You’ve finished a draft, you’ve read it through, and you’re ready to make those major changes you know you need. But when you begin to rewrite, you find yourself unable to do little more than move some scenes around, add a beat here and there, and finesse the dialogue. You know you need more than a polish, but the changes feel overwhelming, because your script’s structure seems impossible to crack without causing the whole thing to collapse. What can you do? Here are some suggestions:

1. Start over.

If you put your first draft aside and start with a blank piece of paper, you will be surprised at how much this frees you up. Begin by writing an outline, as if you were starting your story from scratch. Add new scenes and make changes according to your notes, but don’t refer to your original. You will find that unnecessary scenes, sequences and even characters will start to fall away because you will only remember the parts of the script that really resonate with you. Use this new outline as a guideline for your rewrite.

2. Plot the subplots separately.

To ensure that you have developed every throughline to its potential, create a separate outline for each one. By working on one at a time, you can focus on it, as if it was the only plot. Make sure you have a beginning, middle and end, and that all of the potential beats of the plot are present in the action. Sometimes it helps to write these subplots out in a time-line form. You can then go back and weave the different plots together.

3. Use index cards.

This is one of the most common suggestions made by screenwriting instructors and coaches, and there is a good reason why. By taking the puzzle apart, you can look at it fresh and see how the pieces are really supposed to fit together. This type of activity employs the analytical side of your brain. Once you determine the correct order of the scenes, you can get back to the creative work.

You can use index cards throughout the writing process, from brainstorm to polish. Whenever you hit a snag or run into some action that is not working, step away from the script and use the index cards to work it out.

4. Work on separate sequences.

This is more worthwhile after you have employed any or all of the tactics above and have a clear idea of how you want your revised story to unfold. Sequences, like the script as a whole, have a beginning middle and end. They also have a structure: source of drama, catalyst, main question, turning point, resolution. If you work on sequences one at a time, you’ll be able to strengthen and clarify this structure, and thereby increase the dramatic tension of both the sequence and your screenplay as a whole. You will also end up with a plot that comes across as well crafted rather than erratic. (See the Buzz essays from September and October 2003 for more information on sequences.)

5. Try different openings.

Although this suggestion deals with only a small part of the script, beginning your story on the right note can affect everything that comes after. The opening is also one of the easiest things to change, because you really can start a story anywhere.

Set the first ten pages of your current draft aside and try any or all of these new versions. This sort of “play” can shake up your thinking and loosen the current draft’s hold on you.

- Start the story on page 11. In other words, make this (or whatever scene begins around page 11) the first scene of your script and go from there.

- Do the same but start on page 30. This does not mean you’ll lose everything from the first act, because you may be able to find ways to use these beats better later.

- Strike a completely different note. For instance, if the script now starts in action, open with a character scene instead. If the script opens with a long dialogue scene, find a way to start the script in action, with very little dialogue. If the script begins with an exterior, try opening with an interior or even a close-up. If it starts inside, try setting it up with an exterior instead. Focus on a different character than the one you chose for the first draft. If you have not already done so, find a way to subtly relate the scene to your theme.

The need for a major rewrite may not occur to you until a later draft. You may have done several versions before receiving feedback, for instance, and this is often when you first realize you need big changes, as was discussed in our May 2005 essay. There’s a lot of sweat and tears involved in such a big revision, but the effort is worth it, because it will help you bridge the gap between what your script is, and what it has the potential to be.