Screenwriting : Follow Ups? by Erick Mertz

Erick Mertz

Follow Ups?

In other literary avenues, poetry, fiction, etc... follow up with an editor is customary. Their sites will usually outline how and when to follow up. A few weeks pass and you go back to shake the tree, hey, checking in on X, Y, Z works. Outcomes vary, of course, but it spurs conversations. Does this apply to the screenwriting game? I've got a dozen scripts out there at any time and I take the silence back from the producer/agent as a no. Should I shake it? Should I go back to that person and re-engage, asking about my screenplay? Squeaky wheels get the grease, but annoying wanna-be's get blocked. Gotta know, gotta know.

D Marcus

Yes, you should follow up. Generally silence means no. Sometimes it means the script has yet to be covered. To me there is a clear line between professional follow up and the annoying wannabe. I suspect you know where the line it, too.

Regina Lee

Agree with D Marcus. I suggest 1 follow-up 3-4 weekends after your submission. If they don't reply, let it go. If they reply and say, "I haven't read it yet, but please remind me again in 2 weeks," follow those instructions. In my experience, no reply usually means "I haven't read it," or "I only read 2 pages, and I haven't been motivated to continue," but in both cases, "I haven't passed yet." If you don't care enough to follow up, that says something to me. However, if you overdo it, the desperation is loud and clear, and you just think, "Man, this guy wouldn't be easy to work with even if I like the script."

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