Jon Navarro's Lounge Discussions

Great info, thanks Heather! I know that a script is never really done, like you stated. It's funny though, I can see where I went wrong after I have submitted into contests but of course, it's too late to make the changes. So since May, I think I reworked my script five times! Now I'm at a point where I don't even want to look at it but I'm sure I'll revisit it after I get over the rejection and have a clear head. What I usually do is get script coverage if I don't place. I find that to be very helpful.

For a start, that's quite well delivered feedback. The insight and compassion is nice and clear.

What they are saying is fairly truthful, I believe, but they haven't mentioned the elusive aspect of knowing how far along a script actually is. Because people work differently, and stories vary widely in how they are broken and shaped, it's fair they didn't expand on that part.

We never know for sure how far along our stories are, but essentially it's going to require objective distance. Time away from it, or emotional distance, or practical exposure to the subject matter etc. all give you a better position to view the script as an audience member would, and from there you can see where it sits.

Figuring out how much more work needs to be done is tricky, but I tend to oscillate between structural analyses to see all the various facets (plot, character arc, theme, symbols, pacing etc) which lets you know what's lacking or causing issues and bouncing it off other people of all stripes, whether they know dick about writing/story or not. Look for emotional responses and curiosity specifically. When people don't respond with much at all, or simply compliment the idea of a finished script, you know you've a lot more work to do. But when you get a lot of questions about what happens next, or why characters do this or that etc, then you've got something that is resonating with the audience and taking up space in their brain.

From that place, you can only really trust yourself if you're being honest, about your process and the intent, but I always sit with it and think about what else I could do? What else could tighten the story, what else could make it pop, go funnier, darker, stranger, faster, slower, etc etc.?

Re-writing does require brutal honesty of course, mainly with yourself. If you lie to yourself and force things in that are superficially ticking a box, you've tied your shoelaces together before a jog. Same goes with audience responsiveness. Any good script does a multitude of things that evoke a multitude of responses, so if you play favourites and focus too much on getting a small number of those, that's another trap. e.g. "I want to make the audience cry here, and I did, my drama works!" "No, sorry, you got them crying there, but you didn't make them smile here, or you left that sadness there, and never rebuilt that tension, and the characters didn't change as a result of that sadness..."

TL;DR - Honesty and Objectivity is what I consider the path to a better understanding of where a script is on its path to final draft.

As others mentioned, contests are subjective. But, keep in mind, that writing can be a long iterative process. I know with my work that I might finish a script, redraft it a few times, and feel it's "final". But, if I leave it sitting for a few weeks or months and come back to it, I might rework it significantly or even look back on it and wonder "What was I thinking??" A final, contest-ready draft is really just the best you can do at any moment in time.

I do the same thing, Randy. "...leave it sitting for a few weeks or months and come back to it, I might rework it significantly or even look back on it and wonder 'What was I thinking??'" :)

Hi Christine Capone. The same thing happened to me. I entered 2 competitions but asked for feedback in one of them. Even though the feedback was brief, I took something out of it that was useful for the rewriting. I don't think I'll enter any contests in the near future if not for the feedback and even then you have to know if you are getting it from a judge or anyone else. I won't lie and say it didn't hurt... it did! But I am now looking at competitions from a different perspective.

Hey Jon Navarro - Great to have you in the community. I know a lot of writers are looking for Managers and a lot of Managers are looking for writers of your background and with your stories. Feel free to reach out to me at j.mirch@stage32.com and we can talk about the best ways to get your material in front of managers and producers are able to help. My biggest piece of advice in getting a manager is acting and working as though you don't need a manager.

Welcome, Jon Navarro Good luck with your projects and goals. I agree with Jason on the route to getting representation. Onward and upward.