Quoted from Grandma Bear Don't know. I think most writers who are serious about their writing career eventually quit posting their scripts here... ...and only fools like me keep posting 1st drafts for the world to see.

So why does it seem to you that serious writers eventually quit posting on SS?  

I've definitely learned a lot from the SS alumni, especially pertaining to format.  Story and structure too.  I am grateful.  Why else would we ask someone to review our scripts?  Why are we here?  

But God forbid your opinions differ from the person reviewing your script.  

There are certain members here who take it personally when you don't make all the changes based on their suggestions.  

Sometimes Ill see my mistake and make the suggested change and other times I will disagree.  I take everything I'm told into advisement.  Sometimes others suggestions don't really make sense to me.  But, in the end, it's my choice and my script.              

Basically, what I find most annoying about SS is that certain people think they are the last word on screenwriting cuz they took a Canon XL2 and produced some shorts in their buddy's garage.  And if you try to challenge their opinions or suggestions, they either get angry or try to cut you to pieces.  Just showing everyone on the boards what a great writer of comedy they are.                  

Anyways, didn't mean to go off on such a tangent.  I'm not pointing out anyone in particular here.  It's just a general observation.  

I too have been guilty of being overly sensitive about my own scripts and certain comments made about them.  I've been on the defensive side too.  The screenwriter's fragile ego can lead to a lot of needless, unproductive arguing.

So do you believe the more serious writers usually leave SS because of the clashing of egos?  

Quoted from ericdickson But God forbid your opinions differ from the person reviewing your script.   There are certain members here who take it personally when you don't make all the changes based on their suggestions.

This isn't really the case.  If you agree with someone's criticism, great.  If you don't, try being gracious when you reply.  Thank them for spending their time helping you.  Don't tell them that they're just frustrated writers and that they're jealous of your writing.


Phil

Also, when doling out critiques - do so as a professional, rather than a better-than-thou know it all.

The postal clerk behind the counter doesn't act like a prissy b!tch to tell me I'd save money by re-packaging an item in a similar box.

The employee at Home Depot doesn't mock and ridicule me for asking if brush nickel coat hooks will be in hardware or shelving.

TurboTax doesn't scoff and laugh at me when my standard deductions are greater than my itemized deductions then proceed to direct me to the corner pharmacy for rubbers.

I think some of the people here handing out advice don't understand the difference between a critique and a criticism - and then want to slap a band-aid over their thoughtless knife wounds with a trite (effect a glib, eighth-grade b!tch voice) "I don't mean to be harsh."

Eff.
You.
Hag from hades.

I've cited many things that can be "considered for alteration, if not outright correction" and don't think anyone could justly say 'D@MN, Ray! You're a surly beeyotch!"

If you find something wonky, cite it, suggest a fix, move on.
Save the passionate hyperbole for your stories.

Hi MJ! I'm here too. -glad you decided to join.

Welcome Melissa. Never been to Moviepoet.

Quoted from ericdickson Yeah, I hear you.  Posting first drafts is probably never a good idea.

The writer needs to be the judge. The reader needs to be the judge.

If the writer needs feedback, then they shouldn't feel bad about posting a draft.

If the reader wants to give feedback, even if it's only on part of it, then it can be very helpful.

The term 1st draft is really a misnomer in many cases. How many drafts does a person need to write to even get to first?  

Sandra

Quoted from Sandra Elstree. Welcome Melissa. Never been to Moviepoet. The writer needs to be the judge. The reader needs to be the judge. If the writer needs feedback, then they shouldn't feel bad about posting a draft. If the reader wants to give feedback, even if it's only on part of it, then it can be very helpful. The term 1st draft is really a misnomer in many cases. How many drafts does a person need to write to even get to first?   Sandra

Yeah, the first draft usually means the third or fourth.  Good point.  

Quoted from ericdickson So do you believe the more serious writers usually leave SS because of the clashing of egos?

I've been around a long long time. I've seen people leave for all sorts of reasons. What I meant with my comment was that a lot of writers when getting more serious about their writing and the promotion of themselves as writers seem to quit posting their scripts online in the open like here at SS.

Quoted from Sandra Elstree. Welcome Melissa. Never been to Moviepoet. The writer needs to be the judge. The reader needs to be the judge. If the writer needs feedback, then they shouldn't feel bad about posting a draft. If the reader wants to give feedback, even if it's only on part of it, then it can be very helpful. The term 1st draft is really a misnomer in many cases. How many drafts does a person need to write to even get to first?   Sandra

When it comes to the shorts it's never "1st draft". Or seldom. But features are different especially when you're given only 7 weeks to write one. I wrote and uploaded my very 1st draft for the last 7WC (the thing posted there now is my second draft though).

Now I understand it's not wise to post 1st draft. But it was fun to write and share and I'll probably do the same next time

Sandra, you should try Moviepoet sometime too

Wow! lots of stuff to take in here.

Wonderful to see some familiar faces - hey Pia, hi Khamanna & Ola Matias.

Hmm I came here because... it was recommended to me as a good place to get my work out there and meet film makers who might want to shoot some of my stuff.

I'm also interested to see how much critiques I may receive on here differ to those on MoviePoet.

And to read a different gang of people's work. Which I will get around to.

A 'first draft' is probably very different depending on each writer's approach to a script.

For feature scipts my first draft is what I refer to as a rough draft which is me just writing and getting it all down into the screenwriting program but before I do that I'll have filled a notebook with all my charatcers, their arcs, biographie, all the major scenes and just general brainstorming and then I'll do a bullet point outline of all the beats and the order they're gonna fit and then I start typing.

After that I shape into a first draft. People NEVER get to see my 'rough draft' except that this year the MoviePoets did for the feature comp. which saw me still typing major scenes right up until deadline.

i rarely re-write a short before submitting but I do outline them first.

blah. lots of waffle. I must be procrastinating....

Welcome aboard.