You're finally done with your script. It's been a long process. You've put your heart, soul, time, and effort into it for months. Now comes the hardest question screenwriters are always forced to ask themselves: "Is my script any good?"
The hardest part of facing this question is that there isn't a definite answer. There is no test you can take or checklist you can go through to determine if your screenplay is ready for Hollywood.
Screenwriting is subjective. Screenwriters will always find that one person may love your screenplay while another may not connect with it at all. But even when your screenplay is "good" to some, it may not be what they are looking for in their next project.
But there are ways that you can find objective determinations and barometers that can help calculate if your script is good enough to begin a marketing campaign and submission process to turn some Hollywood heads your way.
Here are some steps you can take to determine whether your script is any good.
1. Take a Break From Your Script and Then Come Back and Read It
If you're looking for a step-by-step process to determine whether your script is good enough to submit, consider this the definitive first step.
It's a common occurrence for screenwriters to finish their script and ride the wave of excitement and anticipation of "surefire" success they believe is about to happen. This never goes away. Newcomers do it. Even pro screenwriters do it.
The issue is that you're too close to the script. You've spent months, maybe years, trying to finish this script. Now you've finally typed FADE TO BLACK or THE END. You want to scream out to the world that you're finished, and you want to share it with the world because you're excited about it. In short, your head is in the clouds. And that's not where you want your head to be when you're trying to determine if you should submit it to contests, fellowships, and especially Hollywood.
So what should you do? You should always take a break from your script after you've finished it. This is a vital step in your maturation as a screenwriter. Why? Because it's very helpful for screenwriters to learn how to be as objective as possible with their own work. Yes, we just said that screenwriting was subjective. But there are objective elements when it comes to screenplays. Your script may not be for everyone, but it can be read by those who don't need or want it, and you can at least get them to believe it's a viable effort in terms of formatting, structure, character development, story development, and overall delivery.
Step away from your script when you're done. Don't think about it, talk about it, market it, or share it. If you're not under contract and are writing it on spec (under speculation that you'll sell it), take one month away from the script.
Then, once that time has passed, read the script from beginning to end as a reader, not the writer. You're not looking for mistakes, looking for ways to make it better, or looking for a way to praise it. You're looking to experience the script as a reader.
When you take this extended time away from your screenplay, you come in with a different perspective. There's the past you who wrote it, and now the present you who has had some time away from its development and writing process.
Read it cover to cover, and you will see two things:
- The strengths and triumphs of it.
- Each glaring mistake, weakness, and failure of it.
It's a unique experience because you'll feel this natural objectivity come out of you.
So, that's the first step. Take a break from your script for one month and come back to it with fresh eyes. Those fresh eyes will see the good, the bad, and everything in between.
2. Use the Information You've Learned from that Read
It's one thing to read your script and see its merits and faults. The key thing is that you need to do something about what you discover in that first read.
We learn our greatest lessons from our mistakes and failures. But the real screenwriting superpower is getting to a point where you can identify those mistakes and failures. That's what the script read is for after the break you've taken.
When you read that script after the break, you're reading it like a script reader. You're not looking to excuse mistakes. You're not looking for every reason to say it's brilliant. You're looking for ways to make the script better. Part of that is identifying and naming the issues that you're seeing during the read. You then use that information for your rewrites.
Trust us. This practice will be a mind-blowing eye-opener for any beginning screenwriter.
3. Share the Script with Someone You Trust
Eventually, you need to get an outside opinion. Before you hand it to anyone in the industry, find a few people close to you whom you trust. Choose people who understand movies, storytelling, and screenwriting.
But here's the key thing with this step. Don't ask them, "Did you like it?"
Instead, ask specific questions like:
- Did the opening engage you?
- Where did you get bored?
- Was there anything that confused you?
- Which character did you care most about?
- Did you understand what the protagonist both wanted and needed?
- Did you see the twist coming?
