No, not that kind, but it is something that can be just as painful and destructive. Gasp! I’m talking about cutting down your literary opus. For me, it is “Wild Space A Go Go.” The first read-thru by the cast is scheduled for March 7 and all of the creative team want to make sure that the cast has the best possible script.
Kurt, Valory and myself met last Monday and went over the script over beers, potato skins and whiskey/diets. One thing, besides the alcohol, that never hurts the writer is having a creative team that believes in the project as much as you do. In my case I am very lucky and I can only thank Kurt and Brad for the creative freedom and support they gave me.
Another thing all this freedom and support me was a libretto that is just too damn long. Thanks a lot, guys! Kurt and Brad agreed to cut down songs and I would tackle the book.
A friendly word of advice: Not every joke needs to get in the final draft. You can afford to save one or two for the next time around. There were times where I was so concerned about joke count that I piggybacked jokes in the same line of dialogue by the same character! The only result was that the better of the two jokes suffered. (Hint: It was something about showering in a bathing suit.) Well, jokes, in situations like this, were the first to go.
Another rule, and, if you write at all, you are probably acquainted with this one. If a line does not advance the plot, cut it out! It is painful, but not quite as painful as audience members, in the front row, getting up in the middle of Act 2 to stretch their legs.
It really boils down to how you approach the process. Thinking your work is perfect in early drafts is a rookie mistake. Approaching editing as an integral part of the creative process, will not only improve your attitude but make it easier on both you and your creative partners.
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