Following up with agents who pass on your screenplay query letter

I got this question recently:

I could really use your advice. You did an agent blast for my horror screenplay yesterday, and I have gotten a bunch of emails asking to read it already, which I’m really excited about. I was going to use the email addresses of the agents who said ‘no’ and pitch my comedy screenplay, but I was thinking it might be a better idea to get you to blast the comedy screenplay to your producers database instead. I’m also a little concerned that if I blast these two separate scripts that I might get an agent for one, and then another agent will want to represent the other script.”

Having two agents wanting to represent two of your scripts is a great problem to have! I hope you find yourself in that situation.

The thing is agents and managers know that as writers we’re sending out our material as far and as wide as we can. They know that other people are reading the same material that we’ve submitted to them. If you end up getting two different agents interested in different scripts you would most likely have to choose one and go with them.

What’s probably going to happen, if you’re lucky to find an agent who likes one of your scripts, is that they’re going to immediately ask to read another script, which in your case you’ll send them the script that they haven’t read. Agents want to represent writers not scripts so when they sign a writer they’re most likely going to want to see at least two good writing samples.

I think it’s a great idea to pitch another script if they send you a polite email saying they’re not interested in the one you pitched them through the blast service. Strike while the iron is hot. If they still say no, no problem, just keep their information in your database and email them again in the future with any projects that you finish. This is exactly how you build relationships. Part of the whole reason of doing these blasts is not just to sell and option that one script but to try and network and gain some industry contacts. If you’re polite and professional and you email the company every few months with a new log line of your latest completed screenplay you just might eventually write one that fits with what they’re looking for. Until they tell you to stop emailing them I would keep them on your list.

As far as doing a producers blast, I’m obviously happy to do that but what I usually recommend is that you wait for a month or two until the agent blast has run it’s course. If you can find an agent or manager to represent your work then you can do a producer blast and you can list your representation in your query letter. A cold query letter is much stronger coming from a writer with representation. In addition your agent or manager will most certainly have some advice about how you should proceed with your career and they will hopefully be able to guide you through the submission process in the future.

So I would continue to pitch your other screenplay to all the people who say ‘no’ and I would wait for two months before doing a producers blast for either of your screenplays. In fact if you don’t land an agent through this blast you might consider doing another agent/manager blast with your other screenplay before you try the producers blast.

If you would like to learn more about the email/fax blast services that we offer go here: Screenwriting Tools