writing

Hi there. Nice to meet you.

Maximum Z blog, message boards, networking, screenwriting, social media, writing , ,
First impressions count, even online. So be nice.

I’ve made it a point to really work on expanding my network, especially in ways that could help me achieve my writing goals (this applies to both craft and career).

Since I don’t live in Los Angeles, I have to find alternate ways to connect with other writers and folks in the industry. And thanks to living in the digital/internet age, there are lots of helpful options.

These are the ones I belong to, mostly because they were free and matched what I was looking for. I’m aware of Tracking Board and It’s On The Grid, but as far as I know, you need to pay to subscribe to them, and that’s just not an option for me right now.

–Twitter. I like it, but don’t monitor it all that much. If somebody mentions me or sends me a DM, I try to respond in a timely manner.

–LinkedIn.  Split between screenwriting, social media and writing projects. I’ve connected with lots of writers around the world, as well as more people at agencies and management firms, but unsure whether to send them queries (if applicable). Your thoughts?

–Done Deal Pro forums.  I’ve posted loglines (got some good feedback) and am considering posting pages.  There’s a lot of helpful info in the comments of most threads, but a handful of members sometimes come across as a little full of themselves.

–Stage 32. Joined earlier this month. Still building my network. Will explore further.

–Talentville. Joined last week. Still figuring out how it works.  Something about earning Talent Dollars?

–TriggerStreet. Haven’t used this in a while since being criticized for giving honest feedback on scripts.

Something else to keep in mind – blogs. A great way to network! I contacted just about every person behind the blogs over there to the right to tell them how much I enjoyed reading them, and would they mind if I posted a link. See? Not too hard.

One of those unwritten rules about screenwriting is “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

When I started writing, I knew absolutely nobody. But in the years since then, I’ve tried to get to know a lot more people, and as a result, a lot more people know me.

Cleaning up after all that dirty work

Maximum Z agent, creativity, manager, query letter, representation, research, screenwriting, self-confidence, writing
Yeah, it kind of felt like this...
Yeah, it kind of felt like this…

Well, that’s that.  The queries have been unleashed, and the process of getting it done was truly exhausting.

Most of the work was research. Lots and lots of it.

Equipped with a few lists of potential recipients, I scoured IMDBPro (signing up is highly recommended) and Google to check the status of each name, agency, management firm and prodco I had.

Are they still in business? (a good percentage were not)  Do they accept queries?  Is the person still there? If not, where are they now? What about that place?  Do they even handle screenwriters? Would they be interested in my script’s genre?

Some of the major houses (CAA, WME, etc.) don’t list any contact info apart from address and phone number, so unless you know somebody there, you’re just plain out of luck. A lot of them also have a disclaimer somewhere on the website stating they don’t accept unsolicited materials anyway. Better to focus on the ones that do.

Proof these lists are not entirely accurate or up-to-date – one listed office info for somebody who apparently died in 2009.

Believe me when I say this is not a small-scale project.

Something else to keep in mind – depending on your determination, you’ll be sending out an immense number of queries, and most likely the responses, positive or negative, will be few and far between. If you hear back at all.  Remember – these places are getting bombarded with queries from writers just like you every single day.

Not getting an immediate response can really be quite a blow to your self-confidence, but unfortunately it’s the way things are.  All you can do is send it out and move on.  Like I wrote last time, use this as an opportunity to redirect your attention towards something else of a productive nature.  Write something. Read something.  Exercise. Whatever it takes.

So while I wait, I’ve got an outline to improve, some podcasting equipment to master and a pumpkin pie that needs baking.

Eyes front, mister!

Maximum Z confidence, creativity, query letter, screenwriting, script, self-confidence, westerns, writing
The solution isn't on somebody else's paper
The answers you seek won’t be found on somebody else’s paper. Which sounds a little more ‘zen’ than it should…

The emailing of queries continues, as does the struggle to force myself to stop checking my inbox on a too-often basis.

