I've been so busy lately that I've been working from the moment I wake to the moment I sleep. I keep thinking the end of the workload is near... but it elludes me. However, I've neglected the blog for a while, so I'm going to try to write some very short ideas (much to the celebration of many).
Here's a common scene in a scrīpt.
LINDA walks into the room, there is a bright ball of light in the center.
LINDA
What the...When I was a reader, I read these moments so many times I had a little ritual where I would read it out loud.
People don't do this. It feels insincere. And - the moment should say it all anyway. You can just describe how "The light shines on Linda's face as she stares in awe."
There are maybe twenty of this very common things - and a hundred more which are common enough. The important thing is not to have a list of them though and checklist to make sure you are not doing them. The important thing is to be aware of the sincerity level of your writing. Does it feel true? Could an actor actually perform this moment? Does the moment need dialogue or are you writing some dialogue forgetting that their face is on the screen and actors can exude emotions?