- Joined
- Oct 14, 2026
- Messages
- 8
Most scripts aren't passed on because the idea is bad. They're passed on because of fixable problems that show up in the first few pages. Here are the ones I see most, with a quick fix for each.
1. Submitting too early
A first or second draft is a discovery draft, not a submission draft. You only get one first impression with a reader.
Fix: Let the script rest for a week or two, then read it cold, ideally out loud. Aim for at least three full drafts before it goes anywhere.
2. A slow or unclear first 10 pages
Readers decide fast. If they don't know who the protagonist is, what they want, and what the tone is by page 10, many stop reading.
Fix: Open with a character in motion, not backstory. Test it by asking whether a stranger could say what the movie is about after 10 pages.
3. A passive protagonist
When things happen to your lead instead of because of them, the story feels flat even if the plot is busy.
Fix: Check every major turn and ask what the protagonist chose to do that caused it. If the answer is "nothing," rewrite the scene.
4. Dense, overwritten action lines
Big blocks of text, long descriptions, and camera directions slow the read. Writing things that can't be filmed, like what a character thinks or remembers, is another giveaway.
Fix: Keep action blocks to 3 or 4 lines. Write only what we can see and hear. Cut anything you wouldn't shoot.
5. On-the-nose dialogue and identical voices
When characters say exactly what they feel, or everyone sounds like the writer, the scene loses subtext.
Fix: Cover the character names and see if you can tell who's speaking. Then ask what each character wants in the scene and what they're avoiding saying.
6. Exposition dumps
Characters explaining things both of them already know is one of the fastest ways to lose a reader.
Fix: Dramatize information through conflict. Let it come out when someone needs it, ideally during an argument or under pressure.
7. Formatting and proofreading errors
Wrong slug lines, inconsistent character names, and typos signal inexperience before the story gets a chance. Length matters too. A feature is usually 90 to 110 pages.
Fix: Use proper screenplay software, run a final consistency check on names and locations, and proofread in a different format (print it or change the font) so your eyes catch what they've learned to skip.
8. Skipping outside feedback
You're too close to your own script to see where a reader gets lost. A missing motivation or confusing scene is invisible to you.
Fix: Get notes from at least one or two readers who haven't seen it. Look for patterns: if two readers flag the same spot, fix it.
Bonus: a weak logline.
Your logline is usually read before your script. It should name the protagonist, the conflict, and the stakes in one or two sentences.
Which of these have you struggled with the most? Drop it in the comments and I'm happy to share more tips on whichever one comes up the most.
1. Submitting too early
A first or second draft is a discovery draft, not a submission draft. You only get one first impression with a reader.
Fix: Let the script rest for a week or two, then read it cold, ideally out loud. Aim for at least three full drafts before it goes anywhere.
2. A slow or unclear first 10 pages
Readers decide fast. If they don't know who the protagonist is, what they want, and what the tone is by page 10, many stop reading.
Fix: Open with a character in motion, not backstory. Test it by asking whether a stranger could say what the movie is about after 10 pages.
3. A passive protagonist
When things happen to your lead instead of because of them, the story feels flat even if the plot is busy.
Fix: Check every major turn and ask what the protagonist chose to do that caused it. If the answer is "nothing," rewrite the scene.
4. Dense, overwritten action lines
Big blocks of text, long descriptions, and camera directions slow the read. Writing things that can't be filmed, like what a character thinks or remembers, is another giveaway.
Fix: Keep action blocks to 3 or 4 lines. Write only what we can see and hear. Cut anything you wouldn't shoot.
5. On-the-nose dialogue and identical voices
When characters say exactly what they feel, or everyone sounds like the writer, the scene loses subtext.
Fix: Cover the character names and see if you can tell who's speaking. Then ask what each character wants in the scene and what they're avoiding saying.
6. Exposition dumps
Characters explaining things both of them already know is one of the fastest ways to lose a reader.
Fix: Dramatize information through conflict. Let it come out when someone needs it, ideally during an argument or under pressure.
7. Formatting and proofreading errors
Wrong slug lines, inconsistent character names, and typos signal inexperience before the story gets a chance. Length matters too. A feature is usually 90 to 110 pages.
Fix: Use proper screenplay software, run a final consistency check on names and locations, and proofread in a different format (print it or change the font) so your eyes catch what they've learned to skip.
8. Skipping outside feedback
You're too close to your own script to see where a reader gets lost. A missing motivation or confusing scene is invisible to you.
Fix: Get notes from at least one or two readers who haven't seen it. Look for patterns: if two readers flag the same spot, fix it.
Bonus: a weak logline.
Your logline is usually read before your script. It should name the protagonist, the conflict, and the stakes in one or two sentences.
Which of these have you struggled with the most? Drop it in the comments and I'm happy to share more tips on whichever one comes up the most.
