Hi, yes...hello. I’m a screenwriter.
No agent. No manager.
Just a man… with a dream, a half-empty coffee, and a folder titled “Final Draft – Final FINAL FOR REAL THIS TIME.”
I’ve built a Norse mythology series from the ground up.
It’s cinematic. It’s spiritual. It has betrayal, gods, a slow-burn axe toss, and dialogue that could give Odin goosebumps.
But I’m still here… in the Great Waiting Room of the Unrepresented.
Do I sacrifice a goat? Email 300 people? Attach Jeff Bridges via manifestation?
Because the scripts are ready.
The world is mapped.
The fire is lit.
And I am dangerously close to pitching my newborn to CAA if they don’t answer soon.
So here’s my question to the hive mind:
What actually got you signed? or what almost did?
Was it a competition? A DM? A friend of a friend of a cousin?
Or was it just finally the right logline on the right day?
Drop the wisdom below. Or send help. Either works.
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Hi, Chris Thane. I had a manager back in 2009 and 2010. He signed me after we networked and he read my work. That's one reason it's important for writers to have a portfolio of scripts.
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Maurice Vaughan Haha yes! Totally agree, gotta have that portfolio ready when fate finally checks its email.
This post was my comedy warm-up set before diving back into my new feature. Just stretching the humor muscles and trying not to accidentally summon an agent with sarcasm. Appreciate you sharing your story, this gives me hope that somewhere out there, a manager is reading... slowly... dramatically... maybe with a latte.
Thanks for the inspiration!
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I'm in the same boat as you - but I'm not as witty or entertaining about it Chris Thane - sacrifice a goat?!?! I was thinking dancing under the moon with sage but your idea is better. I'm sorry I am no help to you - I'm trying to get my work picked up as well. If I find any useful info, I'll forward it on. Thank you for being so honest
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You're welcome, Chris Thane. I used to stay away from writing Comedy because I thought it was too hard, but it's not. It gets easier with practice just like with any genre. Keep me posted on your script.
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Haha Lauren Hackney , honestly I think a moonlit sage dance sounds way more cinematic than my goat idea, maybe we merge the rituals and summon a manager with both?
Seriously though, thank you. It means a lot to hear from others who are in the same boat. This post was part joke, part scream into the void, but knowing we’re all rowing this weird boat together makes it a little less heavy.
If I stumble onto a secret portal to representation, I promise I’ll leave it open behind me. And yes, definitely keep me in the loop too. We’ve got this chaotic rituals and all.
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Hey Chris Thane your post resonates with that perfect blend of creative passion and existential industry dread that unites us all! That folder titled "Final Draft - Final FINAL FOR REAL THIS TIME" might be the most universally relatable artifact in screenwriting.
Your Norse mythology series sounds like it hits a compelling sweet spot in today's market - the success of shows like "Vikings," "American Gods," and even "Thor" demonstrates audience appetite for mythological storytelling with modern sensibilities. The way you describe it - "cinematic," "spiritual," with "betrayal" and dialogue that could "give Odin goosebumps" - suggests you understand both the emotional core and visual potential of your world.
Rather than goat sacrifices (messy) or manifestation (unreliable), let me share what I've observed working with writers who successfully crossed from unrepresented to represented:
The "right logline on the right day" does happen, but it's rarely by accident. Most writers who secured representation created multiple points of access rather than relying on a single pathway. They typically combined:
1. Strategic contests and fellowships - Not just entering every competition, but targeting those with industry-recognized track records of launching careers and whose referrals are taken seriously (like here at Stage 32 - whose latest Search for New Blood winner optioned his script and signed with a manager within 2-3 months of winning, thanks to meetings set up by Stage 32's development team)
2. Organic relationship building - Creating genuine connections through platforms like Stage 32, film festivals, or educational programs where relationships develop before the "ask" happens
3. Tactical industry exposure - Using pitch sessions, consultations, and coverage services not just for feedback, but to create strategic "heat" around their material with multiple industry professionals simultaneously
4. Portfolio readiness - Having 2-3 market-ready scripts in the same tonal family that demonstrate both consistency and range
The writers who find representation frequently describe it as a "sudden tipping point after years of groundwork" - where multiple small connections and efforts suddenly converge into momentum.
Would you be open to sharing your specific approach so far? Knowing more about where you've already focused your efforts might help identify which complementary strategies could help your Norse epic find its champions.
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Pat Alexander, I sat with your comment for a while before responding because it truly landed. The way you framed the path to representation, through layered access points and organic momentum wasn’t just helpful. It felt like someone finally said out loud what most of us feel but rarely hear reflected back with clarity.
Echoes of Asgard is big, yes. But it’s also deeply personal. It was born from silence, from loss, from storms, real ones! and from seeing the cracks in the world and asking what mythology still has to teach us. The world is built. The message is focused. And I believe in its resonance, not just its scope.
