So have we. So WordHustler sat down with a savvy (yet anonymous) literary agent who works at one of the top five agencies in Hollywood to ask the important, burning questions. No, not his name. If we told you that, he wouldn’t be anonymous, would he?

Our Literary Agent, or LA, as we’re calling him, represents some of the top writers and directors in the entertainment industry. Because of this, he’s the perfect person to talk to about hooking an agent, writing a great script, and tips for success. A warning: unlike many Hollywood players, this agent is brutally truthful. And sometimes the truth hurts.

So strap on your armor and let’s get going! Tinseltown destiny awaits!

WordHustler: Thanks for taking time out of your insanely busy schedule and agreeing to be interviewed. How did you get your start? What drew you towards being an agent?

Literary Agent: I started in the mailroom. The competition was slim. I just kinda hung around. Then before I knew it…I was hooked. Talent agencies are brimming with information. Power. And lots of talented writers and directors.

WH: What type/genre of screenplays attract you the most?

LA: I honestly love it all. But I especially like dramatic suspense. Think Edward Albee [Editor’s note: Pulitzer Prize winning playwright of such works as “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and “The American Dream.”]

WH: What type of TV shows do you like to read/watch?

LA: I try not to watch too much TV. Television makes you stupid. I mean, there is some good stuff out there. For example, a hardy laugh in TV isn’t nearly as rewarding as even a smile in the cinematic experience. In TV, bad becomes good. Good becomes great. It truly is a vast wasteland.

WH: About how many unsolicited queries do you receive a month?

LA: A lot. We all know this isn’t the way to do it, right? It’s about relationships. With very few exceptions, you need to live in Los Angeles. [Editor’s note: Told you he was honest. Now start packing!]

WH: What catches your eye when you’re reading an unsolicited query or new script?



LA: I honestly don’t read them. There are too many quality referrals coming in to worry about some guy in Oklahoma City who claims he is the next so-and-so. I do enjoy reading the query letters. They are pretty ridiculous. Just remember, Hollywood hates outsiders…unless they can monetize them.

WH: What makes you stop reading a script immediately? How many pages do you give it?

LA: Let me tell you the three most important things for a writer to focus on when delivering a script to an agent. I was never told this and I’ve never seen it articulated anywhere. It’s my own thing. Here it is: title, page count, opening sequence. As a reader, these are the first three things I look at. If the title sucks- goodbye. If it’s an insane length, ie over 120 pages- good bye. Basically, I’ve already made up my mind when I’m done with the opening sequence (i.e. page 30). At this point I know if the writer understands how to write in the Hollywood system, aka follow the rules. I could go on and on about this, it’s so important.

WH: What is your agency’s policy on unsolicited material? Can you explain to our readers why big agencies don’t like to be liable for unsolicited works?

LA: It’s referral only. I think each of the Top Ten agencies are. This is an industry that was built on hiring your golf buddies to do the rewrite job and hiring your drinking pal to be your producing partner. Not only is this a filtering process that I believe is necessary, there are obviously legal reasons why an agency can’t accept queries and cold calls. Also, there’s just so much more to selling a screenplay than what is on the page.

WH: What, in your opinion, is the best way for an undiscovered writer to get noticed?

LA: Learn the trade, not the tricks. Quality writing floats to the top. Take the classes, read the books, work at an agency, learn the business, go to film school, win the contest…do all that. But at the end of the day, the quality of the writing needs to be high and the people you meet, the agents, producers, managers, etc need to like you.

WH: What’s an example of a brilliant screenplay that was an on-screen dud?

LA: I think this happens more often than not. It’s hard to make a good movie. CHARLIE BARTLETT was a great script, not a great movie. What about BODY OF LIES? Just a God awful movie, right? But a pretty good script. What went wrong?

WH: What about a mediocre screenplay that turned out amazing on-screen?

