by Brigette Schoenung
At Smart Girls, screenwriters at every level of their craft contact us, from beginners to professional writers who have had their scripts produced.
Some of our newer writers may have taken only one class or have only studied a couple of screenwriting books, and we still see many of them making common mistakes or misunderstanding some of the things they’ve heard, so if you’re still learning, this post is for you.
In this article, we will go over some broad guidelines on mistakes to avoid. We know when you’re the new scribe on the block, it can be tough to know where to start and embarrassing to ask questions.
Let me start by confirming that getting your script read can be extremely difficult, so when you do get your shot, don’t waste it by making newbie mistakes that will get your script 86’d. Read this mini-course on avoiding Five of the Most Common Errors that New Screenwriters make, and if you made any of these errors, fix ‘em fast:
Mistake #1 — Not thinking visually.
This is the biggest mistake brand new screenwriters make–writing what can’t be filmed. Once you think about it, it makes sense, but for book authors and blog writers, some screenwriting rules aren’t immediately obvious.
“She considered the black raven in the tree carefully, its feathers turning charcoal gray in the coming fall wind, and felt her own mortality creep up her spine” is a great writing for a novel. But what it’s not is FILMABLE like it should be for a screenplay!
There are many ways to show internal thought processes that CAN be filmed, such as through dialogue, action, and acting choices. If you can’t see it, don’t write it.
2 — Telling, Not Showing.
You’ve probably been hearing “show, don’t tell” in English class since the fifth grade, but it’s still easy to do by mistake. Don’t tell your story through exposition.
When was the last time someone walked up to you and said, “Hello, my name is Bob, and I was born in Indiana at 9:45 am on February 12th….” and proceeded to tell you his entire life story? That’s not how real people speak, and it’s important for your characters to seem as realistic as possible, and just as important not to bore your audience.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use dialogue effectively (more on that next) but let each important part of the character’s backstory be revealed slowly, one at a time. One of the best examples of action revealing backstory was in 2006’s Superman Returns. Lois had been denying she was Superman’s lover throughout the entire movie. Then her little boy picks up a piano and hurls it across the room. No words necessary.
3 — Bad dialogue.
So, what’s bad dialogue? Bad dialogue is unrealistic and/or too long. Action movies are notorious offenders. If you’ve never heard a person say it, don’t write it. Realistic dialogue is based on the way people actually speak. Some screenwriters even choose to have characters speak over each other because that’s what people do in real life.
Writing dialogue for women and people of color can become offensive fast. If you’re not a member of the community you’re writing about, ask for help from a co-writer who is, or simply choose to tell a different story. There’s a reason they say to write what you know!
One way to avoid stereotypes and create realistic dialogue is to picture the character and tell his or her entire backstory in your mind. Ask yourself every question about the character you can think of. Answering these questions can help you write realistic dialogue. A person with his or her own individual personality, foibles, characteristics, flaws, goals, and joys can’t be a stereotype by definition.
4 — Thinking you don’t need a professional script critique.
Script critique professionals read many scripts every day. The difference between them and a reader in the development department of a studio is that script analysis professionals are here to help you develop your script and fulfill your vision for it, not find reasons to eliminate your script.
People who read many scripts every day know the good from the bad from the ugly, and they know what’s selling right now and what isn’t. They can advise you on everything from grammar to storyline to marketing.
Take advantage of their wisdom and edit, edit, edit.
5 — Putting a script in an envelope, getting a random studio address, and sticking it in the mail.
We all know it’s tempting, but just don’t do it. First, most studios will not read a script from a writer without representation. Why? They might be sued if they make a movie that’s too similar to the script you sent. If you just sent your script to a studio, you will probably get it back with a note that says “We did not read this script. We opened the package to ascertain what was inside, and then returned it to sender. We cannot read unsolicited scripts.” Smaller studios may be willing to read it if you sign a waiver, so don’t be afraid to query them.
What should you do? Write query letters to agents and managers who rep writers who write similar stories. Also send queries directly to directors, producers, and the agent of an actor you think is perfect for the role. If you don’t want to do the research yourself or don’t know how, you might consider using the Smart Girls script marketing service to do it for you.
Admittedly, it can be frustrating to query many people and not hear back, but remember how busy people really are and don’t be afraid to query again with another script.
Most scripts are read as a favor. The best way to get your script read is to make yourself part of the artistic community. Befriend a reader/someone in the industry who lives in your building, takes their kids to the same playground, their dog to the same dog park, or who sits at the same bar you do. You could start by hanging out at a coffee shop in the area and speak to anyone who is writing a script. Attend live plays and thank the actors for their performance afterward. Make yourself of service and read scripts for free. Becoming part of an artistic community is the fastest way to network and send the message you’re here to stay.
Write well and have a realistic view of how the industry works and your chances of success greatly increase. From beginners to seasoned pros, it can be easy to make basic mistakes, so double check the list above, and rewrite. Class dismissed!