The Truth About Scriptwriting Contests

I was always wary of submitting my material to scriptwriting contests.  Would they steal my idea?  Was I paying an entry fee for nothing?  And if I did win, would it mean anything to anyone in Hollywood?

There are countless scriptwriting contests listed on the web, and it can be overwhelming to try and determine which programs are reputable and which ones are scams.  Here is a list of scriptwriting contests and programs that are reputable and respected by the industry.

Winning a writing contest or being accepted into a program does not guarantee you a job.  Abby Finer, who formerly co-ran the Warner Bros.Television Writers Workshop recently told me,  "Sometimes it takes a few years, even after graduating from these programs to find writing jobs.  People need to just keep writing new specs and continue to network."

While these programs do not guarantee you will be staffed, they do guarantee you a networking opportunity.  Not only will you develop relationships with fellow writers and instructors, but many of the programs feature guest speakers -- writers and executives currently working in the industry -- take an active interest in the students. 

I recently spoke with Jonathan Prince (creator of The Cleaner; American Dreams) regarding his thoughts on writing contests.  He absolutely encourages writers to apply.  And if your poem or play wins a local award, he recommends you list it on your resume.  For instance, the university I attended held its own version of the Emmy Awards, and I won for best original script.  Though no one reading my resume knew what the award was, they would always ask me about it in interviews, and they were impressed to learn that out of my entire university, my script was recognized.  Anything that makes you stand out is beneficial.

Writing contests are also a great way to test your skills and in some cases, receive feedback.  Finer notes,  "If anyone [who wasn't accepted] ever called me at Warner Bros., I offered to read the broad stroke notes we had written on their material."  These notes can help you determine your strengths as a writer and the areas you need to continue to work on.  

Please be aware, not being accepted does not mean you are a bad writer.  I applied to the Warner Bros. program while I was an executive producer's assistant and before the winners were announced, I was staffed on a show.  Then I received my rejection letter.   

You won't always win, but you have nothing to lose.  And if you are not accepted, apply again the following year.

As far as other online contests go, I have no experience with them.  If you do, please share your experience by emailing HollywoodUniversityBlog@gmail.com.

Lastly, a note on writing programs from Abby Finer: "Please be aware that if you get into these programs, you will need to write fast.  We have no way of knowing how long it actually took you to write the spec you got into the program with (some people spend years), so you need to prove you can write another solid spec AND within a specified time frame."