Here-here regarding some of the comments recently on this thread.

Just to put in my two cents - on both sides of the coin.

1) As a writer, I completely understand the "writer's ego".  It hurts like heck when someone rips into your scripts, especially when you think you've got it perfect.  Sometimes, they're dead wrong.  Ignore such criticism.  But it's worth taking a moment, stepping away from any *constructive* criticism for about a day, then coming back and seeing if any of it rings true.  I've had both kinds (as we all do.)  Some of it is completely off base.  And some of it...improved my scripts significantly.  It's worth taking time to cool off, and see which area the criticism falls into.

2) For those of us who are "Veterans" of the board.  PLEASE, for God's sakes, remember that some board members are brand new.  Other commenters here are right.  It's easy to get scared away from this craft...including writers that would otherwise - if nutured - truly come into their own.  And whether the writer's veteran or novice, it is NEVER acceptable or fair to simply slam a script.  That's simply petty, nasty, and bad for the board's rep in general.  Remember what yo' momma told you, fellas.  If you can't say anything nice....  Either shut up, or put it more constructive terms.

Nuff said.  Welcome, all newbies to the board!  

My momma told me if you can't say something nice, then say it to your father...

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If you plan on submitting your script on this site, take the good with the bad. There are a lot of honest writers on here, who will say exactly how they see it and that`s not a bad thing, as long as its constructive critisim and not attacks on personal.

Other thing to remember, this a free site, there are not too many sites out there that offer you feedback without a fee,  so it`s fellow writers taken time to read your script and not everyone gets feedbacks.

If you don`t like what someone writes, send them a pm explaining why they wrote it.

I think, that if I've learnt anything, it's that giving feedback requires as much thought and attention as does writing the script in the first place. It's still writing, laying your thoughts on the pages for someone else to read. If you're a writer, then in order to respect your craft, then you should always write with some level of aforethought, consideration and attention to detail. Critiquing a script is a skilled business - an art in itself.

The first scripts I posted here all received negative feedback - fine in itself, if it's not a good script. My problem was that people were not really explaining why the scripts were bad - I had to almost demand to know what was wrong with them. The negative feedback didn't stop - it just became constructive, and that's where the learning curve began to kick in.

You can't educate people just by saying what they have done is crap; you can only help people when you begin saying why it's crap - and it's in that saying-why-process that the thinking begins.

I love sound preachy.

Quoted from dogglebe Among the scripts I'm working on now is a slasher/horror flick, just to see if I can write one.  I'm also working on a sequel to The Burnout, which is more of an action flick than the first, as well as a dramatic vehicle for my character Sawyer (from my short, 'Linus'). On the back burner, I have some comedy shorts.... Point is, you have to work on a variety of things.  It increases your chance of selling something and oit helps you grow as a writer. Phil

I agree completely here. Although my work will probably always tend to be on the meaningful absurdist side of the scale, the fact remains that whatever one is writing, one should work on a variety. Not that one will always stew in a multiple pot, but in the embryonic stages, I think it helps to develop and ultimately stretches a writer's ability.

Sandra

what does it take to get reviews here? i have reviewed in the past -- got no reciprocity -- then i stopped reviewing; people though that i was being mean spirited -- but i thought i was being helpful...my writing has been boosted and in part, styled by the writers here -- i love this site, the writers make me work and i do work at it all the time. but still, no reviews...perhaps then someone can steer me in the direction of someone in Hollywood that i can send my scripts to? i'm beginnin to wonder if my skills haven't crossed some sort of imaginary plane into a higher realm of writing or something like that -- since i can't even get negative reviews either.

Hey Courhaw,

What scripts do you have uploaded? I will be happy to give it a review for you when time allows but remember I am new at this so all criticism is from a beginner.

Steve

Quoted from courhaw what does it take to get reviews here? i have reviewed in the past -- got no reciprocity

I have had a lot of people reading my shorts here. I always try to return the favor. However, if you're new and don't use your real name here then it can be hard to know where to even find your scripts. It's a good idea to put links to your scripts in your signature.  

The lady above me is absolutely correct, and I would add that you might want to adjust your expectations.

Expecting a return read every time you drop a sentence or two on somebody's script is not realistic.

Hang around -- get a rep for leaving good feedback -- and then people will seek you out.

Courhaw

Definitely put links to your scripts in your signature. That really, really helps.

Have you posted shorts or features? I can tell you that I try to read and comment on all shorts posted by regulars, though I do miss some or take a while to get to them.

Features are another matter. It takes time to read and make useful comments on a feature. I would say it takes at least 2 hours out of my day, usually more like 3, sometimes more. I won't do it anymore, generally, unless I feel like the favor will be returned. And a key concept for me is "useful" review.

For a review to be useful to me, it makes no difference whether that review came from an old veteran or a just off the boat beginner. There is honestly equal value in both. I can get some really insightful remarks from veterans based on their extensive knowledge and experience. But the remarks from beginners often has a purity to them that reflects the regular movie audience and is untainted by things like film theory.

However, if someone reads my feature and says basically, "nice job", or "this sucks", it doesn't help me develop my story in any way. What I need to know is what works and what does not. What characters do you like, what characters could you not buy into. Things like that. If someone just reads my story and gives generic remarks that they could have gleamed from skimming, or from reading others remarks, I am not inclined to dedicate 2 or 3 hours of my life to reading their feature.

I am not directing those remarks toward you. I don't recall any of your reviews. I'm just explaining my approach, maybe it helps. I honestly don't recall seeing your work posted or your reviews, but I will try to watch for them. Best of luck.

Courhaw,

Another good way to garner reviews is linking your scripts in your signature.
Someone sees your thoughtful review and reads through it.
Then, right there at the bottom is a convenient link, allowing them to reciprocate.

E.D.

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thanks guys -- i'll definitely review more and more in depth -- we'll see what happens after that...

ive noticed some things reading through lots of critques over the last week and thought this thread could use a timely BUMP up to the top. might do some good for n00bs and regs alike to go through and read some of the stuff in here.

lets remember that we're all here to help eachother. it's not a competition and no one's going to win anything.

personal opinions should be given out as they are - personal opinion.... and not like the word of God. at least this is what i'm all about. as i said in another thread... i may not be half the writer a lot of you are - nor will i ever claim to be - but i still have an opinion i am happy to throw out on a board that welcomes it. its honest, and its personal - and in no way is it to be taken with anything more then with some grains of salt.

yes there are some rules, guidelines, and standards that need to be followed and we should share and point these out to the unknowning  - not beat them senslessly over the head with the Writer's Bible.


cheers
Chris

(made some edits)

Chris, this has been discussed recently. You might want to look at this thread.

http://www.simplyscripts.net/cgi-bin/Blah/Blah.pl?b-Chat/m-1328988914/

yeah i know... looked some but couldnt find that thread.... so i just went here... little late to the party i guess, but hey better late then never. plus i'm still a bit of mystery to some people on this board.... and wanted to kind of give everyone a gist of what i'm all about. and my approach to handing out opinions and critiques - as well as taking them too