If you are an aspiring screenwriter, Twitter is an amazing resource. For example last week, production executive Jeff Willis tweeted all about query letters. Soon thereafter, screenwriter John Gary posted a series of tweets about his own experiences with query letters. Reprinted here by permission.

John Gary

Here’s my querying story. I was in a bad spot three years back, I’d been writing shitty horror movies for weird no-fly producers… …and while their checks cleared, they weren’t all that skilled at actually making movies. And they weren’t guild. I’d garnered some heat many years ago but it had all petered out, and I was working in a genre I hated with people I didn’t believe in. So I fired my manager and my lawyer. (My agent had left long ago.) And then I wrote two scripts that were the movies I wanted to write — one was a sci-fi noir, and one was a paranoid thriller. I queried the sci-fi noir while I wrote the paranoid thriller.

I personalized each query with what they’d worked on, who their clients were, what I liked about who they worked with. A third of the queries wanted to read. I had a couple benefits — I’d been repped before, which I said in the queries, and often I had personal connections I could mention.

I workshopped the logline endlessly with friends, experienced working writers. One guy (JT!) is the king of loglines. I like long loglines. Who cares, put whatever you need into it. Don’t get hung up on 25 words or one sentence. Just tell the story. So once I finished the next script, the paranoid thriller, I queried that. Only 15 managers (some of the same people I’d already emailed). I got seven requests to read. Some of these people I had previous relationships with. Altogether, I had 12 requests for my two scripts out of 30 queries (I think about 25 different managers — some I queried twice, remember). After all was said and done, those 12 reads translated to 1 meeting and offer of representation. Along the way, I had three referrals to managers, two of whom wanted to meet and offered representation.

Production companies get you interest in a script. Managers get you interested in you. I don’t think I’d ever query agents. Basically, you don’t want an agent until they pursue you. In the end, I went with a manager I got through a personal referral. Referrals will almost always be better than cold queries. (Which is why we always tell you to move here.)

John followed up with some additional responses to follow-up questions:

“Hey I’m about to make a decision, if you want in, lemme know now.” Half replied that they’d read that weekend, and mostly they did. Had a q about how to find info on managers. I utilized IMDB pro, looked at who repped writers I admired and wanted to be like. I also paid attention to who was selling specs, because a spec sale is the best route in for a fresh writer. Also I scoured the yearly BL [Black List], looked at which managers were in business with studios and production companies I wanted to be in business w/.

John’s approach and advice aligns with what I’ve been telling writers for the last several years. Focus on managers. Use IMDb Pro to find managers who have produced movies like your script or represent writers in your same genre. Scattershooting query letters to any outfit from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills is largely a waste of time. The more focus and attention you put into your research, like John did, the less wasted time and aggravation, plus you will up the odds you’ll get a favorable response.

You may follow John on Twitter: @johngary.

You may read all of the Screenwriting Tweetstorms here.



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