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Writing Query Letters

© Dave Brandl

Your play's complete. Perhaps you've held a staged reading or even a local production. Now you're ready to send it to the world. Perhaps a contest, perhaps a publisher, or a production company.

Having read hundreds of scripts for publishers, producers, and contests, I have seen many surprising things. But one of the most surprising is the people who seem to have an unlimited postage budget to be able to submit scripts to highly inappropriate target markets. At about $3 to $4 per script, it adds up. And many times these scripts end up in the slush pile because the playwright didn't do the appropriate homework and instead, submitted the script to apparently random organizations.

I much prefer submitting scripts to people who are interested in reading them. And I determine those people through the cost-effective method of query letters. At about 60 cents total postage for each letter, I can get five or six times the coverage I would for the same amount of money spent on script submissions.

It's not only an inexpensive way to get the word out, but it's really a simple process. Basically, you write up a 25 to 100-word synopsis of the play, include that in an introductory letter, and include a self-addressed, stamped postcard.

Here's an example from a recent round of queries I sent out about some of my children's plays:

====================

Dear [Name],

I have the following three plays available for children and students. All have been produced.

Aesop's Open Auditions Running time about 45 minutes Single simple set Flexible cast of 18

Aesop A. Aesop, CIX, a modern descendent of the famous fabulist, holds an open audition for the first new Aesop's fable in 2500 years. Improvisation, cold readings, and new fable ideas are on the agenda. All the favorite and familiar characters show up (plus a few newcomers), hoping to be cast in legendary director Cecily B. Speilberg's newest blockbuster. Skulking beneath this historic project is the Wolf's diabolical plan to revenge himself against the Fox, Lion, and Dog, who generally got the better of him in the original fables.

[Synopsis 2]

[Synopsis 3]

Enclosed is an SASP with which to indicate your interest. Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

====================

And here is the SASP:

====================

Please send us:
[ ] Aesop's Open Auditions
[ ] [Script 2]
[ ] [Script 3]

[ ] We are not interested at this time.
Please keep us in mind for future submissions.

____________________________________________
(Name, Title) (Phone)

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________
(Comments)

====================

And that was it. As I researched the markets, I identified six as likely candidates that regularly publish the types of scripts I was offering. Two of the six markets I queried wanted to see scripts.