You have an idea. Well, maybe a kernel of an idea at this point, but it’s there. Could make a great movie or TV series. The idea starts to grow and take shape in your mind. You crack a story beat while driving, type it into your phone, or write it into a notebook the next time you stop. You think of that amazing character's name and laugh out loud to yourself, “That’s great”. The notes become an outline, your thoughts start to take shape, and the bones of the story start to come together. Your characters start to come to life, they’re becoming three-dimensional people, and they live. It’s all starting to make sense, there’s a beginning, middle, and end. You might just have something here! Perhaps you even flesh that outline into a treatment. More detail, more character backstory, more sequences.
You sleep on it, take walks, and talk to yourself while making dinner. Yup, you think you’re there, you’re ready.
Time to go to draft.
A blank page. A blinking cursor. A deep breath. You type…..FADE IN. It has begun! Your prep work has allowed you to hit the ground running. It’s not easy by any means, but at least you have a blueprint, something to work from. The first 10, done. Characters, themes, conflicts, and motivations are being established. Keep moving, keep pushing forward. Maybe you have set goals for yourself, 5 pages a day, 10 pages a day. You carve out specific times to write. First thing in the morning, maybe at night after the kids are asleep. You like to write at home, in the kitchen, in bed, or maybe you go to a coffee shop or the library. Wherever, whenever. Just get it done.
Act 1 is complete. At this point, you must resist the temptation to go back and revise what you’ve already written. Don’t go back, please just don’t. Keep pressing forward. It’s not easy, but you’ll thank yourself for it later. (Heck, I’m resisting that urge right now as I write this blog!). It’s really humming now. Some things are going exactly according to plan, and other plot points and character arcs are evolving as you go. The muse can surprise sometimes. You’re in it, living every line of dialogue, sweating the details of an action sequence, pacing the room trying to refine that joke.
You stare at the ceiling at night while trying to sleep. The 3rd act remains. You’ve got this. You push on through, dig deep. Just get that first draft out and done. Does it all make sense? Will it all hold together upon a full read? It doesn’t matter right now, you need to complete the circle and close the loop. Almost done, the finish line is in sight.
There you go, you did it! FADE OUT!
Now you back and read it. Ok, some work is to be done for sure. Very raw, very rough. But there’s something there, as you always believed.
Time to revise. And revise. And revise. And yeah, maybe revise one more time. Hmmm, maybe that works better over there. Wait, if I change that beat in the second act it could affect that scene in act one. Do we really need both of these characters? Can they be combined into one? Work the draft, again and again, until you sit back, take a breath, and go…ok, I think it’s there.
So, what now? Do you dare seek the dreaded F word……FEEDBACK!!??
Ok, this story, now a full-fledged script, has lived only in your head and now on pages only you have seen for days, weeks, months, maybe even years! Who gets to see it? A trusted friend? A family member? A significant other? A fellow writer? Who gets the first, second, and third look at your precious creation?
Any one of those folks would be more than happy to read it, and I’m sure they’d give you a very conscientious read. I had friends, loved ones, etc. read my stuff all the time back in the day, and I’m grateful to this day that they did. But do you know what the feedback was on the scripts that I wrote?
“So good” “LOVED it”” Oh my gosh I want to read it again” and “It would make much SUCH a good movie”.
Now look, I had some level of confidence in my writing in those days, deserved or not (likely the latter). But did I really believe that my work actually warranted this level of across-the-board effusive praise?
No, of course, it didn’t.
Now, if you have people in your orbit who provide you with constructive, honest, and helpful feedback, then consider yourself lucky! I envy you, and can I have their emails? : )
But what about the other 99% of writers who don’t get that type of feedback from the folks in their network but really want and need it? Where can they go to receive good, productive feedback, ideally from an experienced industry professional, and in so doing learn to evolve as a writer as well as learn to receive, process, and incorporate the feedback itself?
That’s right, it might seem obvious given where you are reading this blog, but it’s true. If you’re going to put your precious and incredibly valuable work out into the world, and we know that that’s not an easy thing to do, having your writing read and analyzed by an experienced pro is the way to go.
Again, this is definitely not an easy hurdle to overcome, but it’s incredibly valuable and you will thank yourself after you do. Ok so let’s say you do put yourself out there and place an order on Stage 32 for coverage on your feature or TV script, you sign up to pitch an exec, or to get a review of your reel/short film or book adaptation. What now?
First off, kudos to you for going out on that limb. I mean that, I’ve been there myself. But more importantly, you’re out there now, in the ecosystem, and that’s exciting man! I’m stoked just writing that!
Every second of every day spent waiting for those notes and feedback can feel like a century in and of itself. Just go Zen, there’s nothing you can do about it now. Trust the process.
