You have to look at it like this:

Your posts, your scripts, everything you write and introduce into the public forum, is a sample of your work. If you want to be taken seriously as a writer, then you have to watch what you write. As an aspiring screenwriter, you’re not only someone who writes scripts, you’re someone who is asking an investor to spend perhaps multi millions of dollars on producing your work. You have to convince these people that your writing is worth millions.

No successful business person would dare talk to a client in the same cavalier way that some of the writers here treat their readers. Because they know that their clients equal money and success.

If you’re going to call yourself a writer, then you have to learn how to write. And you have to take it serious. That’s why you have to care about things like spelling and grammar and rewriting. You have to make sure that the draft you submit is free of as many problems and issues as possible. You have to do it for your reputation, for your readers, and also out of respect for Don, whom people are killing by posting drafts relentlessly.

I would say at the very least, a script should not be posted until the writer takes two weeks off of it, rereads it critically that much later, and scours it for typos. No one can catch every typo, but people get a higher opinion of your work with the fewer typos they find. Why is this? Because few typos means you cared enough to proof it.

On the topic of writers bashing readers, one thing must be kept in mind. If you post your work in a public forum for others to read, you just might get feedback you don't expect. Deal with it. Always take it with a grain of salt.

I have found a lot of spelling errors in stuff I have read.

The biggest problem is the fact that we have a shorts section in which people will post any old script they write for the fun of it. The one week contest feeds into this problem but everybody says it's so great but it takes "serious" works and pushes them out of the way.

Don said he will post anything.

We're not asking  for a completely rewritten and perfectly polished script, just that people go over their script and correct the obvious mistakes.

I reember somebody saying that he posted first drafts because he wanted other people to find his typos.  How many people want to read a script from a writerc so lazy he won't look for typos?


Phil

Please keep this an intelligent discussion of the topic at hand.

It is a very good topic.

Please do not post on this thread to talk about your own script in an attempt to justify why you posted it without a proper proofreading.

I'm gonna delete those.

Breanne, I do agree but I think you are looking at the wrong place as the source of the problem. The Work In progress board (In my opinion) over the years has had a lot of "ideas" in progress that are never worked out before the writer makes it into a screenplay thus guys like Balt are left to point out the fact that it has nothing that resembles a screenplay.

People used to care about the craft of screenwriting... All that is left in the mind of a young writer is a "cool" idea, dream casts and how gore filled the deaths can be.

The film industry is not trying to set an example either and is feeding into this stereotype.

For my part I have been guilty of posting some first drafts when I first arrived and learned from my mistake (Nobody is willing to read the same script twice especially if the first version was poor)

Quoted from bert Please do not post on this thread to talk about your own script in an attempt to justify why you posted it without a proper proofreading.

Actually, I'd like to hear why they do it.


Phil

Pretend you have the attention of the whole world, then ask yourself if this script is what you want the world to see.

That does not mean it has to be great, but maybe the best that you can do.

When you truly believe you've done your best then you post it here. Others will read it and tell you what's wrong with it. You will realize that your script can be even better than you thought and that means you learned something.
Pretty cool if you ask me.

Quoted from dogglebe Actually, I'd like to hear why they do it.

Umm...OK.  One of the posts I deleted had something to do with the author's mother calling him to dinner or something.  The other didn't really have a reason.  They just popped on here to say that they did it.

But sure -- if somebody can offer up a solid reason for doing it, I guess the post can stay.

Anybody got one?  A really good reason why you should trouble Don with a draft you haven't even proofed?

The author's mom called him to dinner?  You've got to be kidding!

I could understand the one week challenges not being proofed (to a point).  Everyone's working with a tight schedule, which is all a part of it.  But a regular script has no deadline.  There's no reason to rush it.


Phil

I was guilty of posting first drafts when I first signed up.  The first draft of "The Scorsese Club" had a bunch of bullcrap in it that has since been deleted.  As Steve said, nobody wants to read the same script twice, so you really need to put forth your best effort when you post your work.

I learned my lesson when posting Cobb.  Took a few weeks after finishing it to let it sink in and then read the thing over and over looking for typos and rearranging stuff.  If you can read through your script knowing that its spelling and grammar is top notch and you've put forth your best effort, then post it, but it's gotta have those 3 things in my opinion.  After that people will tell you what works and doesn't work and you can go from there.  That's the point of constructive criticism.

It's tedious when someone posts on their own thread "Yeah, it's got a bunch of spelling errors, I know."  I don't know about you folks, but reading "Your an idiot" is like torture for me.  Anyway, nice post Breanne.  I agree whole heartedly.

I hope people can tell the difference between a first draft that's been posted without being proofed just for the sake of getting it up, and a first draft that has been proofed, but needs feedback on what works and does not work in the story.

I think there's a big difference between the two.

Quoted from George Willson I would say at the very least, a script should not be posted until the writer takes two weeks off of it, rereads it critically that much later, and scours it for typos.

I wholeheartedly agree. Doing this does wonders for one's script. You don't even have to think about what you're changing because you already know it sounds right. Even if it's not and you change it again in a later draft, you still feel better about your script after putting it aside for two weeks before revisions.

In any case, I don't think I've ever submitted the first draft of anything. Even the first script I submitted was a fourth draft and I'm pretty sure I proofread both of my One Week Challenge entries, if only to make pages don't end with sluglines with their action lines at the top of following pages.

So yeah, I agree with you, Breanne. Personally, I don't know why anyone would even think of submitting a first draft as everyone knows it's going to be a mess when it's finished. I think it's naive to think it won't be.

Just an observation here,

this is another good thread and there's been quite a few of those in the past two months regarding the quality of posts, threads, scripts and even this website.

The interesting thing though is that it's the same people that comment in them. Some of the people that keep making these mistakes that we discuss never seem to chime in, there will just be another thread, script or post from those people the next day.



  

As far as why they do it, I’m sure impatience has something to do with it. But Pia brought up something that made me think when she spoke about truly believing you've done your best.

This is getting a bit psychological here but could it be a lack of confidence? Maybe they feel that if they come out and say it’s a first draft that it will excuse their mistakes and protect their egos. In some cases, maybe it’s not their first draft but they’re so afraid of a poor review that they lay the groundwork for excusing their failure right from the start.

Hmmm. I’m getting too deep here maybe.