10 Tips to help you find the best script consulting service…
Finding the best script consulting service is about more than credentials. You are looking for someone who will step inside your story with you, support your vision, and push you when it matters. A good consultant is both a collaborator and a truth teller. These ten tips will help you find someone you trust to hold your work at its most vulnerable stage.
1. Clarity on what you need
Before you start looking, ask yourself what kind of support you want. Do you need someone to help you wrestle with structure, challenge your story logic, or refine character and dialogue? Being clear about this makes it easier to find a consultant who can genuinely meet you where you are.
2. A sense of creative trust
When you hand your work to someone, you are handing over something fragile. Ask yourself whether you feel you could hear the hardest truths from this person and still feel supported. The best script consulting services create a space where honesty and care live side by side.
3. Understanding of your medium and genre
It helps if a consultant knows your medium and genre, but it is not essential. A strong reader can engage with any form. What matters more is their ability to listen to what the story is trying to do and to respond with intelligence, curiosity, respect, and professional guidance that can get you to the next stage of development for your project.
4. Proven experience at your level
Experience matters, but it should match where you are in your creative journey. Someone who has only worked on studio features may not be the right fit for an early draft short. Look for consultants who have meaningful experience with projects like yours and who can bring that insight to your work.
5. A thoughtful and transparent process
The best script consulting services can explain exactly how they work. They tell you what to expect, how notes will be delivered, and what the timeline looks like. A clear process builds trust and makes it easier to focus on the creative work.
6. Feedback that is honest and constructive
You need someone who will tell you the truth with generosity. Sugar-coating is unhelpful, but so is careless criticism. The most valuable feedback is direct, clear, and rooted in respect for your vision. It leaves you feeling challenged and energised, not crushed.
7. A collaborative mindset
A great script consultant is not trying to take authorship of your script. They are there to help you strengthen your voice. The best collaborations happen when you feel open with them, able to question and explore without defensiveness on either side.
8. Timing
Bringing someone in too early can leave both of you working on something that is still forming. Waiting too long can make change harder. You will get the most from the process when you have a draft you’ve already lived with, revised at least once, and know needs fresh eyes.
9. CLEAR PRICING OTPIONS
Clarity around pricing, timelines, and the scope of the work matters. The best script consulting services are upfront about what is included and what isn’t. This allows you to make decisions without second guessing or hidden surprises.
10. The feeling you get when you talk to them
This may be the most important factor. Do you feel open with them. Do you trust that they will hold your work with care and honesty. The best script consulting services come from people who make you feel both supported and stretched, like your story is safe in their hands even when they’re challenging it.
I’m Doug Crossley, I tell stories and I help people tell theirs. I know that choosing the right script consultant is about finding someone you trust to walk beside you. If you’re ready to work with someone who brings warmth, rigour, and creative partnership to the process, explore my script consulting services. The right collaboration can help your story become what it’s meant to be. Want to discover more? Book in a free call to discuss your project.