Then…DING! You receive a notification that your feedback has come in, or the exec has listed times for your consult call. Here we go…. take a deep breath.
Whether it’s on a consult call or in written form, you take in the notes. That’s exactly what you need to do, just take them in and process. I have been on both sides of this conversation many times over many years. It’s not easy to give or receive notes, granted it’s likely more difficult to receive them, but the key is to make the process as constructive and positive as possible. There might be notes that you absolutely disagree with, like vehemently; and there might be notes which make you think “Oh wait, yeah, that works. Hm, that hadn’t occurred to me before.” Be civil, be nice, be polite. Take these notes in, and let them live in your head. Think about them while you lay awake that night (there certainly are a lot of sleepless nights in my scenario, no?). Go back through the script with the notes sitting next to you and see how they feel.
It’s not easy to hear criticism of your work, but it is part of the artistic process and part of this business, like it or not. Let’s be frank, your script might not be the opus you had imagined it to be, and that’s ok. You needed to put it out into the world, and that’s scary, it really is. But executives on Stage 32, and producers on projects, they truly are coming from a place of respect for you and your work, they want to help craft into something even better. Yes, sure, it’s a subjective medium, but these are experienced folks who have been there, trust them.
Again, whether it’s here on the platform or out in the field making a film or TV show, you will be given feedback on your work, and notes on the script, it’s inevitable. The best advice I can give is to listen, be open and collaborative, and write them down if they aren’t written down for you already. Then give them a day or two to breathe, to bounce around in your head. If there are notes you truly do not think will make the script better, and you have a cogent counternarrative to present, then, by all means, go for it. Most producers are happy to be talked out of a note if it is presented in an intelligent, thoughtful way. We all want to work together to make something great, and part of that is listening, learning, and collaborating, from all sides. Teamwork truly does make the dream work.
So listen, be patient, learn, teach, pick your battles. But throughout it all be calm and professional. Producers, S32 execs, and everyone else involved want the work to be great, for the movie or series to be great. They want you to succeed!
So if you’re ready to put your work out there for some constructive feedback, I couldn’t recommend Stage 32’s Development Services any more highly. Pitch sessions, consult calls. This is you having your work seen and read and discussed with folks who do this for a living. If they like your work, they could keep you in mind for something down the road, who knows? And if you approach the process of taking, receiving, processing, and incorporating notes like a pro, then you’re one step closer to actually being a pro!
For your third week of November Write Club, we're continuing this conversation about seeking, interpreting, and utilizing feedback to strengthen your material and craft! By completing this week's challenges, you can set yourself up for success with your goals and be entered to win either a FREE Stage 32 Contest Entry of your choice OR a FREE Review of your First 10 Pages, which will be announced LIVE on Stage 32's Instagram this Friday, November 22nd at 10:00 am PT!
Make sure you're following @Stage32, @Stage32scripts, and @rbwalksintoabar to keep up with all of the exciting November Write Club announcements all month long!
Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Got an idea for a post? Or have you collaborated with Stage 32 members to create a project? We'd love to hear about it. Email Ashley at blog@stage32.com and let's get your post published!
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Blog Post by Nick Phillips, posted on Monday, November 18th, 2024
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Feedback is such a wonderful, scary, sometimes-awful-sometimes-great thing. I think the best thing you can do is find those fantastic folk who know where to find that spot between "difficult to act on" constructive criticism and "please tell me something useful" notes that, while lovely to get, don'...
Expand postFeedback is such a wonderful, scary, sometimes-awful-sometimes-great thing. I think the best thing you can do is find those fantastic folk who know where to find that spot between "difficult to act on" constructive criticism and "please tell me something useful" notes that, while lovely to get, don't really help you move the story forward. Stage32 has definitely helped in this, as it's even easier to remind yourself, "It isn't personal" when you get notes because while those notes are extremely thoughtful and useful, it's sent to someone who truly doesn't know you (yet!). I was fortunate enough to start my screenwriting journey in a place that required us to both give feedback and learn to receive it in a group setting, which kickstarted me past a few personal insecurities - we were all doing it, so I had to suck it up a bit and move forward. Now, I love getting feedback, even if not everything is actionable. It rarely will be, and it means that someone took the time to read through what I'd written and spend some time on the notes.
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I have a feature with strong interest from Producer and Money peeps. It's based on an award winning short I did over 10 years ago. I did one rewrite that made sense to me knowing the talent we were pursuing. I'm now asking for a meeting with the producer to go over specific story notes. I have heard horror stories about rewrites before pay.
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Hi Nick, thank you for posting this article. I loved the Inception, Conception and Reception elements of a process. I have a trusted friend, whom I share everything with, from shorts to TV episodes and features. He will always tell me what he loved about it, but what also didn’t quite scan (usually...
