So you’ve finished your screenplay and you want to sell it. PUMP THE BRAKES! There is a question that you must ask yourself before you attempt to sell your screenplay. That question is, “why should anybody buy your screenplay?”
The very idea of buying anything is based on the premise that something has value. What makes your screenplay valuable? A good story is a dime a dozen. What screenwriters don’t realize is that selling their screenplay has more to do with what they’re doing to market their screenplay. Here are 5 ways to sell your screenplay.
1. Start a Magazine
Take your script and make a magazine out of it. It doesn’t have to look exactly like Rave Scripts but it has to feature your writing to build a following for your screenplay. How does this help you sell your screenplay? Well, Hollywood likes money. They stand a better chance of making more money from intellectual properties that already have huge followings than properties that don’t.
2. Be a Youtuber
Your youtube channel doesn’t have to be about your writing 100% of the time. It doesn’t hurt to be diverse in the topics that you discuss, but make sure to draw viewers to your screenplay in some type of way. Ever wonder why people buy expensive products from celebrities? The people that buy those products aren’t interested in the product alone. They’re interested in the person that’s selling it. If they like you, they might be willing to invest time or money on whatever you’re selling. YouTube is a great way to not only build a following for your product but also a following for yourself. Think of yourself as a brand that you’re trying to market.
3. Use Instagram to Promote Your Screenplay
Check out www.instagram.com/ravescripts. If you scroll through the pictures, you’ll find some posts that feature some dialogue from a few of my scripts. Instagram is a great way to promote your screenplays and tease some of them at the same time giving people some of the best lines. Think of it like a trailer but without the visual.
4. Create Merchandise for Screenplays
A great way to market your screenplays is to create merchandise for it. Whether it’s toys, shirts, hats, puzzles, there are multiple things you can create to market your screenplays. If you choose to go the toy route, there are indie toy creators that can help lend a hand towards creating your toy. Creating merchandise helps familiarize people with the property that you’re trying to promote. If they’re not interested in the story, they might be interested in the merchandise that is based off the story.
5. Start a Podcast
Starting a podcast works in the same way a youtube channel does. The idea is to get people to like you first in order to get them interested in what you created. I imagine most screenwriters are more introverted than extroverted. A podcast allows you to hide your ugly mug (kidding) and speak about various topics in anonymity. Throw in plugs for your work to draw listeners to your screenplay.
These are all great ways that can help you build value for your screenplay that can greatly increase your chances of selling it.
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