As a screenwriter, working out the crux of your story is a daunting enough task, but let’s rewind even further. How do you determine what genre to work in? After all, this is a crucial component to creating material that Hollywood wants to buy, right? So, how do you know which genres have the best chance of selling? There isn’t some magical way to access this mysterious information, is there? Surely, the film gods keep such knowledge under lock and key! Actually, there’s good news: this info not only exists, it’s readily accessible if you know where to look. (Drum roll, please.) Ask a sales agent. They deal with film buyers around the world every day and can pass on valuable insights regarding what’s selling and what’s not. You can approach sales agents at film seminars and conferences, during festivals or markets like AFM (American Film Market), via personal contacts, or if all else fails, by cold calling with a plea for guidance. Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of Hollywood sales agents. Below are six genres that, according to a prominent sales agent I know, have consistently attracted buyers, and with no signs of abating. Gender-Neutral Action Action films have a More
10 Ways to Turn Rejection Into Acceptance
/ 2020-03-06For writers of all kinds, dealing with ideas and words that get rejected is an everyday reality. But there are sometimes ways you can turn a No into a Yes… So you get your commission, you send in your copy – but the editor or client says they’ll pass. Or you send in a bunch of ideas to a regular commissioner of your work, and they say they’re not really interested. At such moments, it’s tempting to give up. Don’t. You’ve already committed time and effort to research your thoughts or draft that copy, so try these ideas instead… Try to work out what they didn’t like. Sometimes an editor will hint that a piece could be saved with some rework, but they’re not asking you to do it because it’s more than a few tweaks, and they don’t know if you’ll get it right. But having committed time and effort already, you’re better off asking for some more detailed feedback and having another go. Offer something else instead. In discussing what didn’t work about your copy or idea, your commissioner may let slip some valuable nuggets about what they really are looking for. This is an opportunity for you to step More
How to Interview Someone
/ 2020-03-01Whether it’s for a post on your blog, or a conversation with an expert you need to write up for a content client, here’s how to get an interview written up with speed and impact… Don’t do an interview! We’re not talking hard-hitting news here. We’re talking about a conversation between two people with mutually agreed goals. Actual interviews are very time-consuming all round, so if both parties are happy to find a quicker way, go for it. Write the interview for them What you can do instead is email the subject some questions they can answer with a few bullets, which you then work up. Or you might even agree to just write up the article in interview format and get the subject to review afterward. Content writers frequently ‘ghost-scribe’ for their clients like this, especially if they work together regularly. Send questions in advance If you do need to do an interview, always send over some questions in advance detailing points to cover. This will help the subject to organise their thoughts and make for a more efficient exchange. Record the conversation Recording the interview allows you to focus on the conversation rather than type furiously and will More
How to Organise a Book Launch
/ 2020-02-23You’re publishing your own book, now you need to organise your own launch event! Here’s a handy checklist… Draw up numbers Your event will mark the moment that your book will be launched to the world, but you’re footing the bill, so be clear about why you’re doing it and how to maximise the event’s impact. To help you budget, make a quick list of who you’d like to invite, and who’s likely to come. Better to invite too many than too few – no one wants to read their book to three people! As a publisher once advised me: ‘Invite people who will make you look clever and cool.’ As well as family and friends, you want a crowd that will create a buzz that people feel flattered to be a part of. In my case, that means editors of litmags, arts journalists, publishing people, book bloggers, fiction types prominent in my social networks. Invite your co-workers, your boss, your favourite authors, your old neighbour, any famous people you vaguely know. Be shameless! Find a venue To host, say, 50-60 people, you don’t need a massive space, but it does need to be big enough for people to gather More
Three Tips for Submitting for Grants at Arts Commissions
/ 2020-02-14When artists of all types seek grants, I direct them first to their state arts commissions. Canada has province and city arts commissions, and the UK and Australia have their own national and local commission. (Our knowledge does not branch into Africa, Middle East, or Far East, sorry.) While those are pretty easy to locate, the savvy in how to submit evades a lot of folks. This very brief YouTube video could apply to just about any arts commission grant anywhere. The program manager covers the top three tips for submitting. https://youtu.be/YH4w-SVboLM Bottom line? 1) Follow the guidelines. See if you are a good fit for what the grant provides. They don’t just throw out money. They have a mission. Your mission as a writer has to match their mission as a grant provider. 2) Watch the deadline. Sounds stupidly elementary, but people will push the deadline, or let it slip away from them. Allow ample time to do your paperwork, collect documentation, and speak to people you may need to for advice. 3) Reach out to the program manager. These commissions have intelligent people who know grants and understand the process. Meet them. Call them. Get to know them. They will help you present the best More