Expand postHi Nick, thank you for posting this article. I loved the Inception, Conception and Reception elements of a process. I have a trusted friend, whom I share everything with, from shorts to TV episodes and features. He will always tell me what he loved about it, but what also didn’t quite scan (usually things that wasn’t seeded properly and just pops up like the proverbial jack in a box - Surprise!
Then I’ve had feedback from Producers, who will say basic things like. “This scene has to go.” Which gets the usual “Why?” From me, that was followed by “Because we can’t afford it. And I know that may create a hole in the narrative, but that’s up to you to fill. I’m not the writer, you are.”
I also learned that actually that scene was a little weak in intensity and really was there to impress the audience, but then fell short of even that. And so, I rewrote it more in the style and with an intensity that was consistent with the rest of the film. It made the whole script so much better.
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Nick, my friend, this blog of yours really charted the evolution of a script. From humble beginnings to finished product, you captured the essence of what I writer feels as they think, outline, execute, and proof their work. My compliments on your blog come from personal experience that connected to...
Expand postNick, my friend, this blog of yours really charted the evolution of a script. From humble beginnings to finished product, you captured the essence of what I writer feels as they think, outline, execute, and proof their work. My compliments on your blog come from personal experience that connected to the words in this blog, and I thank you. Emphasizing the importance of each step will be very helpful to those reading this thought-out, valuable, message of support.
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Terrific insights!!
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I used to get professional feedback by bouncing from one exec to another who specialized in the genre of the script I was working on. But one exec's feedback could conflict with another's. So I would then move on and write a new script. Last year, I took a class from a terrific literary manager whos...
Expand postI used to get professional feedback by bouncing from one exec to another who specialized in the genre of the script I was working on. But one exec's feedback could conflict with another's. So I would then move on and write a new script. Last year, I took a class from a terrific literary manager whose feedback clicked with me. I've started using her exclusively for feedback on my outlines and scripts. When she expressed interest in sending out one script once it was ready, I decided to devote this year to working on that script with her until she says it's ready. The early revisions required some major rewriting. But last month, she said my 4th version was getting very close and gave me small notes. Yesterday, I finished the 5th revision (one of my November Write Club goals) and feel really good about it (I cried reading two scenes!). It's been an education working with a single mentor throughout the revisions. She really knows my characters and the story. I appreciate the way she's encouraging, yet very honest. She makes me excited to do the revisions! raises the quality of each version. So, my advice is, once you find someone who gives great feedback that clicks with you, return to them for more, until they say your work is done.
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Fantastic advice, Martha! Congratulations on finishing the 5th revision!
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Maurice Vaughan Thanks! I had some setbacks (bad hip pain that kept me from writing for a few days), but I made up for it by writing sessions that went til 3 or 4 am some nights!...
Expand commentMaurice Vaughan Thanks! I had some setbacks (bad hip pain that kept me from writing for a few days), but I made up for it by writing sessions that went til 3 or 4 am some nights!
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You're welcome, Martha. Sorry you had bad hip pain. I hope you're feeling better! And congratulations on reaching your goal despite the setbacks!
Wow, each week the challenge is bigger and I like :)) Thank you Nick for sharing your wisdom with us! I am ready to be part of NWC challenge :))
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So, after reading this all i can say is that it would be great for people here to look at my stories but it seems that most are too busy to so and only focus on their own stories. so nick, if you have time by all means click on my face and have a look at my work.
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Excellent advice, thanks for this! I felt it when you wrote to keep pressing forward, do not go back and revise Act 1, etc, LOL. I can't wait to finish my draft so I can start participating in pitch practices, etc. Thanks for this post!
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Thank you, Nick
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Terrific blog, Nick! And funny (“So, what now? Do you dare seek the dreaded F word……FEEDBACK!!??”). Haha You said, “If there are notes you truly do not think will make the script better, and you have a cogent counternarrative to present, then, by all means, go for it. Most producers are happy to be...
Expand postTerrific blog, Nick! And funny (“So, what now? Do you dare seek the dreaded F word……FEEDBACK!!??”). Haha You said, “If there are notes you truly do not think will make the script better, and you have a cogent counternarrative to present, then, by all means, go for it. Most producers are happy to be talked out of a note if it is presented in an intelligent, thoughtful way.” You’re right! I’ve gotten notes from producers and directors on scripts I wrote for them, and I’ve had the chance to talk them out of notes. I knew more about the characters and stories than the producers/directors because I was the writer, and I was able to see that the notes wouldn’t work. Sometimes I had to give producers/directors alternative ideas in order to talk them out of notes. I plan on getting feedback through Stage 32 for the feature script I’m writing for November Write Club.
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