One thing they teach you in film school is how to market yourself as a professional screenwriter. The good news is that you don’t need to go to film school to implement these same marketing strategies for yourself. There are several ways you can create an online presence and start building an audience that can be a great jumping-off point for your career. We’ve created a list of a few of these strategies so you can start creating your brand today.
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1. Create a Logo
There are a million different sites you can use to create a logo. I’ve used several paid sites to create one in the past, but at this point in my life I prefer to use something simple and free. Canva is a great tool to use if you are going to create your own brand. Not only are most of their templates free to use, they are easy to modify and adjust to your own brand preferences. I can’t say enough good things about this site. I use them for all of my graphic design needs.
-Created with Canva
2. Pick Your Domain Name
Before you build your website you need to buy a domain name. My prefered go-to source for buying domains is GoDaddy . They offer several different services such as website design, web hosting, SSL Security, as well as, domain names.
If you are just building a platform for your portfolio check out GoDaddy Personal Domain. If you have a resume or portfolio you’d like to circulate but don’t have a website, a personal domain is the answer. Because you can send a personal domain to nearly any place online, it’s a perfect solution if you have documents stored in the cloud. Link them to your personal domain to make them easier to find and download.
Your Domain name should be something simple like your first and last name with the .com at the end. Try to keep it as professional and easy to remember as possible. You are going to post this site name on your resume, LinkedIn, and social media accounts.
Examples: JohnSmith.com or JohnSmithportfolio.com or WriterJohnSmith.com
3. Build a Website
Once again, there are so many website you can use to build your own website. I’ve used Wix in the past but I currently use WordPress. I would suggest using something simple to begin with. I know of several other people that have recommended SquareSpace to me in the past. I would do some research into which site would work best for your budget. If you are having trouble designing your own website you can always get help on Fiverr.
Make sure your website represents you professionally, but also shows off your personality. Use your own personal color scheme to represent the tone of the genre you currently work in.
Example: Horror – Reds, Blacks, Grays.
You are essentially building a brand of yourself as a writer of this genre, so make sure you are representing the aesthetic of that genre in the design of your site. Pexels has free photos you can use on your site so that you can ad interesting visuals.
4. What to Put on Your Site
- About Me Page – Write a few paragraphs about your work history and educational background, as well as, why you write what you write. You can give some insight into where you live and your family, or include some of your other hobbies and interests. Make sure you include a professional looking photo on this page. You don’t have to hire a photographer for this, but you can. Just make sure you have a simple background and good lighting.
- Resume Page – You will need to include a writer’s resume. That lists your work experience as a writer, any accolades, as well as your educational background. If you need Resume help Fiverr is a great place to go for quick professional help. On your resume page you can also upload a quick one minute video of yourself explaining who you are as a writer and what your writing goals are for the future. That way people who are interested in you have a chance to see who you are beyond what’s written on your resume.
- Portfolio Page– This page will include your writing samples. Make sure each sample has a photo that represents the story as well as a good logline. On your portfolio page you will need only three writing samples. Each sample only needs to be 3-5 pages. These samples are just showcasing your ability to write a screenplay. Make sure they are polished and have no grammatical errors. Also, make sure you are uploading them to your platform as a PDF, so people can open them with ease.
- Contact Page– Make sure people can contact you easily through this site. Create a professional email address that can be used for business inquiries. Example: JohnSmith@google.com
- Social Media Links – Make it easy for people to find you and connect with you on social media.
5. Market yourself on Social Media
Now that you have a website it’s time to market your brand. Make sure your profile picture and name is the same throughout all platforms so people can find you easier. Also, connect you website so people can find your writing samples.
- Facebook- Create a business page for your brand. You can also join screenwriting groups to socialize with other writers.
- Twitter- There are a lot of industry professionals on Twitter, I use it for networking.
- Instagram- Also great for networking and creating a following.
- TikTok- There are a lot of people in the younger generation who use this platform to market themselves as screenwriters.
- LinkedIn- Make connections and network with professionals here as well.
- Reddit- There are a lot of screenwriters on Reddit you can connect with and get advice from.
6. Coverfly
I apply to most of the screenwriting competitions I enter through Coverfly. Their platform is free to create a profile, but you do have to pay to compete in each competition. Make sure you link your website and social media sites to your profile. Once you start winning or placing in these competitions, industry professionals will start looking at your profile and reading your scripts. They will request to read them through Coverfly. Winning competitions will give you access to producers, agents, and managers. On this site you will also have access to the industry lists. You can see who placed in what competitions, read their loglines, and view their profiles.
Coverfly is a great way to get your scripts read. Most of the competitions also provide feedback for a small fee.
Another similar site , The Black List is also a great way to get industry professionals to read your script. I would wait to join their site until your script is as good as it can get. This site costs $30 a month to host your scripts so make sure they are worth reading.
Whether you are just starting out, or have a few scripts written already, you can use these steps to market yourself as a screenwriter and get your work in front of the right people.
We hope these tips helped, and if you have any other suggestions please leave a comment below.
Thanks,
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