Nine Reasons Your Article Idea was Rejected
/ 2020-02-08Sometimes your article idea for a website or magazine might get rejected for reasons beyond your control – perhaps something similar has already been planned, or the editor has no budget left for freelances. But you can improve your chances of acceptance. Your query letter lets you down A query that isn’t written in a way that inspires confidence about your writing style (clunky syntax, typos, poor flow, etc.) is an instant turn-off. Spend time crafting and polishing before you send. It’s an editor’s first impression of you and your writing. (HOPE: Dozens of writers query FundsforWriters from their phone, using textese and incomplete sentences. No introduction, no bio, no website, just “this is my idea.” Others simply say, “see attached” with nothing else about themselves or the piece, except maybe, “When can I get paid?” I don’t even try to make those pieces work. Delete.) Your idea is too generic Good ideas are often very specific. Ten Tips for Beating Writer’s Block is hopelessly generic, especially for such a well-worn topic. Ten Alternative Remedies That Beat Writer’s Block is more interesting. (HOPE: At FundsforWriters we hate theoretical pieces. We want strong how-to or takeaway value, and the guidelines More
The Big Benefits of a Small Publisher
/ 2020-02-02When writers dream of getting published, their initial fantasies probably take the form of a massive advance from one of the big houses, perhaps with a nice little film deal thrown in. Because of this popular obsession with the big players, writers can easily overlook the benefits of a smaller, independent publisher. So here are six reasons why small is beautiful. You’re made to feel special. The obvious benefit of a smaller house is that you are made to feel more important and are likely to receive more attention. Writers with experience of publishers big and small often say that, with the latter, the levels of belief and enthusiasm are likely to be higher. With a smaller independent publisher, you are likely to enjoy a more personal relationship. Larger publishers may be less responsive and agile in general, and so not as quick to come back to you if you have a question or request. With a small list, the publisher will try hard to make each and every author feel important. Debut writers get more attention. Big houses don’t always have a lot of time or budget to spend on debut authors, who may be seen as an unknown quantity that More
Have Your Manuscript Read Back to You on Your Computer
/ 2020-01-17Writing is a challenge. We who love to write feel joy, pain, anxiety, rage, sadness, the full gamut. After all, our work is a part of us. The stress of meeting a deadline or even just writing for fun is challenging enough, but after you’ve finished that first draft and re-edited and re-edited… and re-edited, how do we know we have a perfect product? If you are to follow the unwritten code of editing, you’ve surely heard the phrase “read your manuscript out loud.” Sure, it’s our baby, why not? But we’re in the 21st century, here’s an idea, wouldn’t it be great if your computer could read it to you – like it did for Captain Kirk? Believe it or not, if you used Microsoft Word to create your masterpiece, the geniuses at Microsoft already did the work for you, and you don’t even have to be on the bridge of the Enterprise to access this marvel. There’s a built-in app for Office 2010 and newer to allow your document to be read to you. It’s easy to set up and in no time you can have your words read out loud to you. Besides, wouldn’t it be better More
Six Ways to Rethink Rejections
/ 2019-12-27For obvious reasons, writers often find rejection difficult. Even the word feels unnecessarily harsh. When that dreaded notification arrives, most forget that it’s only a collection of your words – and not you yourself – that’s been turned down. Here – from a serial rejectee – are some ways to reframe the concept of rejection in a more positive light. Rejections are acknowledgements. Apart from acceptance, the alternative to rejection – still all too common – is deafening silence. I know of writers with poems or stories in submission queues for three or four years. Personally, I’d rather know asap if someone wants to say No. Then I can move on and decide what to do with it next. So: thank you very much for letting me know. Rejections are just preferences. Many editors and publishers go out of their way to explain that they have to turn down loads of great work because they just don’t have the capacity to publish it all. Sometimes your work is fine, it just doesn’t fit with the reviewer’s taste (or their unconscious biases). Maybe it’s too similar to something else they’re running, or it just got pushed out by something they thought even better. More
Top Tips for Rocking Your Public Book Reading
/ 2019-12-20As a writer of short stories with a new collection out and a few competition successes under my belt, I’ve been doing a few readings at small literary events recently. Here are a few tips I’ve picked up about how to read to best effect, overcome nerves and leave a memorable impression… Check out the reading space If at all possible, I like to get to the event in time to be able to stand in the actual spot where I’ll be reading. It calms me to visualise that moment in advance, and it’s also a chance to look out for any obvious issues to do with acoustics and sightlines. If there’s a lectern but it creaks and wobbles, I probably won’t use it. If the stage is quite a distance to the audience, I’ll know to raise my voice a little more than usual. Remember you’re not taking an exam (and you’re not the centre of the universe) When we’re nervous, it’s easy to see our audience as some kind of adversary, scrutinising us coldly and trying to catch us out. But the people who come to readings are book lovers, a wonderful breed (you are one yourself) who More