I placed in a few screenplay competitions! ...Now what? 🤨

The first thing new screenwriters do is Google which competitions are the most reputable. Then they make a list of deadlines. After that, the path is less clear.

Welcome to my Weekly Email Newsletter! Every week, I do a deep dive into an aspect of the craft and business of screenwriting from a (former) literary manager’s perspective.

Today’s post is for subscribers only. If you’re new here, I recommend checking out the free posts at this link to sample what this newsletter has to offer.

Otherwise, keep reading for my insights on how to take advantage of competition wins.

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When I was a literary manager, I received thousands of emails every year from hopeful screenwriters looking to break into the Film & TV industry.

In order to help them get better responses from their outreach, I put together an Ultimate PDF Guidebook to querying, which you can download for free here.

When a writer inputs their information, an email with the 34-page guidebook is automatically sent to them. This email asks them to respond to the following question:

What is the biggest thing standing in your way of becoming a professional screenwriter?

The answers I receive to these emails guide what I write on this Substack.

Here is a question that I get every single week. It’s asked to me at every single panel I’m on, and it’s often a topic of the consulting meetings that I have with writers looking for script and career advice:

“Okay, I’ve won [or placed in] a few reputable screenplay competitions. What should I do next to capitalize on this momentum?”

At the center of this question is a fallacy.

The incorrect assumption is this: