Stop Querying the Wrong Way

I don’t like to bad mouth other companies or services too much – at least not in a public forum – but there is a not-so-new type of service out there that has grown in popularity and I’d like to stop all of your from being duped into wasting your money on it.

It’s the automated query letter services that promise to help you “BREAK IN” by sending your query letter to THOUSANDS of execs, agents and managers and getting your script read. They want to open up their Hollywood rolodex to YOU…

What a load of complete and utter bullshit!!  These services – who are usually anonymous and do not tell you who even RUNS the company – are complete RIPOFFS! All they have done is re-typed the Hollywood Creative Directory or IMDB Pro into an email database full of email addresses that look like INFO@RANDOMCOMPANY.COM and they charge you anywhere from $50-$300 to “fix” your query letter and blanket the town with it.

And even for those companies who have their own more specific list of email addresses of real execs, I promise you – those companies and execs and agents are not waiting by the fax machine for the newest random query letter from these companies. You know why – because no one uses a fucking fax machine anymore.

The letters they send are not personalized (to your project or to the specific company), they are not referrals, they are not recommendations, and they generally DO NOT GET READ! They are a constant annoyance to executives who go through hundreds of REAL query letters sent by referrals, reputable companies and writers every month.

These companies – and there are plenty out there including Scriptblaster, Sellingyourscreenplay.com, Equerydirect, Screenplay Writers Connection, etc – are based solely on the fact that you’re a lazy idiot and incredibly desperate.

They are betting on the fact that you’re too clueless and stupid to figure out how to get in contact with anyone in Hollywood and they have convinced you that they have connections. They don’t. And if they did, they no longer do because those contacts are pissed that they have to deal with a constant onslaught of UNSOLICITED queries from these companies. That’s right, the letters they send out – are UNSOLICITED.

I was talking about this with my friend from Suntaur Entertainment (and Scriptchat) the other day and he told me he had “unsubscribed” from at least two of these services, yet he keeps getting these query letters – which go right in the trash! That’s $50 you’re literally throwing out.

There are so many problems with using these services, the biggest of which may be that there is no quality control. They will send ANYONE’S letter out no matter how shitty, poorly written or just plain dumb your idea, story, writing, or letter is. Which means even if your query letter and project is FANTASTIC, the execs won’t read it because they’ve gotten SO much shit from that e-blast company already that they know the odds of it being good are slim to none.

These services are NOT referrals. They are just leaches trying to take your desperate-writer money and making a promise to you that is impossible to keep. Now, is it possible that out of the 500 companies they send your query letter to, that 1 or 2 will actually request the script? Sure. Perhaps an intern got bored or an assistant was in a good mood that day. But the other 498 companies now think you’re a stupid, desperate amateur.

Now, there are sites that are different than these query letter blast sites that actually can be worthwhile. Sites like InkTip and Virtual Pitchfest for example are not query letter BLAST sites. These are sites that execs have actually signed up for and have agreed to read your query letter on (or synopsis on InkTip). They are not unsolicited or random query emails or faxes.

Through my No Bull Hollywood Connection Program, any script that gets a “recommend” from me has its logline and query letter sent out to over 40 companies (not 4,000) that have AGREED to read them. And it’s a personalized email from ME to one of my actual contacts that I know personally. And, I can count on two hands how many recommends I’ve given, so execs are not being bombarded every week with dozens of emails. Oh right – and it’s FREE!!

There are other consultants and companies out there that do similar services, some charge and some don’t, but at least they are making personalized direct contact with someone they actually know. Someone that might actually do something with your script. These query blast sites – are not.

You know what using these bullshit query letter services tell executives – that you’re lazy and you don’t know anything about Hollywood. It says you’re so far removed from Hollywood, that you don’t even know when you’re getting screwed by Hollywood.

Breaking in and getting read isn’t easy and it’s not free either. But there’s no shortcut to getting read by 1,000 companies. These e-blast script marketing companies are just taking advantage of you, your project, and your wallet. Don’t be fooled by any company that says they can market your screenplay and get it in the hands of 500 companies at once. They can’t. They can only get their emails deleted by 500 companies at once – and then cash your check.

Is Hollywood Racist? A Frustrating Chat with Screenwriter/Litigant Justin Samuels

About a month ago, I wrote an article about a screenwriter who is suing CAA/WME for their racist practices which were preventing him from breaking in as a screenwriter. The writer’s name is Justin Samuels and he found my article and wrote me about it, and we proceeded to have quite a back and forth about the topic. Below, in its entirety, is our email exchange. I know it’s long, but please read the whole thing and judge for yourself who you think is right and please leave a comment….

JUSTIN:

You claim the education system is what diminished the pool of non white screenwriters, but I have a degree from an Ivy League School.

So then, surely it’s not a matter of education.  A high school dropout could make a career as a screenwriter, IF he had the right connections (he’d have to read some book, do some workshops, etc but it could be done).

If you read what I said, the major agencies do not accept any unsolicited submissions including QUERIES.  If you read what I said, I was told I needed an industry referral to be read by the top talent agencies.   But how likely am I to get such an industry referral unless I have a relative in the business?   The prominent people in the industry, with a few exceptions are white, and unless you’re related to them or grew up with them, you just aren’t that likely to be close enough to get such a valued connection.

And for the record, I’m more than happy to bring attention to this issue.  It’s a basic issue of fairness.

As for the diversity programs, don’t make me laugh.   What diversity programs?   Has anyone ever launched a career from a diversity program.  I think not.  And I would be the first to say diversity programs would be completely unnecessary if the major agencies would deal with unsolicited submissions! 

DANNY:

Dear Justin,

I’m really glad that my article somehow made its way to you and I respect that you emailed me about it. But I have to tell you – I categorically disagree with your argument. And I’d love to discuss with you why…. (I know it’s a bit long, but please read this whole email)

First, an Ivy League education doesn’t guarantee anyone anything in this town – unless you went to Harvard. And it especially doesn’t guarantee that graduates know how to behave in the real world.  You went to Cornell I see. I went to Ithaca College – and I know many Cornelians, a couple of my best friends went to Cornell. So I know they have a great list of alumni – a wonderful resource for referrals and connections in the industry… But let’s put aside the education factor.

You’re absolutely right – a huge portion (not all, but much) of this business is about WHO you know. And you’re right, the major agencies do not accept unsolicited queries. But – they don’t JUST not accept them from minorities – they don’t accept them from ANYONE. It’s as colorblind a process as could possibly be.

And let’s examine WHY they don’t accept unsolicited material. Since I’m sure you have never worked at an agency, management company, or production company, you probably don’t know that a BOUTIQUE Agency gets about 100-400 queries per month.  So, any idea how many the large agencies receive? About 5,000 – a MONTH! From people just like you – writers too lazy to break in the hard way and instead demand the easy pass route to fame and fortune. Well, let me tell you – there isn’t one.  And if agencies DID accept unsolicited queries, the wheels of Hollywood would cease to grind because it would take too much time to go through them all and nothing else would get done.

Plus, the number of ridiculous lawsuits that would result would SKYROCKET and end Hollywood completely because litigious, desperate screenwriters would think – “Hey, I sent an unsolicited query letter about robots to an agent four years ago, so Transformers 17 must be MY idea that the agent stole and gave to his client.”  It’s not worth it – there are plenty of good ideas out there that the agencies don’t need the unsolicited ones.

The system is in place to keep people who aren’t made for this business, out. It is NOT in place to keep minorities out. Just ask the 4,500 WHITE writers a month who don’t get their queries read.

Of course, there are probably 40 OTHER agencies that DO accept unsolicited queries – have you looked into them? They are all listed on the WGA website. Of course, none of them will work with you now that you have sued the big agencies. But they would have. And since you know the business so well, I’m sure you know that the major agencies – ESPECIALLY CAA and WME -do NOT work with first time writers. They do not give people careers – they make people who already HAVE careers, into STARS! They do not work with baby writers and they do not take on people without any credits to their name. So, even if you DID get a referral to one of those agencies – it would do you absolutely no good. Instead of this lawsuit, why aren’t you spending your time working on your craft and trying to make connections at OTHER companies?

Speaking of which – ok – this industry is based on referrals. So – why don’t you have any? It’s not that hard to make them. And it is absolutely RIDICULOUS to think that everyone who has gotten a referral is RELATED to someone in this business. Bullshit. VERY few people actually get in through nepotism on the business side (actors, granted, are different). I certainly didn’t have any family in the business and neither did ANY of my friends who are all very successful in what they do in entertainment whether it be as an agent, writer, producer, etc.  To ask how one could have connections in any other way than familial relation just proves how little you know about this business.

It’s called NETWORKING, sir. It’s what this business is built on – and you clearly don’t do it, perhaps because you have told yourself that since you’re Black, no one will help you. Total bullshit.  You build your connections and relationships over time – through meeting and conversing – not through suing!

And there are plenty of minority executives and managers and agents by the way, not to mention African-American actors and directors who have their own companies and executives and are ALWAYS looking for new minority talent to work with and mentor. (Will Smith’s Company, Denzel’s Company, Tyler Perry’s Company, Spike Lee’s Company, Lee Daniels’ Company, Queen Latifah’s Company, Jewerl Ross, etc.)

And by the way, out of ALL the Disney Fellowship Winners last year- there was ONE white male. And he is one of my close friends – from Ithaca. Nickelodeon Fellowship winners last year? ONE white male. So, don’t tell me Hollywood is racist and there are no diversity programs.  PLENTY of people have launched careers from diversity programs in this town – and some of them – weren’t very talented.

And I’m willing to work with you – but first, I’d like you to answer the following questions I have:

1.      Do you live in Los Angeles?  (If yes, continue on. If no, then you have no right to complain because you’re not serious enough about the business)

2.      How many years have you been trying to break in?

3.      How many fully finished, polished scripts have you written?

4.      How many Cornell Alumni have you contacted and met with to develop those relationships?

5.      Have you looked at the WGA website for companies that WILL accept unsolicited queries and have you sent them your query letters?

6.      How many and which pitchfests have you attended? How many pitches have you given at these events?

7.      How many and what contests and fellowships have you entered? What contests have you been a finalist or winner of?

8.      How many classes and networking events in LA have you attended at places like Writers Store, Writers Junction, etc? How many WGA or Creative Screenwriting Mag or Script Mag events have you gone to?

9.      What screenwriting group are you apart of?

10.     How many and what internships have you had in the industry? How many agencies/ managers/production companies did you apply to work at as an assistant? Have you ever worked at any?

11.     What professional script consultants with Hollywood Outreach programs have you used to help work on your projects and query letters to make sure they are ready and professional?

If you can honestly answer all of these questions for me, I will make you a deal – I’ll read your script – for free – and IF it is good, I will pass it along to some of MY extensive connections at agencies and production companies (of course you’ll have to use a pseudonym because your lawsuit has probably gotten you blacklisted from most major agencies and studios). But if it’s really good – I will help you get to them. I don’t have a dog in this fight, and as you can see from my article and my website (www.nobullscript.net), I am honest and blunt – so if it’s good, I’ll be the first to say so! But…if your script is truly AWFUL – if it truly sucks and the talent just isn’t there at a professional level – you drop the lawsuit.

Deal?  I look forward to hearing from you.

JUSTIN:

Daniel,

Yes, the major agencies don’t accept query letters from anyone they don’t know.  However, the impact disproportionately affects non whites, since those who know major players in the industry are most likely going to be white.  According to the Guild, by 2011 only 5% of film writers were non white.  A low percentage compared to the general population.

In terms of there being many blacks who have their own companies in the industry, the most lucrative parts of the industry are summer blockbusters/actions films.  I can see only two black actors who have had significant roles in those genres in recent years, Will Smith and Halle Berry.  Queen Latifah, Tyler Perry, etc have yet to work on a film with top ticket sales like Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, Iron Man, etc.  Basically, they are on the fringe of the industry.  A number of black actors, including Miss Oscar Winning Halle Berry, have said they were turned down for certain roles because of their race.

In terms of answering your questions, and letting you read my best script, and agreeing to drop the suit based on whether you think my work is good or not, the answer is no.   Because this isn’t about just about me.   This is about a process which has a disproportionate effect on non whites.   This needs to continue through the courts, and they will ultimately decide either in my favor or against me, or perhaps the agencies will settle.  But I simply cannot settle with you.

And I would never send my work out with a fake name.  I always use my real name out of principle.

For the record, I do not currently live in Los Angeles, but I have. Didn’t meet any people powerful enough to do an industry referral.  I did work, and even had a few marginal entertainment jobs, but again, nowhere near one powerful enough to do a referral. So I’m happy living in New York.

Would I live in Los Angeles again?  Sure, if I had a good job lined up.  Los Angeles is an expensive city (high cost of living, plus one must drive) Not joining the other wannabes downtown in skid row.  LOL

DANNY:

Justin,

While not surprised, your response not only disappoints me, but it tells me what was obvious from the lawsuit in the first place- you don’t take writing or this business seriously enough and you are only in it for a quick pay off. You really have absolutely no idea how this industry works and instead of LEARNING it and working hard like everyone else – you just crossed your arms, and said “It doesn’t matter – I’m Black.”

I think the people who would take the MOST offense to your lawsuit ARE the minorities working in Hollywood because you’re right- they probably had to work a little bit harder than everyone else. But they DID it – and now they reap the rewards. And you won’t.

It’s fine if you don’t want to take my deal, but I would love for you to answer ANY of the other questions I posed. Any contests? Any pitchfests? Any alumni? Any script consultants? Any screenwriting groups? Any networking events at ALL? If not, then you’re just not doing YOUR job as a writer and therefore, you don’t deserve to get read or have a career. And if you didn’t notice, I gave you 10 steps – 10 critical things to do to break in. And I’m willing to bet good money you have not done more than 2 things on that list.

If you lived in LA (or even NY) and you couldn’t/didn’t meet ANYONE – then either you’re just the type of person no one wants to be around, Or you’re just clueless about how to deal with people. Because it’s IMPOSSIBLE not to meet someone out here. There are 10 writers at any starbucks at any given time you could talk to in this city. You don’t have to meet SPIELBERG to break in – you just have to meet SOMEONE.

Who cares if only 5% of writers are non-white? Do you think the white people in this industry won’t talk to you because you’re black? If so, then you are just another self-defeating racist yourself and you don’t DESERVE to be in this industry.

Tyler Perry is hardly on the FRINGE of Hollywood – he’s one of the highest paid producers/ directors in town and his movies (even though they suck) have made a TON of money. And maybe you’ve heard of Oprah? Owns her own network? You’re only seeing what you WANT to see- instead of the truth of the situation. There are SO many people out there who would have been willing to help you, but you didn’t ASK for help – you wanted fame and fortune at the highest levels or nothing at all. Well, now you have nothing. And I can guarantee – the agencies won’t settle with you. So, the ONLY thing you have done is RUINED your reputation and made yourself a Pariah in this industry whom no one will touch. And your lawsuit will RUIN chances for equal opportunity for minorities.

And by the way…Morgan Freeman, Samuel L. Jackson, Taraji P Henson, Denzel Washington, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, The Rock, Vin Diesel, Ice Cube, Jamie Foxx, Martin Lawrence, Tyrese Gibson, etc have ALLLL been in huge blockbuster/tentpole movies. So, your argument holds no water. You are just uneducated about this business.  Yes, they are turned down for certain roles – but so is EVERY actor – it’s part of the business.

Eventually, you’re going to realize all have you done with this lawsuit is destroyed any chance you had at a career, and set back the movement of non-whites in Hollywood 10 years. If you can live with that, great. But realize this – a white person working IN the industry who has great contacts and reputation OFFERED to help you, offered to read your script and get it into the right hands, and you turned it down because of your “principles.”  So just MAYBE we’re not ALL bad, and it should make you think about what your principles really are.

JUSTIN:

Dude, when I was in Los Angeles I was working 10 hours a day, at times, and commuting 3 hours a day.

I had bills, including rent to pay.   Maybe because I had a job I didn’t have that much time to lounge around starbucks?   Yes, if you’re a rich white heiress like Paris Hilton who doesn’t have to work, I suppose you can go to the most expensive clubs, party all night, and meet all sorts of people in the business between gigs.  I wasn’t in that category, and didn’t have that opportunity.

DANNY:

Justin,

You’re not getting it – EVERYONE works 10 hours a day. It’s industry standard. We ALL have bills to pay! It’s those who work HARDER than that who make it. It’s those who work 10 hrs a day and then go home and read 2 scripts a night or write for 3 hrs a day that break thru. And I never said anything about clubs or partying – do I look like a hot, rich heiress to you?? Do you really think that’s all white people do? You went to Cornell – you should know better!

Please, let me post our correspondence – let’s open up the discussion you say is so needed! What do you say?

JUSTIN:

I never said all whites party all the time.  You were the one bringing up the networking, the meeting people, and living the fabulous life in Los Angeles.  You were saying I didn’t do those things, that I’m not a social person, and that’s why I didn’t meet anyone important.  So, from what you were saying, you seemed to have unlimited time to just meet people.

Some of us, after working 10 hours a day and commuting 3 hours, need SLEEP. Also, I didn’t have a job that deal with scripts, so why would I read two scripts a night?   I don’t know what you’re talking about.

DANNY:

Exactly, you dont. Listen, because I really am trying to help you – If you want to be a writer, you should be reading scripts constantly and writing as much as you can – that’s how you learn. Doesn’t matter if your job dealt with scripts or not. I never said anything about living the fab LA life – I certainly don’t. I’m talking about going to Business events where there are networking opportunities. Pitchfests, screenwriting groups, classes, screenings, etc. Some are even free or on the weekend. Networking doesn’t equal partying – that’s not how you meet people and forge relationships and maybe that’s where the misconception is. Of course we need sleep – I love my sleep. But when I moved here and got my first job, after working my producers assistant job from 830am-7pm, I then went to “drinks” with other assistants and execs and got to know them to build my contacts. And then I got home at 830 or so and would read 1-2 scripts a night. And that is what people do. There is no shortcut.

I’m sure commuting was a bitch – but this is LA – commuting sucks. You deal or you move closer to work. I’m saying, it seems like you have a very skewed idea of what Hollywood is and how it works and never really tried hard enough through proper ways before reverting to suing.

JUSTIN:

I have read scripts, produced scripts of films, I was an office pa for a film so I read that script.  I’ve read books on screenplays and done screenwriting workshops.  And I have participated in peer review exchanges of scripts, on triggerstreet, zoetrope, and on Amazon Studios.

You can read reviews of my scripts, my posted scripts, and other scripts on those forums.  My works went through different stages, so some things posted are early drafts, others are much later drafts in response to what feedback I got.

And yes, you can post our correspondence.

The Greatest Myth in Hollywood (And The Idiots That Believe It)

By Danny Manus

Welcome to Los Angeles – land of the rich and famous – where we all live fantastic lives dining with millionaires on the finest sushi in the world and snorting coke off the asses of Brazilian supermodels while our butlers and drivers wait outside in our Bentley convertibles and everyone gets their own reality show and three-picture deal and we all have Spielberg and Bruckheimer on speed dial.

Welcome to the biggest load of shit myth ever invented. And what’s more astonishing than the myth itself, is how many truly fucking stupid people out there believe it and judge us for it. Like if we DON’T live this life, we aren’t successful.

Yes there are people who live like that. But I can’t tell you how many people who live outside of Los Angeles literally believe that everyone here who is in the business, is rich and powerful. And more so than that, believe that ONLY the rich and powerful are adept at giving them career advice, notes or help.

Last year at a pitchfest, a woman came up to me after one of my classes, gave me a sob story and asked me for help. Not being a totally heartless prick, I gave her my card and told her to email me. After a number of increasingly infuriating emails, she wrote that she found out that I (and a number of other consultants and executives at the pitchfest) don’t even live in mansions and don’t drive luxury cars, so how much help could we actually give her and why would she take advice from us?

And then just this week, I got an email that made me so angry at the sheer stupidity and gall of the writer, that I’m going to post the email here….ready? I am reprinting this verbatim – typos and all!

“Most of the Judges in script contests got zero clue about film-making. Why are they judging screenplays. They are not super rich or well connected in Hollywood or understand the costly business of film-making, so why should we listen to them? When I google them, they are not famous or rich or power brokers like Jerry Briekheimer or Michael Bay or George Lucas or Zack Synder… Why are you using low-key Readers to judge amateur scripts in your contests? If you ask a top producer or director to read one your winning script from your contest(s), they would probably use the script as toilet paper. Really, they have said that behind closed door. I refuse to buy false dreams.”

This writer’s name is Bill. I truly debated about whether or not I should give his full name because I’m so tired of stupid fucking people writing shit like this and we should weed people out like this immediately…but I won’t give his last name here (I did on my Facebook and Twitter though!).

But he made me realize that some people outside of Hollywood think that only the rich and powerful are worthy of reading their scripts, that only the biggest names in Hollywood could possibly help them and be worth seeking out.  Anyone who thinks this – please – do as I told both of the above-mentioned writers – and get the fuck out! Turn around, go back to whatever US-Magazine-ridden-dumb-fuck-cave you crawled out of and stop trying to be a screenwriter – because it’s never EVER going to happen.

Saying that you won’t enter a contest because the people judging aren’t power-brokers and therefore can’t help you is like me saying, “Well, you’re not rich or famous so how could you be a good screenwriter? Good writers are rich and famous.” It’s INSANE!

Here’s the skinny on Los Angeles for those of you who don’t know…

–        Many producers, managers, consultants and writers (even big name ones) work out of their HOMES. They traded their big offices for low overhead.

–        A PA or entry level assistant at an agency or production company makes an average of $500/week.

–        A nice ONE-bedroom, ONE-bath apartment in a nice neighborhood in Los Angeles rents for $1200-1500 a month ($1300-1700 if really close to the beach).  We are probably the fourth most expensive city in the country to live in.

–        A two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bath house in COMPTON goes for $250,000!

–        An AVERAGE 2 or 3 bedroom house in an AVERAGE neighborhood – goes for $400,000.

–        Parking to go out for a night on Sunset Blvd costs $25. Two drinks – another $25. Dinner with friends when you’re NOT splurging or celebrating something special – $40/each. The parking ticket you get for parking illegally because you didn’t want to pay $25 – will cost you $60!

–        And a fucking Grande Frappachino at Starbucks is $4.85.

And what do we get as a payoff for being forced to live like this? Well, we can drive 10 minutes in most directions and be on a beach, we can smoke weed on the street without worrying about being arrested, and we get to see celebrities walking around and sitting at our local restaurants and movie theaters.  Worth it?  Your call.

So yes, many of us live in one or two bedroom apartments. If we all lived in some rural shack town in the Midwest, yes, we could probably afford a pretty nice fucking place. But in LA, we’re just scraping by like the rest of you! And many of us went to good film schools, which means we owe Sallie Mae a fuck-load of money every month.

Personally, I live in a one-bedroom apartment with a view of an angry cat next door who likes to MEOW at me through the window like I just stole his mouse wife – but it doesn’t mean I can’t help you, your script, and your career.

Everyone thinks it’s Los Angeles that’s superficial – and in some ways it is – but we don’t measure someone’s ability to help by what kind of house or car they have. And as soon as you forget about the MYTH of Hollywood and buy into the reality, the sooner you will be able to become one of us.

Writing Lessons Learned

By Danny Manus

Last week was my 100th Column for The Business of Show Institute. Two full years of writing articles every week. Added to my blogs and articles I’ve written for many other publications and websites, I’ve completed over 125 articles in 2 years. In case you’re wondering, that adds up to about 300 pages! So this week, I thought I’d tell you what writing all those articles has taught me and maybe you can relate with your own projects.

Writing that much has taught me to be consistent, persistent, and open to ideas. It has taught me to be equally reactive and introspective, because when you can’t find the answers (or even the questions) within, you have to seek them from outside sources.

They’ve taught me to set a weekly deadline for myself, which granted – I didn’t always make. I’m supposed to turn in my column tuesday morning – but sometimes it was wedneday night. Shit happens. Accept it, don’t beat yourself up, and look towards next week because it’s another chance to improve and hit that deadline.

It has taught me to write from both my heart AND my head. And if you’ve read all my columns, you’ll know sometimes I write from a place that’s even further South. But that’s okay – because they are all parts of you and they all have something to say.

It has taught me to do my research, know what everyone else is saying and teaching or preaching out there about the business and screenwriting, because it will only serve to inspire. It’s forced me to read others work and question it. It’s taught me that asking for help when you’re stuck or you have writers block or you think you’re just going back to the same well over and over again – is okay. And someone will be there to supply that help. In my case, it’s all of YOU!

It has taught me that inspiriation can be found in the strangest of places. Not just in pitchfests and meetings and on the page, but in life. So never be so focused that you aren’t seeing the bigger picture, and never think of the big picture so much that you lose sight of the tiny details in front of you.

It has taught me that not EVERYTHING I write is going to be spun gold. Some of it – is going to really suck. And that’s okay. I’d say out of my 125 articles, there are 25 or so that I’m not THAT proud of or that I didn’t think lived up to my standard. But it’s better to persevere and get it done than to pray for poetry every time. Because it’s not going to happen. Not everything works and not everything connects with the audience you are writing for. And that’s okay because the bad ones only make you feel THAT much better about the great ones.

And it has taught me to use what I’ve written to make other things happen for me. I’ve turned some of my articles into full-fledged classes and workshops and I turned many of them into my book, No B.S. for Screenwriters.

