Tips for Screenplay Writing Contests

Many screenplay writing contests are worth their weight in gold because they can lead to contracts with agents or producers. Of course, you'll need to put your best foot forward, so here are a few tips.

1- Have Your Screenplay Edited

Screenplay writing contests tend to have higher entry fees than other types of contests, so make sure you're entry is worth the price you have to pay to enter. If you have your screenplay edited by a professional, you can be assured that you didn't miss any serious mistakes and your chances of winning improve greatly. An editor can give you suggestions for improving the manuscript as well as pointers for format and layout. Just make sure that you choose an editor who specializes in screenplays so that your money is well spent.

2- Submit Early in the Contest

Many screenplay writing contests have strict entry guidelines that provide a small window of time for submission. If you get your submission in early, you avoid the possibility of forgetting altogether and therefore losing out on potential prize money. This is also a benefit if part of the contest is based on reader feedback, such as in some of the Writer's Digest competitions. The longer your screenplay is posted, the more it will be viewed and credited for approval.

3- Be Careful with Jokes

According to Gordy Hoffman, a renowned screenplay writing contest judge, one of the worst mistakes a beginning screenplay writer can make is writing jokes that aren't funny. If you make an attempt to get some laughs and it falls flat, you've pretty much lost your chances of winning the contest. Have someone else read it first, and if the jokes don't elicit plenty of laughter, remove them from your screenplay altogether.

4- Read Your Screenplay Aloud

There is pretty much general consensus in the screenplay writing industry that dialogue sounds much different when read aloud than it does when read silently to oneself. To avoid potential calamity with your writing contest, read the dialogue aloud or ask friends and family members to act it out for you. You might discover that the dialogue is lacking, which will initiate a positive change.

5- Correct Your Spelling

Many writers think that just because they are writing a screenplay and not a novel or short story, they don't have to worry about the little things, like spelling words correctly. This isn't the case and your screenplay will go to the bottom of the pile if you've misspelled three words on the first page. Check your spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting before you enter a screenplay writing contest.

6- Cut the Action Slug

In some writing genres, more is better, but not when entering screenplay writing contests. Screenplays should give as little direction as possible and the description should be completed in very few words. If you have six inches of action slug on every page, you might want to rework it until you can say the same thing more concisely. Furthermore, you can leave certain aspects of the setting -- such as clothing -- to the costume and set designers.