I’ve been building it brick by brick, while raising a newborn, surviving PTSD, and working nonstop to stay above water. So I’m not looking for a shortcut, I’m looking for alignment. And your insight hit at exactly the right time.
If you ever feel open to a deeper conversation off-thread, I would love the chance to share more. Either way, I’m grateful for what you shared here. That kind of clarity is rare and it reminded me that all this building is not going unnoticed.
Thank you, truly.
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For Chris Thane: Hello...I agree with what Pat Alexander said about your folder titled "Final Draft - Final FINAL FOR REAL THIS TIME".....something that I as a first time Author had MANY of before being satisfied with the Memoir Manuscript being sent to my Publisher! Out to press on 11/29/2023 and finally the Screenplay completed 9/28/2024. Dealing with USCO's backlog in itself to get both of them registered caused a few more grey hairs for my hairdresser to deal with, but more importantly, I learned that WAITING is by far the hardest thing to master when anticipating the Green Light Go signal to arrive at my doorstep. Now I share the dreams of all Stage 32 Members for our creative work to be noticed and for a Producer to send that Email asking to read the Screenplay!
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Nora Murchada Oh I feel this deeply, especially the part about waiting and those infamous “Final FINAL” folders. I’m still in the waiting zone myself with USCO. Application’s in, but I definitely made a mistake on my first submission. Nothing like learning the hard way to remind you you're really in it. Thankfully I got the WGA registration squared away on time, so at least one victory there.
But you’re right, waiting is the hardest part. Not because we’re impatient, but because we know the work is ready. The story’s sitting there humming, and we’re just hoping the right person finally hears it.
Huge congrats on getting your memoir and screenplay finished. That’s the kind of long-haul creative commitment not everyone talks about, but we all respect. Here’s to both of us getting that “Green Light Go” email soon. Appreciate your message, it’s good to know we’re not alone out here.
I look forward to seeing your completed work and success.
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Thanks Chris.....I will keep you posted as soon as I get some feedback on the Screenplay which is ready for a film adaptation. I am the Midnight Owl still typing on my laptop at 1:31 in the morning here in Margate, Florida!
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I started as a novelist. After years of rejection, self-published my first. Joined critique groups. Kept writing more novels. Got close to a publishing deal at Penguin. Worked on craft. Studied. Attended workshops and classes. Hired an editor to revise Artania. Got even closer at Penguin. Kept querying and getting rejected. Networked. Then, TEN years after writing the first in the series, got a 3-book publishing contract from Next Chapter!
A few novels later adapted Artania as a screenplay. Studied. Hired a mentor. Took classes. Got critiques from professionals. Put my bio here. A producer was intrigued. Read the screenplay. Said it still needed work. Rewrote it a dozen times. Then, April 9, 2025 was offered an option agreement to make it a film. (3 Years from first draft to option.)
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Good Morning Laurie: Nice to meet you. What an amazing history on the creation of your work Artania!!! I was intrigued and inspired at the same time while reading through all the phases you experienced until you finally received an Option. Please keep me informed as to when it gets closer to making it on the big screen. Although I send out queries "every day" for interest in the Screenplay for a while now, I'm not devastated any more when I get answers like "sorry....can't take on any more projects on".....or "your story is not a Genre I normally get involved with", etc. etc. This is the "norm" for the industry. All it takes is "one" Producer to believe in you and your work and take a leap of faith to finance and bring your project to life. This is an awesome site for creative minds to inspire one another. Have a wonderful weekend.
Best Regards,
Nora
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Chris Thane - As well as Pat Alexander's excellent suggestions, I would recommend focusing less on getting representation and more on targeting producers (and their underlings). I used this approach to get my first option, which led to my first paid writing gig. I still don't have representation (I haven't pursued it), but I do get hired to write features, and that was my ultimate goal. Also, keep this in mind - Most managers already have a stable of working writers from whom they earn commissions. That's who they focus on. Unless your script lights Hollywood on fire, you won't get the help you want from them. You'll end up doing most of the self-promotion/job-seeking work yourself.
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Phil Parker Thanks so much for the insight. I completely understand where you're coming from, I truly appreciate the reminder that producers can often be the faster path to opportunity.
That said, for what I’m building, I believe a manager is still the right fit. Echoes of Asgard is no longer just an idea, it’s a fully unfolding franchise. TV series, feature spinoff, novel underway, immersive events planned. I’m not looking for someone to get me in the door. I’m looking for a long-term partner who understands the full scope of where this is going.
Appreciate the perspective, and I’m glad your path led to those writing gigs. Every road is different, and it’s encouraging to see real results either way. Wishing you continued momentum on yours.
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It is a Grinding Game Chris Thane you keep at it until you got it.