Tweet You will often spend a year or more writing and rewriting each script. You’ve edited your own work and have given it several polishes. You then submit it either to a writing consultant or, if you’re lucky, to a studio reader for notes. When you get the notes back, you are devastated. The comments [...]
Tweet Pitch festivals have gained popularity in attracting screenwriters in to one tent in order to pitch their material. I would recommend writers participate in pitch festivals only when they have at least two completed screenplays to pitch. The reason to wait until you have at least two scripts is because you, as the writer, [...]
Tweet Getting a good agent these days is almost an impossible dream for writers. The reason is that they’re just not taking on new writers unless the writer somehow managed to make a big sale on his or her own. There are distinct differences and some similarities between literary agents, managers, and entertainment attorneys … [...]
Tweet After you’ve written several screenplays, you must have a marketing strategy. I’m assuming the scripts have been formatted correctly and are as tight as they can be regarding plot, characterization, realistic dialogue, etc. In order to see your screenplay, you need to target the production companies that have produced the same kind of movies that [...]
Tweet The question writers ask me over and over again is, “How do I get an agent?” The truth is that, these days, it’s extremely difficult to get a good agent to represent you. Living in Los Angeles, I heard the situation described this way: Agents are not taking on any new clients. All their time is being devoted [...]
Tweet So you’ve completed writing a couple of screenplays, now what do you do next? Writers constantly ask me about this. They want to know: “Is it time to get an agent or manager? Should I try to get meetings with studio executives? Should I send out my scripts to production companies? Or is participating [...]
Tweet Question: Should you option your screenplay? Answer: Since most screenplays get optioned rather than sold outright, writers need to know how options work. In general, options are a bad deal for writers. Writers are basically renting their material out for a fixed period of time, usually from six months to two years. Option prices [...]
Tweet How high is your Screenwriting IQ? Take this quiz and find out how much you know about the business of screenwriting. True or False 1. The standard steps for organizing and writing a screenplay is logline, outline, treatment, and then screenplay. True. 2. The term for the amount of money a screenwriter should be [...]
Tweet I’ve heard thousands of pitches in my 30 years as a screenwriter. What I’ve found is that the majority of pitches were too long, unfocused and boring. First of all, you should pitch what your story is about, not what happens in your story. Pitching what happens in your story is a recipe for [...]
Tweet How high is your Screenwriting IQ? Take this quiz and find out how much you know about the business of screenwriting. True or False 1. After a certain period of years, the original writer of an unproduced screenplay can purchase the project back from the buyer. True, but it’s going to be very costly. [...]
Debra Eckerling is a professional writer with expertise in feature articles, communications, public speaking, social media, and live networking. She also works with individuals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses to set goals and manage their projects. Call 310.908.8980 or contact deckerling@gmail.com for rates and more information.
The leader of Write On!, Debra has been a professional writer for more than 15 years. She has expertise in feature articles, corporate communications, and public speaking. Write On! is a virtual writers support group, which helps writers of all abilities, mediums, and specialties take their projects to the next level.
