Good answeres so far.
My 6 cents.
1.) I've read that the poor man's copyright doesn't work. So what is the best way to protect your work?
Keep track of ALL your work.
Keep notes, brain farts, idea bubbles, and all drafts.
Then, when you get a solid draft that contains the real nuts and bolts of your story, one where the spine isn't likely to change, get that copywrited and registered.
And keep track of who you've actually mailed scripts to.
2.) How can I determine if my work is good or not? Is the only way to share it on the message board? If so, isn't that dangerous?
The cheapest way to find out if you are any good is to post the basic plot on a message board. A logline and a brief paragraph containing the main story beats will be enough for us to know how your story is working and identify faults in either the story or your approach.
When you post pages we will happily tear down your writing and knowledge of the craft BUT also give you some honest and real ways to improve the work.
Dangerous? It's a message board. What's the worse that could happen?
3.) What is the best way to get noticed? If I start mailing query letters to agents, what are my chances?
Write a kicking script and convince all of your industry contacts that you are worth backing. What? No industry contacts? Get some. Work in the industry, some how, some way. If you can't do that then write a kicking script and get someone on the boards to really like you.
Or you can enter contests.
4.) Are screenwriting contests legitimate?
A few are, most are not. Run a search and you'll get links to contests that are legite. When ever you come across someone asking you to sign up with them you can run a search on IMDB or ask us.
5.) Can a script be too inappropriate? I mean, I lost a friend when I let her read it; due to only a masturbation joke and another crude one when the protag sends inappropriate photos to a sub-antag.
Well, it depends on the tone of the script and the manner in which the material is presented. I've read a bunch of novice scripts where the writer obviously BELIEVED IN or AGREED with the "inappropriate" material. If you read a script about a child being molested and there are key words in the script that tell you the writer ENJOYS this thought, or has too much practical knowledge, then a reader who is against that is going to get the creepes.
Sometimes the writer will show bias by contradicting themselves. They will have a character say something is wrong but then the character does it, and then tries to justify the action. It's just really piss poor writing, but it is what is really in the writer's heart. You wouldn't believe how many novice writers seem to live out fantasies through their scripts.
(It is one thing to write for yourself and quite another to write for millions of people.)
As was mentioned, know your target audience and shop the script to the appropriate places.
6.) More to come.
Bring it on.
