Hi guys, I'm new here, but after a while of lurking I thought I could get some advice from my fellow writers. Whilst I have seen plenty of posts websites address the issue of getting a Literary Agent. I have seen very few that cater advice to those who aspire to be screenwriters. Most Agencies these days accept a 3 chapter sample from a novel a synopsis and a query letter. But what does one do when sending query letters regarding a feature length screenplay. Looking at the directories I have noticed that very few agents clarify whether they represent screenwriters or not. Instead of going on a tangent I'm gonna sum my post into a few simple questions, that I would be extremely grateful if you could give me some help with. 1. How can I tell which agents accept submissions regarding screenplays? 2. What should I send with my submission? This is currently the most important question for me. This is because currently I am only sending query letters (Well actually I've sent only two so far) with a SSAE. Is a preliminary letter with SSAE enough? Should I be sending more? 3. Lastly this question is rather trivial and is not as important as the others. But generally how long should I wait for a response? And how many simultaneous submissions can I send out at once? Again I would be very grateful if you guys can help me with these three questions. I'm sorry if they have been asked or answered before but I used the search function and couldn't find anything, Google wasn't very helpful either as every site i found contradicts the next. I just wanted to know what is the standard procedure in the industry. Thank you in advance.
by checking their listings... you can email me for several good agent listing sites... i can't tell if it's enough without seeing your query... for screenplays, you must include a logline, which would appear at the opening of your query letter... and, if an agent's submission guidelines specify it, a standard one-page synopsis... for most agents a good query is all they want for starters... i usually say to wait a month more than their guidelines say they take to respond... first, get your terminology straight... a 'query' is a query letter only and a 'submission' is actually sending them the script... you never send the script till it's been requested... and if the agent says they want an exclusive submission [which most will], then you can not submit the script to other agents [= 'simultaneous submission'] till the first one has told you they aren't interested in representing it... i mentor many aspiring screenwriters, so if you want help with anything to do with writing screenplays, or submitting scripts, just drop me a line anytime... i can also send you a format guide and tips from the pros on all aspects of the craft, including how to write good queries and loglines... love and hugs, maia maia3maia@hotmail.com
