental, creative, and emotional faculties remain unobstructed to creative genius and favorable decision-making.

 

So now that you’re creating or maintaining a safe place inside yourself where you’re loved enough to allow your individuality and creativity reveal itself, these are the simple steps to produce your best revisions (according to Moi):

1. After completion of the first draft of the script, leave it alone for a minimum of two weeks. If you have any genuine changes, insights, or epiphanies during the two weeks or more, write them down to get it out. Put them in the same place, like an envelope with the script in a drawer or folder, before directing your attention elsewhere immediately. The point is to get it down and move on as quickly as possible: spend only as much time as it takes to transfer the idea to physical paper. Do not linger on the story seeking new inspiration! 
2. Do things to continue to put distance between you and the story: Meet, find, see different people. Try things outside of your comfort zone; if you stray too far be sure to nurture yourself with comforting activities, food, and alone time. Watch movies, read books, drive, walk, re-focus on important relationships, help someone else, travel, re-enforce your boundaries, redirect attention to other revenue streams and businesses, and my favorite thing: learn. This is the best way to put distance between you and the story, stretching another brain map area by continuously trying. It’s in the trying. Get yourself “into” something else. Pick a new “thing”.
3. Okay it’s been two weeks, what now? If it’s been two weeks or you’re ready to come back and comb the script with your revision (whichever comes first), you will find that along with your script when you come back to it, you will have LOTS of changes to make!! Beautiful assortments of papers will not only re-inspire you, but further validate confidence in yourself. You will feel pride and appreciate that the time and care you put into taking care of yourself was instrumental in nourishing you to finish what you started at the quality caliber you initially wrote it. It will basically have revised itself.

What if I don’t have any notes? Have received no inspiration or insights? Can’t stop the thwarting thoughts crippling me with insecurity, fear, and unworthiness?

Then you need support! No shame, my friend. I might be able to assist you overcoming this intellectual property debacle, or it might be beyond my capacity to help you. You can give me the important details after the jump if you’re interested in trying something different. There’s only honest and confidential information shared between us, so if I asses that something else might work better, you’ll receive the benefit of my suggestion at no charge.

Try it, it might work for you. Let me know how it goes: Natalee@NataleeArteaga.com