notes

Taming the beast we all must face

Maximum Z criticism, determination, feedback, notes, perseverance, screenplay, screenwriting, script, writing, writing group , , , ,
lion 2
Intimidating at first, but eventually, just a big ol’ pussycat

When I was part of a writing group last year, each week we would read and critique a few members’ sets of pages. Some were just starting out, some had a few scripts under their belt, and some had been doing this a while. You can probably figure out which category I fell into.

Simply put, some of the writing just sucked. Really sucked. Like painful-to-listen-to sucked. To my credit, tempted as I was, I never actually expressed my thoughts that way.

I fully understood that not everybody had a firm grasp on the basics, and I, along with a few others, made a sincere effort to explain what would help improve their work. While a majority were appreciative of our comments, a select handful got defensive, some even to the point of flat-out dismissive, of any kind of comment that didn’t reinforce their belief that their writing was fine just the way it was.

This was one of the things that helped me decide to leave the group.

One of the universal truths about being a writer is that not everybody’s going to like what you’ve written, and just about everybody will have a suggestion as to how it could be better.

While there’s nothing you can do about the first part, the great thing about the second is that it gives you options. A lot of them. You like what this person said? Use it. Don’t like what that other person said? Ignore it.

Some people will make suggestions based on how they would do it, which is all well and good, but what’s more important is how you would do it. Do you agree or disagree with what they’re saying?

You’ll be bombarded with a wide variety of opinions, but don’t feel like you have to incorporate every single one. And while you may be the final word on what works and what doesn’t for your story, you shouldn’t dismiss every suggestion either. Some of them may be more helpful than you realize. There are a lot of  writers out there with more experience than you, so their opinions should be at least taken into consideration. But it’s okay to disagree with them, too.

Speaking from experience, it takes time to learn not to take criticism of your material personally. The comments you receive may sting at first, but you have to remember they’re about the material, not you. Read them with a “How can I use these to get better?” frame of mind. That’s the only way you’re going to improve.

One last thing – make sure to thank the person for giving you notes, even if you totally disagree with everything they’ve said. Doesn’t matter if you asked them to do it or they offered. They took the time to help you out, and the least you can do is acknowledge that and express your appreciation for it. And it’s the polite thing to do. Manners still count.

Break out the sledgehammers!

Maximum Z comedy, editing, feedback, networking, notes, rewrite, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec, story, Uncategorized, writing
renovation
Just like me during a rewrite

A few more sets of notes on the comedy spec have come in, and they are good. And helpful. Which is very good.

The value of having connections with experienced and knowledgeable writers once again proves to be a huge asset. Networking, people!

But back to the topic at hand…

It doesn’t appear that a major reworking is in order, but there’s still a lot to do. This is definitely more than just a new coat of paint; more like a thorough renovation. More than a few comments covered the same issues, so working on those and the resulting ramifications will be the starting point.

One of the biggest obstacles when it comes to a rewrite (for me, anyway) is that nagging thought of “How am I going to make this better?” Especially when there’s already something there on the page.

It’s tough to get rid of the old stuff. You worked so hard on it, and now you have to get rid of it? Or change it? Sometimes you gotta just jump right in, totally let go and kill all those darlings. Sounds gruesome, but it has to be done.

And as I have often found in the past, once those changes are made, the new version is usually significantly better to the point that you barely remember that much about the old one. Plus, making those changes gets a little bit easier each time.

Into the breach!

A few additions to the Maximum Z Bulletin Board:
-The filmmakers behind the short film Goodbye, NOLA have set up their crowdfunding project. Donate if you can.

-Author Jeff Guenther proudly announces the release of his new World War 2 thriller In the Mouth of the Lion.

Got something you’d like to promote? Drop me a line.

Commencing transfer to second horse

Maximum Z comedy, craft, feedback, notes, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec, writing
horses
All these new ideas were really starting to nag at me (C’mon. They can’t all be gems)

Notes continue to come in for the low-budget comedy spec. I am very fortunate to benefit from the insight of such savvy folks. Lots and lots of great notes that will come in handy for the next batch of rewrites.

Taking a look at all the notes, along with the new ideas they trigger, makes me think about what changes could be made in future drafts. Changes that would strengthen the script on several levels, especially those where it’s been indicated the most work is needed.

This isn’t saying that I’ll blindly accept every single suggestion that’s been made. More like a combo of taking the ones I think work best and some of my own new ideas. That’s one bonus of getting multiple sets of notes.

I’m also expecting to alter parts of the story just enough that it’ll be slightly different from these earlier drafts while still retaining a lot of what originally appealed to me about the overall story/concept. There are a few new factors being thrown in, some of which I’m looking forward to begin implementing (and also fall into the category of “why didn’t I think of that before?”)

