A Review? Thanks But No Thanks.

The question is this: how do you review someone’s piece of work when your honest opinion is that it lacks in every way.

Here is how it goes. A couple of days ago a friend asked me to read and review a script she wrote. She knows I’m no pro, she is no pro either. But she knows that I write also and she needed an honest opinion.

I read it. From the beginning all the way to the end. All 97 pages. And right from the beginning I knew I was reading a script written by someone who, well, needs improvement. A whole lot of improvement. In my humble (and not professional) opinion, the script needed a lot of work. From scratch. I could not see the main character, I could not see the goal that drives the protagonist to do whatever it is that he’s doing, I could not tell acts and plot points, resolution was so vague it did not feel like resolution at all.

And then I’m thinking to myself “Oh, boy, what do you say to that?”. I write too. I know the feeling of frantically anticipating to hear how your pages read across, what others think of your script, I know that feeling of numbness when what you get as a response starts with a “oh, well…”. A review is supposed to be honest, sometimes it even has to be strict and harsh in the name of progress and improvement. But I know, man I do know, that if I am honest to this friend, her feelings will be trully, really hurt.

I decide to think through it for a couple of days before I respond. I re-read it. I’m doing my best to spot all the positive parts of her script so at least I begin my review with them. I do not want to lie to her for I know I would get seriously pissed if I was lied to about my pieces. On the other hand, I do not want to hurt her, I do not want to disappoint her. I do not want my non-professional review to shatter her wings. I want her to be motivated, I want her to dig her heels in it and try harder because I am positive that she can do it. But, gosh, I know that she does not take criticism well, even when she’s asking for it.

And today I get an email from her. She is asking for my opinion. She is pressuring me for an immediate answer because, as she says, this script is very important to her. I do not even know why on earth I aggreed to this. Me, who is more nervous when reviewing than when being reviewed. Who would shake hands with devil if that would save me from reviewing anyone ever again. 

I guess this is another lesson I am to learn well. And another item I should add to my never-again list. From now on I’ll stick to my workshop duties and if I am ever asked for such a “favor” again, I believe that I already know the answer. Thanks but no thanks.

Posted by HoneyBunny