LA: I think it’s a little more noticeable when someone takes a shitty script and elevates it (a la 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN or DISTURBIA). Great directors can do that. There’s got to be a lot of pressure on everyone to take a great screenplay and create a great film. Sometimes luck is just on your side and everyone shows up to work…like JUNO.

WH: What are five pieces of advice you’d give to aspiring screenwriters out there?

LA: 1.Writers write
2. Build relationships
3. Do it for the right reason
4. Have a point of view
5. Live in Los Angeles

WH: Thanks so much, mystery Literary Agent. Your advice has been valuable and, well, hard-core. Is there anything else you’d like to add?



LA: You’ve heard it all before: Roll the dice. Create your own luck. Network. Here’s a quote to send you on your way:

“Millions are to be grabbed out here and your only competition is idiots. Don’t let this get around.” – Herman Mankiewicz, screenwriter of CITIZEN KANE

That’s for sure. So take the advice of Mr. Mankiewicz- and our new friend, Literary Agent- and work on your craft. Take classes, send your scripts to meaningful competitions, apply for writing fellowships that could result in a prestigious, full-time gig. Remember, WordHustler is here to help you every step of the way.

Why not submit your screenplay or teleplay to next year’s Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship or the Disney-ABC Writing Fellowship? Both programs are very prestigious and practically guarantee you a job in Hollywood. So take what you’ve learned from this interview, take your ambition, and get to writing. You’ll make it…and WordHustler wants to help.

In WordHustler’s never-ending quest to equip our writers with all the tools necessary to succeed, we are always looking for tips from the experts. Today’s helpful interview is with a seasoned screenplay competition judge (and seasoned film producer) from a very established Hollywood script contest! Our judge, fair and unbiased industry player that he is, prefers to remain anonymous but his insights into the world of screenplay competitions are too important to keep secret.

Thusly, we present our interview. Read it and then get crackin’ on your own screenplay!

WordHustler: Alright, spill it. What are the top three things that make you put a script down?

Screenplay Judge: I can tell you that from my judging experience on every level, from the guy who sorts through huge stacks of scripts to the guy who reads the top five and picks the winner, that the number one, most important thing is to have something right up front that GRABS the reader and makes us want to keep going. The first round readers in most competitions read two hundred to three hundred scripts and approve maybe five. It’s a daunting task and judges are looking for ANY reason to put your screenplay down. You need to grab them right away and keep them interested in continuing the read. A big thing to remember when you’re writing for a contest is that you can’t save all the good stuff for the end of your screenplay, because chances are the reader might not get there.

WH: How many scripts would you say you read per contest? How many do you START and how many do you FINISH?

SJ: Out of the two to three hundred I would read as a first round judge, I’d maybe get through 20-25% of them completely. I’ve conferred with other readers and they say that’s a “nice guy” reader percentage. As a finalist judge you usually read all of them (which is better since there are less of them and the ones that make it to you have already survived the first cut).

WH: What happens when co-judges disagree?

SJ: We’ve always had a scoring system that makes deadlocks damn near impossible. We also use an odd number of judges so if you have a tie at the top, you can vote in such a way that a clear winner will present itself.

WH: What’s the best script you’ve read in the last year (not necessarily in a contest setting) and why?

SJ: The last script I really remember being jaw-dropped by was “The Brigands of Rattleborge” by Craig Zahler. The way it was written was so different than what I’m used to. It was dense, thick and long. But it was so amazingly written it almost seemed like literature. Amazing characters, great story and a truly great mix of horrific yet beautiful. I highly recommend that you beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on a copy of it.

WH: What happens when you get a…how shall I say this…not so good script?

SJ: Hmmmmmm….I’ve read a lot of bad submissions. I would just say that the thing they usually have common is a story that we’ve already seen. You know the kind: a script where the characters are completely un-authentic and say things that are laughable when not meant to be. But since there are literally one hundred times as many bad scripts as good ones, you tend to remember the great ones more vividly than the poor ones.

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