Avoiding creative burnout

Acid-tongued screenwriter Paul Rudnick (Addams Family Values) is Tinseltown’s answer to quip king Oscar Wilde. That’s why we asked Rudnick, who scripted the fall comedy In and Out, for pointers on how to stay creative in Hollywood. To wit:

1. Never believe anyone who tells you, ”This is the best first draft we’ve ever read!”

2. Reward yourself: For every three pages I write, I have a 3 Musketeers bar, read a few magazines, and watch some TV.

3. Laser skin peels.

4. When you’re asked to make a script longer or shorter, remember that anything can be made to look bigger or smaller by being creative with margins and spacing.

5. The single best way to remain creative in Hollywood is…don’t live there.