Is there any particular day of the week that's better for querying than others? I can't send a query before this coming Monday (long story) but since it is the 11th of September and, I don't know, maybe people are a bit touchy or superstitious or something, I'm wondering if maybe I should wait a couple of days. Any thoughts?
What's a good day to query?
- Thread starter Pryce
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Wednesday.
No, wait. everyone will be bummed 'cause it's hump day.
Thursday, then.
no, that's no good either. They'll be ready for the weekend by then, and Friday is straight out.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. Just don't send the querry before the script is ready.
that's the important part.
No, wait. everyone will be bummed 'cause it's hump day.
Thursday, then.
no, that's no good either. They'll be ready for the weekend by then, and Friday is straight out.
Honestly, it doesn't matter. Just don't send the querry before the script is ready.
that's the important part.
Pryce said:
You could try dating it with Sunday's date and send it on Monday.Just a thought.
Jennifer.
billythrilly7th
Banned
Pryce said:
Yes.
Don't let the query arrive on Monday or Friday. Thursday is actually the best day.
Also, don't query RIGHT NOW. When summer ends, everyone goes crazy with sending out queries. Same as after New Year.
I'd give it a few weeks. Let all the people who are hopped up on end of summer energy clog the system for a couple weeks and then you slide in there mid-late Sept.
Preferable on a Thurs. But Tue-Thurs is fine.
Monday worst.
Friday second worst.
Truly: It doesn't matter.
But: Pretty much you want to avoid any time where the agent/prodco/whoever would have a lot of queries. Like Mondays, which are bound to have more queries than other days. Similarly, you will want to avoid times when these companies are on vacation. Like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and late summer. When your query is in a giant stack, they will pay a lot less attention to it.
That being said, the time is such a small part of the equation that it's not really worth worrying about. There are too many factors you can't control. Maybe the reader is in a great mood on Monday. Maybe Tuesday they got dumped and they're going to reject everything because they're mad. Don't get hung up in these tiny technicalities. Just write a good query.
Good luck.
But: Pretty much you want to avoid any time where the agent/prodco/whoever would have a lot of queries. Like Mondays, which are bound to have more queries than other days. Similarly, you will want to avoid times when these companies are on vacation. Like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and late summer. When your query is in a giant stack, they will pay a lot less attention to it.
That being said, the time is such a small part of the equation that it's not really worth worrying about. There are too many factors you can't control. Maybe the reader is in a great mood on Monday. Maybe Tuesday they got dumped and they're going to reject everything because they're mad. Don't get hung up in these tiny technicalities. Just write a good query.
Good luck.
Don't submit when the Credit Card bills from Christmas are arriving. Submit two weeks after the Emmys or Oscars are awarded. Agents are prowling for the "perfect" project right about then.
LunarLodge said:
Don't submit your query on a day where your query is a pile of dross.
Days of the week don't matter on the front line of who you are attacking.
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I would suggest to writers serious about querying to learn how to use the telephone. Having a query "pre-approved" by even a low level employee at an agency or prodco is a much better way to get in the door. It still has to be good in order to draw interest.
Any request for a copy of the screenplay will likely ask for it to be submitted by an attorney, or in the case of a prodco, either an attorney or an agent.
My experience. Yours may vary. Day of the week has never been a factor for me.
Any request for a copy of the screenplay will likely ask for it to be submitted by an attorney, or in the case of a prodco, either an attorney or an agent.
My experience. Yours may vary. Day of the week has never been a factor for me.
Thanks everyone for replying. I'm thinking of querying this week, between Tuesday and Thursday, according to your advice. Any thoughts?
I'm thinking of doing the Script Express thing today. Assuming my query won't leave right away, it should arrive at about 2,000 production companies (accroding to Script Express) sometime tomorrow. So, if anyone thinks I'm making a mistake, speak now or for ever hold your peace.
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Aha! So you're not ruling out that a human being could've boffed a robot. Sex with robots is more common than most people think.
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My Web Page - shameless vampyre fiction & other shameless writings.
Aha! So you're not ruling out that a human being could've boffed a robot. Sex with robots is more common than most people think.
It Don't Matter When You Submit (Unless 2 Your Spouse)
Wanna Know why it don't make one bad hill full of beans when you submit? 'Cause the scripts get farmed out to guys like me who get paid $100 to review the suckers, in the first case.
After they've sat on my desk a few days, I psych up for a day of critique. Any day but Sunday. Then, if they pass the muster, they get rated and subsequently rejected or approved to really get reviewed.
And some of the readers consider it a power thang. "Bwa-hah-hah," he thought, knowing their fate rested souly (it's a spiritual thing) on his $100 opinion. "The red pen is flowing today. They think this is writing? It doesn't compare to what I throw away!"
That's the harsh reality, folks. My personal opinion is: you have got to be pretty darn bad to not get a shot. Good plot, fair writing? Good to go. Great writing, fair plot? Good to go. Great plot, sloppy work, bad sppealling - out the door. You don't care about your own script? Neither do I.
So, in the final analysis, Mr. Goldly, what is the key to submitting a screenplay?
If it don't get ballyhooed and bought the first time, submit it again. And again. And again. If you know your tradecraft, have a solid product, it's not what you know - it's who gets to read it first. Anyone who claims politics and power has nothing to do with it is riding the Space Shuttle on a trip to the moon to ride LunarCycles. That's a pretty sorry state of affairs. But we're talkin' humans here. No way around it.
And when they call and say, "You know, loved the first and third sections but we really want to change that second sequence from a love scene in Italy with Leonardo to an escape from Mars with Lunar aliens foaming from their third eye...how's a 50 grand advance sound?" Reply,
"Wow. Just what I was thinking. Great! Here's my address for the check."
Keep those "Crap Detectors" clicking. I'm on the moon.
___________________________
"When the going gets weird, Just cash the check."
(Apologies to HST)
Wanna Know why it don't make one bad hill full of beans when you submit? 'Cause the scripts get farmed out to guys like me who get paid $100 to review the suckers, in the first case.
After they've sat on my desk a few days, I psych up for a day of critique. Any day but Sunday. Then, if they pass the muster, they get rated and subsequently rejected or approved to really get reviewed.
And some of the readers consider it a power thang. "Bwa-hah-hah," he thought, knowing their fate rested souly (it's a spiritual thing) on his $100 opinion. "The red pen is flowing today. They think this is writing? It doesn't compare to what I throw away!"
That's the harsh reality, folks. My personal opinion is: you have got to be pretty darn bad to not get a shot. Good plot, fair writing? Good to go. Great writing, fair plot? Good to go. Great plot, sloppy work, bad sppealling - out the door. You don't care about your own script? Neither do I.
So, in the final analysis, Mr. Goldly, what is the key to submitting a screenplay?
If it don't get ballyhooed and bought the first time, submit it again. And again. And again. If you know your tradecraft, have a solid product, it's not what you know - it's who gets to read it first. Anyone who claims politics and power has nothing to do with it is riding the Space Shuttle on a trip to the moon to ride LunarCycles. That's a pretty sorry state of affairs. But we're talkin' humans here. No way around it.
And when they call and say, "You know, loved the first and third sections but we really want to change that second sequence from a love scene in Italy with Leonardo to an escape from Mars with Lunar aliens foaming from their third eye...how's a 50 grand advance sound?" Reply,
"Wow. Just what I was thinking. Great! Here's my address for the check."
Keep those "Crap Detectors" clicking. I'm on the moon.
___________________________
"When the going gets weird, Just cash the check."
(Apologies to HST)
Beemer said:
I would say this is a very bad idea as most have PLEASE, NO CALLS! stamped across their submission guidelines.