When I started writing my column, I told Marvin Acuna (who runs BOSI) that I didn’t think I’d be able to come up with more than 6 months worth of material.  I was wrong. And I have all of you to thank for that (take that however you’d like haha).  But I look forward to the next 100…one week at a time. And I hope this has helped you look at your writing in a different way.

For my 100th Column, I recorded a special video recapping my experiences at the recent Great American Pitchfest. If you would like to read (or rather watch) my 100th BOSI video column, please click here – http://bit.ly/klb0HF

The Truth About Script Consultants

By Danny Manus

The release of “Hangover 2” has me feeling mixed emotions. I loved the first one, and hope that the second installment lives up to the hype.  But for those who didn’t know, last year I got into a bit of a battle of words with one of the screenwriters of the sequel, Craig Mazin, who had made some disparaging remarks on his website about script consultants after seeing Linda Seger speak at last year’s Austin Film Festival.

He basically said that script consultants are useless and no one should ever pay to get notes on their script.  As one who could never keep his thoughts in his own head, I replied to his post, which set off a litany of responses (almost 500 comments in total).

His blog wasn’t the first to bad mouth the consulting profession. Anyone who’s ever logged on to DoneDealPro or any of the other message boards out there can find some wannabe ya-hoo asshole (or perhaps even an A-List writer) trying to feel like the leader of some Lord of the Flies wannabe-screenwriters world by spouting off about how consultants are nothing but sharks, liars, cheats and hacks. Probably because no matter how many he’s paid over the years for notes – no one has liked his material.

Or there’s the guy who was dumb enough to pay someone $5000 to read his script and give him a couple pages of notes because he chose to send his script to the first person who whispered the word “Hollywood” in his ear instead of doing his research before submitting his script.  I feel bad for people who have had this experience – but it’s their own damn fault.

But for the rest of you out there, I wanted to give you the no bullshit honest truth about consultants and our role in a script’s development process.

Script Consultants are your best friend – and worst enemy. We are there to help you, guide you and your story, improve your writing, and get your script to the next level. OR – we’re there to tell you it’s not gonna happen. We are there to be your personal development executive. And we’re there to do this BEFORE you exhaust the money, time and effort of sending (or pitching) your script to executives, agents or managers because with them you only get ONE shot. And you need to know if you’re ready. And your mom, best friend or even writers group – can’t tell you that.  We can be your first – or last – line of defense against rejection.

According to the Creative Screenwriting Magazine survey that was released last year, there are well over 100 script consultants out there – and there are probably an equal number who weren’t even included in the survey. 200 Consultants?!  Holy shit.  And prices on the survey ranged from $50 to $5000. I’m proud to have been named in the Top 15 “Cream of the Crop” out of that list (and the most reasonably priced of the Top 15), but to people who think we are only out to steal your money, my ranking doesn’t mean shit.   

So I think it’s time for someone to defend the profession.  I am sick and tired of being called a “failure.” Just because I haven’t become an A-List writer making millions for my screenplays doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about. It doesn’t mean I’m not qualified to help a struggling writer. Or a professional one. And by the way, just because someone DOES make millions as a writer, doesn’t mean they have any business teaching anyone else how to write!

Are there consultants who charge WAY too much for WAY too little? Absolutely! Is anyone worth $5K to read your script and give you notes? NO. I don’t care if their last name is Seger, McKee or Vogler – your script should not cost as much as your car! But there are very few who charge that much money.  Are some script consultants failed producers? Yes. Are some failed writers? Yes. And I’ll say it – McKee, Seger, Hauge, Rotcop – they are all a bit antiquated. But there are new voices out there that can help. 

But beware – there are some new consultants out there (who will remain nameless) – people who have only spent a year or so working as an intern or reader or glorified assistant for some production company – and all of a sudden they think they are qualified to read your script and give you notes. They’re not. I don’t care how loud, outspoken or opinionated they might be – everyone’s got an opinion – but they don’t have the right to charge someone for theirs yet.

If someone says they were a Hollywood READER – that means they have read a lot of scripts. But here’s the thing – readers don’t give notes! They don’t meet with writers or hire them. They don’t develop projects or sell them. They JUST read and write “coverage” – which is much different than writing notes. So, don’t be fooled by people that say they’ve read for CAA – they might have and that’s great – but that doesn’t mean they know how to make your script better.

I’ve been in this industry almost 9 years and I’ve worked my ass off to build my company. So I take it as an insult when someone whose only experience is that they watched a lot of Tarantino and Woody Allen in college, thinks they can do what I do just as well as I do it.

Writers should do their research and due diligence and find a consultant that’s right for them. But a professional writer like Mr. Mazin shouldn’t dismiss a whole profession just because HE hasn’t needed to use one or because he got a bad taste in his mouth from one overpriced consultant.  I haven’t had to use a cosmetic surgeon, and I think many of them are unethical heathens harping on people’s insecurities to make money for unnecessary procedures.  But I don’t discount that they are educated or that some people genuinely need them and that some do truly great work.

The same thing that makes for a good writer, makes for a good script consultant.  We watch and study movies. We read thousands of scripts – the good, bad and truly ugly. But we also follow the marketplace, the trends, know what’s selling, what isn’t, who’s looking for what, what contests and conferences are rip-offs, what’s in development, etc. And of course, we have to know good writing and how to fix it when it’s gone astray.  Just because I don’t choose (or can’t currently make the time) to use my talents to write my own brilliant screenplay, doesn’t mean I’m not qualified to help others do it.

It would be WONDERFUL if every writer could read scripts and automatically know what works and what doesn’t about it, and know how to relate that to their own writing and make their scripts shine on their own. But 99% of writers don’t. Professional writers of Mr. Mazin’s caliber do – as he’s been doing this for quite a while at a level that 99% of writers don’t get to work at. But for everyone else, that’s where we consultants come in.

We provide a service. We provide guidance and (hopefully) constructive, valuable feedback. And most of us deserve to be paid for this. Screenwriting might be free, but breaking into Hollywood certainly is not.

To those who bad mouth consultants, I have an idea – how about YOU offer to read every wannabe screenwriters’ scripts for free and give them comprehensive, constructive notes.  Oh wait…you don’t have time? You don’t want to? You’d rather stab yourself in the eye with your WGA Award?  Gee, I guess it’s a good thing there are people who will do it then.  And if you DID offer to do that, you’d quickly realize you deserve to be paid!  Or you’d turn into Josh Olson and rant and rave like he did about how he “doesn’t want to read your fucking script.”

Consultants need to be honest with you, though. I’ve branded myself as a “Simon” (referring of course to Simon Cowell). If I think a writer is wasting their time, I have no interest in taking their money and giving them false hope.  Not everyone is supposed to be a writer, not every script – no matter WHO works on it or “fixes” it – is good enough to be submitted (much less bought or produced). There are people out there telling the truth. Yes, I can count them on one hand, but we are out there.

And on the Simon Cowell note…He’s not a singer, musician, songwriter, or performer- but he knows what the hell he’s talking about. He’s been AROUND those musical types and even though he’s the least musical of the bunch, he’s the judge everyone respects.  I also like the NFL Coach analogy – you don’t have to win a Heisman Trophy to be a great football coach.

Writers don’t like when they are all grouped into one category and painted with the same brush, and neither do consultants. We’re not all the same. People who are out to harm each other in this business – whether they are consultants, agents, teachers or writers – should be weeded out. And so should those who try to take advantage of unsuspecting writers. But no one should degrade consultants just because they haven’t needed to use one yet.

That’s being said, I’d like to wish Craig luck with Hangover 2 and despite our difference in opinion, I’ll still be buying a ticket to check it out opening weekend. And if it sucks…well…I can suggest a good consultant for your next project.

*Do you disagree with me? Do you love me or hate me? Do you have something to say? Have an idea for a column? Leave a comment or email me at Daniel@nobullscript.net. I want to hear from you!

Making Promises You Can Keep

By Danny Manus

All you have in life is your word. And in Hollywood, you’d be amazed how many deals, option, agreements, businesses and projects come together thru a verbal commitment and a gentleman’s handshake.

Yes, we all lie. Yes, we all embellish. Yes, an agent will tell you they love your work to your face when they secretly think you’re a talentless hack. Or a producer will tell you that they are hard at work on your project when really it’s not even in their top 10 list of things to do. But that’s politics and politeness – that’s not giving your word to someone.

Working as a consultant, my word and my reputation is all I have. And once that gets damaged beyond repair, it’s all over. I try incredibly hard not to make promises I can’t keep, or take on projects I can’t help. So why is it that so many seem to have no problem giving their word and going back on it?

You have to realize that if you do this enough, people are going to stop wanting to work with you – even if you’re the best at what you do.

If you’re running a business – whether it’s a production company, an agency, a consultancy, a magazine, a screenwriting conference, etc. – you need to know when you cannot deliver on a promise. And instead of exacerbating the problem by making more and more promises, hoping to cover up or fulfill the past promises with new ones, you should come up with other solutions.

Every time you start a new project, you are giving your word to your own creativity – not to mention to that blank page – that you are going to fulfill a promise. Writing is a promise to the paper in front of you. It’s a promise to the storyteller inside of you. And much like in business, if you make a promise, you owe it to yourself to keep it.

If you tell a producer you’re going to finish a project by a certain date, then you need to make sure you can deliver. If you promise to pay someone for their services, then you need to make sure you can do so.

And if you promise yourself you’re going to write that next great American novel, or that next big million dollar screenplay…then you need to keep your word.

How Amazon is Trying to F*ck You

I will try to put together a more cohesive and expansive blog on why the new Amazon Studios deal is the worst deal out there for writers that I’ve heard in a long time. But for now, since it’s a hot topic, I thought I’d just quickly weigh in.

I understand the temptation to upload your script to Amazon and hope that you grab that 20K prize or even better- that your script gets the most votes and gets sent and made by Warner Bros, with whom they have a first look deal. But here’s the thing…it’s not going to happen. And if it does, it’s not going to open any doors for you. Why? Because you’re not guaranteed to even get writing credit on YOUR script. It’s not guaranteed that any OTHER producers or agents will see it. No one except other clueless writers is voting on which scripts are worthy. And the second you upload your script to Amazon, YOU LOSE ANY AND ALL RIGHTS TO YOUR SCRIPT. FOREVER.

It’s an 18 month FREE option, which isn’t a bad thing, except after those 18 months are over, they own your idea FOREVER. You cannot get it back unless you’ve got some really good lawyers. You can’t sell it, you can’t option it elsewhere, you can’t even rewrite it. I just saw that over 1000 scripts have been uploaded already…that means 1000 scripts are now dead and those writers just wasted every second they spent writing them.

Why? The Amazon Studios deal allows for ANYONE – any fucking po-dunk town idiot who has never even SEEN a movie, much less written one, to REWRITE YOUR SCRIPT. And you can’t do anything about it. Let’s say your protagonist is a 40 year old black man who is looking for love. Joe Schmo can change your character to a 13 year old Asian girl looking for a unicorn. And you can’t do anything about it. And if enough of your script changes, you won’t even get credit for it if it sells (except a “based on a screenplay by” credit). You won’t get into the guild, you won’t get any residuals or benefits – even if your script IS made and makes $50 Million (which it won’t) – you won’t see another dime except the $200K they pay you.

Now, I know – $200K sounds like a lot of money. And it is. But not nearly what you would make if you got your movie made in Hollywood any other way. And I know, your spec script is just sitting there anyway and you don’t have any Hollywood contacts or referrals and you don’t know how to break in. So, what’s the harm, right? That’s exactly what Amazon is betting on – your utter desperation and lack of knowledge! This is a company that is praying on the desperate, the uneducated, and the downright ignorant.

Once you hit the upload button, you can’t enter that script into other contests, you can’t send it to other producers. It’s OVER. Forever. And if Amazon never ever makes the movie – now no one else can either. You are throwing away your script for nothing.

For more info on the downsides of Amazon Studios, you can read John August’s blog or Craig Mazin’s website article (www.artfulwriter.com). I don’t often agree with Craig, but he’s spot on about this one. Studios, writers, producers and consultants all agree – this new Amazon Studios deal is NOT GOOD FOR WRITERS. So, do your homework and read the very very small fine print before you sign away your script!

Happy New Year/New Resolutions

Happy New Year! 

I’d like to take this time to send a big THANK YOU to all of my readers, clients, students, twitter followers, and writers in general who have kept me going and kept me inspired.  The end of the year is a great time to look over what you’ve done and what you’ve accomplished, give thanks to those who helped you accomplish it, and make plans to get everything done in the New Year that has escaped you thus far. 

It’s been a truly crazy year for me and No BullScript. We went from just being one of the hundreds of other consultants out there to one of the Top 15 “cream of the crop” consultants. I’ve written over 80 weekly articles for Business of Show Institute, as well as articles for Script Magazine, Moviebytes, Storylink E-Zine, Logline E-Zine, Virtual Pitchfest, and more!  I’ve redesigned my website, I’ve brought on a new script analyst in Naomi Beatty, and I’ve produced a short film titled “Wake Up.”  And in the last year, I’ve taught hundreds of students all over the country at events like Screenwriting Expo and Great American Pitchfest and to groups in LA, NY, Vancouver, Chicago, Santa Fe, Portland, Idaho, Dallas, etc.

And while it’s not screenwriting related, I’ve lost 30lbs and…I turned 30. Ok this last one I’m still iffy about.

So what about YOUR goals? What did YOU get to do this year and what do you need to do in 2011?

With every New Year, come new resolutions. Though many of mine look a hell of a lot like they did one year ago, so that’s probably not a good sign. I think my resolution for 2011 is to be more positive, optimistic and disciplined! Here goes…we’re all going to be become rich and famous and sell our scripts and books and studios are going to open their doors to every unrepresented writer out there and No BullScript will become the number one script consulting company in America! Whew! Okay…I got that out of my system… now back to reality!

It’s a good idea to have realistic goals and resolutions much like it’s a good idea to have realistic expectations about your projects. When a writer asks me how quickly they think they will sell their first script, my eyes roll to the back of my head. I wish everyone could sell their first script, but realistically, 99.9% of first scripts don’t sell.

You should certainly try, but you shouldn’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t happen. Your first script is practice. It’s about getting your ideas on the page, finding your rhythm and technique and a process that works for you.  It’s all about the learning and growing experience and whatever you learned on your first script, you will bring to your second and hopefully have more luck…I think that’s as optimistic as I get. Ha!

It’s good to set realistic and do-able timelines to get things done so that you don’t become overwhelmed or disappointed, but instead stay productive and inspired. Create a routine for yourself that optimizes your productive and creative swings. This has always been my personal downfall despite the OCD-like To Do Lists I’ve been making every day since I was 11 years old — so let’s create a new routine together.

Are you working on an outline for a new project? I am. So let’s set a realistic goal together – in three weeks, we will all have finished our outline. Are you working on a first draft, trying to flesh out your storylines and characters? Set a goal of two months, which is probably an average amount of time. Everyone works at his or her own pace, but sometimes the smell of a new year makes people anxious and excited to start a new project. So cash in on that excitement while it lasts.  Good luck and keep writing!

The Eternal Carrot

The whole entertainment industry is based on a Bugs Bunny Cartoon. That silly wabbit was constantly being led around by a carrot on a stick placed strategically just out of reach, though it seemed so close. This is the very essence of Hollywood and why thousands of people – from the homecoming queens to the techie geeks – swarm to Los Angeles every year. And it’s why people who have been in Los Angeles for 5, 10 or 15 years, stick around, even if they have yet to find success, money, or fame.

Everyone – actors, writers, directors, producers, etc – come out to LA with five year plans. But when five years comes and goes in what seems like a blink of an eye and you’re nowhere near where you thought you’d be…you have to find something that keeps you going.

Enter, the Carrot.

The lure of Hollywood is the fact that one month, you can be living on Ramen noodles and doing menial tasks 12 hours a day and the next month, you could be making a 6-digit salary and getting invites to the Oscars…And most of it is all due to luck and timing. I have a friend who, when he stepped off the proverbial boat, signed up with a temp agency and the first job he got through that agency was as Tom Cruise’s personal assistant. Seriously.

And we’ve all read the pieces in Variety about the boy from the Midwest who graduates college, moves out to LA one week, sends his first script (which he wrote in two weeks) to his old roommates’ friends’ brother who happens to be an assistant at an agency, who loves it, brings it to his boss, who also loves it, who gives it to a junior exec at Imagine or Bruckheimer or some studio and one week later, BAM – that lucky fresh off the boat sonuvabitch is eating so many carrots his face turns a lovely shade of orange.

But for most, it’s a much longer chase.

A solid 50 people from my graduating class moved out to Los Angeles around the same time. Bright-eyed and excited about our new paths in life, we’d all hang out and help each other, rooting for each other’s success. By the five year mark, probably 50 percent of them had left the business or moved back East. And since then, probably another 20% have joined them. By year ten, probably another 10% will have bitten the dust. And it’s not because they couldn’t hack it – it was because they stopped caring about the carrot.

They stopped visualizing it. Some just stopped enjoying the chase.  And others realized it wasn’t the right carrot for them. For some, their carrot became family, babies, and buying a house instead of isolation, long hours and eternally renting. I don’t blame them.

And while I miss some of them, part of me is happy they are gone because it means there’s one less person chasing that damn vegetable, so perhaps my odds (and yours) just got a bit better.

The limitless possibility for success is what separates Hollywood from other professions. It’s also the reason that entry level wages in Hollywood are insanely lower than almost every other profession – certainly lower than any profession for which you need a college degree. Teachers start at around 45k, Cops around 42k, Doctors and Lawyers around 150k. An entry level assistant in Hollywood starts around 20-25k. In Los Angeles, that’s barely livable wages. It’s all part of the test – to make sure you really want to be here. To make sure that you’re willing to sacrifice for your success. But it’s not really a question of “if” you’re willing to sacrifice, it’s “for how long?”

Because you just don’t know when or where or how you are going to get that big break – but it’s coming. Maybe it’s this next project you find, or write, or direct. Maybe it’s this little indie project you acted in for free. Maybe it’s this new assistant job for a bigwig studio exec. You just never know. And everyone thinks it will happen to them.

And just when you start realizing it might not…your best friend signs a multi-picture deal at a studio or her pilot spec gets bought or he books a role in a studio movie…and then you’re faced with an even bigger problem – trying not to hate your friend.  But that’s a whole different story.

You have to be optimistic. Keep writing, keep working, and keep planning. And keep telling yourself that you’re not giving up until you get a taste of that delicious carrot.

Vancouver Pitchmarket Review – Updated!!

This year for the Oscars, I was in Vancouver for the first annual Pitchmarket 2010, a screenwriting conference run by FTX West, where I was invited to teach a couple classes and take pitches. Now I had been to Vancouver a few years ago for a pitchfest event and one of the same people were running this event. So I was really looking forward to returning to Vancouver! I love the city of Vancouver – it’s like NY but cleaner, nicer and smaller. And everyone says ‘sorry’ when they bump into you on the street.

