Screenwriting : Feedback from Screenwriting Competitions: Bad notes? Or am I overly defensive? by René S. Garcia, Jr.

You should be writing for the screen and not the reader, after all, when you're hired by a studio, you'll be writing for the screen and not the reader. Don't try to satisfy the reader as each reader is different so if you keep to the same standard and write for the screen, you should be safe.

I've never seen the value in anonymous feedback. How are you supposed to evaluate the value of the feedback when you can't evaluate the person giving the feedback?

If the reader is genuinely suggesting the acts should break on a specific page (rather than just falling within the usual boundaries) I'd disregard their feedback and the competition. However, if you've got some really oddly proportioned acts, then you should probably listen to them.

I would advise you to get advice on your script BEFORE you enter a competition. Some let you re-enter your script after getting feedback but I think it's better to use a third-party- start with your inner circle then get a couple of professionals to read it. My biggest piece of advice is- have patience. Don't be in a rush to submit your script to contests or agents. When you finish your next draft, get it read, sit on it for a couple of weeks while you do something else (go on a holiday) then come back to it. You will inevitably find a way to improve it you didn't see before. Also, enter small competitions first and see how you go before you enter the big important ones. Good luck! :-)

1. Depending on the competition, not all readers are professional readers. You cannot always rely that the feedback comes from a person who knows how to evaluate story. 2. Are you writing to win competitions, or for some other reason? If you want to write just to win competitions you can try a more prototypical script, but even competitions are fickle with what they want. 3. If you're getting the same note from more than one person, then something's probably wrong. It may not be what the note says, but it'll be worth the effort to figure it out. 4. I think everyone has a preconceived notion of how every story will play out. We really want to be surprised and fascinated, and as writers we need to lead people to the surprise and fascination in a way that the viewer/reader never notices. So get more feedback (honest, face-to-face if you can find it) and see if it's the reader, or if the story's path doesn't quite do what you intend for it to do.

Try and get a reader to evalute the script on 'fun factor' vs boring factor. I know this is subjective, but this is also important. The reader would go through each page and write on that page a percenage number. I'd do that for others who were interested. I'd write two numbers. The first number reflected reading fun factor and the other screen/visual fun factor. Notes are important, yes, but if the pages are boring read or contain boring scenes then you have a speed bump in your script. It's hard for you to figure this out on your own as you're too close to your own script. Once the fun factor is at max range then I'd take it to a reader for their notes. That is what I'd do at least.

It really depends on the competition. All competitions have reader guidelines (generated by experienced leaders), some instruct readers to adhere to those guidelines as gospel. I have turned down working for some competitions because of their 'templated' feedback. So without knowing what competition you're talking about it's hard to say. Remember, it's a very subjective process, but everyone recognizes a story when it's truly a good one.

Take it with a grain of salt and move on. Last year I entered one screenplay in five contests that gave feedback: Three had most of the same comments for improvements that I took to heart, one had other comments that were somewhat useful, one was so totally not about my story I wondered if he even read it or sent me the wrong notes.

"Bad notes or sound advice?" It's nothing personal either way. Learn how to discern your coverage. Which notes work for your story and which notes don't. Without being overly defensive.

Take the advice that you feel works and disregard the other stuff. My script used to get a lot of "it's a slasher, but it's a good slasher" feedback. I quit going to those contests because that showed me they are biased against horror.

Justin horror makes good money and are in high demand. There are constant contests open for horrors. Why would they be biased against horrors? It sounds like they are biased against slasher scripts. Sashers are challenging to pull off and the fact they told you it is a good slasher is a great thing. I think in this case, it would need to be an amazing slasher to win. Tough sub-genera for sure, but you can always sell it or produce it yourself, and then move on to the next script.

The way it was worded often threw me off. Now that I'm entering in more horror oriented contests, I'm getting more constructive feedback. The coverage I got from Shriekfest last year helped me shape it into a better script and I made it to the semifinals of both Shriekfest and New Blood this year.

Every year for the past 7 years I've gotten coverage from 3 companies: Scriptapalooza, Scriptcoverage, and Wildsound. And it's always very different coverage. I always do great at Wildsound. But they're the cheapest. Go figure! The thing is: we must know our story so well we know which notes work and which notes don't. This is a very subjective business, my friend. But like RB says, all you need is one champion of your work.

