In my business, I am not always the first call and I like it that way. Call me weird, but I love being called in to fix writing that isn’t working. Luckily, there always will be those clients who think they can write their own scripts, speeches and manuscripts. They think taking English classes in high school and college means is enough preparation, and sometimes it is. Then again, sometimes it is not.
These days I am often called in when clients realize the script, speech or manuscript they have in hand is a mess. I love these kinds of projects, just as I love editing—looking for the problems with a piece of writing and determining what would make it better. There is nothing more rewarding than elevating poor writing to something that works. I love digging into the paragraphs and sentences seeking the point where it all went wrong and then putting it right…or at least pointing the writer to another path to take.
In this blog, I am going to focus on scripts because they are a more compact form and easier to discuss than other formats. They also represent a good portion of my business. But speeches, articles, fiction and nonfiction manuscripts have similar issues, some on a larger and more complicated scale. In longer forms, like novels and nonfiction books, the problems tend to compound over pages. For book manuscripts, I also look at story arcs, character development, motivation and symbolism in addition to the issues listed below. The trick to manuscript editing is to edit on three levels—on the page, the chapter and the book in its entirety. The elements must work cohesively and coherently to succeed. It isn’t enough to have a good story without good grammar, or good writing without story logic. This is a long way to say that while I am focusing on script doctoring, the lessons are universal.
The top 12 ways scripts fail:
1. Missing the Story—It may sound odd, but it is easy to miss the story. And it is a common problem in television scripts, documentaries, corporate videos and other writing formats. It typically happens because someone wants to share information without considering how to tell the story in the most compelling way. Story is essential no matter what you are writing. How you share your ideas, facts or even your gadget to the public matters. People want to hear a story. They want to engage with what they read and watch. It’s not enough to simply rattle off facts and expect your audience to care. It doesn’t matter what you are writing about, there is always a story to tell. The trick is to find it. When I am asked to fix a script, speech or manuscript it is usually because the writer missed the story or chose the wrong one to tell—the one that shared some but missed the bigger point or the one that failed to grab the audience.
2. Missing the Emotion—The other reason many scripts fail is because the writer failed to capture the emotion of the story. It is not enough to tell a story. Your audience wants to care. They want to be moved by the story presented. They want to be inspired, motivated, informed, entertained and so much more. Sometimes this can be done by changing the syntax, perspective or approach. Sometimes it requires a new story line that relies on the emotional aspect of the story. Other times it is as simple as pairing the right words with the right image at the right point in the story. There is always a way to make your audience feel. The general rule is that if it doesn’t move you when you write it, it won’t move your audience either.
3. Missing the Audience—Know who your audience is. This is obvious for most works, but I am always surprised by how many writers miss it, especially in the commercial/corporate market. Every audience requires a different voice. You wouldn’t talk to engineers the same way you talk to bankers. Nor would you write for children the same way you would adults or even teens. Each requires a different voice, tone and approach. The other issue I find is that many corporate pieces try to be too many things to too many people. Pick one main audience and cater to them. You cannot make a single piece work for everyone without denuding it of its power.
4. Choosing the Wrong Structure—Structure matters. You cannot tell a convincing story without choosing the right form. Should you begin with a fact, question, anecdote, talking head, flashback? Your choice will affect everything that follows. It is as important a decision as point of view. In scripts, simply figuring out whether you will use voiceover narration or an on-air host makes a huge difference. Will your documentary be told only through interview bites or will you tie the information together with a unifying voice? Will you use a three or five act structure or a classic essay structure? The right structure is the one that captures the key idea and emotion of the story.
5. No Through Line—Constantin Stanislavski advocated a through line or spine in character development. He believed that an actor should think not only of what was happening in the moment, but that their motivations and actions should follow an intent that pushes the narrative from beginning to the end. He was right. Every written piece, no matter what form, needs to have a driving thought and intent running through it that pushes the story forward. The through line holds the story together and keeps the audience glued to their seats. It is what keeps you turning the pages in a good book.
6. Writing for the Page, Not the Ear—Writing a script is different from writing for the page. It requires different rhythms and cadences. It requires a looser sense of grammar—one that weighs the sound of the words and sentences more heavily than the rules. Writing for the ear also requires a bit of poetry. It needs to attract the ear, not the eye, and this requires a beat and meter.
7. Too Much Description—In scripts and screenplays, you have to remember the action is being shown on the screen. There is no need to tell your audience what they are seeing because they can see it and it is condescending to talk down to them. It is better to convey information that complements the images and moves the story forward. The only exceptions to this are when the images are confusing or could be misinterpreted or if they were misinterpreted in real life and that misinterpretation is part of the story. In rare instances, images need identification, particularly in wildlife films.
8. No Flow—This goes back to writing for the ear, although I would argue it applies to all writing. A script or screenplay needs to flow from the beginning to the end—the language, the story, the images. Everything included should support the story logic, flowing from fact to fact or story element to story element with a sense of purpose and reason. There is nothing worse than a choppy script or story. It is more like a flowing river than a series of ponds. When a script gets choppy, it breaks the momentum and alienates the audience. Flow is part through line, part rhythm and part story logic.
9. Too Long or Too Short—Stories should be just as long as they need to be to capture the audience and share the salient points. This means the language should be concise and compact, a form of vivid brevity. Give what is needed, but cut the excess. Be ruthless. Too many pieces run long for no reason other than bad editing. Cut, cut, cut. If the story is incomplete, then add, but only enough to fill in the hole. Audiences have limited attention spans. Respect that by only including only those things that keep them riveted then move on. It’s better to leave them wanting more than feeling overwhelmed. The one caveat to this is to include what needs to be included. If you say something is number two, you have to include what number one is. It amazes me how many times I see this. The writer includes a fact, but only part of it. Obviously if something is the second best, your audience is going to want to know what is the best.
10. No Ending—Every story needs an ending, even if it is unresolved. The audience needs a sense of completion. Don’t just stop when you have finished sharing. Scripts need a final image and comment to end well. Think about the movies you love and how they end. Now think of those that had you screaming because instead of ending they just rolled the credits. Don’t do that to your audience. End it and end it well.
11. No Style, No Voice—Like any writing, scripts need a voice—one that holds the story together and gives it texture. The style you choose should be based on your audience and the story being told. Each voice and style speaks to an audience differently. Choose carefully. Then match that style in the way the frame is shot, the lighting, sound, music, special effects, graphics—everything. Style needs to be consistent throughout.
12. No Sense of Purpose—Finally, a script should have a sense of purpose. There must be a reason for it to exist. This goes beyond the through line. Why is this script needed? You need an answer to that question. The audience must know why they are watching and why they should care. There should be one clear purpose per script. Sure you can add sub themes, but they should remain subservient to the main purpose and serve that purpose. This sense of purpose is tied directly to the call to action that comes at the end and to the theme of the piece.
If you run into issues with your writing, don’t be afraid to call on a professional. That’s what we do. Sometimes we all need someone to point out the issues and get us pointed in the right direction.