Now, the Olympics had just ended a week prior to my arrival, but the spirit was still in the air – as was much of the signage and posters, which was cool with me. The cab drivers and business owners seemed much more relaxed however.

I always look forward to these conferences – especially when they are outside of Los Angeles. It’s nice to get away, and Canada is sadly about as far as I get to travel to (seriously, doesn’t anyone in Europe need some screenwriting help?). I landed Friday afternoon after a delayed flight and as I was landing, my popping ears made me realize – oh yeah, I’m getting sick. And flying hurts. Good times.

Once I landed, I was taken to my hotel which was…not what I expected. It was more like a residential living facility. Now the rooms were very nice and had beautiful views of all of Downtown Vancouver and the Mountains. But the Worldmark “Hotel” did lack a few things – air conditioning, wifi internet, toiletries and maid service. Thank God for Blackberries or else the other executives probably would have demanded another hotel. I don’t want to make it seem like LA Execs are prima donnas – but we are sometimes. I’m a really easy person to please – but when you’re sick, in another Country and you have a million things to do, little hotel perks go a long way.

Anywho, I taught my classes Saturday morning – How to be Your Own Development Exec and No BS Guide to Pitchfests. They both were very well attended and I thought they went great (I will hopefully post some pictures soon!). The writers really seemed to respond to my No BullShit approach and they all seemed to take away something from the seminars. I was really impressed with the writers there, who all had some great questions and seemed really interested! Or maybe they were just placating me haha!  And I had brought some of my E-Books, which also sold pretty well. I can always tell even from looking at writers in my class, which ones are going to do well in their pitches. It’s like a 6^th sense but without dead people.

Saturday afternoon I had all to myself to play in Vancouver. I love days like this. And despite being increasingly under the weather, I was not going to let a cold ruin a beautiful day. So, I took a long walk down to the water and caught a SeaTrain over to North Vancouver and explored a bit. Then came back and walked all the way back to the hotel. That night, we had a lovely dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant and I was finally able to socialize and meet some of the other execs attending (they arrived later than I did so I hadn’t seen them yet). A couple of agents, a couple managers, and me. There weren’t that many execs from LA brought to the conference but we had a nice little group. I won’t dare repeat the items discussed at the dinner table, but a good time was had by all.

That night, a group of the LA execs went out and partied. I probably shouldn’t have, but I can’t turn down a good time. One of the agents knew an actress in town who knew some club promoters and we all got into a couple fun hotspots. But it had been a LOOONG day with no nap time, so most of us were back to the hotel by 1am, a pretty mild night considering.

Sunday was pitch day, but I woke up in Hell. I normally really enjoy the constant pitching, but my ears, nose, throat and body hurt. I had been taking cold pills since Saturday morning but they weren’t working. So I got MORE pills. And I could barely speak (teaching for 4 hours and screaming over music in the bars probably didn’t help). I will admit I became a bit of a diva and had someone get me tea and cold pills as the pitching began. THANK YOU to all the volunteers who helped me out!

I was actually pleasantly surprised – the pitches weren’t bad at all. I probably heard about 30-40 pitches in 10 minute increments. And only a couple were really bad. Most had taken my class the day before and knew what I wanted to hear. And the ones that didn’t…well…it was obvious. Only one man sat down and said, “This isn’t my best work…you’re going to hate it…I don’t even know why I’m pitching this…” before he even told me his title. Never lose before you even play the game. You need to be confident and sell yourself and your project even if you’re unsure.

And one other gentleman sat down and said he wanted to do a reality TV series on a very general topic, which I won’t mention, but didn’t have any idea on an angle, hook or premise. And when I politely told him that we don’t do reality TV – he just kept pushing. There was nothing I could do for him, so when I realized he was going to sit there for the whole 10 minutes instead of letting me sneeze and breathe in peace, I had to tell him that he needed to go back to the drawing board.

If you just have an idea for something but no hook, angle, premise, concept, or story – guess what – you don’t have enough! You need to be specific and educated on the topic. I actually thought his broad concept could be an interesting half hour sports special, but it wasn’t not a series. And even if it WAS – I don’t do reality TV! Pitching me harder isn’t going to make me become a reality TV producer!

I think the most common note I gave was that the writers’ story wasn’t going in the best direction possible or the set up wasn’t as good as it could be. Sometimes a writer has such a good idea but you can see the minute where it just went off-track and you want so badly to pull it back on the road and set them straight. That’s what I tried to do in my pitches.

Out of the 30-40 pitches I heard, I asked for about 5 or 6 scripts, which is about an average number for these events. So who knows…maybe one of these will totally blow me away. I got a few pitches that really sounded great and I’m hoping the scripts live up to the hype!!

Sunday night was our Oscar Party and while it was perfectly nice and fun and the food was pretty darn tasty (not to mention the free vodka!), I was full blown sick. I felt like crap. I was coughing and sneezing and worried about the plane ride home I’d be taking in 24 hours. So, once Avatar lost and Sandra Bullock won, I decided to forgo the late-night festivities and actually went back to the hotel, got all kinds of fuzzy on cold pills, and passed out before midnight. When I woke up, I only felt slightly better but the cough had gotten worse as had my ears. I was afraid my ear drums would literally rupture on the plane, but I was going to have to brave that chance.

I bought ear-planes – the earplugs for planes that have been tested by like the Navy – so I figured those would help. And thankfully, I found a wonderful plane-buddy in Ellen Sandler, one of the other speakers at the conference and an Emmy-nominated exec producer and writer for “Everybody Loves Raymond.” She by chance had changed her seat and was now stuck sitting next to me. But we chatted the whole way about the business and writing and she even read my E-Book and loved it, which I took as a great compliment as her book is fantastic and quite successful.

She was even nice enough to drive me home….awwww….I was thrilled to have gotten to know her on this trip and hopefully we will work together soon. I finally landed – with only minimal ear pain upon landing – but I was half deaf with totally clogged ears. Small price to pay I suppose for a fun and productive weekend in Vancouver!

I want to send a big thank you to all the volunteers, helpers, sponsors, etc that helped put on a great event and chauferred my sick butt around! But most of all, I’d like to thank Danika Dinsmore who did a great job with the classes and pitchfest, Marcy Schacter, who put together a great event and kept it moving, and Joan MacBeth for suggesting that I attend!

For those wondering, I’m hoping to be back in Vancouver before the end of the year to do a weekend of classes with Biz Books and Capilano University. I’ll keep ya posted! And if you know of a conference or group in YOUR town that is looking for a speaker, please, let me know. And hopefully I’ll see you all soon!