The only contest I entered I had 24 hours to write the script before the final deadline. I sat all night typing it from the scratch then I sent it. You can guess it tanked, but I learned a few worthy pointers from the notes, and I got a good starting draft for a better script should I ever decide to revisit it. In the end, contests aren't a sale, nor the only way to make a sale, nor a final judgment of the script or your worth as a writer. They are a fun way for talent hunters to find new money making scripts while making extra $$ on the side and its a way for writers to push themselves to the limit to come out with amazing new scripts. It's both a business and a fun event. Don't let it get you down.

When I'm watching a movie, I don't notice problems unless the movie is boring me or just not working. Then I try to figure out why.

I feel your pain Rene. But I don’t think that the feedback you got is any worse than the writers of ADAPTATION, MEMENTO, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, and many others received. Well known successful writers like Charlie Kaufman have been called total psychopath, insane and a lot worse by cookie mold readers. Stay true to yourself.

James Chalker for me has the best point. I want to write specifically to maximum potential. If somebody comes with feedback... and then another and then another... ? This is what happens with feedback. Sometimes it's just the market. The majority of films that are out in terms of dialogue wouldn't reach where I am heading or where I see. So it's almost like the feedback is irrelevant. George Clooney is George Clooney and that's his style. He is, his act and so is Brad Pitt. A lot of people act as though there is a way to write for screen with all the nonsense around it. If you can tell a story with friends and hold the group and make it entertaining you can write a screenplay. Your story will bring joy to your audience, your friends, even strangers. Sometimes the market is not ready, there are so many variables it's sublime. Though if your target is to reach the level of scriptwriting already out there, then maybe with feedback and coverage it may be helped, hopefully in the direction you want it. Write with passion Mr.

If the target audience isn't "ready" for your film one can always manipulate the target audiences perceptions of the film with a good advertising campaign. it's been done before. making people think that a thoughtful drama about the inner moral battle of a generation at war is actually an action film about blowing stuff up and maiming people.

I appreciate everyone's feedback. It's nice to be surrounded by like-minded individuals. Good luck with your projects.

Sadly, if you are an un-produced writer, the avg reader is looking for sign-post, plot points, turning points (whichever style they adhere to). What many of us don't like about movies is that they are so formula driven. Execs are terrified of having a flop, so they want what has worked in the past. Thus, a new voice (say a Tarantino) almost has to produce his own stuff to get noticed and accepted. If you are a Tarantino, you can write what you want, how you want and the studios will like it. Not because of the lopsided act breaks, and twisted plots, etc., but because you are Tarantino. So my advice (one script optioned, three as competition finalists - non produced), write what you know and moves you. Keep in mind that certain things are expected to be seen in the script of an unknown writer - go ahead and do those things. If you lose the drive for your story because someone wants you to change things, then stop right now. The minute I optioned my first script, I had to make major changes to the story. A new set of notes every new draft. I wrote twelve drafts as the script wandered its way through Universal, Columbia and Dreamworks, before ending up as a TV pilot at Paramount TV (where it languishes unmade). Writing movies is all about rewriting. Unless you want to raise funds and control the project, you must be okay with giving up your baby and letting someone else take it someplace else. A sad truth, but that's the way this business is. Producers and Studio execs cannot survive without writers, but pretty much see our scripts as a starting point. Having said all that. Write. There is a profound story waiting to be written. If you don't want to change the story, novelize it. But write.

So, Timothy, after they killed your story in a sense, they didn't put it on the screen. The irony...

No kidding. But, it happens all the time. There was a writer a few years ago who wrote a Christian themed demon and angel book that was a best seller. I knew the producer who optioned the book and was working with Fox Studios to produce the movie version - the problem was that the studio was all nervous about the Christian theme of the book, so had their hired writers take all the christian stuff out of the story (duh, the book was about angels and demons!). They suddenly didn't think the story was so good anymore, and it still sits in turnaround hell.

It is very sound advice.

