FundsforWriters - January 17, 2020 - What Are the Best-Selling Screenplay Genres?

Published: Fri, 01/17/20

Volume 20, Issue 3 | january 17, 2020

Message from the Editor

Just simply becoming known as a writer can open doors. But so many of us are afraid to wrap our arms around the title and own it. We don't think it matters. Or we'd rather people address us through social media, or just read our books.

But when you are seen as a writer, and seen as a writer taking their work seriously, an amazing metamorphosis happens. Other people start taking you seriously, and therefore, your work.

I introduce myself as an author. People are surprised to hear that because so few authors wear the badge. As a result:

1) A local coffee shop owner asked me to proof his post on his new blog. He stocks my books, but by my proofing his material and suggesting blog changes, not to mention dropping in once a week for a caramel latte, he jumps through hoops keeping my books on his shelf.

2) A school board member asked me to run for an upcoming school board election. I said my plate was full with my writing, so he asked if I'd help write speeches and promo material for the ultimate party a group wants to promote. I said absolutely.

3) A local doctor's office is holding a pretty big trivia night as a fundraiser, and one of the staff had heard of my books and approached me about donating a set for a prize. The result is the promotion company putting pictures of my books on social media and referring people to my site and who I am.

4) A town council member met me and spoke about wanting to write a memoir. We talked about the right and wrong ways of doing it, and he jokes about how I almost talked him out of writing it. . . yet he introduces me as Chapin's author.

I can go on and on with such instances. And all it took was writing my books and unabashedly owning the fact I wrote them.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
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EDITOR’S THOUGHTS

BE EAGER TO PLEASE

In today's world where few people are willing to listen to another side of the story and entertain what might be worth gleaning, consider this year NOT being one of those people. Regardless of how wrong you think the other person is, consider being in those other shoes instead of challenging.

Example:

A writer pitched a story to me. I said I'd consider it on spec since she'd never written for me before. She sent the article, and I had to reject it. At FundsforWriters, we have this sweet spot we prefer where a writer includes a lesson, anecdotes, examples, and a link or two. Strong takeaway value. Straight theory and generalizations don't cut it. I explained this to her in the rejection.

The Negative Response:

She accused me of not reading the article. Then she explained what she was trying to say in the article. She negated my comments in the rejection as not being valid.

The Better Response:

Sorry my article did not suit your needs. I would, however, like to rewrite this with more details to see if it would be more to your liking.

The manners would make me instantly say yes to the rewrite, with a disclaimer that I cannot guarantee acceptance, but would be happy to see the topic fleshed out differently.

I'm a sucker for good manners. I believe most editors are.

So the next time you have a bad experience with an editor, an agent, a librarian (yes, they can be bears, too), a venue, a reader, or another writer, stop yourself. Make an effort to make THEIR day better and see where it gets you in your writing profession. You just might be surprised how much good that does for you.

Due to popular request, you'll find autographed versions of The Edisto Island Mysteries at my website, or through the online store.

SUPER SPONSOR WORTH NOTING

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Twenty is led by Emily Stoddard, an affiliate of the Amherst Writers & