You will often spend a year or more writing and rewriting your scripts. You’ve edited your own work and have given it several polishes. You then submit it either to a writing consultant or if you’re lucky, to a studio reader for notes.
by Steve Kaire
When you get the notes back, you are devastated. The comments you get are scathing. They inform you that your plot is weak, your characters aren’t developed fully enough, and your structure is lacking.
The first thing you need to remember is that your script is always a work in progress. And as painful as it may seem, many of the notes you will receive will really improve your material. More times than not, writers will send out their material prematurely even when they know in their heart of hearts that their script is not ready to be shown. They’ve written the script so many times that they’ll say to themselves that it has to be ready by now even though it really isn’t.
Many of the notes you will receive will really improve your material.
I had a writing friend who I would submit my work to for feedback. He would always be consistently negative about my material.
I came to expect that he wouldn’t like whatever I gave him to look over no matter how well it was written. But despite his overall negativity, he would be right about one or two elements regarding my scripts. And fixing those specific things that needed improvement was worth it even though I had to listen to a lot of other overly critical comments.
The bottom line in receiving criticism is to try as best you can to separate yourself from your ego. Decide what suggestions about your material to accept and incorporate into your writing that will actually make it better. Also decide about what comments you get back that you honestly disagree with and just disregard them as being off base.
Most of all, understand that receiving criticism and rejection is a normal part of any creative endeavor whether it be writing, art or music.
– Steve Kaire
Steve Kaire is a Screenwriter/Pitchman who’s sold 8 projects to the major studios without representation. The last project he sold, he’s Co-Producing for Walden Media. A screenwriter for over 30 years, he holds a Masters in Dramatic Writing and has taught writing classes at the American Film Institute.
Steve was featured on the Tonight Show’s, “Pitching to America” and was voted a Star Speaker at Screenwriters Expo three years in a row. His top rated CD, “High Concept – How to Create, Pitch & Sell to Hollywood” is a best seller. You can find his website here.
Jamie Campbell is an author, screenwriter, and television addict.
Jamie is proud to be an Editor for The Story Department.
Her latest series Project Integrate is out now.