I don't think it's good to be over critical to new writers.  Too much overload of negatives can stop someone from really getting started before they have a chance to tidy up what they've got.

On a side note to this.

If being critical points out the negatives, there should always be a plus side, a positive, something like the story or a particular good character.  Highlight what's good also.

When I was always here back in the day, sometimes it was like the news on television, the news never say anything nice, but we're people, and we're all trying out best.  Which is why I've had to have a hiatus away from the negative feedback (that came my way).

Quoted from jayrex I don't think it's good to be over critical to new writers.  Too much overload of negatives can stop someone from really getting started before they have a chance to tidy up what they've got. On a side note to this. If being critical points out the negatives, there should always be a plus side, a positive, something like the story or a particular good character.  Highlight what's good also. When I was always here back in the day, sometimes it was like the news on television, the news never say anything nice, but we're people, and we're all trying out best.  Which is why I've had to have a hiatus away from the negative feedback (that came my way).

I certainly agree with the spirit, but not the detail. If there is nothing really positive to say, I won't force something. I will try to be constructive even if all comments are negative.

Maybe there should be some kind of standard message that a new writer gets from simplyscripts when a script is submitted. Just some constructive tips. These are tips people generally give here, but might go unnoticed by someone new to the site.

A new writer should not expect any feedback until they've made relationships by giving their own feedback. That's the price you pay. It should seem obvious, but more often than not it seems that it's not.

One thing that discourages newbs from giving feedback is that they think they're not qualified. So maybe it could be part of their 'instruction kit' that they be encouraged to understand that what writers want most is just reaction to the story, what works and what doesn't. No training is required for that.

I will add for myself that I stopped posting scripts here because I didn't want anymore obligatory feature reads, and I did feel an obligation to reciprocate. It takes me at least a few hours to read a script and give useful notes. Some amateur scripts take longer. It took me days to get through Clone ****. So I stopped posting features. But for a new writer, being able to post and develop reciprocal relationships is crucial.

Quoted Text One thing that discourages newbs from giving feedback is that they think they're not qualified.

This is probably true - when I first joined I probably didn't comment for quite a bit being a raw hobbyist with no education in the art. Wanted to soak some stuff in first.

Quoted Text I will add for myself that I stopped posting scripts here because I didn't want anymore obligatory feature reads, and I did feel an obligation to reciprocate. It takes me at least a few hours to read a script and give useful notes. Some amateur scripts take longer. It took me days to get through Clone ****. So I stopped posting features. But for a new writer, being able to post and develop reciprocal relationships is crucial.

You could still post your feature and state Writer is not interested in feedback. I have had inquiries on my scripts as a direct result of them being on this site so it would seem a shame to not use that opportunity. The site always comes up high in the Google rankings (often first) when googling something akin to - where can I find scripts....

Funny thing about reviews is that I usually prefer the untrained script reader, as long as they don't hold back. In the same way I often prefer Amazon reviews by customers to pro reviews on books. Once people get corrupted by nitpicky preferences they start pre-judging work by standards that aren't meant for it.

As for posting, I really don't write many scripts now. I'm more focused on novels. Though I am actually writing one this month for Nicholls. The deadline is May 1. Got like 80 pages to go!

Quoted from leitskev Funny thing about reviews is that I usually prefer the untrained script reader, as long as they don't hold back. In the same way I often prefer Amazon reviews by customers to pro reviews on books. Once people get corrupted by nitpicky preferences they start pre-judging work by standards that aren't meant for it. As for posting, I really don't write many scripts now. I'm more focused on novels. Though I am actually writing one this month for Nicholls. The deadline is May 1. Got like 80 pages to go!

Personally, I don't mind the nitpicks. Different strokes.

Best of luck with that Nicholls.  

Maybe nitpicks isn't the best word for me to use. Prejudgments is better. People get locked into notions of what they think every story should do or not do. A cheap example would be save the cat beats. And I love that book, but I think the structure of a story should conform to its own logic.

Quoted from leitskev Maybe nitpicks isn't the best word for me to use. Prejudgments is better. People get locked into notions of what they think every story should do or not do. A cheap example would be save the cat beats. And I love that book, but I think the structure of a story should conform to its own logic.

Concur!

Quoted from leitskev Maybe nitpicks isn't the best word for me to use. Prejudgments is better. People get locked into notions of what they think every story should do or not do. A cheap example would be save the cat beats. And I love that book, but I think the structure of a story should conform to its own logic.

Agree - formulas suck.

Quoted from leitskev Funny thing about reviews is that I usually prefer the untrained script reader, as long as they don't hold back. In the same way I often prefer Amazon reviews by customers to pro reviews on books. Once people get corrupted by nitpicky preferences they start pre-judging work by standards that aren't meant for it. As for posting, I really don't write many scripts now. I'm more focused on novels. Though I am actually writing one this month for Nicholls. The deadline is May 1. Got like 80 pages to go!

A good point!