Many agents, managers, executives, and writers (no matter how much experience they have!) give terrible, unhelpful notes. Here's how to not be one of them.
Super helpful Audrey. I’m considering an intensive workshop with Talton as well this Jan. I’ve heard nothing but good things (which usually is a red flag for me, but I got a good gut feeling)
This is wonderful thanks for sharing. What I have mostly found in feed back, is first and foremost notes on formatting and type Os. Very few comment on story, CDQ or characters. Of course dialogue reading is different for every reader. So I do feel it’s subjective, but certainly worth noting so a writer reviews it. Thanks
What you have laid out is truly a wonderful guide, for any screenwriter to prep and ask themselves up front. It has certainly sparked one or two questions in my own work, inspiring a little nip and tuck here and there.
Always happy to help, as you probably guessed I have a lot of questions, I do my best to make them group relative and helpful for others. Happy New Year!
Here is one for you, I have seen readers use the term ‘exposition dump’. In a critique of a screenplay or scene to be specific. I feel like it’s a ‘cool kid phrase’ being thrown about anytime a scene describes action that a reader feels should be filmed, which isn’t always the case. I’d be curious to hear you expand on exposition and how to use it effectively in dialogue or to avoid an exposition dump in your screenplay. There are thousands of examples of great scripts where a writer may review or detail out actions in dialogue that work and of course plenty of others that don’t. Perhaps side by side of what works and what doesn’t. Thx. Happy Holidays
A reader will react negatively to an exposition dump if it bores them. If it’s information that they aren’t asking for, they will be annoyed. The trick is to set up a question that piques their interest so that by the time you’re giving them the exposition, they aren’t mad at the dump because they are dying for the answer.
This is an outstanding post. Thank you Audrey for sharing all of this. This one hit the rare boss level, beyond like, save or restack… print and revisit. 🙏
I had a friend who worked at Benderspink briefly in the early 00s. He sent me so many screenplays where he had to provide coverage, and so many of them were just completely awful. One of them, maybe the worst one, ended up becoming Failure To Launch, so clearly I'm a bad judge of these things.
So wise. In my experience, the best notes recognize what a writer is aiming to achieve and then help them make that thing the fullest possible expression of itself.
This is incredibly helpful; thank you.
Thank you! Please let me know if you end up using the framework. I’d love to hear how it works for you
Super helpful Audrey. I’m considering an intensive workshop with Talton as well this Jan. I’ve heard nothing but good things (which usually is a red flag for me, but I got a good gut feeling)
If I sign up, I’ll drop your name if you like. ☺️
Yeah that would be great! I do think the good things are founded in this case
Just read your testimonial as well. ☺️
And I stand by it!
This is wonderful thanks for sharing. What I have mostly found in feed back, is first and foremost notes on formatting and type Os. Very few comment on story, CDQ or characters. Of course dialogue reading is different for every reader. So I do feel it’s subjective, but certainly worth noting so a writer reviews it. Thanks
Yep that’s why I’m writing this so that people giving feedback can learn to do it better!
What you have laid out is truly a wonderful guide, for any screenwriter to prep and ask themselves up front. It has certainly sparked one or two questions in my own work, inspiring a little nip and tuck here and there.
Thanks
You are always your first round of notes, so I think that’s excellent!
Brilliant answer. Thanks. Set up the question is a great take on that. Thanks
Happy to help! I love your suggestion to go into this deeper with examples in a future article. Adding to my list.
Always happy to help, as you probably guessed I have a lot of questions, I do my best to make them group relative and helpful for others. Happy New Year!
Here is one for you, I have seen readers use the term ‘exposition dump’. In a critique of a screenplay or scene to be specific. I feel like it’s a ‘cool kid phrase’ being thrown about anytime a scene describes action that a reader feels should be filmed, which isn’t always the case. I’d be curious to hear you expand on exposition and how to use it effectively in dialogue or to avoid an exposition dump in your screenplay. There are thousands of examples of great scripts where a writer may review or detail out actions in dialogue that work and of course plenty of others that don’t. Perhaps side by side of what works and what doesn’t. Thx. Happy Holidays
A reader will react negatively to an exposition dump if it bores them. If it’s information that they aren’t asking for, they will be annoyed. The trick is to set up a question that piques their interest so that by the time you’re giving them the exposition, they aren’t mad at the dump because they are dying for the answer.
Remarkable email too, terrific post thank you Audrey, helpful process!
Thanks, Glenn! Glad you find it helpful :)
Oh this is great! I'll share this with my writing group!
Oh writing groups REALLY need to learn how to give notes (no shade, I'm sure yours is great!) But it's a skill that is really lacking out there.
Amazing.
Thank you! Let me know if this works for you :)
This is an outstanding post. Thank you Audrey for sharing all of this. This one hit the rare boss level, beyond like, save or restack… print and revisit. 🙏
Oof, I sympathize with this job.
I had a friend who worked at Benderspink briefly in the early 00s. He sent me so many screenplays where he had to provide coverage, and so many of them were just completely awful. One of them, maybe the worst one, ended up becoming Failure To Launch, so clearly I'm a bad judge of these things.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
So wise. In my experience, the best notes recognize what a writer is aiming to achieve and then help them make that thing the fullest possible expression of itself.