My own screenplay doesn't follow a typical format at all. So I've gotten some advice from three separate readers (admittedly, extremely affordable readers, but I think they did excellent work!) and I digested their feedback with an open mind. Luckily, they all appreciated and complimented my own favorite aspects of the story, so that helped. I then considered everything they suggested (and some of their suggestions contradicted each other, after all--we all have our own taste!) allowing it to marinate. After my emotions and knee jerk reactions calmed down I was able to see the value of their suggestions, and choose for myself which changes married well with my personal hopes and meanings and reasons and understanding of my screenplay. After all, it is mine! And I did write it with passion and love for the characters and ideas! At this point I feel as though the script is a lovely mix, being a little bit more palatable to an audience who relies on formula, and entirely true to my soul. It took a few months though, and for only a small amount of re-writing. Most of the work was done in the world of my own reflection. So..... my suggestion would be to take advantage of the reader's notes, consider them and allow time to imagine your script with some of their ideas (the ones that most resonated with you) included. But at the end of the day the story is yours, and you need to love it. But be comfortable with the truth that then it may not sell. Do it for you and for your characters, as long as you know that you may spend a lifetime fighting for their right to be heard. Good luck!! And thank you for asking the question. I love opportunities to formulate an answer to something I've been thinking about!

Tsara, thank you for sharing! I wish you all the best with your writing.

I applied to several competitions this year to get multiple perspectives and see where feedback overlapped/intersected. For the most part I found the feedback in-sync, fair, insightful, thought-provoking and generally offered in a kind tone. Except for one outlier company who shall remain nameless...won't be submitting anything to them any time soon. You live and you learn...

Unfortunately (I suppose), if you enter a competition you are writing for the reader - and they all seem sticklers for 3 acts. Like Shari posted, if you get enough feedback you begin to see a common theme - they are right, unless you want to be one hand clapping in the forest.

For the most part, it's sound advice. I've found that sometimes I need to sleep on it (sometimes for a week or more) before I fully understand their feedback. The one bothersome thing I've found, however, is the lack of consistency from one reader to the next. Different readers will pick up on different issues and sometimes (not often) contradict one another. It's subjective and that is why some scripts produce great movies while other scripts are made into poor movies. A Director can's fix a bad script.

Notes are sometimes hard to understand. If more than one person has the same note than you have to reconsider what you have written. Sometimes, it just means something is not clear to them and their note is vague. You also have to understand at what level the reader is? Are they an executive or are they writers like you. That doesn't mean their notes are wrong, it just means you have to consider where they are coming from. Remember, it is your story. I had notes from my writing group which went one way and notes from my agent that went another. I went with her notes because they followed what I really wanted to say

Might be just me, but when I hear the same point being made more than once, I often admit to myself that I really knew it all along but was unwilling, to lazy, or unequipped to change it. Then I fix it.

Renḗ, You need to understand that there are hundreds of screenwriting contests around the globe with hundreds to thousands (I know one with over 7,000 submissions this year.) So, who do you think reads all of them? (I’m a reader and a film reviewer,) so I’m comfortable in telling you that reading through a well formatted 100 page script can take at least an hour to do right. When scripts come in, they are generally given to interns or recent film school graduates for a first read. Being fresh out of school or just learning, it’s natural for them to look for what they know – formatting, spelling and common sense. They can reject a script outright or pass it on to a second read by other interns/grads. They too can reject it outright – or maybe go on to a third reading at that level. I don’t know the specific numbers at all the contests, but I venture a guess that as much as 75% of submissions never make it past this first level due to formatting or spelling errors. Then on to the second level. Reading a properly formatted, well edited script; the reader is more able to concentrate on the story. Does it flow in a sensible and believable manor or is it fragmented into unrelated and disjointed segments? Readers at this level can reject your script or pass it on to other readers. Generally more than half fall out at this level leaving about 12.5% of all entries. These go on to a third reading by skilled writers, producers, directors and others with industry related knowledge and understanding. They look for story, plot line, character, dialog development and can reject the script or keep it for further scrutiny. It’s not uncommon to see as much as half rejected at this level – so now it’s down to approximately the top 10% (finalists). It’s now time to select the top three and order them with only one winner. This can be a very difficult decision to make. Whenever a script is rejected, it will receive feedback from the rejecting level so if the feedback talks about formatting errors, it was rejected at the first level. Keep in mind that this is all a generality that will vary from one contest to another.

As I said, every contest is different, and while it's true that some of the lesser known money makers may rely on recent grads or interns, the more respected ones that will actually do something for your career don't. And most, regardless, have use the same criteria for each round so you are comparing apples to apples.

