Some folks may be giving story notes for the first time. Here are basic guidelines on feedback and group etiquette that should help to make meetings friendly and productive.

What to Review:

CONCEPT
Is the concept clear? Simple? Strong? Inventive? Has it been done before? Is there anything fresh and original about it? If the central concept is not distinctive, does that matter? After all, some very good films have been "low concept": The Big Chill, Lone Star and Broadcast News, for instance.

STORY
Is the story clear or confusing? Do events occur logically as the result of previous circumstances, or do things happen "out of left field"? Does it rely too much on coincidence? Does it keep moving, or are there "dead spots" where little actually happens?  Is there conflict? Is there risk? (Remember that risk can be emotional as well as physical!) Does the level of tension rise and fall in a natural and dramatic way, or does it "plateau"?

CHARACTER
Do characters behave realistically, or do they do things only because the writer needs a certain event to happen? Is character behavior consistent -- are characters "true to themselves"? Do they have internal conflicts? Do they have believable goals? Do the main characters have flaws, back-stories, and unique strengths?  Are characters' dilemmas internalized, resulting in passive, inactive characters, or are they externalized, i.e. reflected in the characters' actions?

DIALOGUE
Is the dialogue appropriate to the character? Do the characters have individual ways of speaking, or is it impossible to tell one character's dialogue from another's? Does each line count, or is there dialogue that serves no purpose?

SCENE STRUCTURE
Does each scene have a purpose? Do the scenes "get to the point," achieving their goals quickly, or do they meander?

FORMAT
With screenplays as with high school homework, neatness counts. Check the screenplay to see if it conforms to the required format. Are the margins correct? Is the font Courier 12? Are the pages numbered correctly? Are there too many typos?

AND, MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL....

How to Review:

Be Constructive.
It's not enough just to say that you didn't like a script. You need to explain why you didn't like it, and suggest solutions for its problems. For instance, saying "This script sucked, and you're a lousy writer," isn't constructive. But saying "This script had great action, but it needed more believable, three-dimensional characters," IS constructive...especially if you go on to suggest ways to make the characters more real.

Be Concise.
Remember, brevity is the soul of wit. Everyone gets a chance to speak, but if you are the only person talking for ten minutes or more, then you have started to lecture...and no one else is listening, including the writer. Be concise, especially if you have a lot of notes on the script . Choose the most important, most fundamental points, and discuss only those. Leave the less important comments for the writer to read in your handwritten notes. Not only does this mean that the group will pay closer attention to the comments you do make; it also leaves time for everyone in the group to build on your ideas, and perhaps come up with some new suggestions for the writer.  NEVER discuss individual typos, individual grammatical errors, or format problems in the group. You can mention that there are typo or format problems, but save specific notes for your written comments. There's nothing more boring or useless then a thirty-minute debate on "two brads or three."

Be Polite.
No matter how passionate you are about your opinion, or how much you dislike the script, always keep your feedback friendly and polite. Remember, the feedback is for the writer's benefit. Your goal is NOT to display your own wit or erudition -- it's to be as helpful as possible to your fellow writer. Be sure to mention what you liked (if anything) as well as what you disliked.

Be Reliable
If you attend the meeting where we read someone's script pages, you have agreed to review it. The writer has spent three dollars making copies for the group; you owe it to the writer to provide your feedback.

Finally...
Never make personal comments about the writer. Focus your feedback on the script itself.

Receiving the Review:

If your own script has been read by the group, and you've gotten feedback, then you owe it to the group to stick around and provide feedback of your own for the work of the other members. If you disappear after you get notes on your script, you will not be allowed to rejoin the group - you've stolen the time of the other members.

Don't Be Defensive.
If you are the writer who is being critiqued, you must remember not to be defensive. You may not agree with what you hear, but you must remember that by submitting your script, you've asked the group to make those comments. To argue against them, to become hostile, to comment on the comments, or to take offense against honest, respectful criticism is self-defeating.  Do not debate or argue with the reviewer, accept the comments with a thank you... take the written notes and move on.  If you have questions about the review, bring it up with the individual after the meeting.

Don't Censor.
Do not "censor" other group members. Do not tell them their comments are foolish, or that they are too disorganized. If you have a problem with another member, be honest, but don't be hostile or aggressive. Only take it to the group leader if you can't resolve it between yourselves.