Beyond 'on-the-nose' dialogue: What's the quickest amateur tell in a script?

Posted by Marcus Johnson in Story & Concept Development 1 views · 1 replies

Hey everyone, Marcus Johnson here. I'm deep into rewrites on a TV pilot, a sci-fi thriller, and I'm really trying to elevate the writing. I've been focusing heavily on subtext and avoiding the dreaded 'on-the-nose' dialogue that so many guides flag as an amateur mistake. I think I'm making progress there, trying to let character actions and reactions speak volumes. However, it got me wondering about other, perhaps less obvious, red flags. What's that one thing a script does, or fails to do, that instantly screams 'newbie writer' to an industry professional? Something that immediately makes you put it down, even if the premise is intriguing?

More in Story & Concept Development