I was catching up with one of my screenwriter friends the other day and she was talking about a new script that she’s working on.
Well, as our conversation progressed my friend got round to talking about selling her script, so I though this might be a nice chance to talk about some of the most important things to consider when trying to sell a script.
In no particular order as all these tips are just as important:
1) write a quality screenplay — although this list is written in no particular order, I would personally say that this is the most important point. It’s been said over and over again: write a great screenplay and it will sell itself. The well-known script coach Robert McKee repeats this argument again and gain. Work of outstanding quality rarely goes unnoticed. If you write a great screenplay, it will be read and it will sell.
2) get a screenplay agent — I used to be an agent myself, so I know how much we can help the fledgling screenwriter. Then again, I’ve known some agents who weren’t too wonderful either (but they are few and far between). Most screenplay agents will work tirelessly to promote you and your work. And besides your mother, they are likely to be your biggest supporters. After all, they want to represent you. Take it as a positive. It’s because they believe in you and they believe they can help you sell your script.
3) associate yourself with a good screenwriting agency — this makes selling a script that much easier. A good screenwriting agency has a lot of connections and resources behind it. And they can put all those resources to work to help you sell your script. A screenwriting agency also employs a variety of agents who will pool their resources and help each other out. So how do you associate with a good screenwriting agency? It’s simple: get a screenplay agent.
5) enter screenwriting competitions — you might not win. In fact, you don’t even need to win the competition. If you write a good screenplay and enter one of the many screenwriting competitions a lot of good can come from it. For one, screenplay agents and producers regularly seek out and read the highest placed screenplays in these competitions. Second, do well in one of these competitions and you can very quickly build a good network of supporters and raise the probability of selling your script dramatically.
4) network — when it comes to selling product, networking has always been a key factor. If you can network with as many people as possible who are associated with the industry, you have a much higher chance of getting your screenplay into the hands of someone who can buy it. There is always someone who knows someone who knows someone, and if you can leverage your connections, you might just be able to get your script into the right hands. Trust me, this is not as difficult as it seems—you just need to get out and meet people at industry events and seminars.
*Jennifer Sloane has worked as a screenplay agent in Los Angeles and Nashville for the last five years. Jennifer loves good movies, music and animals. A former television and movie executive, Jennifer currently heads business development at Script Mailer (a company that connects screenwriters with agents and producers in Hollywood).