Good tips for saying the most with less. From YourScreenplaySucks.com
Using Find (Ctrl F or Apple F) in your computer, chase down these words in any form you find them. Losing them or changing them will strengthen your work.
“Find” spaceisspace should find only the word you’re looking for, not every “is” in your screenplay.
is · He is grinning… becomes… He grins.
are · The convicts are singing opera… The convicts sing opera.
the · Nacho hightails it out of the town… Nacho hightails it out of town.
that · Ralph can’t tell that she’s French… Ralph can’t tell she’s French.
then · She laughs. She then looks at Alice… She laughs. She looks at Alice.
sit· Sitting at the poker table, Doc deals the cards… At the poker table, Doc deals…
stand· The surgeon stands at the operating table and works… At the operating table, the surgeon works…
look· Cheryl is looking at Stephanie… Cheryl studies Stephanie.
just · I am just totally exhausted… I am totally exhausted.
of the · Tom sits by the entrance of the mall… Tom sits by the mall entrance…
begin · The tape begins playing… The tape plays.
start · She starts moving toward the den… She moves toward the den.
really · Betty is really pretty… Betty, hot as a two dollar pistol, struts in.
very · The kids sing a very old song… The kids sing a traditional song. (“very” means the following word is weak…)
ly · (as on the end of an adverb!) search for lyspace Also search for ly. and ly, as lyspace will not find an adverb at the end of a sentence, etc. Grade school writers go wild over adverbs. You’re past that now. Use them, um, sparingly. If at all.