It’s certainly true that every contest is different but let me assure you that winning or placing in the more respected contests can indeed enhance your writing career. But the onus is on you, the winner, to market your script and yourself. The contests are not in the business of promoting you (they’re not your agent.) I’m aware of several screenwriters (including myself) who have optioned/sold contest winning scripts through contest exposure. I know another who just recently acquired agent representation for his finalist script. Remember; a lot of people play the lottery but very few win.

René, you have to also look at what your contest is geared toward. Many contests have quite narrow views of what they are looking for, and many are not looking for "artistic" scripts, but only commercial ones. If you are entering a contest where the emphasis is on commercial screenplays, then you want to write something that is both "fresh" and "familiar." That is to say, it should be easy to read and digest (especially in structure and format), but also retain the ability to surprise or delight. There are no true "rules" to how you tell your story as long as the method you use truly does serve the material. And you cannot take feedback too personally, either, as it is generally highly subjective to the reader. I have had scripts that place in the top five in some competitions not even make the first round in others; getting through the first round is kind of like the lottery. Some people who read for competitions are excellent, some are morons, and often you'll get someone who is simply tired and not willing to struggle to keep up with more challenging material -- which, frankly, most screenplays should not be. On the other hand, having read (and re-written) way too many scripts over the years myself, I can honestly say that most screenplays out there are pretty much just crap. Even the ones you think are brilliant because you wrote them. Well, not just you, but me, too, and every other screenwriter. Best feedback I ever got from a producer was when he told me that my "little Woody Allen script" was "fucking awful." It was great feedback because I had thought that script was genius. My friends all loved it. It broke dozens of conventions. But I had been leading with that to get work and THAT was a mistake. Fortunately, that producer had also read a more conventional script I had written that showed I knew structure and good plotting and solid character development and he took a chance and hired me anyway. So the point is, I suppose, that you should write for yourself and be true to yourself. But if you are going to want to write for a career, you need to also show that you can write to expectations and do so in a way that remains personal to you. Don't be discouraged by crappy feedback, but also don't disregard it because that reader, however unqualified, is still your audience. And more often than not, even poorly done feedback will have something helpful to offer you.

If two or more readers are saying the same thing, I tend to think I should look at their comment more closely. Regarding which contests I enter, I don't bother with those that seem to be outside my genre. And as for who to write for, until you are getting paid to write for someone else, write for yourself -- but keep in mind that a spec script must appeal to someone who will READ your script.

Doug, so true. As writers, we have to capitalize on opportunities that come our way.

It is very important to read the find print and know the contest's expectations. As writers, we can't use a one-size fits all approach to our work. Structure and format are key ingredients in the screenwriting world.

A news flash to screenwriters entering contests: Your script’s format is the very first thing that readers notice, and it’s simple – you got it right, or you don’t; your scrip advances to the next level, or it doesn’t. Readers simply don’t have the time to wade through some exotic format to find your real true story. You acquiesce to this simple requirement; or not – it’s your money. Sorry to be so blunt - but that's the way it is.

I have been a typing/keyboarding teacher for many years, and I have observed that not too many people have regards for proper formatting techniques where documents are concerned. A screenwriting script is no different. When computers became popular in the 1980s, most of the people who were typing then had some sort of training as to how to really operate the computer keyboard . As the access to computers has become common place, proper keyboard skills, dexterity and formatting disappeared from the curriculum, so many students of any age in many educational institutions have never really learn how to type properly. At one time, typing was a job for a secretary or administrative assistant. Now, we all have to be our own typist.

Inola, screenwriters have a distinct advantage in that there is script formatting software readily available. Some (Celtx) is a free internet download, Final Draft (the industry preference) is not particularly expensive and there are others. These programs are fine for physical script layout but it’s up to the writer to know what goes where…and why. That’s usually where the problem occurs. When it comes to typing, I only have one working hand – so I’m pretty slow. These formatting programs (I use Final Draft) are the only way I can work through writing a script.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD NOTE: Anything that Helps you write. WHAT MAKES A BAD NOTE: Anything that makes it harder for you to write. Even if the note is True, if it doesn't help you where you currently are in the process its not useful.

