Screenwriting Notes Thread for my no followers. This applies to notes outside of a writers' room. Not the authority, this is what I bring: 3+ years experience reading for festivals, 1 year doing paid coverage, 4+ years in a writing group that meets ~every 2/3 weeks.

Always start off with positives. Be specific. “I’ve read ur other stuff, I know you’re a great writer” or “there’s something here” are too vague. Every script has something in it that’s goods, even if it’s as trivial to you as the writer’s perfectly formatted slug lines.

Look at the script from the broad categories of concept, plot, dialogue, structure, and characters. Highlight which areas are best for the writer’s next draft and focus notes there, while touching on smaller notes in the other categories.

The reason this works: if the script is early draft and nothing works, then you’ll note it to death and crush the writer. Instead, focus on the areas that will have the biggest positive change on the next draft, which will give the writer hope and a blueprint.

Avoid using words like “I feel” or “this seems”... instead, be firm. Something might feel cliché to you but feelings are subjective and you want the recipient to be confident in your notes. “This line of dialogue is cliché.”

When highlighting an area needing improvement, always have a suggested fix. “Instead of the character saying the line ‘blah’ which has been used so often it’s cliché, consider having them say something that is unique to their voice. My bad example is ‘blah.’”

“My bad example” is your friend because unless invited by the writer, avoid being prescriptive in notes. You don’t want to write it for them. Instead give a bad example that illustrates your point so they understand the note enough to implement it.

Worth repeating: be specific. “Scene 9 doesn’t work” or “I didn’t understand scene 9.” Many writers will be left floating in rewrite hell unsure of where to start with scene 9. Why doesn’t it work? Was it a deviation from the main plot? Does the story work without it? Explain!

Consider how far along in the process this draft is before noting. If it’s early days, typos and grammar are a waste of both your time. Avoid marking up a first or second draft with these specifics unless asked.

Read it more than once. Many may balk at this due to time constraints, but you can get something new from even the most flawless story on the second read. And a script urging a second read doesn’t make the writing any less quality. Fight me.

Leave excuses out of the process. “Maybe I read this 2 fast but I didn’t understand 'blah.'” The impulse here is to put the blame on yourself, “I read 2 fast” but what it’s actually saying to the writer is “I didn’t care enough about your script to give it the time it deserved.”

Be aware of everyone’s time. When you have the floor, do not burn minutes scanning your notes to see if you’ve said everything. If you’ve read the script twice, you should be familiar with the notes you’re going to share. If not, reread your notes before the discussion.

If the script is outside your genre, there are 2 options (1) keep notes specific to the areas that are universal across genres, or the option people will balk at again (2) watch some content in the genre, read about genre tropes, do homework to help inform your notes.

These previous 2 options are to avoid secret option (3) telling the writer you’re not familiar with the genre. This signals the writer to take your notes with a grain of salt and links back to “be aware of everyone’s time.”

It’s also nice to end on a positive. The way you stuck it out with this thread is an achievement in itself. With a few tweaks to posture, beverage choice, and office lighting, you too can be a writer of a thread few will read.