Thus the fun and thrillingness of it all continues…

Not everybody’s going to like it

Maximum Z analysis, comedy, determination, feedback, motivation, notes, pie, productivity, rewrite, screenplay, screenwriting, script, spec, writing
pie
Astonishing as it is, some people actually don’t like pie. Heathens.

Notes and comments continue to come in for the comedy spec. I’m seeing some very insightful stuff that will prove most beneficial for the next draft.

Reactions range from “I loved it!” to “I was very disappointed with this.” The author of the latter even started things out by saying “I wanted to like it, but just couldn’t. I guess our senses of humor are just too different”.

And you know what? They’re right, and that’s totally fine. Comedy is subjective. Everybody likes different things. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you.

Would I have preferred they liked it? Of course. But they didn’t, and that’s all there is to it. I still value their opinion and will continue to ask them for feedback in the future.

But I also shouldn’t totally disregard what they had to say. They made some valid points and suggestions in their explanation of why it didn’t work for them, a lot of which could potentially be applied to the aforementioned rewrite.

Nor should I take one person’s rejection as the final word. They didn’t like it, but in no way does that mean everybody else will have the same opinion. For all I know, this one dislike is the exception to the rule.

This is one of those things that a lot of writers, especially newer ones, fail to grasp. You slave away on a script, and then you send it out, convinced it’s a work of genius. And you don’t get the reaction you were hoping for. PASS. Thanks, but no thanks. We’re working with something similar.

Heartbreaking, ain’t it? “How could they not have liked it?” you cry out to the writing gods. It’s just the way it is. Remember – it’s not about you. It’s about the script.

So you’ve got two choices. Obsess over the rejection, or accept it, put it behind you, and keep pushing forward. Maybe figuring out why their reaction was negative could help.

But don’t let that negative slow you down. Do what you can to turn things to your advantage. Like with practically everything connected to screenwriting, it won’t be easy.

Start by making sure you like it, and then take it from there.

Beware the monsters with green eyes!

Maximum Z craft, criticism, development, experience, feedback, frustration, generosity, grammar, memory, networking, notes, pages, relationships, screenplay, screenwriting, script, support, writing
green eyes
And done without the benefit of contact lenses

Not one, but two, count ’em – TWO, fantastic get-to-know-you chats with some fellow local writers over the past week. (Eight days if you want to get technical about it)

As part of one of these discussions, the topic of dealing with criticism came up. In particular, criticism that seems to come from a harsh, angry place. They go way beyond “This needs work”, and potentially surpass the purpose of notes to the point of simply being downright cruel.

“This is shit. Whoever told you you could write?”

“Any attempt to fix this would be a waste of time. Just give up now.”

Chances are you’ve been on the receiving end of these kinds of notes. I certainly have.

When we’re first starting out, we don’t realize how much we don’t know, and that’s reflected on the page. There’s not one experienced writer who thinks their first script or two was perfect.

So you work at it. You toil away, constantly putting in the effort to improve. And over time, you do. You know you’ve gotten better, and that also comes through on the page. Maybe you’ve even gotten compliments or (gasp!) praise about your work.

But despite your progress, you might still get a note like those above that totally trashes what you’ve written. This has also happened to me. Fairly recently, I might add.

What myself and the other writer discussed was “Where does this anger come from?” We’ve both been doing this for a while, so neither of us is a total noob. We each had more than a few scripts under our respective belts, so what could possibly be the basis for such a mean-spirited rant?

I casually threw out something I’d only read about and heard in the occasional mention: Could the person giving the notes be jealous of the material, and they were venting their anger and frustration about it via their notes?

Let me set one thing straight. I think I’m a good writer, but I will never claim to be the be-all and end-all. In fact, I’d be amazed if somebody was jealous of my work.

When I read somebody else’s script and find it totally amazing, I’ll tell them so. Do I wish I could write something that good? Sure, but it makes me want to work harder so I can. I don’t think “I’ll never be as good as them, so I’ll shit all over their material in order to make myself feel better.”

Taking this kind of negative approach can only result in a lose-lose scenario for you. You make yourself look bad and the other person will most likely not want anything to do with you anymore. And don’t think they’re going to forget you. To them, you’ll always be that angry asshole.

Something else to keep in mind – you never know who’s going to succeed, so the person whose script you just trashed could potentially be the next big thing. Wouldn’t you rather be on their good side, and not their shit list?

I work really hard to establish and maintain my network of connections, and value each one too much to do that. I want everybody to succeed and actually enjoy helping if and when I can.

But then again, I’m just a nice guy to begin with. Even if I do occasionally end sentences with a preposition.

But that’s nothing to be jealous about.