You might enjoy this article - http://www.writeyourscreenplay.com/2013/05/22/branding-yourself-as-a-wri... Keep writing

It changes from reader to reader. I received some harsh notes from Black List, constructive notes from Blue Cat, then made it to the semi-finals for The Page. What I like to do is; if you hear it once, take note, twice, take a closer note, three times, address the problem. In the end it's up to your story telling and how you choose to create the best script you can.

I've faced the challenge of entering my strongest script, a WW2 drama, and I know readers pick it up and say to themselves, "Not another WW2 drama!" I've either done great in contests or not advanced past the first round!

Been there, done that – a lot of writers have. One of my scripts that won at a prestigious contest but never made it past “GO” at another – go figure. You just can’t take it personally. Some readers know what they’re doing, others not so much.

Reading is very subjective. Most readers for contests are not professionals and are average writers themselves. Some might have been produced, most not. You have to know which contests really get to executives and which don't. However, I take all notes with an understanding that while they are not literal, some might have meaning and I have to figure out what they really meant behind that note. Was I confusing? Did I not leave enough clues? Sometimes the wrong title will give them a preconceived notion of the script and then they are disappointed. Some readers are very rigid when it comes to the page breaks, though they shouldn't be. The fact is, it is your story. Like Doug, I have had readers who loved my stuff and other readers who hated it. Again, subjective. Take everything with a grain of salt. Write what feels best to you.

Another note - my writing group - mostly wanna bes- gave me notes. I spent hours trying to rewrite according to what I thought they were saying and my agent told me to go another way. Who do you think I am going to follow?

I can relate to Kimberly and Doug. My WWII action/ drama has won a couple of awards, been a finalist many times and yet I never made it past the quarter finals in other competitions. There are so many variables when it comes to readers and entering comps. The best advice I have seen on this thread, mentioned by a few, is too look for commonalities in feedback and take that as a sign that you have some issues in your story to deal with. When you get different feedback, that's when it gets difficult- who do you listen to? Consider all possibilities, but in the end, be true to yourself and the story you want to tell. You will never make everyone happy, so make sure you make yourself happy... otherwise, what's the point of all the blood, sweat and tears, right? :-)

It's hard to respond to your query since we haven't read your screenplay and haven't read the coverage you got. So we don't know how to judge either. I think, though, that you may be missing an important aspect here: you have to know exactly what you are trying to do. Only if you know that will you know how to respond to coverage. When you know that, the vast majority of the time you will instantly know which notes have vibrancy and are useful. If you don't know that, you will constantly be confused and never quite sure who is right. You have to have some confidence in your writing. You have to have confidence in your vision and what you are trying to do. You have to have real insight into what you are trying to do. When you have that, receiving notes will be easier. In the end, you have to write for yourself, because only you know what your vision is, what you are trying to do, what story you are trying to tell. As soon as you start writing to please others, you will never please anyone. (The only exception to this is when someone is paying you to rewrite; then you have some tough decisions to make.) If you don't have a vision, a style, a point of view, a purpose to your writing other than writing a screenplay for the sake of writing a screenplay or writing something for no reason other than you hope to make some money, then your problem is there, not with the notes you are receiving.

We're also talking about two different things here. Coverage and notes. Coverage is something you might get either by paying a "reader" to analyze your script, or a truncated version of same when entering a contest. Notes typically are something you get from a producer/production company when they have read your script either in determining whether to buy the screenplay, or if they have optioned or purchased your script, and are giving you "notes" to use for a re-write. Semantics, I know, but there is a difference. The coverage you might get from a front line reader at a studio goes up the chain, not back to you, so, for example, I had a script read and covered by Dreamworks, but never saw the coverage - just the "thanks, nice story, but we'll pass at this time." No notes. All that to say this - coverage from a competition or from a reader you pay can be very valuable in looking at your script and maybe making changes to the story, or not - it is your choice. However, if you have had your script read by a producer who is interested in pursuing producing your story, you had better pay attention to those notes. Once the script leaves your hand in that context, it is no longer your story - it belongs to whomever has optioned or purchased it, and it is now their vision. You can suggest that this note or that note might not work for this reason or that reason, but in that context you cannot ignore the notes. Just wanted to clarify, as it seems that screenplay coverage has been referred to as "notes" several times on this string, and I'd hate for someone to option a script and then feel free to ignore the producer's notes. Ben, not being argumentative here, but notes from a producer are exactly meant to tell you what the story is supposed to be - because when you have received notes, generally, you no longer have creative control over the story, the note giver does.

