5 Tips on How to Sell a Screenplay

 Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite and get honest feedback.

You can’t sell your script unless it’s polished and professional. The number one reason screenplays don’t sell is
they aren’t ready to be pitched. You have one shot at a first impression; don’t blow it. Typos, formatting, page
count and structure matter. So does the emotional pull and hook of your story. Don’t put out a script
prematurely and blow your chances.

 Send email queries and cold call executives.

When you ask an executive how to sell your script, they’ll tell you it all starts with the query or pitch, assuming
you’ve already completed Tip #1 of crafting a polished script. If you don’t have a good query letter or pitch,
your request will be deleted. That is guaranteed. When you query, make it personal. Show your personality.
Explain why you are the writer to tell this story. Hook them, just like you want to hook your script reader. And
research the executive. Knowing who you’re pitching to is as important as writing a great query.

 Independent filmmaking.

Some writers don’t worry about how to sell a movie script. They make the film themselves and then get
distribution deals. This isn’t the best path for every writer, but it is certainly one path to take. The biggest
benefit to producing your own film is learning how to write for a lower budget. Executives will appreciate your
understanding of budget and filming limitations. Even if you don’t get a distribution deal, independent
filmmaking will definitely make you a better writer.

 Find the six degrees of separation.

Part of the business of selling scripts is meeting people. Even people you would never expect to have
connections to Hollywood talent, might. Talk to people. Tell them you’re a screenwriter. Reach out to your
family and friends to see if anyone knows someone in the industry. Find the executive on your bucket list and
follow them on social media. See if you have any common friends on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Everyone
has six degrees of separation from someone. You just need to find it. It might not be as hard as you think.

 Screenwriting conferences and pitchfests.

The one answer on how to sell a script that is the most fun, and leads to many other career positives, is
attending conferences and pitchfests. You have the advantage of having up to 100 executives in one place to
pitch a script to… where you don’t have to drive through L.A. traffic to get to the next Hollywood executive.
It’s like speed dating. Bottom-line: The best way to sell your script is to get face-to-face with an executive so
they can hear your passion for your projects firsthand.

Writing Successful Loglines, Query Letters, and One-Sheets

Success in Hollywood is often about making great first impressions. Your logline and query letter are the first
and sometimes only things an executive or agent is going to read of your work. It’s critical that your logline and
query letter are attention grabbing, tell them something of substance, make you look good, and most of all—
make them want to read more.

If you’ve sent out hundreds of queries and haven’t gotten script requests, you’re doing something wrong. As a
development executive, producer, and script consultant, Danny Manus has read thousands of query letters and
countless loglines. He has taken over 3,000 pitches at pitchfests, so he knows what it takes for a writer to
standout and stand above the rest!
This class will cover how to construct proper loglines, query letters, and one-sheets: what to include and what
not to include in each, the difference between loglines and taglines, what executives are looking for, how to
query for representation, and how to write ones that grab attention and sell!

Danny will show you great, easy to use formats for crafting tight, professional loglines, engaging query letters,
and visual one-sheets. And he’ll share with you some of the best and worst queries he’s ever received.

What you'll learn:

 How to make a great first impression with your logline and query letter.
 Tips and rules to creating a great, professional logline.
 An easy to use 5-step formula for crafting great, tight loglines.
 What to include and what not to include in your loglines.
 The difference between loglines and taglines.
 The keys and format to query letters that grab attention and sell.
 What to include and what not to include in your submissions.
 Examples of great (and awful) query letters.
 What is a one-sheet and why do you need it?
 What needs to be included to have a memorable one-sheet?
 The new ways to query.

Who should attend?

 Writers tired of not getting results and requests from their loglines and query letters.
 Writers planning on submitting their work.
 Writers looking to create a tight logline.
 Writers who want a strong query letter.
 Writers who attend pitchfests and need one-sheets.
 Writers who want to learn how to make a great first impression.
 Writers looking to find out what executives are looking for.
 Writers who think taglines and loglines are the same thing.
 Writers who think writing loglines and query letters aren’t important.

The Writers Store does not offer any refunds for the webinar. All sales are final.

BALLS OF STEEL: 6 Screenwriting Pitching Lessons from the Sharks

Click to tweet this article to your friends and followers!

In order to break into screenwriting, first and foremost, we have to sit our butts in the chair and write a great
script. We all get that. But what happens after you write that script?

You sit your butt in front of someone and try to sell it.

Like it or not, you have to get used to pitching your product. And that is precisely what a script is – a product.

Recently, I started watching a show called Shark Tank on CNBC and ABC. If you haven’t seen it or heard
about it, STOP READING RIGHT NOW and go DVR it! Seriously, this is my new favorite reality show,
besides Dude, You’re Screwed. Don’t ask.

The show provides a platform for entrepreneurs to get investors for their products or services. The ‘Sharks’
consist of five incredibly wealthy and successful investors who listen to the pitches. They can opt out as quickly
as they want or compete with other Sharks for a piece of the pie. The goal is for the entrepreneur to get a
commitment of money and/or expertise, most often in exchange for giving up a percentage of their businesses.
Watching them negotiate deals is fascinating, but the real learning opportunity for screenwriters is in the
pitching itself.

I’m not suggesting screenwriting pitch meetings are exactly like this, because they aren’t – you’ll never get a
monetary offer for your script during a pitch. But there are a lot of lessons to be learned from watching these
entrepreneurs struggle to get the Sharks’ interest.

1. Know your product. You could be asked questions about anything – your protagonist, your plot, your act
breaks, your theme, your budget, your inspiration for the story, and on and on. If you don’t know your product
inside and out, they won’t have faith that your product is any good.

2. Know who you’re pitching. Every executive has a specific interest. Maybe that manager specializes in
action writers, or that studio only makes slasher films. Make sure you know who you’re talking with, what
they’ve developed in the past, and why they are the person or company that is the right fit for your project.
People love it when you know something about them. It makes them feel special, which will leave them being
impressed by your research, hence having a warm and fuzzy feeling about you. Which leads to…

3. Have a personality that makes people want to work with you. Hard-working, confident, positive attitudes
can be the tipping point to get someone interested in you and your script. I’ve seen many entrepreneurs pitch
the Sharks with amazing ideas they all loved, but ultimately, every one of them bailed because of the crappy
personalities of some wannabes. If you are smug, inflexible, or a know-it-all, you’ll never make it to first base,
let alone a homerun. I’ve written about having a positive attitude before, but it bears repeating… over and over
and over again. Don’t suck. Period.

4. Know when to shut up! You have an offer on the table to read your script. Now, get their email address, say
thank you and get out! The only time you should keep talking is if they still have more questions, which they
probably won’t because they’ve already asked to read it. Or perhaps they ask what other projects you might
have. Then, by all means, talk. But if you pitched so well that they said yes, zip your lips! The other night, I
watched an inventor have three amazing deals on the table when he started to ramble, inadvertently saying
things the Sharks saw as red flags. Within 30 seconds, two Sharks said, “I’m out!” Another minute later, the
last one threw in the towel. No deals left. Don’t be your own worst enemy; know when to stop talking!

5. Know when to listen. Every brutally honest thing you’re going to hear the Sharks say is exactly what a
Hollywood exec is thinking when you pitch… but most won’t say it. They’ll politely listen and nod their heads.
But inside, they’re blood pressure is either rising through the roof or you’re putting them to sleep with a boring
product. Listen carefully to their questions and effectively answer them. If you dodge a question, they’ll either
think you don’t care enough to pay attention or you’re just stupid. Either of which will make them pass. Listen
very carefully, especially if they are saying ‘no’ but offer feedback. If you can think quick on your feet, you
might even be able to spin the pitch on the spot to give them what they want, which will also impress them with
you ability to collaborate. But you won’t know what they want unless you listen. Hear me?

6. Know your weaknesses, because they’ll smell them coming a mile away. There was one eager
entrepreneur who had Mark Cuban on the hook… until, she not only let her weakness show, but she also started
making excuses for it. That’s all it took for him to say, “I’m out!” right before declaring, “I can’t work with
someone who finds the excuse rather than finds the opportunity.”

That is a very important statement, so read it again. No one wants to hear an excuse. If you have a problem,
own it and then fix it. I work really hard, and I expect everyone who partners with me to work just as hard. I
don’t have time for excuses. I want to work with people who will make the most of every opportunity
presented.

Look at yourself and ask, “What is keeping me from succeeding? What is my responsibility in the shortcomings
of this product?” Figure that out, and there’ll be no stopping you.

