Top Complaints from Creative Executives About Screenplays: What Script Readers Really Want and How Writers Can Give It To Them

Being a script reader or creative executive is a double-edged sword. On one hand, they’re looking for a reason to reject a screenplay to pitch to higher-ups, and on the other, they’re hoping to discover that overlooked gem that will become a future hit. In this article, we go into detail about those script reader pet peeves that they won’t tell you about.

You might receive a polite pass email informing you that your submission isn’t for them. That’s hardly actionable feedback for screenwriters. It comes across as not appealing to their tastes, when the issues are deeper. Watch out for these common screenplay writing mistakes to avoid and learn to write for the read.

Lack Of Passion

One thing that script readers notice even more than the craft is the passion a writer has for their story. Whether it’s a story about winning a knitting competition or Formula 1, a reader must get the sense that it means a lot to the writer. A passionless script can be structurally flawless, but comes across as clinical and soulless. So make sure your excitement and reason for writing your story is captured on the page. This is the key to writing a compelling screenplay.

What Is It About?

How many times have you read a few pages of a screenplay and have no idea what’s going on? Two people are arguing and punch each other, but there’s no underlying context. There’s no discernible theme or deeper meaning, making it feel hollow.

Weak Concept or No Hook

Your story needs to sustain itself. A simple concept like staging a jewel heist can easily dissuade a reader in a number of ways. The genre will draw them in initially, but your screenplay needs an angle that can easily be pitched – such as a thief who is blind or can read minds. This adds a spark of freshness.

Also ensure there is enough plot in your story to avoid black holes. A heist story should have many complications, obstacles, and unplanned events. Weave these into your memorable characters.

Predictability and Lack of Originality

In a world saturated with content, originality is key. Readers are looking for fresh perspectives, unique voices, and stories that feel both familiar and surprising. Avoid clichés, well-worn tropes, and predictable plotlines that feel like they’ve been cut and pasted from existing films or series.

The last thing writers want is for a reader to view their script as a copy of something else. You can be inspired by something and pay homage to it in your work, but you must have your own distinct take on it.

Challenge yourself: How can you approach your story from an unexpected angle? What unique perspective can you bring? You don’t have to be outlandish to stand out.

Be Original, Not Just Clever

The industry doesn’t want the next version of Succession or Stranger Things—they want the first version of your voice. They don’t want a gimmick like “Succession in outer space.” They want something with emotional stakes.

Dig into your background, beliefs, obsessions, or pain.

Dialogue That Doesn’t Sound Like A Character

Nothing kills a script quicker than dialogue that feels forced, unnatural, or like it’s been lifted from another film or TV series. The dialogue doesn’t feel authentic. Another common reader complaint is that dialogue comes from the mouth of the writer, not the character. The dialogue sounds written, not spoken.

Each character should have a unique voice that reflects their background, personality, and emotional state. Pay attention to the rhythm, the interruptions, repetitions and the subtle nuances that make conversation feel authentic. Also, avoid dialogue clichés and on the nose dialogue that makes readers cringe.

Overwriting and Excessive Description

Screenplays aren’t novels. They’re blueprints for visual storytelling. Many new writers fall into the trap of writing bloated, flowery paragraphs that describe every minute detail. Professional script readers want lean, mean, visual writing that moves quickly and creates clear mental images with possibilities.

Granted, sometimes you have to write an exposition dump when you’re outlining the details of a crime in order to solve it. But oftentimes, writers get caught up in wordsmithing rather than storytelling.

Consider a scene where a gamer has their eyes glued to a 20-inch screen. We don’t need to know what game they’re playing or their ranking unless it’s integral to the story, but having them finish another can of Red Bull and stack it on top of the other three empty cans adds nuance to the action.

Give the reader an opportunity to dream and  wonder. They only need a few prompts to visualize a gamer’s lair and immerse themselves in your story.

Lack of Character Motivation or Compelling Conflict

Conflict is the lifeblood of any great story. Without genuine, meaningful conflict or motivations, your screenplay becomes a bland read. Readers want to see characters facing real challenges, making difficult choices, and experiencing genuine transformation. Moreover, audiences need to see how your characters’ struggles relate to their own lives.

Start with characters that want something really badly. What is the worst thing that can happen if they don’t get it?

Think about the core conflicts that drive your story. Are the stakes high enough? Are the obstacles meaningful? Does each scene push the narrative forward and reveal something about the characters?

Weak Character Development

Flat, one-dimensional characters are a massive red flag for script readers. Your characters need depth, complexity, and clear motivations. They should evolve throughout the story, making choices that surprise and intrigue the audience. That means, they can change their minds and contradict earlier choices. That’s not to say that every character needs to undergo a massive change. They may stay the same. It’s their journey and what they learn from it that counts.

Tips for character development in screenwriting: Ask yourself what does my protagonist want? What’s stopping them from getting it? What internal and external obstacles must they overcome? The more layered and nuanced your characters, the more engaging your screenplay becomes.

Avoid flat, stereotypical characters at all costs. You can add one surprising character trait that intrigues readers without confusing them. Consider an avid church-goer who helps their community and becomes a murder suspect. This adds a layer of moral complexity, especially if they’re guilty.

Structural and Logic Inconsistencies

Screenplay structure is a fundamental framework that guides storytelling. Many readers complain about scripts that meander, lose focus, or fail to hit crucial narrative beats and turning points. The model is a solid foundation not a prescription. However, if your story is missing a conclusion – even if it’s open-ended, your reader will notice.

Story logic is also vital component of storytelling, especially when building fantastical, supernatural, or unusual worlds. Rules matter. If you set up a rigid process to becoming a wizard or entering an exclusive club, know your world and the parameters that define them. Otherwise your reader will become confused and lose interest.

Pacing

A fast read doesn’t mean mean that every page can be skimmed through. Consider a read like a horse galloping – with a certain rhythm and timing. Readers appreciate a pause to breathe, reflect, and contemplate the story so far.

Get to the point – sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. If a reader doesn’t understand where a story is headed, they will pass. Also beware of the dreaded “sagging second act.”

Lack of Emotional Impact

If a reader doesn’t feel anything, moved them in any way, or invited them to care, you’re in trouble. This isn’t the same as liking a story. It’s a matter of creating an emotional impact. If your script doesn’t create tension, empathy, or surprise, it won’t stick.

Unclear Tone or Genre

Not all screenplays neatly fit into a genre or hybrid. This can be intentional or not. That’s not to say you can’t infuse moments of levity in a hard-hitting kitchen sink drama to ease the tension, but do it with intention.

Keep your tone consistent – even if it’s unconventional. You may slightly meandor within your tonal lane and have moments of seriousness in a screwball comedy, but jumping lanes siggests the writer doesn’t know their story.

No Clear Audience or Market

Executives want to know who the story is for and where it would fit in the current market. Is it a festival film, a limited theatrical release, or suitable for a streamer? Although it’s not the screenwriter’s job to close these deals, they should have some knowledge of how the business works.

Final Thoughts

The best screenwriters don’t just tell great stories—they write with clarity, purpose, and personality. They emotionally manipulate audiences and get them to think about their humanity.

Writers understand that a script is both art and a product, and that their job is to move the reader, not just impress them.

In a competitive field, the screenwriter who balances originality with craft, voice with discipline, and vision with market awareness is the one who stands out. Tenacious perseverance also helps. You never know when the screenplay you wrote years ago will land.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.