- Did the ending work?
- Were there any characters or scenes you didn't think were necessary?
Give them this list of questions (and add other specific ones you'd like answers to). But when they answer, don't get defensive. Just listen.
You don't need to agree with every note. And you certainly don't need to make every suggested change. But if three people are telling you the same thing, take solace in knowing that you've attained some key insight into what could make the script better.
Look for patterns in the feedback.
4. Enter Your Screenplay Into Screenwriting Contests and Fellowships
A great testing ground for screenplays is screenwriting contests and fellowships, especially ones well connected to Hollywood (such as Final Draft's Big Break Contest). Many of them also offer additional feedback notes for an extra fee.
Contests like Final Draft's Big Break use script readers and judges with years of development experience. The notes you'll get from their coverage are from the perspectives of script readers and development executives. They'll be able to offer key insight into both what is working in your script and what isn't. And one of the easiest ways to see if your script is any good in the eyes of industry professionals is to see how your script does in contests and fellowship competitions like these.
- Are you always seeing your script never making the first cut? Maybe it's not ready.
- Are you always seeing your script placing in the mid-tier semifinals but never above that? Maybe it's good, but not making enough of an impact.
- Are you consistently seeing your script place in the finals? Maybe you have something special here.
Remember, screenwriting is subjective. Just because you're not winning contests or placing high doesn't mean your script is bad. But there's certainly something to be said about testing the waters and seeing consistent results, for better or worse. Use that information to determine if your script is objectively any good or not.
5. Let Hollywood Decide
The next step is to start a marketing campaign. If you've done your due diligence with steps one through four above, maybe it's time to let Hollywood decide.
First and foremost, make sure you're not marketing first drafts and works-in-progress to Hollywood. Don't burn bridges by pitching and submitting work that isn't your best possible effort. Utilize steps one through four and do some rewrites before you attempt step five.
When you have your best possible draft that you believe you can write, it's time to start marketing it to Hollywood.
Get Your Marketing Materials Ready
You'll need a great logline, a basic email introduction, and a synopsis on hand in case one is requested. For more on this, click here to read our piece on cold querying.
Get on IMDbPro to Create a Marketing Contact List
Invest in IMDbPro. Look up recent movies similar to yours in genre and find out:
- Who produced them
- Who made them
- Who represents the screenwriters who wrote them
Then find any possible email addresses available on IMDbPro that you can cold query. When approaching representation, know that agents usually don't take on screenplays without immediate deals brewing. You should always cold query managers and management companies first.
Cold Query Away
Once you have a list of contacts, cold query until somebody finally answers. If nobody answers, don't get too down on yourself. Adapt, learn from your replies, and learn from any silence or rejection you receive.
Find Any Connections You May Have in Hollywood
Map out your inner and outer circles.
- Start with people you know in the industry and ask them to read your script
- Then move to people you know that know people in the industry and ask them if they could get your script to their Hollywood contacts
- If there's no luck on those fronts, work your geographical connections and see what industry insiders are from your town, state, or college.
You may be surprised what Hollywood doors you can open.
Ask Yourself One Final Question: "Do I Know How to Make This Script Better?"
After you've gone through all of the above steps, rewritten the script, received feedback, and rewritten it again, ask yourself, "Do I know how to make this script better?"
If the answer is yes, keep working on it.
If the answer is no, you may finally be done.
That doesn't mean the script is perfect. There is no perfect screenplay. It also doesn't guarantee Hollywood will want it either. It just means that you've taken this script as far as you can take it. It's okay to put it on that "shelf" and move on to the next if things are panning out for it. The hard truth is that you'll do this more often than not in your screenwriting journey.
You learn from every script. And each script you write will make you a better screenwriter, especially when you follow the above five steps. After that, it's rinse and repeat: get better, keep writing, and don't stop until somebody tells you your script is good and they want to buy it or hire you for an assignment. That's the screenwriter's path.