Well it’s not officially Summer until June 21st, but it’s Summer to me.
Generally, I get in my Summer happy zone at the start of Memorial Day weekend, but I reassess my writing schedule for Summer around June 1st.
So today, I’m scrambling to combine my multiple writing To-Do lists to see what project I’ve missed. And, Lucky for me, I completed most of my To-Dos.
I have to put 1 TV pilot on hold until August, so I can focus on tweaking my Righteous pilot, Treatment and Pitch Deck. That 1-hour supernatural pilot did well in numerous contests – ranking semi-finalist, finalist, in some of the Top 10 contests. And, even though it won Best Teleplay at the Action on Film and Hollywood Dreams Film Festival in 2021, I still feel dialogue in Act 2 and 3 can be tightened and action lines condensed overall.
So I hired a script consultant to help me with that project.
It’s not something I do often. Script consultants are expensive. But, since Righteous, is my first attempt at TV writing I want to be sure I have the tentpole scenes hitting all the right places.
Should all writers hire a script consultant?
No. But if you budget allows, it can be a game changer in sharpening your writing skills. Helps teach you how to write on demand. Helps you focus on problematic scenes. Encouraging you to rewrite them
more succinctly.
When should you hire a Script Consultant?
When you have a project that is ranking well in contests, but the feedback you are receiving from them note the same issues and you are too close to your story to agree. Or you want to try and nail that win.
How much do Script Consultants cost?
Anywhere from $300 to over a $1,000.00. Not all script consultants are the same. And they are different than script doctors – which cost a lot more $.
How to find and choose a Script Consultant?
You can ask screenwriters you know. You can Google the topic. Weigh the pros and cons of getting one. READ the reviews left by their clients – granted, most will only list their HAPPY clients. So, seek out and read forum posts from other writers. Many writers will recommend consultants they have used.
Avoid finding a script consultant on Facebook or other social media sites unless you can reach out to other writers who have used them in the past.
Do your homework.
Always share your story in PDF form only! Never send anyone your Final Draft .FDX file or the working file from the software program you are using to write it.
Script consultants do not share writing credits on your story – you do all the writing, editing, and tweaking. They just consult you, using their experience as a proven screenwriters, producers, and script editors.
I’ll let you know how it goes with the one I hired.
