Common Screenplay Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The most common screenplay mistakes are a passive protagonist, a slow first ten pages, dialogue that explains too much, overlong action lines and formatting errors. Most can be fixed in a rewrite by focusing on what the main character wants and cutting anything the audience does not need.
- Give the protagonist a clear goal and make them act.
- Hook the reader in the first ten pages.
- Cut explanatory dialogue and dense description.
A passive protagonist
If things happen to your hero rather than because of them, the story loses drive. Make them choose and act in every sequence.
A slow start
Readers often decide within ten pages. Open with character and conflict, not backstory.
On-the-nose dialogue
Characters who say exactly what they feel sound flat. Let subtext carry emotion and trust the audience.
Dense action lines and format errors
Keep description to a few lines per paragraph, write only what can be seen or heard, and use screenwriting software for format.
Questions
- How can I spot mistakes in my own script?
- Leave it for a week, then read it in one sitting, or hear it read aloud. Notes from other writers help most.
- Do readers care about typos?
- Yes. A few typos are forgiven, but many suggest the script is not ready.
Related course: Screenwriting 101