Does the script need to be completely finished before uploading?

If I have a screenplay that has a couple kinks I'm still working out, am I still able to upload it, or will that simply hurtle it to the bottom of the barrel? I would like a bit of collaboration, and am wondering how to get it out there without being 100 percent on the screenplay. -The story is finished, there's just a few "dead zones" that need reworking. and formatting into screenplay style.

...Any tips, suggestions, or feedback is greatly appreciated. :)

I think you will find the forum folks are not of one mind on the subject. I would say upload it if your really hope to get some help. Understand just because you up load it doesn't mean someone will read it. You will still have to work to get tradeoff reviews. But I would think that would be more likely to happen if the script is on site.

On the other hand, the majority probably will argue first impressions are important so you should make sure your script is already in good form before presenting it to AS. Understand that you can still make changes after the script is placed here, but AS only guarantees to look at the first uploaded copy, another look is possible if major changes are made, but not guaranteed.

It will hurtle it to the bottom of AS's barrel, but each time you rewrite it, it gets another chance, apparently.

At least format it properly first, would be my advice.

"A bit of collaboration" is hard to define. If you post your script as "Open," then people can do page 1 rewrites without your permission.

If you post it "By Permission," you can at least check out the writing of anyone who asks you if they can do a rewrite, before you give permission.

Hope that helps!

It takes more time to do a proper rewrite than most people anticipate.

"By Permission Only" or "Closed" means you might put all the work into a rewrite and then it can't be posted.

Projects set to "Open"... is the only ones I would even attempt to rewrite.

Your original script remains on the site, warts and all. There's no reason not to welcome rewrites.

"The story is finished, ..." -- NEVER SAY THIS. it's just so wrong. no story is finished until the project has been greenlit, gone into production, and edited... PERIOD!

although AS has set this up to encourage people to work on and develop their scripts you should know that it really doesn't benefit you as a writer to show your shoddy, incomplete work to the public. in the real world you get 1 shot = 1 read = 1 first impression.

also, if your script isn't registered and/or copyrighted then it should not be made available to the public. and if your script is not completed then there is no need to register and/or copyright it. so you're in a catch-22 situation.

furthermore, if your script is not even formatted correctly then most people will not take you seriously because serious writers know what it takes and know that it takes a lot of hard work. and if you (the author) are not willing to put in all the initial hard work then why should someone else? especially a stranger?

just telling it like it is. don't take it personal. i don't even know you, but i would tell this to anyone.

I would suggest finishing your first draft at best you can, then worry about rewrites and collaborations.

But chances are if you get a bad review, no one will ever go near it. Rewrite or not. That's why I deleted my superhero screenplay. Try and give it a second chance once my rewrite is finished. If ever.

>>"By Permission Only" or "Closed" means you might put all the work into a rewrite and then it can't be posted.<<

Exactly. I wouldn't rewrite anything unless I already had full permission first.

Then again... I don't rewrite other people's work, unless a studio/prodco hired me to do a rewrite. And that's a completely different animal.

AS will only read it once, at most. Better wait.

If you know what the kinks and dead zones are then focus on that and quit bothering us. Just kidding ... if you got story and character problems post some short details here on the forum and you will get great feedback.
If you have dead zones and kinks I would suggest adding some character flaws and conflict between the characters. You will be amazed ...
Formatting is an important part of how your story is conveyed. You can study that by reading The Screenwriters Bible. After that read The Hollywood Standard and don't forget the subtext.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Make it as good as you can make it. If you know how to fix it, fix it.

If you don't know how to fix it, post it somewhere like Zoetrope or hire a script consultant.

I wouldn't dare. Even when I finish my script everybody says: "Very nice. Now you can start thinking about writing a script."

Just finish it the way that would make your mama proud and upload it. It will get torn to shreds anyway. Don't start with shreds.

I certainly don't know the right answer, but I can at least tell you why I did what I did, which was to post my first draft, flaws and all. So far it's working out for me- your mileage may vary.

I'm starting out from a position as a newbie- I've never written a script before, and I don't have the decades of hard-won experience many others here at the forum have. I figured I needed to catch up, and fast, and I wasn't going to get there without help. So I put it up here and begged everyone I could think of for hard critiques- and I got a lot of really good advice and the encouragement I needed to power through my second draft, which still isn't perfect but is much better than my initial effort.

The way I see it, the odds of Amazon picking any one of our scripts is pretty slim, but the odds of my script being improved with feedback from the talented folks here are huge. If Amazon sees something they like in my work that's obviously great, but my goal first and foremost needs to be to make my script the best it can be, and posting it here, warts and all, is helping accomplish that.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the feedback; and yes, it is properly formatted. Perhaps I am just driving myself insane for no reason.


Honestly, thank you again.

you said this:

" there's just a few "dead zones" that need reworking. and formatting into screenplay style."

which reads like it's NOT properly formatted.

I meant that the "dead zones" aren't properly formatted. I didn't mean to put a period there; I have left the dead zones in a different font so that it's easier for me to find. :)