Pitchfests are a perfect way to practice pitching. I went to many before I had studio meetings. I can’t stress
enough how valuable they are for learning the art of the pitch. There, you might have wiggle room for bluffing
because it’s only five minutes, but when you get into a studio meeting and don’t know what you’re doing,
Dude, you’re screwed.

What are some of your pitching tips or nightmare stories you learned from? Post them in the comments below
so we can all keep learning together.

Jeanne’s Screenwriting Tips: Polishing a Screenplay

Script magazine Editor gives tips for polishing a screenplay that she’s learned from her screenwriting mentors
to make your script read fast and furious.

I’ve been blessed to have some amazing screenwriting mentors over the years. Finding one isn’t easy, but
once you do, it’ll change your writing forever. The first step is to open your mind, put your ego aside, and get
ready to learn more than any screenwriting book can teach you.

I’ve discussed rewriting a screenplay many times, but today, I want to give you tips for polishing a screenplay
that I’ve learned from Unknown Screenwriter. This isn’t rewriting or fixing typos. This is tried and true
techniques to make your script read fast and furious… and slash pages like a serial killer.

After you’ve gone through the basic rewrite and your story is solid (a check on structure, character development
and making sure all the unnecessary scenes are cut), it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty.

Step One: Cut the fatty descriptors.

On this pass, only look at the descriptors. Wordy scripts drag a reader to a crawl. Read each and every word and
decide if it’s really necessary. Is there a way you can say the same thing in a shorter way without losing the
meaning? Bonus Tip: This is why I love Twitter. Learning how to write in 140-character bits is an amazing
editing tool.

Let me give you an example from our script, Slavery by Another Name.

This is how the original descriptor read:

Train whistle BLOWS. Whites and blacks bustle about the manure-littered COBBLESTONE STREETS,
dodging the CLANGING electric trolley, carriages, a few early automobiles and open wagons driven by muddy
black teamsters.

This is how it reads now:

Train whistle BLOWS. Whites and blacks dodge a CLANGING electric trolley, a few early automobiles and
carriages driven by muddy black teamsters.

With those tweaks, the script lost a line without losing any of the meaning. Believe me, those lines add up. I
promise you, you’re going to be shocked at how many you can slash.

Step Two: Cut the dialogue.

No doubt, while cutting the descriptors, you cheated and snuck into the dialogue boxes and did some slashing
too. That’s fine, but there’s more to do.

In phase two, you’re only going to focus on the dialogue. Don’t even READ the descriptors. Just read the
dialogue out loud. You’ll be able to see if it flows well. I compare it to closing your eyes in a movie theater and
listening to the words spoken. All dialogue flaws will POP!
I did a screenshot of a scene we sliced using these techniques.

This was the first pass of the slice. When we went through and did the dialogue pass, we slashed even more, but
this will give you an idea of what I’m trying to describe.

Tips: Choose every word carefully.

1. While you’re going through your entire script and cutting, also make sure to challenge every single word and
sentence. Take a long look at your verbs. Are they action verbs? Do they help the reader visualize the scene?
The answers should be yes and hell yes.

The more visually you can write, the quicker the read will be.

2. When you are cutting, see if things you say in dialogue can slash words from your descriptors and vice versa.
Oftentimes, you do double duty without even realizing it.

3. If your slugline says INT. REESE HOUSE – KITCHEN, then you do not need to say, “Reese and Clara
linger at the kitchen table.” Strike the word “kitchen.” We already know that’s the room they’re in. Yes, it’s just
one word you’re striking, but every word adds up.

After implementing these tips, your new version will be lean and mean and a reading dream. By the time we
were done with the murdering of fatty prose, we had lost 9 pages on the script!

Now, get on it, and let me know how many pages you were able to cut!
8 Types Of Opening Scenes That Could Work For Your Book

This post is about eight types of opening scenes from screenwriting that also work when you write books.

Most of us know what we want to write about, but if we’re honest many of us have no idea where to start. I
have written about inciting moments and ideas for how to start stories in the past. In today’s post, I want to
write about the type of opening scene you could choose.

Opening Scenes

The opening scene is a promise that sets the tone for your book. It should suit the genre. If it is well-written, it
allow readers to imagine and anticipate the coming story in their minds.

Whenever we start a story, we need to set the scene, orientate the reader, create empathy with our characters,
set the tone and the mood, and capture the reader’s attention. Remember that we should always avoid starting
with too much backstory.

