From the category archives:
Marketing Tools for Writers
MovieBytes – Online Resource for Screenwriting Competitions
There’s a lot to be written about screenwriting competitions. Like anything else, some are worth the effort, others are a waste of time and a handful are downright scams - which is a topic for another article. On the menu today is MovieBytes which has collected 285 screenwriting contests for your consideration.
This website has made it easy for screenwriters to find the contests that best suit their needs. The best part about this database, aside from the fact that it’s free, is the advanced search capabilities. You can sort by deadline, rating, professionalism, feedback, significance etc. Delve even further and sort through student contests, TV contests, shorts, international, no-entry-fee, etc.
Life Goes On
My advice is to set a budget aside for contests ($150+) and pick a few that best suit your current script. Do not use contests for feedback - that’s what coverage or script analysis is for. Enter and proceed with LIFE. Don’t sit idle and watch the mail/email every single day. Start your next script. A screenwriting career could take 10 months or 10 years, it all depends on what you’re attracting.
Second Place Prize - Free Screenwriting Software!
Personally, I think giving free screenwriting software to one who has obviously already used some sort of software to create the very masterpiece they entered is cheap and absurd. If you do land amongst the top entries cash is a sweet ROI, but it’s never a life-altering amount. What you really want is a guarantee that your script will be read by top production companies and agencies while garnering the attention it deserves.
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AgentQuery.com - An Online Resource
Agent Query offers a great online resource for writers seeking an agent who specialize in a specific genre. The website was recently recognized by Writer’s Digest as one of the best websites for writers. They claim to be the internet’s largest and current database for literary agents. They not only offer their database for free, but they give you tips on how to approach literary and publishing agents and how to wow them with your wares.
The internet and personal computers have opened the flood gates for publishing material, but it’s also made the competition fierce. You have to be as passionate about marketing yourself as you are about writing. Agent Query is a great place to start.
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Screenwriters and Writers - Inventive Marketing Apparel
Need to market yourself as a screenwriter? Use your body. Hey now, get your head out of the gutter, what I mean by that is wearing “writers gear” – hats, t-shirts, and hoodies. You never know who may be sitting next to you at Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, or on an airplane. It could just be Mrs. Big Shot. Perhaps your “Writer” hat is the conversation piece that leads Mrs. Big Shot to ask, “What do you write?” We have found many a writer who have had success with this inexpensive marketing technique.
There are several companies that sell writers gear for both screenwriters and novel writers. Café Press carries thousands of items for screenwriters, writers and filmmakers alike with hats starting at $15.99 and t-shirts starting at $19.99.
Samples from Café Press
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