Disorientated right now

[akas58]

Ok I hope this is how you do this: Just joined and its great to see so much activity - I've always told stories, starting from trying to explain my lack of homework submissions. Right now I want to submit my first new screenplay and get represented but I see I'm far from alone and I have no idea how to break in. Anyway, I'm glad I've joined - anyone had any success with submitting work to agents or publishers who only accept for from established writers? seems like a catch22.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Welcome to the colony! Congratulations on finishing your screenplay! Best of luck in your quest for an agent/publisher for it. I'm afraid I can't offer any advice specific to screenplays, but like everyone else here, I can offer my voice to the cheering section (and I'm usually good for a glass of wine when it's needed, too )

 

[Kitty]

Hi and welcome, likewise I can't off any advice specific to screenplays but don't believe the myth that agents are only interested in already established writers! They're all on the lookout for new talent!

 

[akas58]

Hi and welcome, likewise I can't off any advice specific to screenplays but don't believe the myth that agents are only interested in already established writers! They're all on the lookout for new talent!

Thanks for the encouragement. Their websites specifically say for screenplays they will either trash any unsolicted queries or they only want established writers. Apart from a minority of agents, and I'll focus on those. It really is quite a lottery as so many people are trying it. For example I was told Litopia welcomed unsolicted screenplay quries but it seems not. Might try my novel though. If I can find a break from the day job! How do you guys find the time?

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome to the Colony. Good luck with your attempts to secure the interest of an agent. It pays to have the hide of a rhinoceros to deal with rejection.

You may know him already, but I recently came across the scriptwriter John Yorke, whose book Into the Woods is highly recommended as a primer on storytelling:

About Into the Woods

 

[Carol Rose]

Welcome!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Hello Litopia is a writing community, not an agency or publisher though it's founded and hosted by @AgentPete at Redhammer Management.

 

[akas58]

Yes, I meant Redhammer. It's proving much harder to get anyone to even look at screenplays compared to novels. And many agents who used to accept unsolicited no longer do. I'm not too bothered, I'll keep writing what I want and see what happens.

 

[Carol Rose]

@akas58, absolutely no clue how accurate or current this is, but a quick Google search found this website. Hope it helps you.

Screenwriting Agents And The Top 23 Agencies For Screenwriters

 

[Lex Black]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[David Newrick]

Welcome! Good to see you here. Good luck with your screenplay and novel.

 

[akas58]

@akas58, absolutely no clue how accurate or current this is, but a quick Google search found this website. Hope it helps you.

Screenwriting Agents And The Top 23 Agencies For Screenwriters

Thanks Carol, that looks helpful. To be fair I get the impression that so much more is going in the US and this particular screenplay is decidedly un-British.

 

[akas58]

Welcome! Good to see you here. Good luck with your screenplay and novel.

Thanks David - how are you getting on?

 

[akas58]

Welcome to the Colony. Good luck with your attempts to secure the interest of an agent. It pays to have the hide of a rhinoceros to deal with rejection.

You may know him already, but I recently came across the scriptwriter John Yorke, whose book Into the Woods is highly recommended as a primer on storytelling:

About Into the Woods

Thanks Paul. That's a very perceptive and concise summary of "story", and I agree that it is hardwired into us a "making sense of out world". But what bugs me right now is this: "...a hero or heroine meets their opposite, assimilate it and are changed." Should that be "assimilates it and is changed."?? Serious question because I really want to make sure I get these things right myself and I often surprised how wrong I am!

 

[Paul Whybrow]

The treatment of singular and plural is a nightmare, and practice varies depending on which side of the Atlantic you are. For the example you give, I'd say that 'is changed' is correct.

For ticklish problems with grammar, I recommend Craig Shrives' 'Grammar for Grown-Ups'. There are copies available for about three quid on eBay.

 

[akas58]

The treatment of singular and plural is a nightmare, and practice varies depending on which side of the Atlantic you are. For the example you give, I'd say that 'is changed' is correct.

For ticklish problems with grammar, I recommend Craig Shrives' 'Grammar for Grown-Ups'. There are copies available for about three quid on eBay.

I suspect I'm regarded as something of a pendant. In this example, if the writer had phrased it "...a hero or heroine meets their opposite; they assimilate it and are changed." it would be better but perhaps the "they" is implied. Tricky. I gather there are Americanizing editors that publishers use because Brits like me don't have a hope of getting US English completely right.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Yes, I meant Redhammer. It's proving much harder to get anyone to even look at screenplays compared to novels. And many agents who used to accept unsolicited no longer do. I'm not too bothered, I'll keep writing what I want and see what happens.

It's a while since I was there, but I was in conversation at some point with a screenwriter on a site called Stage32. He had suggested that I adapt a short story, -re-writing it as a screenplay, after an agent had tried - no joy but at least he gave it a go and they did look at it- to place it with a TV company.

 

[Carol Rose]

Thanks Carol, that looks helpful. To be fair I get the impression that so much more is going in the US and this particular screenplay is decidedly un-British.

Would these be more helpful, then?

UK Screenwriting agents - Stephen Follows

List of UK Agents that Represent British Screenwriters and Script Writers.

How to get an agent: Advice for writers

 

[Marc Joan]

Welcome!

 

[AliG]

Welcome- and thanks for kicking off this thread. Now I can de-back burner up my screenplay again and attempt to get it out. Very useful links.
For grammar I think simplifying helps. Tabby meets mouse, eats it and is changed. Help at all?

 

[KG Christopher]

Welcome, upper stage left...

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome- and thanks for kicking off this thread. Now I can de-back burner up my screenplay again and attempt to get it out. Very useful links.
For grammar I think simplifying helps. Tabby meets mouse, eats it and is changed. Help at all?

Your mention of a hungry tabby made me think of John le Carre's observation about story-telling:

“The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.”

 

[AliG]

Great quote, Paul