From Katie: My Feedback Process

So your buddy says to you “would you read my (insert: novel, blog, essay, what have you)?”

Congratulations, you’ve entered both the greatest and sometimes the strangest phase of friendship with someone. A lot of times for me, this has been a position of great honor. Knowing that someone wants help, they’re asking for it, and they’re asking you for it. To me, it’s a great opportunity to potentially help someone in their creative process as well as potentially be exposed to something really awesome.

Now, pull down the lap bar and take a deep breath.

Whenever I’m going to read a script, I have a process that I’ve built naturally over time. I start with a cold read. Truly, just read the script and see how it makes you feel on the most basic level. Are you laughing? Are you crying? Are you anxious?

If someone has asked for notes on their script, I usually circle or highlight moments that stand out to me as I go. I jot quick notes about my feelings; loving this, hating this, confused by this. After I finish reading, I take a moment and do a quick palette cleanser; take a walk, eat a snack, etc. Then I come right back. I’ll usually do one of two things, either jump right into notes or read it over again (yes, from beginning to end).

On the second read, I go in with trying to answer two questions: What did I feel and why? This read is about asking and answering questions. It builds off of feelings and works toward answering the general “how” of the script. In other words, “how is this working or not working?”

Usually, as part of this step (or sometimes as its own step), I address a certain kind of rubric or assessment breakdown. I consider very specific aspects or elements of the script including but not limited to plot, structure, tone, pacing, character development, setting, time, and length.

A lot of times, I think “this reminds me of…” or “this is like…” I don’t ignore these. I usually find that writers like to know about other works similar to their writing that may strike a similar chord. I find that the best, or at least the most open, writers listen to these comments and use it as part of their own self-analysis. It can help them understand how their script is landing with an audience or how they may be able to expand/redirect their own idea.

I take a lot of notes throughout the process. Writing can not only be difficult to do well, it can be difficult to do at all. I love to share positive feedback for all scripts that I read as a because of this. There is always something good about every script I read.

But I don’t shy away from sharing if something isn’t working for me. You don’t need to be an asshole about critiquing someone’s writing. I don’t think that works for this process, especially because writing something really good requires the writer to become vulnerable. And that shit’s not easy, I don’t care who you are. If someone is asking you for feedback, recognize that.

I’ve found that some people like their feedback nitty gritty. They just want the most straightforward, simple notes. What’s working, what’s not. And that’s okay too, if that’s what they’re looking for. A tactic I have used in the past to assess how I give feedback is by asking questions such as “what stage are you in right now?” and/or “are there specific things you’re looking for feedback on?”

It’s all about communicating and doing so with a goal in mind.

As a producer, there is often an additional category to consider when reading scripts or providing coverage and that is the produce-ability of something. This can mean answering questions such as “what kind of budget it would take to make this?” or “can I afford to/do I know how to produce this?” That can be followed with a whole other mess of questions but what I mean to say here is, you can read anything a certain way if you have a specific pair of glasses on.

My biggest reminder to myself in this process (and thus probably my biggest piece of advice), is to be open to the experience that each script offers. We’re all riding this crazy rock around the sun together and one of the greatest parts about being human, is our ability to share our stories with one another.

-Katie