There’s a lot more to this than writing

As screenwriters, we’re always trying to hone and develop our writing skills. But how prepared are you for what comes after your script’s written and ready to go?

How familiar are you with the business aspect of “show business”? Maybe you’re thinking “I’ll get an entertainment attorney and let them handle it.” But how do you find the attorney that’s right for you?

Or “All I need to do is write and have my rep deal with all that other stuff.” What if you don’t have a rep and somebody comes along with an offer?

A screenwriter (or TV writer) needs to know these things.

I had the good fortune earlier this year to interview Kaia Alexander as part of the San Francisco Writers Conference. We covered multiple topics about being a screenwriter, including finding your “wolfpack”, to making and maintaining professional connections, how to determine your brand as a writer, and the do’s and don’ts of pitching.

If you’re serious about a career in screenwriting or TV, and these sound like the sort of things you’d like to learn more about, you should look into enrolling Kaia’s upcoming summer session of the Entertainment Business School.

The program begins on August 5th and runs for 9 weeks. Among the other topics covered:

-How studios and streamers make buying decisions
-How attachments work and how to get them
-How to pitch to buyers and reps
-How to network and build your community
-How to get producers for your projects
-The way the industry is changing
-How to negotiate like a pro and not leave money on the table
-Film financing and where to find investors, and how to vet them
-The roles of managers, agents, entertainment attorneys, publicists, producers, and development execs
-Entertainment business etiquette do’s and don’ts
-How to think about budgets

Enrollment opens next week – June 28, through July 28. There are two tiers: Balcony and Orchestra. Both include all access to what EBS has to offer, but Orchestra includes some personalized coaching from Kaia and is limited to 24 students.

One caveat: students who move forward from the application will go to a 1-1 Interview with Kaia. Not all students who apply will be accepted.

Kaia is also offering a special discount for readers of this blog: use the code PZ50S24 to get $50 off the enrollment fee. This code is only valid until July 28, which will be here before you know it, so don’t wait to sign up.

I know several writers who’ve taken the EBS courses and have been quite thrilled with the results. This is a great opportunity for any writer, and I hope you take advantage of it.

And feel free to tell Kaia I sent you.

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