Riprap Entertainment TV The Business Side of Writing With Barry

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THE BUSINESS SIDE OF WRITING WITH BARRY

HANDLING CRITIQUE
By Barry M. Putt, Jr.

The Business Side of Writing With Barry [JULY 17, 2007] As writers, receiving feedback on our work is an important part of the script development process. A meaningful critique is based on story-construction principals and story logic. We all need this in order to help develop our work. There are several ways that feedback can come to us including verbally from a colleague, in writing from a contest, production company, or theatre, and even via the media through shows like Riprap Entertainment TV. Regardless of what format it comes in, here are some tips to help you get the most out of each critique you receive.

One of the most helpful things you can do for yourself when you are initially receiving feedback is to take it in as you would a lecture from an instructor. If you’re receiving it in a verbal format, it’s a good idea to write down everything the person giving the critique is recommending; both the aspects that are working well and those that need to be reviewed. Asking questions if you need clarity on something is an important thing to do. However, try not to defend your work. Just listen and take notes. If you are receiving a written or potentially televised critique, it’s best to read or watch the critique all the way through a few times, just to take it in.

After you’ve received your critique, take a few days off to let the information set in. You may find yourself thinking over some of the feedback during this time. That’s to be expected, but make sure you give yourself some distance before returning to work on the script. In the long run, it will help you see the feedback and the story more objectively.

Once some time has passed, review the notes you’ve received and remind yourself of what others felt the strengths of your piece were. Every script draft we write has both strengths and weaknesses. Next, look at the comments that refer to what others felt needed work or clarification. I’d recommend seriously considering every point brought up. Ultimately, if you feel that a particular suggestion isn’t the way you want to go, then don’t pursue it. A good rule of thumb to use, if you’re questioning whether to work on a specific comment or not, is to ask yourself if more than one person had the same reaction. If two or more people did, it would be wise to address the point, even if it’s in a subtle way like changing a word here or adding a line of clarity there. We are the creators of our stories, yet we are aiming to attract an audience to our work. Due to this, we need to make sure that all aspects of our stories are working well and that they follow a basic logic.

Another important part of handling feedback is to consider the source. It is essential that you respect the person’s ideas and opinions that you are receiving feedback from. If you find they are unjustified and not supported by other feedback you have received, I would focus on soliciting feedback from others in the future instead of that specific individual.

Some times feedback comes to us using non-constructive language or through just plain put downs. For example: “The writer was lazy and didn’t do any research on this simple point.” Or “Your characters are like cardboard. What the hell were you doing, looking at them with a flashlight?” While, I don’t encourage actively soliciting critique that comes this way, it should not be discounted just because of its delivery. This type of feedback can be the most challenging to absorb because it may feel like a personal attack on us as writers. The best way to handle it, however, is to read or listen to it and then put it aside for a few days. Once you’ve done that, I’d recommend reviewing the feedback again and finding the essence of its critical value. When you understand that, rewrite the feedback using more constructive language and refer to the rewritten version when you do your next script revision. If the feedback is coming from someone you respect and you intend to request additional feedback from them, I’d recommend letting them know that you appreciate their input, but it would be of more help in the future if they could phrase it in a constructive way that relates directly to story rules and language. By letting them know how you are experiencing their words, it may improve the situation as you move forward. If it doesn’t, you can always fall back on the “rewrite their feedback” technique.

If you are developing a script in a writing class or through the guidance of a specific industry professional, I’d recommend focusing exclusively on that single source of feedback as you develop your story. This will help you avoid conflicting critiques and will make your story stronger through following one approach to the development of the script. Once you’ve exhausted that single source, it is always helpful to solicit feedback from other places. At that point, you can decide if the new feedback should be pursued or if your script is ready for submission to production companies or theatres.

Listening to the feedback on other writers work has great value. Through it, you can see the techniques they use that work well and consider incorporating them into your writing; you can identify story problem areas you share with them and learn about potential solutions; and you can improve your critiquing skills by hearing a cross-section of feedback on other writers’ stories.

Writing groups and shows like Riprap Entertainment TV are solid resources to look to for story critiques. Both offer the prospect of having your work reviewed as well as provide a forum where you can listen to feedback on other stories. Riprap Entertainment TV, in particular, reviews a varied assortment of script types, lengths, and genre. Their critiques touch on the main areas of work needed on any story they review. Their Riprap University critique and adaptation series allows the viewer the opportunity to read the script that is being discussed. This is an important feature because as writers we need to see how the mechanics of a script are actually laid out in order to have a full understanding of the feedback being given as well as how to apply it.

The techniques I’ve outlined here are geared towards helping you get the most out of the feedback you receive. I encourage you to seek out critique to help improve your work. If a particular source doesn’t meet your needs, keep searching until you find one that you value. The more we put our work out there, the greater chance we have for it and ourselves as writers to succeed. I hope these processes will help you use the feedback you receive in the most efficient way so to better develop your scripts both now and in the future.

[Note: Future articles will deal with other areas of critique including providing feedback, critique groups, and script coverage services.]
Written by Barry M. Putt, Jr.
Copyright 2007 Barry M. Putt, Jr. all rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted without permission from the author.

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THE BUSINESS SIDE OF WRITING WITH BARRY

HANDLING CRITIQUEBy Barry M. Putt, Jr.

VIEW MORE EXCERPTS LOADED DAILY!

HANDLING CRITIQUE
By Barry M. Putt, Jr.