Should I include a writer's comment about my script in the query letter?

Solstice said:

I am a first time writer and I am under no delusions about my chances of selling my script. I do, however, have a published author who has read the script, has liked it and is willing to write a “comment” about it. How effective would it be to include the quote from the writer in my query letter?

Also, should I ask the writer about a referral to an agent? His agent is a book agent and not a film / script agent. Does that have a shot at all?

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Unless the published author is willing to give you a recommendation *to the specific agent that you are querying (aka -- he's already called and mentioned your name and told whoever it is that you'd like to send a script and the agent has said "yes" -- and you've confirmed it and you can then send the script and you reference that call in your letter -- "as per your conversation with X, I'm enclosing my script, Y" --

Otherwise, don't bother. A blurb that doesn't come with a firm recommendation doesn't really mean much.

What might be useful, though, is if your friend can get you in to *talk* to his agent for a conversation about your script and what to do with it. At the very least, that agent may have some thoughts about how to proceed with your work.

NMS

The problem with even talking to a book agent. It is entirely outside their realm of expertise. Now if the book was published you could work through your agent to hook up with a script agent who would then represent it.

Book agents work with books, period. They only deal with scripts in handing that off to another agent and splitting the percentage between them.

Aside from that, all "published authors" are not equal.

If you can get Stephen King to call up the agent in question and say he's read the story and the pacing is awesome and he was interested all the way through and never saw that awesome ending coming - THEN you'll probably get an agent's ear.

If you get John Q. Author who published a book, even with a legit big house, but no one's really heard of him because he's just short of midlist but owes you a favor so he'll write you a blurb... no one cares.

A "comment" or even a blurb from a published author isn't going to mean much because film agenting and book agenting are two different worlds.

I've been having trouble with query letters lately and blogged about it. At the end of the blog, I've made some query letter suggestions - one of which is not to include quotes or praise from other sources.


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