One thing I'm interested in knowing is, how often does a reader give a writer a consider or recommend even though the script gets a pass?

Presumably good writers are almost as rare as good scripts, but not quite, since even the best writers occasionally write a script that doesn't quite work, or with a hard-to-sell concept, etc.

Is it extremely rare, just rare, or not-as-rare-as-you-might-think for a reader to give a writer a consider?

And does garnering a consider actually do much to benefit the writer?

Paul, if you get a Consider on script coverage, that is high praise, indeed. Even if a reader is head over heels in love with a script, they will more than likely give it a Consider with strong additional comments rather than a Recommend for reasons cited in the OP. But even a Consider with moderately supportive comments is strong coverage because the default is Pass.

The article said snappy dialogue may prove a writer talented as a punch-up guy.
By submitting a script, having it read, and further having the reader note that the dialogue is strong, could this inspire their boss to contact the writer with an offer to employ them as a punch-up guy?

@-ing-: Normally the process goes through agents and managers first as studios won't consider unsolicited, unrepresented scripts. But in terms of reps, if they get favorable coverage of a script with a note that the dialogue is especially strong, that can lead to a meeting. Depending upon the quality of the script in question, they may sign you and go out with it (probably with revisions). Or sign you and help steer you through another spec. Or not sign you, but advise you on another spec to see what you generate.

In any event, as long as structure and character coverage is good, writing strong dialogue is a plus.

Hey Paul,

As a former reader there are numerous times where the script gets a "Pass" but the writer gets a "Consider." Most often it's when the story is not a fit for the prodco, studio, or star but the reader feels that the writer could deliver given the right story.

I also want to affirm the ease of writing coverage at the two extremes. It's a bit more difficult when the script and story just moves along, touches all the right genre bases and has middle of the road characters. It's nothing great and nothing too bad, and you struggle to justify the pass or consider.

D.C. makes some great points. I recently used some of his advice when talking to some novice screenwriters.