I entered Scriptapollozza this year and paid for coverage. Not only was the coverage condesending it was mean spirited. The reader did not 'get' my story at all and I am sure did not read it all the way through. He (she) mentioned drug smuggling and no where in my script was drug smuggling mentioned. So I know I did not get what I paid for. I will never enter their competition again and I will warn anyone who asks not to enter.

I just got feedback from a contest on my latest screenplay. My question - What screenplay did they read? One comment that stood out was that all five of the main characters sounded alike. They needed to be more diverse. Interesting, since one character was a strait-laced cop, one a preppy smart-ass, one a clueless drunk, one could barely speak, and one spoke Spanish half the time and used Spanish expressions in English the rest of the time. The only way they could have been more diverse is if each one was from a different country, with one being from outer space, and each of them speaking a different language. Each character had specific attitudes, colloquialisms, mannerisms and voice. The really interesting thing is that these characters were based on real people and real conversations that were had. So I can't put much faith into the rest of the feedback that was given this time around, especially when two other contests provided feedback said the exact opposite.

Looking at the cost of contest feedback and what they claim to deliver, it's hard to see how the economics work out. Sure you may get the occasional reader who can deliver quality feedback quickly, but for most of them to do what is promised, they'd be lucky to get $4/hour, if they even have the necessary skills. Factor in the anonymity of the reader and the general disdain that readers feel toward writers, I'm sure many of them cut corners.

Economically, you're right. You get what you pay for and your money is far better spent on someone who will get you script in shape to actually get traction and not just subjective notes. As for readers having disdain for writers, I think that is way off base, most readers are writers and most love to find a script that is good -- yes, in most cases it's like finding the proverbial needle, but honestly, a person is a reader because they love a good story and when they find a script that has potential they are more likely to give more constructive notes. But again, it goes to the competition -- I know for a fact they are not all created equal and you really shouldn't be entering a competition for notes, but to win.

Basically, I only look for feedback from contests that give reader bios.

I should have said "many readers" instead of just "readers." As far as why people should enter competitions, I think their utility is very limited. Sure, if you have the money, it can't hurt to enter some contests, but if you have limited resources, there are far better ways to market your script.

I see an awful lot of “reader bashing” going on but I don’t see much “writer bashing.” I’m a Producer, sometimes Director, a produced screenwriter, a film reviewer, screenwriting teacher and a “reader;” all after a 40 year +/- career. I like to think that I not a total buffoon but I do understand that the more I learn – the less I seem to know. From my reader’s point of view, there are an incredibly large number of wholly incompetent writers out there. Most don’t even understand the very basic script format let alone their story – or how to convey it in a clear manor. It’s a real joy to find a compelling story in a bullet proof format, and when I find one, I lavish it with all the praise I can muster. Conversely, it’s very difficult to provide really meaningful responses to a non-understandable script/story. Unfortunately, the writer’s ego often gets in the way.

Too true, Doug. All too often a writer will defend their work by claiming the reader didn't understand their story. One of the important lessons I learned from the review process is that if the reader doesn't understand an aspect of my story, then I, as the writer, have failed to convey it properly.

Just seconding what Doug Nelson said. Having been a reader for competitions and read what seemed like more than my share of spec scripts, it always amazed me how frequently submissions ignored or overlooked obvious issues of spelling, format, and basic techniques of visual storytelling. And like many readers, I hoped beyond hope to open the cover of the next script that would make me want to keep turning the pages. Fortunately those occasionally surfaced in my script pile.

Is it possible that the readers are becoming jaded by reading so many scripts? There is such a thing as readers fatigue. In book publishing business, we have something called 'slush pile'. Yeah, there may be a good manuscript in there, but who has desire or care to read it? The editors have to be motivated and convinced by every page that they're holding 'jack pot' before they get excited past a yawn. Script readers are pretty much getting paid to read the slush piles and are asked to provide coverage on it. I am not surprised if they start going a bit auto in their job and their responses comes across slightly snarky or disconnected. We can blame the writers and that would be easy, but without writers there would be no movies and no jobs for readers. I think a better analysis here might that these contests are set up as a business. They want the biggest slush pile they can get, because that means more money in their pockets. The same goes for coverage businesses that keeps promoting to writers. Obviously, they know that manuscripts are rarely ready when sent too soon. It's how this system was designed.

