Humility... Taking Criticism

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"I have been successful probably because I have always realized that I knew nothing about writing and have merely tried to tell an interesting story entertainingly."
-Edgar Rice Burrows

​Thick skin, and a desire to produce a great movie will get you through a lot. Screenwriting is re-writing. Others will tell you (over and over) to change what you’ve deemed perfect. Get used to it. Don’t be cocky or defensive about it.

​Simply understand that everyone (even the idiot making ridiculous suggestions to your perfect story) wants to make money from your screenplay. Humility and a “can do” attitude will make life much easier for all involved.

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TAKING CRITICISM
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“I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.”
—Harper Lee

​As harsh as it can feel, criticism can be looked at with a positive light. If you’re fortunate enough to be getting feedback from a producer or executive, think of it as their way of making the screenplay better and more marketable.

​They may be dead wrong, but they seriously don’t want to be attached to a terrible screenplay. The great screenwriters take criticism without being utterly defensive about it. Apply what is valuable and helpful, and disregard the rest.

​-Stu