Re: A Note about Notes
I'm calling BULL-****ING-**** on "brutally honest," notes. There is no reason those two words should be together. And I'm not talking about pandering to someone's ego or blowing smoke up their ass.
There is nothing wrong with honest notes. And to someone receiving them they can certainly feel "brutal," at the time. Anyone who gives notes to tear another writer down or try to build themselves up is a lowlife piece of ****.
Feedback and notes are offered, I would think, as a writer offering an opinion to help the writer achieve THEIR vision.
That's all it is.
The receiver doesn't have to agree, accept or implement a single note. I have received amazing notes. Ones I carefully consider because I want to be the best and I can't do that if I'm not willing to accept I need to grow.
The notes that are the most problematic are the ones where the reviewer tells the writer what "I would do," instead of trying to get to the intention of the writer.
We all write with intention. Sometimes what we know about what we write gets on the page and sometimes... it's still in our head and even reading it a thousand times doesn't change OUR perspective on our own writing...
So, we need feedback. We need honest feedback with intention toward understanding the writer's vision.
Notes are tough, because when you come in blind you might think you understand the intention only to discover that the set ups you mildly felt, were actually something you needed to pay attention to. The writer need to know that you missed it, so if they agree, they can FIX IT.
Also, another thing to remember when giving notes is to talk about the pages, for screenplay, the scene, the moment, the characters and DO NOT make it about the writer.
I have a problem with anyone who says, "YOU did this, YOU did that, YOU should think about doing this..." That makes it personal and put a writer in a defensive position, even if it's unintentional. And that's the worst place to be when you receive notes. And I can read past those kind of things because I've received a lot of notes, but others haven't always had a lot of experience with honesty and it can feel humiliating, embarrassing and discouraging. Notes should NEVER discourage a writer from writing. You can't control how someone takes a note, but you can certainly control how YOU frame it.
I will never lie to a writer. I will never tell them something to make them feel good if I do not believe it. But there is no reason to "rip it to shreds." And I honestly think that "feeling" comes from the MANNER in which the notes are offered-- ie it feels like a personal attack.
anyway, just so y'all know, if i'm offering notes, it's because i want to help you, the writer. I have nothing to prove. I want to help writers because writers helped me when i didn't know ****-- yeah, that was yesterday. haha.
And I'm not saying I'm right when I give notes. I'm just telling what I see. What I feel. And there are so many ****ing differences between writers of all levels that you just can't say anything with absolute certainty.
okay, i gotta stop-- I'm having a glass of pinot noir and my thoughts are meandering. a lot.
I'm calling BULL-****ING-**** on "brutally honest," notes. There is no reason those two words should be together. And I'm not talking about pandering to someone's ego or blowing smoke up their ass.
There is nothing wrong with honest notes. And to someone receiving them they can certainly feel "brutal," at the time. Anyone who gives notes to tear another writer down or try to build themselves up is a lowlife piece of ****.
Feedback and notes are offered, I would think, as a writer offering an opinion to help the writer achieve THEIR vision.
That's all it is.
The receiver doesn't have to agree, accept or implement a single note. I have received amazing notes. Ones I carefully consider because I want to be the best and I can't do that if I'm not willing to accept I need to grow.
The notes that are the most problematic are the ones where the reviewer tells the writer what "I would do," instead of trying to get to the intention of the writer.
We all write with intention. Sometimes what we know about what we write gets on the page and sometimes... it's still in our head and even reading it a thousand times doesn't change OUR perspective on our own writing...
So, we need feedback. We need honest feedback with intention toward understanding the writer's vision.
Notes are tough, because when you come in blind you might think you understand the intention only to discover that the set ups you mildly felt, were actually something you needed to pay attention to. The writer need to know that you missed it, so if they agree, they can FIX IT.
Also, another thing to remember when giving notes is to talk about the pages, for screenplay, the scene, the moment, the characters and DO NOT make it about the writer.
I have a problem with anyone who says, "YOU did this, YOU did that, YOU should think about doing this..." That makes it personal and put a writer in a defensive position, even if it's unintentional. And that's the worst place to be when you receive notes. And I can read past those kind of things because I've received a lot of notes, but others haven't always had a lot of experience with honesty and it can feel humiliating, embarrassing and discouraging. Notes should NEVER discourage a writer from writing. You can't control how someone takes a note, but you can certainly control how YOU frame it.
I will never lie to a writer. I will never tell them something to make them feel good if I do not believe it. But there is no reason to "rip it to shreds." And I honestly think that "feeling" comes from the MANNER in which the notes are offered-- ie it feels like a personal attack.
anyway, just so y'all know, if i'm offering notes, it's because i want to help you, the writer. I have nothing to prove. I want to help writers because writers helped me when i didn't know ****-- yeah, that was yesterday. haha.
And I'm not saying I'm right when I give notes. I'm just telling what I see. What I feel. And there are so many ****ing differences between writers of all levels that you just can't say anything with absolute certainty.
okay, i gotta stop-- I'm having a glass of pinot noir and my thoughts are meandering. a lot.
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