Welcome to ScriptMother! We are excited to have you, and we hope you learn more about screenwriting, meet some like-minded people, and have a stronger script through your interaction with this community. We compiled this guide with everything you might need to know to navigate our site.

Signing Up

We’re happy to hear you are interested in ScriptMother. When you create your account, make sure you select whether you are a Screenwriter or an Author. Though you can switch between the two, this setting dictates which community you upload your content to. After creating your account, the homepage will transform into a hub of everything you want to see.

If you want to contribute as both a screenwriter and an author, you can switch between the two in your profile settings. After navigating to your profile page through the dropdown menu in the upper right corner, you’ll see a yellow button at the top, “Switch to ____.”

Uploading Your First Piece

In the upper right corner, select “Publish Your Script.” You can fill out your name, logline (a one-sentence summary or description), and other relevant information from this page. You are done from here, and reviewers can begin reading your script!

Once you have uploaded, your piece is listed as a “Script Baby.” Before your script can receive peer-review, the first fifteen pages will need to be read and approved by a community member. Many users will be willing to do this and give you additional advice for your script if you send a message in the ScriptMother Discord Server.

Once your script has been approved, you are ready to get to work. You can then purchase reviews with “Karma Points,” but you first need to read and review others’ work to accumulate some points. This is how our community continues to grow and help each other.

If your script is not uploading, make sure your file is a PDF. ScriptMother only suggests PDFs of files directly on your computer. Try downloading your PDF onto your computer directly if you write on the cloud. Your submission cannot be a Google Drive link or another file type.

Start Reviewing Others’ Scripts

First, you’ll have to navigate to the Script Bank and select how you want to review a Script. When reviewing your first script, you can only request random assignments. After that, you have the option to choose a category of the script from Feature, TV Series, or Short, but the script in each category will be random.

You will have a choice between providing three types of feedback for your review:

1. Purchased feedback: These are scripts that have been purchased with karma and are waiting to be claimed. Keep in mind that if you are not a pro subscriber or your rank is not high enough, you will only be able to claim a “random” assignment. If you ARE a pro subscriber and/or your ranking is high enough, you will be able to see the title, page length and logline of the script and therefore be able to claim a script you are interested in. 

2. Script Babies: These scripts have just arrived, but they're not quite ready yet. Before they can be eligible for official review, they need to pass the first 15 pages. Earn a few karma by providing a First 15 Review. This consists of checking whether the script has the proper formatting and follows proper screenwriting rules. 

3. Available for Review: These scripts are available for review at any time. This is basically a list of all the screenplays that writers are seeking feedback on. If your ranking isn’t high enough, or you’re not a pro subscriber, you won’t be able to access this feature. Once you select your category, you “claim” your script, read it, review it, and you’ll receive some Karma Points for your review.

Using the Assignments Page

Though reviewing a script in one sitting is often helpful, you might need to come back to an assignment at some point. The assignments page is beneficial for seeing your tasks in one place.

Once you claim an assignment, visit your “Assignments” page here: https://www.scriptmother.com/assignments.

On this page, you should see the script you just claimed. Click “Give Feedback,” and you will be taken to the feedback page where you can read and start providing your score/feedback.

Use Script Notes for Accurate Feedback

When you leave a review on someone’s script or read your feedback, you’ll be able to take advantage of our “Script Notes” feature. You’ll see this new feature as an option when you begin reviewing your first script. This will allow you to leave feedback directly on the script.

Written notes are good, but reviews are more helpful when inline edits and feedback are included. This also allows reviewers to give feedback as they read the script, making the process easier and more precise.

What is Karma and How Does it Work?

Karma is points earned from providing feedback. The amount of karma earned per script depends on the number of pages of the script. The longer the script, the more karma you earn.

As you continue to use ScriptMother, you’ll accumulate Karma over time. The essential use for Karma points is to spend them on additional feedback for your script. When you purchase a review with Karma points, it will always be a full script review. 

What is ScriptMother Pro?

ScriptMother Pro is our premium subscription for users who want a little more out of ScriptMother. With a ScriptMother Pro subscription, you can upload unlimited drafts as you revise your work, have full access to the ScriptMother Platform, enter all ScriptMother competitions for free, and much more. ScriptMother Pro gives serious users the ability to get the most out of their ScriptMother experience.

What is the Monthly Competition?

The Script of the Month competition is open to scripts with at least two complete reviews from the beginning of the month. The finalist will be featured on the front page of ScriptMother and receive complimentary coverage from a professional script reader in the industry.

What is the Community Discord?

The ScriptMother Discord is for any ScriptMother user who wants to connect with fellow screenwriters. You can chat with others, ask for feedback, or give/receive advice. For users who want a more communal experience, Discord is a great place to connect with others!

What are ScriptMother Achievements?

Unlocking ScriptMother achievements will allow you to access a few additional perks on the site. As you read more screenplays, you’ll find that your reviewing is improving consistently. Our achievements do not change your experience with ScriptMother necessarily, but they offer small perks that are best used by experienced reviewers, such as reviewing multiple scripts at once.

When you review 2 scripts, you’ll have access to all “Purchased Feedback” in the ScriptBank.

When you review 7 scripts, you’ll gain access to all “Available For Review” scripts in the Scriptbank.

At 60 script reviews, you’ll be able to claim up to three scripts at a time.

At 80 script reviews, you’ll be able to claim unlimited assignments at a time.

At 100 script reviews, you’ll receive Premium Review status. All of your feedback carries the “Premium” label, designating you as an experienced reviewer.

Did We Miss Something?

Do you not see what you’re looking for here? Feel free to contact us at support@scriptmother.com or send a message on our Discord channel, and someone will be able to help you.