Screenplay submissions 101: how to submit a screenplay like a pro.

So you’ve written a great script… Now what? To many aspiring screenwriters, figuring out what to do with a screenplay once its finished is even more difficult than writing the thing in the first place.

Maybe you’ve just finished a screenplay but have never tried submitting it to a manager or producer? Or maybe you’ve already tried submitting your script, but haven’t had the response you were hoping for?

Let’s talk screenplay submissions: a 5-step strategy including the best insider tips on how to submit a screenplay to the right places. And at the right time, once your script is finished.

Step 1: make sure your script is 100% ready.

Before you start any script submissions strategy, it’s vital the screenplay itself has been thoroughly vetted. This means by someone you trust for solid, unbiased feedback.

Get together a circle of trusted writer/industry friends and give it to them. The trick with this is to make sure you let them know you want their honest opinion. You don’t want them to just say nice things because they’re your friends.

If you don’t have friends in the industry, or you want independent advice, you should consider hiring a professional script consultant. If you then get a “Consider” or “Recommend” grade on your script, you’ll know you’re onto something.

A “Pass” grade means your screenplay will need tightening up before it’s ready to send out. Any reputable script doctor/consultant will tell you how to do this.

A third way you know your script’s ready to submit, is if it wins or places highly in one of the best screenwriting contests out there. Overall, if you don’t get stellar feedback on the screenplay—if any page is less than breathtaking—you need to rewrite it.

However, once you are 100 percent sure you have something wonderful on your hands, then you’re good to go to Step #2 of the script submissions process.

Step 2: build a screenplay submissions contact list.

When you’re first looking for a manager, compile an extensive list of the people or entities you feel your script would be perfect for and want to target. A great starting point is our Screenwriting Managers List that lists all the major ones working in Hollywood today.

But do your research first. You can also find out the names of producers and managers on IMDb Pro who work with similar material to your own as they’re the people most likely to dig your script.

You can also attend pitch fests, festivals and events where real producers, execs and managers are in attendance. You can keep track of them all this year using our Screenwriters’ Calendar.

Get friendly with these people (but not in an overly schmoozy way) and you’ll soon start adding real and promising contacts to your screenplay submissions list.

Step 3: prepare your pitch.

When you have a script ready to send out and a list of potential managers and producers interested in reading it, you don’t want to hit them all up all at once.

Send about twenty queries every few days and change up the email query here and there according to the responses you get. But first, you need to write a query letter/email that gets attention…

In a query letter, you want to be as creative as possible in order to make people sit up and take notice.

Think of the email as an elevator pitch—you’ve got a matter of seconds to impress and that’s it.

Make sure your query letter is written in the voice and tone of your screenplay. This will make it stand out over the thousands of script submissions already coming in alongside yours.

Phone calls can work too if you have that certain type of personality that’s going to leave a great impression. Calling to ask who you should submit a query to—and making a connection with that first point of contact in the office—is never a bad thing.

Step 4: get your timing right.

Some days are better for screenplay submissions than others. First up, Mondays, when people are overloaded with a weekend’s worth of emails, are best avoided.

Friday afternoons are also a no-go when people are already done for the week. And by the time they get to second-hand stuff on Tuesday, it will be so far down their list they might not even see it.

Holidays are also not a great time to query either. Hollywood shuts down on holidays, so that means most of July and December. And January is also a slow crawl.

The best time for screenplay submissions is midweek. If it’s a great enough query it may have them request the script for that weekend’s reading. Getting the timing right is a major part of learning how to submit a screenplay.

Step 5: be patient.

This is the most important step to remember if you have had a script request: Write a very respectful reply and thank them for their time, saying you look forward to hearing back from them. And then forget about them. For now.

If a month goes by (and often it’s a good idea to wait even longer), then feel free to check in with a friendly, respectful and professional email. But, in the meantime, keep writing, pitching and concentrate on what we call the 3P Principle:

• Process. Respect the process of screenplay submissions and the time of those reading your work.

• Patience. Be patient with these people and with the epic piles of screenplays they have to go through on a weekly basis.

• Personal. Leave your personal feelings at the door and don’t get offended by non-replies or evasive behavior.

If you can keep these three principles in mind, you will have a much easier time as you work your way through your screenplay submission process.

Screenplay submissions 101: conclusion.

As we’re sure you’ve heard before, the screenwriters who succeed in this business are the ones who hustle. They’re the ones who’ve sent a ton of emails, worked connections, met people face-to-face, and generally put themselves out there.

Moving to Los Angeles is a great idea as then you’ll be around people who can help make things happen for you on a daily basis.

If you want to start your career from outside of LA it’s going to be harder to meet people in the industry face-to-face at the beginning of your career.

Nevertheless, you can still use online tools such as virtual screenwriting pitch sites to communicate and network with industry pros.

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How do you go about submitting your scripts to the world? What do you think of our screenplay submissions strategy? Let us know in the comments below.

Liked this post? Read more on screenplay submissions and how to sell a screenplay…

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How to Get a Screenwriting Agent and Manager in 10 Proven Steps

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