Let’s be honest: every first draft is trash. It’s supposed to be. It’s messy. It’s full of contradictions, plot holes, half-baked dialogue, and scenes that don’t quite know why they exist yet. It’s a purge—a brain-dump of everything you think your story could be. And while you might wince at the thought of anyone else laying eyes on it (embarrassing, right?), you need to embrace a fundamental truth:
The shitty first draft is where every great screenplay begins.
Even the best writers—those Oscar-winning, festival-darling, critically acclaimed geniuses—don’t get it right the first time. Nobody does. Michaela Coel famously rewrote I May Destroy You over 100 times (fact check: 191 drafts, to be precise!). That’s the bar.
But here’s the problem: too many writers—especially in Nollywood—stop at the shitty first draft. Or maybe they get to draft two or three, slap “The End” on it, and call it good. It’s not. It can’t be. The difference between a decent screenplay and a great one is in the rewriting. It’s in the grit, the grind, and the willingness to tear your work apart and build it back up—over and over again.
So, how do you make peace with the chaos of the first draft and transform it into something worth filming? Let’s talk about it.
Step 1: Accept That It’s Trash—and Keep Writing Anyway
The first draft is not the place for perfection. Your job is to write your story down—bad sentences, cringe dialogue, and all. What matters is that you get from Fade In to Fade Out. That’s it. Editing as you go will kill your momentum, and overthinking will paralyze you.
Pro Tip: Adopt the mindset of “progress over polish.” Screenwriting is a process. Every draft takes you closer to the story you want to tell, but you can’t rewrite a blank page.
Try This: Set yourself a goal. Finish the first draft in a month, or even two weeks if you’re sprinting. Lock the editor in your head away, and just write. Fast and messy.
Step 2: Take a Step Back—Let It Breathe
Once you’ve finished your draft, don’t dive straight into editing. Seriously, don’t. Give yourself time away from it—a week, two weeks, however long you need—to gain perspective. You need fresh eyes to see what’s actually on the page versus what was in your head.
Pro Tip: While you’re resting the draft, watch films or series in a similar genre. Take notes. Study structure, pacing, and character arcs. Let inspiration simmer without pressure.
Try This: Set a specific “re-read” date. When you come back to your script, read it in one sitting, like an audience member watching it unfold for the first time.
Step 3: Focus on the Big Stuff First (No Line Edits Yet!)
The second draft isn’t about fixing typos or fine-tuning dialogue. It’s about addressing the big questions:
- Does the story make sense? Is there a clear beginning, middle, and end?
- Is the protagonist compelling? Are their goals clear? Are the stakes high enough?
- Does the pacing work? Does Act 2 sag? Does the climax feel earned?
- Are the themes resonant? What’s the emotional core of your story?
Pro Tip: Be ruthless with what doesn’t serve the story. Scenes, characters, or subplots you love might need to go. Kill your darlings (kindly).
Try This: Write a new logline for your screenplay. If you can’t clearly summarize the protagonist, goal, and stakes, your story probably needs tightening.
Step 4: Lean Into Feedback (But Only From the Right People
You will hit a point where you can’t see the forest for the trees. This is when feedback becomes your best friend—if it’s coming from the right people. Fellow writers, trusted mentors, or industry professionals can spot things you can’t.
Pro Tip: Be specific about what you’re asking for. Do you want notes on structure? Character arcs? Dialogue? General impressions? Guide your readers so their feedback is actionable.
Try This: If more than two people point out the same problem, it’s real. Address it. But trust your instincts—don’t implement feedback that doesn’t serve your story.
Step 5: Rewrite, Refine, Repeat
This is where the magic happens. Rewriting isn’t just about fixing mistakes—it’s about elevating your story. It’s where good screenplays become great ones. The more drafts you write, the sharper your structure, characters, and dialogue become.
Pro Tip: Approach each draft with a specific goal. Draft 3 might be about pacing. Draft 4 could be fine-tuning dialogue. Break the process into manageable layers, and don’t rush it.
Try This: After every draft, write down what’s working and what’s not. Keep a “script journal” to track changes and ideas as they come.
The Bottom Line: Writing Is Rewriting
Nobody writes a perfect screenplay on the first try—not Michaela Coel, not Aaron Sorkin, not you, not me. The shitty first draft is part of the process. It’s the starting line, not the finish line. Writing takes time, patience, and a truckload of humility to admit, “This isn’t there yet—but it will be.”
So, get comfortable with the mess. Embrace the vomit draft, knowing it’s a rite of passage for every writer who’s ever gone on to greatness. Take pride in the grind of rewriting, refining, and pushing your story to be better. That’s what makes you a writer—not the first draft, but your commitment to making it the best version of itself.
Because at the end of the day, writing a truly great screenplay isn’t child’s play. It’s work. Hard, humbling, brilliant work.
Now, go write. Your shitty first draft is waiting.
