I have a question - full requests on queries.

In the last month of sending out queries on four different scripts, probably a total of 12 query letters (I know I'm lazy) I've had 8 requests for the full script.

Is this an often occurance or does it mean I'm actually getting somewhere?

Just curious as to what the ratios are.

Thanks!

ETA: Two requests per script. And these are all companies with recognizable credits.

Thanks.

Thus far two have responded that they loved the script I sent them but it wasn't right for their line up. So I pitched concepts that fit both of their requirements and they have asked me to write them up stating they were terrific concepts and want to read them when I finish them. The one will be finished tomorrow and the other has already been written and sent to them, so who knows.

It is good to actually be in communication with interested parties, I was just curious as to my chances of one of these actually making it to the deal stage and wasn't sure how many full scripts on average these companies ask for. Am I against a dozen scripts, a hundred, a thousand?

I guess the only people who know that are the producers sitting in their chairs but I hoped someone would have an idea lol.

Thanks again for responding.

Sara

Thanks. I was hoping the majority of those scripts would be weeded out from the asking for full scripts.

Ah well, I'll keep trucking. I do hope something comes of it, though.

Hehe, no, not complaning about postage costs. I guess I have learned how to pitch because I've had amazing results since I switched to a new way of doing the query letter. Still following a basic formula but it's almost second nature now, I can whip out a query letter without breaking a sweat that gets a response. (Not bragging, I just never thought I would be capable!)

Big thanks to this board, when I came here I didn't know what a logline was, a tagline, a treatment, or that synopsis had a set length and such before coming here, heck, I didn't even know what a query letter was! I don't think I would have ever learned how to pitch without this place. Then I took the very rough skills of mine and knowledge I had gained from here and started writing pitches for other writers to see. When I didn't grab their interest I rewrote and reworked it until I got closer and closer, then it seemed to unlock itself. It was weird.

Anyway, I do hope this means I'm getting somewhere and it's a heck of a lot better than a string of no replies I was getting in the old format!

Thanks Rainbow, I think I would be inept to teach it but anyone who wants to know I would be happy to share. In the end even with a perfect pitch the writing still has to stand on it's own.

Besides, the more people who succeed the better right?

Send me a pm with your current query letter and let's see what we can do. Including logline in a seperate section so I can find it.

Thanks, it's nerveracking to pitch a concept because the material isn't finished and you don't know if it will live up to your pitch as stories change as you write them, and I am always wondering if the story is as good as I hope it is. At least I'm almost finished with this family script so I will be able to send it off and put the ball back in their court.

Yeah that's for sure. It's also a bit daunting. As least deadlines or rush projects don't petrify me.

I do try and equery as much as possible. Final draft and word perfect have built in PDF conversions so it translates directly from your document to the pdf version without any http addresses to any third party companies, it's great. Some, like you said, still prefer hard paper copies.

Thanks Joe, I was afraid the reading rates are high. Ah well, at least it's getting past the initial query stage. Anything forward is good. I'll keep you updated, hopefully good things will come of this.

And I love PDF's!!!

Sara

Good luck to all of you sending scripts to production companies to whom no nothing about you. Having been a professional script writer since 1985, I can share that I've only had luck with getting gigs word of mouth. Out here in Hollyweird, that's how it generally works. And finding a producer to help make your project go as an independant certainly is more rewarding than tossing your script over the wall at Paramont hoping it'll hit someone on the head. The insanity of scriptwriting (which I dearly love) is pushing me to join the waters of novel writing...which is new territory to me.

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Thank you Celtic for your kind words. I haven't had a single reference and I know 0 people in the industry so I am querying blind, targeting companies who have produced movies similar to what I have written, thus I think that is partially attributing to the interest, but still blind.

But I do believe you have specifically targeted Christian prodco's, haven't you.

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Winter, well, seeing as I am quering about horrors and thrillers that don't have a single element of God, I didn't think quering a Christian network would be appropriate. I have stayed far away from those because my material isn't even close to what they would want. In fact I believe I would be wasting my time if I even tried, unless I have some sort of Christian story to sell, which I don't currently have. But, okay.

I am rather religious but most Christian oriented programming isn't, ah, very good IMHO, thus I do not write it, thus I do not target those companies. Besides some of the things they preach are...weird.

I was one for five on my first script, which at the time I thought was great. You've blown that one away

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Thanks, that's still good though. And I agree, the best query in the world cannot sell a bad script. I've worked for over a year on my script writing, revising one more times than I've kept track, and have kept at it bringing my script total up between 5 and 7. Sorry I don't have the exact number I just got out of ICU and am a bit out of it, I won't bore you with the details.

It has helped my writing a great deal to not only write that many but to work on the script learning what needs to be fixed before moving on because it helps prevent making the same mistakes in the next script.

I do hope for a writing career, but only time, work, and the people in the big seats will be able to decide that one. Either way I will be writing for the rest of my life.

Thanks everyone, again. This thread really helped me see that I'm starting to make headway on the battle but it is far from over.

Sara