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Student Feedback

"Kouguell's critiques are meticulous, her instincts inspired and her commitment to making my work the best it could be went far beyond the call of duty."

Will Scheffer, Playwright/Screenwriter of "In the Gloaming," "Falling Man," "Easter," "The Pact"

Testimonials from Screenwriters Online Students (www.screenwritersonline.com)

Dear Susan,

I consider having you as my teacher for STORY & SCREENPLAY as one of the precious experiences of a lifetime. You gave me more than Imagine. You taught me to carve a script from a vague idea, to plot a story with a spine, to translate this story into vivid images, to breathe life into two-dimensional characters. to create a setting worth visiting. But, you taught me more than craft. You taught me not to quit, to dare to dream, to keep struggling to my feet with a smile....:) And, you taught me that in Hollywood there is at least one person with empathy, a gentle and kind spirit, a sense of humor, a depth of character and soul, and an unselfish desire to truly teach. Thank you.

Best Always,
Tish

Susan:

We want to thank you for all of the help, guidance and encouragement you have given us during the Story and Script seminars... as well as with our query and logline. Whatever the outcome of the Imagine contest, our writing improved ten-fold over the course of the summer, thanks to these two classes with you and Tony. We shall be forever grateful and, you will be pleased to know... have incorporated all of the skills we've learned with you into working on our next story. (I've heard that from everyone I speak to from class... and that their progress has been so much faster than ever before, thanks to those new skills.)

So, many, many THANKS! We look forward to the upcoming Scene classes... and everything else you guys cook up for us!

Regards,
Rene & Richard

I have learned so much from these classes that it's amazing. Susan is fantastic, by far the best instructor I could imagine. I've read transcripts for every class I could not attend, and this week I flew to Beverly Hills, where I'm represented by Elliott Webb of the Broder Webb Chervin Silberman Agency. Thank you so much for everything, I'll continue to utilize the excellent service you provide to aspiring writers.

Timothy Parker

Thanks! I truly enjoyed the class, and became a better writer. Plus, got another screenplay under my belt. I started the class with an idea, but didn't know I could get from A - Z in such a short period of time. During writing, the story idea changed several times, it was a fun and interesting process.
Thanks again,
Barb

I feel like my writing skills have been honed during these past weeks working with your feedback and paying attention to your lectures/online sessions.
Fabulous.
Thanks again for everything.
Melinda

Hi Susan!

I just wanted to say I feel like I am learning so much by participating in this class. Not only by receiving your feedback on my own work, but even more so by reading everyone else's efforts and seeing your feedback to them. And then reading the rewrites is truly inspiring...

Thanks again for the input, Susan. You are steering me away from the rocks and toward a much tighter story!

Thanks again,
Kitty

Thanks for everything, you provide a great service, and your genuine warmth and enthusiasm for our projects always shines through. I know that all of us believe that we have a shot at being one of the top five, creative people being the egotists we are, but I'm convinced that whatever the ranking, I personally have gained the ability to write a script that I believe can serve as a decent writing sample. Another building block :)
Thanks again,

BBMedicineMen

Susan,

Upon submitting this, I just want to take this opportunity to thank you for the extraordinary job you've done in this class. The amount of attention and time you took with my work as well as the rest of the class's is nothing less than incredible. Your integrity and insightfulness are so appreciated.

When I decided to take this class, I had a completely different screenplay that I intended to work. I had done months of research on it and had character bios out the wazoo. I don't know how it happened, but I found myself writing Frankenstein Wears Nikes, something I always wanted to write.

Of course, my story is still unfolding, but we've found our ground. I can't thank you enough for your incredible, honest forthright guidance and sharp feedback. After I printed my script out in hard copy, and felt the tangible weight of my ideas, a chill ran over me. I don't know where it will go from here. The important thing is that I finally wrote it, and like you said in class once, "I am a vessel to tell this story". So it shall go where it shall go. With all my heart, I thank you !

Best regards,
Janis

Dear Tony/Susan ~

Just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I have gotten/am getting out of our classes. Even though I had a completed script before class began, the class has been challenging, in the best sort of way. I'm viewing this experience as if I had sold my script and was now being asked by the studio to rewrite and meet deadlines. It's forcing me to hit the mark, and that experience is invaluable. Furthermore, Susan's insight and support have been more help than I can possibly say. Because of the rewrites I'm continuing to do due to Susan's analysis, the script is better, tighter, and funnier. My genre of choice is comedy, and my script one of those family-driven comedies. As many of your guests have said in our classes time and again, comedy is difficult to write. It can be dismissed because it looks easy and lightweight, but Susan knows it's not, and I know it's not. She's championed my best bits and pinpointed my weak ones, teaching me to snip out what doesn't work and strengthen what does. I was initially uncertain about a couple of suggestions she made, but I trusted the professional she is and went with her suggestions. Afterwards, I was able to look at what she and I had done together and say, "She's right. And it's better." That's a great feeling. I know she's working very hard on our behalf, and that you are, as well. As for this cadet, here's hoping someday I make you proud.
Dangereuse