Advice for new Screenwriters

By Anat Wenick

We all have a story to tell.  Not all of us know how to tell it.  If you made up your mind to write a screenplay, please make sure to learn how to do it properly.  It does not mean you necessarily need to spend 4 years at an expensive university learning screenwriting, but take the time to read 4-5 books on the subject, and as many scripts as you can, to get the feeling of pacing, dialogue, structure, and formatting. 

Rule number one: Know your craft.

“My screenplay is so unique it breaks all conventions and will blow everyone’s mind with its innovative approach.”

Hollywood’s catch 22 is that there is a constant search for a unique screenplay that has been done before.  Almost no one wants to be the first to gamble on something that has not been done before.  Though with the constant growth of the Independent market it is easier to get unique screenplays out there, if you are a new writer with zero to very little contacts in the entertainment industry, most chances a convention breaking script would be a tuff sale.  There is nothing wrong with writing the convention.  A good writer knows how to break the rules even when writing according to Hollywood’s conventions.  A teacher of mine once said actors are mistaken avoiding characters that would type-cast them.  If you are successful playing a certain character, it would be easier for you to pick and chose different roles once you are known and established as a successful actor.  The same works for screenplays.  If you are unknown, stick to the writing conventions.  Once you make a sale, it would be easier to get a listening audience for the more unique screenplay.  Before sending your script, conduct a market search.  Find a similar movie to the one you have written and send your script to those production companies.  Chances are you will find a more sympathetic ear. 

Rule number two: Know your market. 

“I have this great screenplay, that could be the next big thing Hollywood had ever seen, yet no production company or Agency picked up on it.”  

It’s been said one’s chances of winning the lottery are greater than getting their screenplay produced in Hollywood.  A script is like a baby coming into the world.  Even if you take something to numb the pain, delivering it, still involves a certain amount of pain and exertion.  And when that baby comes out, no matter how unbaked and ugly it looks, it is the most beautiful thing in the eyes of its parents.  You might think your script is the best thing ever written, but there is a strong possibility you are wrong. 

Rule number three: Know you are not objective about your work.  

“Everyone who read the script was really impressed by it and said it could make for a good movie.” 

Once you send a script to an agent or a production company, you have only one chance to impress them with how good your script is.  So don’t blow it!  Once your script is finished to your satisfaction, you first want to put it aside for a

couple of weeks, then go back to it and read it again.  If nothing else, you would most likely find a few typos.  Act the different characters and see if their dialogue still sounds believable and interesting, ensure your scene headings are written according to industry standards, and take out any unnecessary directorial instruction.  

Second, give it to a few people to read before submitting it.  Beware of family members and friends.  They are filled with good intentions and are wonderful as a support group, but most likely they will not be impartial and would not say what they really think to avoid hurting your feelings.  If they have no entertainment experience, they would probably not be able to correct any formatting issues, so try and get some feedback from someone with screenwriting experience.  

One way is to pay a professional reader or company to give you an analysis of your work.  Prices vary a lot in the industry and the expensive service is not always the best, as evident from discussions on LinkedIn Screenwriting groups.  Some companies will offer to submit your script to production companies and agent if they find your script worthwhile.  Make sure these promises are grounded in reality.  

A cheaper option, which can be just as good as a professional service, is to join a screenwriting group.  Just remember that the best writing groups are the ones that are harsh and ruthless, and not the ones that are nice and cuddly.  You want a group that would tear your script apart and give constructive suggestions on how to rebuild it. 

Rule number four: Know it is in your best interest to get an impartial and professional feedback, even if it means swallowing your pride and developing a thicker skin.

“I wrote a great script which got great reviews by professionals, did all the rewrites it needed and sent it to companies who did similar movies, and still no luck.”

Sometime it is a matter of timing.  If two or three movies about zombies just came out and three more are being worked on, it might be hard to sell another zombie movie.  On the other hand, if a zombie movie came out and was a huge success, it might be easier to sell it, stating in the cover letter that your script is of the same genre.  Other times it is a matter of finding that one person to say yes, where all others said no.  If your script has a strong female lead, consider sending it to female agents or agents of female actresses.  You can send it to companies owned by female actresses, as they are most likely looking for a project to fit the owner. 

Rule number five: Don’t give up.

So your script is doing the agent and production companies rounds.  What now?  

This is when the gate keeper, aka the script reader, or script analyst takes center stage.  Unless you have a specific person who agrees to read your script, most chances are that when you send your script to an agency or a production company, it will first end up in the hands of a script reader, who will read the script and evaluate its quality and marketability.  In most cases, the script will be a pass.  This does not necessarily mean that the script is badly written, it could simply mean this is not what the company is looking for at the moment, or they do not believe it will have a mass market appeal.  

Remember that the reader has read many scripts before yours, and therefore, it is hard to surprise him/her.  However, there are a few things you could do to increase your chances of ensuring the reader will continue reading past page 30.  First, make sure your formatting, spelling, punctuation and grammar are near perfect.  Use screenwriting software to ensure the script is formatted according to industry standards, or if using Word, make sure the page is properly formatted. 

Eliminate silly mistakes like “weather” instead of “whether,” “too” instead of “to” and so forth which indicate to the reader the writer either did not care enough to proofread his/her work, or their primary language is not English, and they neglected to have their work checked by a professional.  Second, learn what the reader is instructed to look for when reading a script.

To a reader a screenplay is like a symphony.  All the music components have to work in harmony to create a beautiful and pleasant to the ear melody.  The writer is the conductor who must control all the elements and ensure they work with each other to allow a natural flow of the story.  Generally speaking, a script is graded on its premise, structure, dialogue, pacing, formatting/grammar, characters, marketability, and conflict.  Some companies may add other criteria according to what they are specifically looking for and may ask the reader to place emphasis on one section more than the other. 

Take the time to learn…

There are many books available on the various screenplay components. 

Amazon has compiled a list of 50 books available by following the link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R86FJYB8OVH1D.  

Another list is available on http://www.spiritualpub.com/10-books-that-mayguide-you-in-your-screen-writing-journey.php

The resources are out there.  Use them wisely and may the force be with you.

-- Anat Wenick