I was reading this post about The Opening Scene for writing a screenplay, and I think it also work wells for
novels. Of course, the scenes need to be changed slightly to suit the different format.

In the post from Screenwriting Tips & Advice, the author includes eight types of opening scenes in film. I have
included some of what they say (in italics) below and then added how you can use these scenes when starting
your novels.

8 Types Of Opening Scenes That Could Work For Your Book

1. ‘The Blatant Opening –
In this first ten pages of your script you will introduce the hero, the villain and exactly why they oppose each
other. The blatant opening works particular well for action films.’

How to adapt it for novels:

You can use this type of opening scene for any novel you write. It is particularly useful if you are writing crime
fiction or romance. You need to define your protagonist, your antagonist, and your story goal. This opening
includes an immediate major conflict, action, change, and a reaction from your protagonist.

Read: The Two Types Of Inciting Moments. The first one in the post explains this type of scene.

2. ‘A Regular Day –
… a regular day for your main character. Then an event will happen which breaks the normality of your
character’s life, one which they will need to rectify for their life to return to the way it was.’

How to adapt it for novels:

This is an excellent way to set up your protagonist. Make the reader empathise with him or her. Show us their
life, loves, and a dream or two.

Read: The Two Types Of Inciting Moments. The second one on the post explains this type of scene. Remember
to be brief and not to bore us with too much backstory.
3. ‘True Beginning –
The script starts right along with the start of the story for the main character. They might have just been given
a million dollars, or landed in a new country.’

How to adapt it for novels:

Anthony Ehlers wrote a post titled Why Is This Day Different? and he says: If you’re not sure where to start
your story, ask yourself: ‘Why is this day different for my main character?’ Use this opening when something
dramatic and life-changing happens in your protagonist’s life.

4. ‘Dramatic Irony –
This is the only beginning that won’t contain your main character. Instead you give the audience some
information that your main character won’t know and will soon affect his/her life greatly. Dramatic irony
allows the audience to be in a superior position and sets up both tension and anticipation.’

How to adapt it for novels:

You would have to do this as a prologue in a novel. Because of its nature, it would need to stand alone. This is
the least successful type of prologue. Readers often get annoyed when the prologue does not match the book’s
blurb. You have to write this well so that you do not alienate your readers.

We use dramatic irony in novels to create suspense, to create empathy, to create romantic tension, or to create
comedy. Use this as an opening scene if you want to create one of these effects.

5. ‘Foreshadowing –
This opening takes place before your main story begins and anticipates what is going to happen later in the
story. Like the dramatic irony opening the audience is placed in a position to predict what is going to happen.
This is often used for doomsday and horror movies.’

How to adapt it for novels:

This is another time where your opening would be a prologue. We don’t recommend it for fiction writing, but if
it is done well, it can be effective. A prologue should take nothing away from your opening scene, and
generally speaking, there should be no other way to convey the information.

Foreshadowing is a literary device that creates expectation. It is a preparation tool that is more effective when
employed throughout a novel.

6. ‘Narrator –
The narrator can be the hero, a secondary character, or just a stand alone narrator. The narrator tells the
story of the events which happened to the main character at a important time in their life.’

How to adapt it for novels:

While this works well for film, it is often intrusive in fiction writing. Using a narrator is an old-fashioned way
of telling a story. You can use it if your narrator is an investigative journalist or an observer of the story. A
good example of this was the reporter in Midnight In The Garden Of Good & Evil by John Berendt. Using a
narrator distances your reader from the protagonist.

Make sure the opening scene of your story suits using this technique.
7. ‘Flash forward –
The flash forward has two stories running side by side simultaneously. The A story is the main story, the B
story is of the narrator looking back.’

How to adapt it for novels:

You could do this effectively in a novel if you were using an unreliable narrator. You could also use it by
employing two totally different viewpoints with the Rashomon Effect, where multiple characters tell their
version of the same events in the story. Example: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner.

8. ‘Montage –
This is a great type of opening if you have a lot of information to get across before the main story begins. Also
known as a shotgun, a collection of short clips accelerate through the information until the story proper
begins.’

How to adapt it for novels:

Fairy tales use this technique to great effect. You can use it for most novels, when you want to get the reader up
to date quickly. It can be a fun exercise to get you to your inciting moment. Start writing with: Once upon a
time…

If you want a reminder on how to structure scenes, click here: 10 Important Things To Remember About
Scenes And Sequels