More Frequently Asked Questions:

It’s Written, so what do I do now?

You must remember the most crucial and most important marketing tool you will ever possess is your completed script. All the doors you will ever open lie within the quality of your own writing. It shows on the pages.

In marketing you must always make your first priority the quality of your script. Make what you hold in your hand the best you've got.

A great script may not sell, but it will open doors to an eventual sale, that is, if a writer has knowledge of marketing, and continues to write high quality material.

With each "if," thousands of would-be screenwriters drop out and the competition narrows. In the end it is passion and persistence that win.

This means that money should not be your sole motivation. There is no question that once you sell, this is a field that can be highly lucrative, but there are much easier ways to make a buck, like maybe going into brain surgery, for example.

I am not saying this to discourage you, only to make a point.
Steven Spielberg was driven by the passion to make movies, not by the passion to make dollars.

Over the years, I have seen writers break in and more and more they are gaining access in three ways... Conferences, contests and fellowships. Agents usually happen later.

Conferences are wonderful because they enable you to meet people in the industry. You can shake their hands, listen to them lecture, gain knowledge about their companies, and approach them one on one.

Check to see if Hollywood agents, producers, staff writers, directors, or any executives in creative development will be attending.

Once there, make a point of shaking hands and talking to them. Keep in touch. Once your script is complete, mention in your cover letter that you've made contact with them before.

These are the people who buy. You won’t walk away with a sale, but you will walk away with a contact. Later you can mention these meetings in a cover letter or in a phone call. It always helps to say you meet the person.

Going to these conferences isn’t cheap, but you can get more done in a few days than you can in 6-months pounding the pavement. They are especially wonderful for out of town writers.

The internet lists various conferences around the country. Check them out. See what speakers will be there. Make sure with the conference leaders that you will have access to the speakers. It does little good to see them up on a podium and then whisked away with no interaction.

Contests are also very good. Remember you’re not entering them to win, so much as getting read. The judges are people in the industry who have access. They can contact you, or refer you to an agent, or even sign you.

A number of years ago I asked my then agent would she like to judge on a screenwriting panel. She said a flat ‘no.’ I told her the contest was in Hawaii. Then she asked ‘how many scripts do I have to read?’ I told her the top ten finalists.

She still didn’t commit, and then I said they put you up for a week at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. She said ‘okay,’ but she had no intention of taking on any new clients.

On the flight home I discovered that she had signed up a writer. She didn’t want new clients but she found a project she loved. This is how contests can help you in the back door. You are not looking for a sale you are simply getting read.

Fellowships are also great. Two of my writers are in the Disney Fellowship. One, who submitted a TV script is now a staff writer and went on to a great career.

Another student, Kevin Falls who submitted his work to a rewriting program at The American Film Institute is now the executive co-producer of The West Wing.