Screenwriting : Inktip Experience? by Mariano Amézaga

I've had stuff up for years the barely got any traction. But I also sold something that's currently in preproduction. (And got one option offer on another script, that I didn't ultimately accept.) So... if you have the money to spend and don't have anything better to do with your script, in my experience things can happen. But for me it took years, not weeks or months.

Thanks for your answer Kerry, I guess I will have to be patient then

I've sold/ optioned 4 shorts on Inktip over last 12 months, I'll definitely be using it when my features ready.

Posted one script/logline. Got several logline hits, no script reads. I don't think that I'll renew. I may post my next script once its finished but for now I have my doubts.

Similar to Anthony, I have had success using their free shorts listing where I got three options. Although only one of those went anywhere. I've also interacted with the staff via email and they seem a very nice bunch. They featured me on their weekly newsletter when I got my first option, can't complain at a bit of free exposure, but they got a lot of the details wrong and never asked for a headshot. For me the read requests I was getting, around one per week on average, dried up suddenly last year and I can't figure out why. Tried the request form and the email went through as it should. Scripts still showing in the lists. I've used the paid features listing with very little success, just a few views and maybe one or two reads. I do admire their transparency though, it was nice to see the profile of the industry members looking, especially when other listing sites go out of their way to hide or manipulate this data. It used to seem expensive, but compared to The Black List is now seems a very good deal. Their newsletter and yearly round up also showcase a lot of options made through the site. Generally people say it's more appropriate for indie stuff but here's the thing, anecdotal reports on services like these mean very little. Marketing a script isn't like putting a car on Craigslist. Scripts are incredibly variable products appended with a variable service provided by the writer. One writers, ten writers, a hundred writers experiences don't even begin to paint a realistic picture of the marketplace. The best strategy is still to maximise exposure by getting listed on as many sites as possible and crossing our fingers, which is sadly expensive and beyond the most vulnerable writer's means. A crying shame given the abundance of money on the other side of the table and the need to find good writers. But thankfully the landscape is changing now. I'm very excited about where Stage 32 is likely to go in terms of script listings, it already offers unlimited free script uploads and is poised to completely change the game. Happy Writers offer a far more tailored and hands on approach where someone actually works for your money. Anthony was good enough to share his findings with sites like Simply Scripts, Script Boutique, and busy sections of Reddit. Studios like Amazon offer an online open door policy with script submissions. It's all looking really promising, and thankfully the days of charging writers through the nose just to upload their work to a website could soon be over.

Thanks everyone for your stories

It worked well for me awhile back, but I've not posted anything recently.

Thats scary. Did they even look at it at all? Because it says they sent a pass by "default"...

In their defense, when a producer solicits submissions he's going to get inundated with, like, thousands. It's not easy to curate that many emails. Say they opened the first 300 and found twelve scripts they wanted to request, and that led them to the one they wanted to produce. I'm not saying that rosy picture is actually what happened, but I'm sympathetic to being buried in submissions. I've never solicited scripts, but I've posted casting notices. Your inbox gets slammed. Heck, I'm old enough to remember the pre-email era. The mailman literally hauled four or five mailsacks filled with headshots to my front door. Also, I'm assuming Lisa submitted via their newsletter, which is a lot different than when you're posted on the site. When you're posted on the site, THEY find YOU... they're unlikely to spend 4 years not reading your work.

Okey, Lisa, if you say. I guess we have different experiences interacting with the site in different ways.

Manda, what I’m about to say may seem to be cruel but it’s not meant to be – please don’t be offended. When scripts are first posted, there is often a flurry of interest. Producers, agents and everybody else is looking for the latest and greatest script available; and yes indeed drama is high on the list. If nobody’s interested, it may nnot be their problem – it might by yours. My advice is to take another look at your logline, synopsis and the script itself. Get some advice from some professional readers – some real feedback and pointers. Every script I write is great – I know because I wrote it and then I let others read it and then I find out they don’t think it’s as good as I think. It’s not uncommon for me to rewrite my script more than a dozen times after I think I’ve got it right. My point is; brush off your ego and get back to work – nobody said it’s easy. (Please don't be offended.)

I don’t know what to say Manda – InkTip worked well for me a couple of years back but I’ve drifted more toward producing and away from writing. It sounds like you’ve jumped through the hoops and over the hurdles. My only advice is to keep on keepin’ on – perseverance has its rewards. All the best.

I got nothing from Inktip yet. I registered in December. I have received a lot of Logline views, but no views of my script. I am thinking of updating my Logline...to see if that helps the next time my listing is bumped up to the top.