It All Sounds so Familiar …

Parallels Between Screen Writing and Novel Writing
When I read an article this morning on how to sell a screenplay on Jane Friedman’s blog – adapted from ScratchMag – I found so many parallels between the movie industry and publishing, that I just had to compare it right away.
Selling a movie script needs to be well planned and executed, and networking is a huge part of it. Here are some tips from Friedman’s blog how to pitch a movie and the similarities to books:
.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA.

An Unknown Screen Writer Cannot Sell an Idea.
You must have a spec script to start playing, and it needs to be between 100 and 110 (correctly formatted) pages for a comedy and a little more for a drama. And don’t hang dreams on one brilliant screenplay.  Motto is “always be writing”; every piece you write opens doors to other jobs, and the process feeds on itself.
.

Just as With Books…
I cannot count how often I received inquiries like this: “I am writing a historic novel (or have written) and would like to publish it with your company.  Thanks for answering soon.”
First of all, these authors don’t even bother to read our submission guidelines, where it’s clearly stated that we accept only non-fiction books, and that a submission should contain a cover letter stating why they want to publish with us, a table of the book’s contents, synopsis of the proposed book etc.   My answer to inquiries like these is always a link to the submission guidelines, and good luck for the rookie writer…
You are NOT considered an author if you wrote only one manuscript. Publishers will ask you what else have you written, they will ask “what’s your platform”? And if you have never published anything, not even a couple of newspaper or magazine articles or short stories, let alone a finished and edited manuscript, they might not be very interested in dealing with a total newcomer.

.
Selling Your Script at Pitch-fests.
Jane Friedman wrote: “Ever attended a writing conference with a pitch component? Some say that writing conferences got the idea from Hollywood pitch-fests. A pitch-fest is just what it sounds like: an intense, anxiety-producing opportunity to talk to industry insiders about your script.”
“As in book publishing, there is a fair amount of criticism of the pitch-fest concept—those who say that hardly any agents or editors sign deals with people they meet at such events, and that the event organizers profit off the naive dreams of new writers. They are profitable events, to be sure, but the key as a pitching writer is not to have any expectations going in. You shouldn’t expect to sell anything at a pitch-fest.”
“Rather, it’s a bona fide opportunity to build a network of industry contacts and get valuable feedback. You can get some idea of whether what you’re working on is of value and marketable. And, best of all, you get to practice pitching, which is an essential skill in the screenwriting world.”

.

Tips for Pitch-fests – and Writer Conferences:

Movie: Your film should be easy to describe in terms of other successful films.
Book: Know exactly in which category your book would be placed.
.

Movie: Invoke the name of a film that’s made a ton of money.
Book: Know your bestselling competition.
.

Movie: Keep the pitch short. No matter how much time you have, always be able to describe your movie in one sentence.
Book: Remember the elevator pitch? Describe the value of your book for readers in one sentence!
.

Movie: Rehearse your pitch before delivering. You shouldn’t have to read anything from note cards.
Book: Besides a perfect elevator pitch, and a blurb or several, have a bunch of reasons ready why someone should publish and promote your book. This is part of your “business plan” and you need to know your potential readers, how your book stands out and above bestselling books in your genre (know their sales numbers!), how impressive your platform is, where else than in bookstores your book can be sold and how you can market it from your side.

.
Movie: Ideally, before you begin the pitching process, you should have an arsenal of materials ready to show or to send if requested, such as a log-line, one-sheet, synopsis, and treatment. Just about any published screenwriting how-to guide offers strong examples of these materials, along with a list of do’s and don’ts.
Book: Here they are called blurbs, synopsis, table of contents …

.
Follow Up
“Regardless of how well the pitch goes, most people waste the opportunity by failing to properly follow up after the event.”
.

Movie: Friedman advises to ask if there is an open door to pitch the next project, or for a writing assignment. Whatever happens, stay in touch, whether that’s through social media or some other method. Now that they’ve met you in person, they know you are human, you can present yourself well, then they see you on social media every day, and they don’t forget you.

Book: Meeting and pitching to editors at writer conferences is the first step and a wonderful opportunity to ask them for advice. But that needs follow up. A thank-you-note, following on social media, maybe even a Christmas/Hanukka Card and a pitch for your next book are essential to keep in touch

.
Movie: Getting Attention Through Contests and Online Pitch/Listing Services
Studios, producers, and agencies frequently look at the winners of established contests. However, most winning scripts don’t get sold or produced; contests tend to be judged on artistic merit, not commercial viability. When evaluating a contest, research how well the winners have done—did any deals follow? Will the contest get your work in front of real industry contacts?
Book: If you finish very well in a competition, it’s easier to get your work read, period. Use it for your portfolio and the marketing of your book, but don’t expect too many publishing contracts / sales.

.
Finding an Agent or Manager to Sell Your Script.
Movie: If you don’t like the idea of paying for play at an online pitch site (or at a pitchfest), you can try cold-querying agencies with your project. It’s not dissimilar from querying a literary agent. If an agency agrees to represent you, it will pitch your spec script to its contacts inside the industry. However, most agencies aren’t open to hearing from unknown writers and, even if they are, the query process takes persistence and patience—and often an appetite for talking on the phone to assistants. There’s a much bigger chicken-and-egg problem in Hollywood than in book publishing. You need an agent to submit your work, but agents won’t take you unless someone is already interested.
Book: It’s similar as querying a literary agent.
.

Movie: Either an agent or a manager can help spread the word about your script, but only agents are regulated by the Writers Guild of America. Neither should ever ask for a reading fee.
Books: Unfortunately there is very few oversight in terms of literary agents, so it’s important to choose one with a very good reputation and great connections, and who has lots of references (authors).

.

Movie: Friedman advises “Whether you score representation depends partly on whether you’re seen as a one-hit wonder. Agents and managers want to represent writers who can continually generate saleable scripts.” In their guide, Garant and Lennon say that sending out your script cold is probably the least likely way to get an agent. They write, “A method that will have a much higher success rate would be to write a short script, funny, scary, or touching, and shoot it. Get it up on YouTube or FunnyorDie (or the hundred other sites like those). … Try ANYTHING. … Even if it’s only thirty seconds long and only on the internet, a finished product gives you a huge advantage over a script on paper.”
Book: Ever heard about a book trailer?

.
Working Your Connections and Relationships.
Jane Friedman: “If you’ve heard that it’s all about who you know, you heard right. Probably a smarter path than reaching out cold to agents and managers is to find someone you do know—a person in the industry who can offer you a small break—because Hollywood operates on relationships. If you don’t have any connections, you have to be adamant about making some, whether that’s through pitch-fests and pitch sites, hiring consultants, entering contests, or using opportunities presented by social media (try #scriptchat on Sundays).
.
Movie: So much depends on presenting the right story to the right person at the right time. While talent is part of that, access and timing are equally important, which means your success can be largely out of your control. What you can control is being a relentless advocate of your own work, and developing a network of potential representatives and buyers—as well as promoting all those new stories that you’re prolifically producing.”
Book: I can only second these tips. Start with this article: Bestseller Tips,  or this one: Are you a good party guest?
.

Last but not Least: Guides and Resources for Selling Your Script.
Movie: Jane Friedman gives lots of tips and links at the end of her article
Book: Valuable Tips for Authors – Don’t Miss This: Book Marketing on a Shoestring 

.

<><><><><>

.

Social tagging: > > > > > > >