![]() “Flowery language” in coverage is one of my pet peeves. Notes in regard to race, religion, women, LGBTQ+, disabilities, and other historically under-represented or often misunderstood groups should be taken with a grain of salt, especially if it’s something you feel strongly about because of your personal experience. Just keep in mind that everyone can only offer from their own experience. You may not always know the gender, race, or personal perspective of the reader. I knew I could put that note to the side. I received feedback from a screenwriter that included a note that the racism in one of my scripts isn’t believable.īut who was my reader? They’re white and have not had the same experiences with racism as a person of color. I tend to write scripts with mixed-race characters because that’s my personal background and the kind of stories I feel we need more of in the world. Here’s an example from feedback I’ve received as a screenwriter. It’s also valuable to know the personal perspective your reader is coming from. Feedback from a general contest reader who may not be getting paid and doing the gig for experience may not carry as much weight as a former studio exec that’s been enlisted to find the top scripts for a contest. Knowing the industry expertise your reader brings with them is paramount to understanding which notes you may want to pay more attention to and which the reader may not be as strong in offering. Watch this Facebook Live I hosted in my Tea with Ke video series that goes in-depth about script readers - what they do, what qualifies them, the difference between a reader and a consultant, and more. ![]() Readers have such a wide range of backgrounds and experiences that there is no way to detail it all within this section. Who is the reader, what’s their background, and what experience do they have in the industry?ĭid you enter a contest, and the notes are from a faceless contest reader? Did you send your script to a manager with feature-producing experience? Are the notes from your screenwriting friend that’s been an actor but doesn’t have much experience on the writing side? Did you hire a script reader currently working in development at a studio to give you coverage? Get totally clear on the source of the notes or the person that actually wrote the script coverage you’re receiving. If there is only one thing you take away from reading this, it’s this: know who is giving you feedback. I hope to pass on some of that knowledge to you so you can sharpen your screenwriting game by knowing how to navigate feedback as a screenwriter. That experience unwittingly helped me learn how to receive notes on my own writing. I trained other readers in story analysis and helped them offer more effective coverage. I’ve read for just about everything: producers, production companies, literary management, contests, directors, major film markets, distribution, etc. Notes From the Perspective of a Reader/ScreenwriterĪ little background on me - I was a script reader for nearly a decade, working in development and acquisitions. ![]() It’s about how to not take it personally and forge ahead as a writer. Congrats to you for taking the time to educate yourself on how to navigate feedback as a screenwriter! It’s a skill all of us must learn to be successful in screenwriting, because the reality is that you could receive nonsensical or even offensive notes at times. Reading this column is already part of that process. You need to ground yourself in a place where you can receive feedback as the pro screenwriter that you are. You’re gallivanting in the oft-visited in-your-head imaginary screenwriter land that drives screenwriters crazy. Did they like it? Did they hate it? Will they say the parts you love are indeed great and they’re loving it as much as you? Will your script be torn limb from limb, and you’ll have to start all over from a page one rewrite? You settle in with a cuppa at your computer, heart beating fast as you click on the email, mind racing with all the possibilities that could be contained within. ![]() We all know the feeling - you’ve sent your screenplay to get someone’s thoughts on it and the day has finally come. The reply email has landed in your inbox! This is it, the notes you’ve been eagerly waiting for, the script coverage with the feedback that will illuminate the rewrite path before you to help you polish the screenplay you’ve worked so hard on.
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