Wait! A new email just came in! Did somebody respond? Nope. Groupon for a bikini wax. How about now? Nope.  Screenwriting newsletter that seems to come every two months. I really should just unsubscribe from that. Now? Nope again. Netflix confirming they received my disc of JUSTICE LEAGUE: DOOM.

Over and over and over.

The more this scenario plays out, the more frustrating the whole thing becomes. Why isn’t anybody responding?  I sent that two whole days ago. Doesn’t anybody check their email?  Oh no! What if nobody wants to read my script? All that work for nothing! I’m a failure! Doomed to gnash my teeth every time somebody sells their you-call-that-an-original-concept spec for low-to-mid six figures! Aaauuughhhhh!

*collapses on floor in fetal position*

And….scene.

It would be so easy to fall into this kind of trap, but it’s also easier than you would think to just take a deep breath and let it go. I’ve done my part. The rest is up to my query recipients. All I can do is hope they’re interested and want to read my script.

If so, great. If not, no big deal. Comes with the territory. It took me a long time to accept this.

I’m a writer, so writing is what I need to focus on right now. It’ll satisfy my need to be creative while drawing my attention away from the queries. Hunkering down and diving into the outline is good for what ails me.

And it’s a western, so how can I resist the call to immerse myself in a world I’ve created loaded up with cowpokes, shootin’ irons and yellow-bellied sidewinders?

Added bonus – in the event somebody likes my first script and asks the all-important “What else ya got?,” I’ll be this much closer to having something ‘else’ to offer.

Hold on. Another email just came in.  Back in a sec.

Ready for just such an emergency

Maximum Z query letter, representation, screenwriting, synopsis, writing
Be prepared, and all that...*
Be prepared, and all that…*

After sending out the first batch of query letters, I was reminded of something I need to have ready to go in case someone asks for it.

A synopsis.

Just the thought of having to write one fills me with dread. It always has.  But it’s a necessity and has to be done.  (You’d think a writer would have no problem writing something. You’d be wrong.)

I scoured the internet, desperately seeking for one to use as an example. Success was somewhat limited, but there were a handful, each accompanied with suggestions of what to include and what not to.

The general consensus seems to be a short paragraph for each act.  Each one has to be informative in terms of the story and describe what happens, but without going into too much detail.  Like with the logline, you want to make the reader want to read more.

Keeping all this in mind, and after much editing and rewriting, I ended up with a draft that fills up about 2/3 of a page.  Too short?  Just right?  Hard to say, but I like the way it reads.  Simple. Descriptive. Effective.

Add another item to the ‘done’ column of my metaphoric checklist.

I should probably also start working on a treatment, which is a completely different, but still necessary, thing.

But in the meantime, when I’m not sending out more queries, rather than incessantly checking my email and hitting ‘refresh’, it’s a better use of my time to stay focused, keep being productive and work on the western outline.

-Podcasting equipment has arrived. Still learning how to use it. More details to come.

 

*was there ever any doubt that yours truly was an Eagle Scout?

Queries about queries

Maximum Z query letter, representation, screenwriting, writing
Do people still send actual letters?
Do people still send actual letters?

I started compiling a list of where to send my query letter when I realized I should probably have the letter ready first.

Previous versions have kept it simple. Brief intro, logline, 1-2 sentences about me, and that’s about it. Short, to the point, and hopefully effective.  Don’t know how much of an impact they’ll have, but there are a few me-oriented details I’d like to work in as well.

I’ve seen examples that suggest a few short paragraphs that flesh out the story a little, but that seems like too much.  If the logline doesn’t grab them, why would they want to read more?  I like to think mine’s pretty solid.

It’s also important to write the letter so it really stands out from the hundreds/thousands received daily*.  We all want someone to read our letter and automatically think “Now THAT’S something I want to read!”

It shouldn’t take too long to put a strong letter together. Once it’s ready, back to figuring out who should receive it.

 

*Absolutely true. I met with an agent who had started her own agency – just her and an assistant. They were getting approximately 50 letters a week. Imagine how many a powerhouse firm like ICM or WME gets. Every one is your competition.  Just something to keep in mind.