Writing is a very solitary craft. Even if you have a writing partner, most of your time will still be spent isolated on an island of your thoughts, staring at a computer screen, tapping at your keyboard, away from people and distractions.
That’s all well and good, but it’s also very important to get off the island, and get feedback on your script. The earlier the better. After all, you may be scriptwrecked and not even know it!
One of the best ways to get free feedback is to join one of the many screenwriters’ groups out there. Having a group of fellow screenwriters discuss the elements of your script, at its various phases (from logline to finished screenplay), can pay huge dividends. A good group will:
- give you an outlet to bounce around ideas
- offer you encouragement
- discuss ways to improve your scenes
- help you with structure or story problems you’re encountering
- catch mistakes you would otherwise have missed
- provide nuggets of insight and advice
So get off that island and get some quality feedback on your screenplay! Sometimes getting critiqued is difficult, but it’s far better than the alternative — sending your script out before it’s ready.
To find a group near you, go to Google and type: “screenwriters group [your city name]”
Two heads are always better than one. More than that even better, unless your name is Cerberus.
“I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him.” – Galileo Galilei
