When you finish a first draft, how many close friends or
confidants, do you show
it to? Do their comments change the script much?
–George Moise
At this point, the only person who reads absolutely everything is my assistant
Dana, not only for her opinion but also her much-needed proof-reading skills.
I think every writer needs a Dana – be it a friend, a parent, a colleague or
professor – to be a trusted set of eyes, and hopefully give unbiased feedback.
Many screenwriters have a circle of other writer friends with which they share
their work, either in person during a weekly writing group, or on-line. Walter
Bernstein, who at 83 has written more than 27 movies, uses the
emailing-with-notes function of Final Draft to swap scripts with his colleagues.
It’s a great idea.
The extent to which you end up changing your script depends entirely on how
much you believe in the notes. Obviously, never make a change you disagree
with, unless some other factor makes it obligatory.