I think that the issue is much broader. The issue is that there has to be a clearing house. There has to be. In the Austin Film Festival, they received 6,700 entries. There is no management company, no agent, no studio, no director, no actor, no producer who can possibly read that many screenplays (and that's just Austin). There has to be a go between, someone who can weed out the vast majority of the screenplays. So, okay, the system is lousy. So how does that help you as a screenwriter? Now that you know that this is a terrible way to get your screenplay to the person who can do something with it, what are you going to do about it? What system do you have to replace it with? Some people produce their own screenplays. Some people eventually get to a point where they can bypass readers and go straight to the horse's mouth (but only after years of having to deal with readers, contests, etc.). This isn't a system that has so much been created the way it is, but has evolved the way it is because no one has really found a better way of doing it. You don't like the coverage you get? Fine. But make damn sure you are right and they aren't (I've know some writers who complain about the coverage they got and I've read the screenplay and I know that the reader was correct). If you don't want coverage from contests, then don't enter any that give it or don't read it when you get it. If you don't want coverage from friends or colleagues when they read your screenplay, make sure you tell them that (there's nothing wrong with asking someone to read a screenplay and not ask for feedback, but there is something wrong with asking them for feedback and then complaining when you get it). You have to know what your strengths are as a writer. You have to know what you are trying to do. You have to know what your vision is. You have to have some idea as to how good a writer you are on a scale of 1 to 10. You need to develop this along the way. This will help you figure out whether the coverage you receive is worthwhile or not. You also need to develop critical discernment on your own when reading screenplays and watching movies. If you can't tell the difference between a good screenplay and a bad screenplay yourself (and this isn't the same thing as liking a movie and disliking a movie--you can love a bad movie, but you need to know that it is bad) outside of your own writing, then that's going to make it much more difficult to be receptive to coverage. For example: if you think Godzilla, Captain America, Gone Girl and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes are well written (remember, you can like these without thinking they are well written, it's not the same thing), but you don't think Under the Skin, Borgman, Cold in July, and The Drop aren't (or you haven't seen them), then you will probably always have trouble when it comes to knowing why your screenplays are or aren't working, and I suggest that you will always have trouble being able to understand what coverage applies to your screenplay and what doesn't. I could go on, but I'm sort of rambling and need to draw this to a close.

The Torah says we can learn from everyone which is wht I continue to take classes even though I'm multiple times published and produced. Which is why when I get feedback I have to ask myself what is it that the reader didnt understand. How can I clarify it better? Sometimes the story we think we are writing is not the story coming across.

In the example of AFF, (and it applies to the handful of top-tier competitions that are respected) they have a very well thought out process to make sure that all scripts get a fair read and they are very particular about their readers -- which is why they are a highly regarded competition. It's worth noting that you don't get feedback (even though notes are written) unless your script advances, this is partly because it is believed if your writing is strong enough to advance you have the ability to receive feedback constructively.

Yeah Howard, you’re rambling a bit but you’ve touched on some really important issues. I venture that all the more prestigious screenwriting contests each receive thousands of scripts of which the vast majority aren’t even worth reading – but somebody has to do it. It’s true our system has problems but it’s the only system we got. The major problem I see is the immeasurable number of wannabies clogging the pipelines with an unmitigated collection of pure junk. Not everybody is meant to be a writer and there is no shame in following an alternate career path.

All true Ben. As I re-read scripts I wrote a decade ago, it amazes me that I turned out so much junk and I’ve produced a couple of films that are so bad, they’ll never be seen by others – yeah, that’s how we progress. But many writers are upset when confronted by the readers’ contention that their script sucks – they take it personally and lash out at readers. There are good readers and bad, just as there are good writers and some not so good. I’ve had award winning scripts criticized and passed over by readers and yet I sold what I thought was a not-so-good script. During all this, I’ve found ways to better my writing from both good and bad critique. We learn more from our mistakes than from our successes.

Some readers actually offer a good analysis , and some others just seem to be going through the motions and repeating a lot of writing workshop clichés and buzzwords. The contests that offer notes have to come up with a justification for rejecting thousands of screenplays. Very arbitrary system but sometimes our early drafts are flawed and the readers are correct.