Ok, so we’ve discussed big picture elements of writing. The very broad strokes of approaching story and ultimately script. That no matter the genre, comedy or drama, feature length or television, half-hour or one hour, animated or live action, the basic elements of storytelling and scriptwriting are universal. We’ve also discussed how execs in Hollywood are absolutely rooting for you, for great, inspired material and how important your attitude is when having creative conversations. So now, let’s go a step further and talk about the notes process. This is pertinent for every writer, not just an interaction with an executive but how you approach hearing feedback on that piece of yourself that you’ve given to someone to read.
Whether you’re a veteran writer or just starting out, you will inevitably go through the process of incorporating feedback – whether from friends, family members, executives or fellow writers – and re-writing your material. There is just one very simple goal here and it’s also the goal of this site and hopefully it’s the goal of every executive in town: to make material better. Better is the operative term, (I mean, ideally great, but better is operative here) not just different. An executive’s goal is never to make something different. That just doesn’t make sense, does it? No, it’s to make material better, or at least that should be the goal.
So, to piggyback off previous posts saying the goal is to make material better and that your attitude is everything during the process, here’s what I implore of you dear writer. Listen to notes with an open heart and with the phrase “What exactly is this note” “Does this note make my material better? If not, how can it?” Look, I know first-hand it is not easy to have someone come crashing through your deliberately structured material. And every executive is different, every writer is different, every person’s p.o.v. that’s reading your material is different. And it’s all subjective. So, the very best thing for you to do — whether with me, with a fellow writer, a friend etc. — is to listen openly to the constructive feedback you are getting. For me, I try to be as clear as possible about what the note is. I’ve noticed some people pitch fixes “write it this way” “have them say this” and that’s not a note. That’s a fix. It’s up to you to figure out (or even ask) “what’s the note here, what would you like to fix, what are you not getting?” not in an aggressive way but merely for the sake of understanding. Because then you can address the spirit of the note. If it makes things better, of course. It’s up to you to sift through them and incorporate the good ones. But by addressing the spirit of what someone’s telling you, it empowers you to both assuage the note-giver but in a way you find palatable or that improves your script.
Only through your prism of what will work and what won’t, will notes and feedback be addressed intelligently. Maybe you didn’t like the fix that was pitched but if you understand the note, and the note makes something better, than you find the fix and come back and say “I heard you and that didn’t work but I tried this based on the note and it really works better.” Notes should be clear for you. And it’s up to you to incorporate the good ones and ditch the ones that make no sense or don’t make things better. But it’s also up to you to communicate when you’re unclear, so that you understand what the ask is so you can address what someone’s saying in a way that levels your script up not down. And remember, executives have lives, busy workloads a thousand meetings or notes calls and so much material, so not every note can be well thought out, some may be contradictory, hell, some can be from an old draft. A thousand things have probably happened between their last reading of the script and them now talking to you, so give a bit of leeway, and try to understand what they are saying. By doing this, by thinking about, processing, digesting and addressing thoughts your own way, your script will only get better.
Sometimes, the notes will be massive. Sometimes, they will pull everything apart. Another sort of secret is that It’s my belief that executives or writers don’t rip material asunder for their own enjoyment. We’re not sadists for the most part, it’s because things aren’t working. Applying the same approach even at big levels is really the only way to go. If you have true understanding of what the notes are, of what the ask or the need is, then you can set to rights fixing things. Communication is key, your attitude is key, your willingness to hear and implement is key, your understanding of the spirit of what they’re saying is key at any level and phase of the process.
If you approach the notes process and the rewriting process this way, you’ll be able to discuss why a note didn’t work, by keeping your focus on understanding, communicating, considering and implementing. And you implement those notes that do work so that ultimately you incorporate thoughts, ideas and notes, that make a story or script better, not just different.