Should I pay for script notes?

The short answer: Absolutely – if you can afford it and have a reliable reader. Having your spec analyzed by a professional reader is exponentially more helpful than any notes your Mother or buddy may have (unless they have experience in the business). You also get the added bonus of anonymity – if I have the cash, I *always* run my specs through an impartial reader before kicking them to my agents or managers. The person I use charges $150, turns it around in three days, and has a decade of TV development experience under her belt.

So she’s qualified – and always adds something I missed or a detail that didn’t occur to me. It’s like sending your car in for a detail before heading off to a car show. Sure, you could just spray it down with a garden hose…but the folks looking at your work are going to be comparing it to multi-layer wax jobs. Don’t you want your best foot forward? Especially when competing for a job? Extra especially because that job could pay you exponentially more than the coverage would cost?

Of course, you should never pay for a shitty service – and coverage can certainly fall into this category. Early on, I paid for coverage from a well-known service in Hollywood that gave my spec Gossip Girl to a reader in his 60s who’d never seen the show. And he was afraid to say anything negative – it was all fawning BS that did nothing to help me.

So get a referral from someone who knows what they’re doing. I’d be happy to send my reader’s info to anyone looking for a pro (and, No, I don’t get any kind of fee or kickback). It’s just that helpful.