You have a draft! Woohoo! Maybe you don't hate it. Maybe, even worse, you kind of like it. Because now the problem is: IT'S TOO LONG.

I know. It's painful to cut. You gave birth to your babies and nurtured them. But sometimes some of them have to be sacrificed for the greater good. Some of them have to go or the whole project can't become airborne. Remember, it's not an encyclopedia (unless you are writing an encyclopedia, then disregard this blog.)

In the commentary of Aliens (in this bloggers opinion the release version is one of the best movies ever made), James Cameron tells how they had to lose 20 minutes from his directors cut or the studio couldn't release it.