Marketing Your Works

You have scripts written, but they currently occupy shelf space. You need to get them out, read, noticed, and accepted. Where do you start?

Take Inventory

How many scripts do you have? What are the titles and genres? Do you have synopses written for all of them? Figure out what you have and make sure you're ready to begin marketing them.

In addition to the above, make sure you have scripts that are ready to submit, both in presentation and in content. Make sure they're good-looking, complete, and correct.

Research the Markets

Knowing what you have, now set about to find those markets that are looking for the types of scripts you have. Be painfully objective. Find those that are very close or perfect matches. Those are the ones to concentrate on first. Then further dissect those by which ones ask for query letters and which ask for entire scripts. This can save you a bundle in postage costs.

Create Submission Packages

Whether it's a query letter or a script submission, create a complete, professional-looking package, including:

• Cover Letter
• SASP for their convenience in responding
• Resume, if applicable
• Script
• SASE for the script's return

Make Mailing as Painless as Possible

Use labels for addresses. They're easier, and look better than handwritten addresses.

Consider priority mail vs. book rate. The book rate may be cheaper, but I've had difficulties with using this rate consistently. I have encountered mail clerks who have vastly different interpretations of what constitutes a "book." Some clerks consider it a "book" only if it is permanently bound, and that a script in a 3-ring binder is not permanently bound, and then they want to charge a rate other than the book rate.

Another reason I use priority mail is speed. It's important to me. I want to get the script there quickly, and if they're not interested, I want to get it back quickly so I can sent it elsewhere.

Keep Sending

We've all heard the stories of the now-famous writers who couldn't sell a manuscript to dozens of publishers, but finally found the right one and the book became a classic.

Each producer and publisher has an agenda and a specific audience in mind for the works they promote. Sometimes your script may be close, but it isn't exactly what they're looking for, so they reject yours and move on.

You'll dazzle them the most by sending them exactly what they're looking for; a dazzling script sent to the wrong market will more likely annoy or be ignored. They know what they're looking for.

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