How long does it take?

Big_Al said:

Hello everyone, I'm a new member. I live in Miami Fl, and I have sent out a couple of query letters to 10 agents in California. When can I expect a responce, wether good or bad?

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You can expect an answer ranging any time from a few weeks to never. Large agencies in particular are inundated with query letters and will frequently 86 them (that is, simply throw them away), even if they include a self-addressed post card or SASE for purposes of a response.

I used to work at a development company that received a lot those sorts of queries and I know that a lot of people would simply snip the stamps off the SASEs and throw the rest away (you'd have to tape the stamps onto your envelopes, but what the heck -- they're still free).

So you'd better face the fact that people are going to have a pretty cavalier attitude toward your query letter and responding to it, especially if it's a pass.

If you haven't heard back in a month, I think you should pretty much assume that it's a pass. While others believe that you should call or follow up and make explicit what is implicit -- and while that might make sense with a script submission, I doubt that there's much to be gained with following up a non-response to a query.

And just to make a point -- one of the ways that you absolutely guarantee a pass is to include mis-spellings in a query letters, especially if you're trying to market yourself as a professional writer.

I only mention this because in the three lines that you posted above, there were two mis-spelled words.

NMS

Expect eight of them not to respond. One might respond soon. One may very well be all that respond. Perhaps, none will respond. If you're lucky, three will eventually respond, but I doubt it.

Query letters...

You only sent eight query letters? You'd be lucky if even one responded. You need to send more. Many more. Response times can be anywhere from a few days to several months.

It's tough out there and there's no easy way in. The best way in is connections, which are difficult to come by and most require in person presence through filmschool or whatever.

It's also tough to be any good at scriptwriting.

Good luck.

agents want writers with a sellable body of work. do you have 3 or more marketable scripts? most people don't.

We have a Screenwriting forum in our Share Your Work area (see sigline below) where you're welcome to post pages and/or read stuff that's already up for critique.

Which could lead in turn to script swaps and all kinds of friendly interaction!

-Derek

dpaterso said:

We have a Screenwriting forum in our Share Your Work area (see sigline below) where you're welcome to post pages and/or read stuff that's already up for critique.

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The Share Your Work forum here can be helpful, but getting feedback on ten page chunks of your script - totally out of context - is not the same as getting feedback on your entire script. Things like plot and character development, pacing, conflict, stakes, structure, thematic exploration, etc. cannot be assessed in such a forum.

Not to mention the fact that the feedback you get on a board like this comes from people who run the gamut from very knowledgeable and insightful to those who have very little understanding of the craft.

I think feedback here is good for getting a sense if a scene or sequence is working or if your writing is polished enough, - but it's not good for assessing whether your script is ready to go out. A submittable script needs to work as a cohesive 100 page story. It needs to work as drama. It needs to work as entertainment. And that can only be assessed when looking at the whole script.

There are hundreds of options out there for professional feedback. You can pay as little as $75 for low-end coverage to as much as five or ten grand - for notes and coaching from the grand poobahs like Linda Seger.

I don't recommend coverage, because generally speaking the "readers" who do coverage give a thumbs up or thumbs down on whether scripts should move up the ladder, but they aren't tasked with the responsibility of finding ways to improve or strengthen a script like higher level development people are. So if they pass on your script, they often don't give you the info you need to do the work so that they would recommend it in the future.

You can get notes from higher level development people and/or produced writers for 3 or 400 and up. These notes are more about identifying the specific problems, and with the better ones, offering solutions. These people also tend to have a better understanding of the craft.

Some of the consultants that provide notes can also provide access to agents, managers, producers etc. This allows you to bypass the query process and submit via referral, which not only makes it easier to submit, but can also lead to your project being read with a totally different mindset.

No argument sought, but I'm inclined to think that aspiring writers just learning the craft are going to benefit from peer feedback that helps them reach a certain level of competence before they go throwing money at a professional service. I can't recall ever receiving a critique that wasn't helpful in some way. And of course it's free.

And yes, it's hard to judge a script from just a few pages, but general advice and style comments offered on these pages may also apply to the rest of the script. I think it's a win-win situation, but that's just me.

-Derek

You might get some bad advice, but overall the critiques and suggestions and feedback I got from this place helped me through the most painful steps of learning to become a writer and script writer alike. It may not be from top notch professionals, but it does give you an outsider's opinion.

It's certainly better than stumbling around blind wondering if you're getting anything right.

Indeed. What you see is what you get. The feedback received in Share Your Work is for your consideration. It's ultimately up to you to decide what's best for your work.

Derek, no argument sought, but I feel like you had a knee jerk reaction to my comments, rather than focusing in my specific point.

Big Al asked the following:

Big_Al said:

Is there someone who can critique my script, without charging outrageous money?

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You suggested he post in share your work.

I felt that the forum is not the place to get what he is seeking.

I acknowledged the feedback was helpful in some areas, but not when it comes to judging if a script is ready to be submitted. That's what he's looking to find out.

oftentimes a writer with there first script (as in this case) is anxious and ready to market. they have no idea that what they have to offer is no where near ready but someone with just a few years under their belt can see from one or two pages that they don't really know that yet. the critique doesn't have to be professional or perfect. in this case it just needs to be a couple of steps ahead. like a high school ball player teaching an elementary school ball player. most are not ready for the college professor.

DevelopmentExec said:

Derek, no argument sought, but I feel like you had a knee jerk reaction to my comments, rather than focusing in my specific point.

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If that's how I came across, so sorry, that's not what was intended. I just typed an ordinary reply, not a knee jerk emotional reply.

You suggested he post in share your work.
I felt that the forum is not the place to get what he is seeking.
I acknowledged the feedback was helpful in some areas, but not when it comes to judging if a script is ready to be submitted. That's what he's looking to find out.

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But we don't know what Big_Al's script is like, so taking a peek at the opening pages (for example) and chucking some thoughts his way before he parts with money might not be a bad thing, is all I'm suggesting. I'm not arguing with your advice, or saying that comments in a critique forum compare with professional feedback.

-Derek

Big_Al said:

that was a good link, thanks.

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Glad to help, even when it's a bummer.

kullervo said:

Glad to help, even when it's a bummer.

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Hey Kullervo,

I've read all the articles on your site and found them very entertaining and insightful. I just wonder though, why you seem to take such a cynical angle at everything? Sure this business is damn near impossible to break into, but some of us are doing it, and I couldn't help but feel discouraged (not necessarily for myself) but for newer writers who might see your site and ultimately just give up faced with the daunting task of trying to "make it."

I'd be interested to know more about your experience winning the contests and the aftermath of script requests that must have followed. You say you're unrepresented and unproduced. I'm amazed you weren't able to at least land an agent from your contest wins. It's none of my business, but I'm intrigued to know more.

Like I said, I think the site is great. It's a great resource for writers. I just wish it wasn't such a bummer!

-Zag

I'm probably going about it all the wrong way. I send out queries, don't have any connections, I did get a job through an animation company that pays me to rewrite their scripts and have paid me for writing a script for them.

I'm building my resume through that and I keep sending out those queries. I've had more than a few reads, a couple leading to options, but nothing big and nothing ever coming out of them, so we'll see. I haven't even tried to get an agent, I don't have the confidence at the moment, but I'm working at it.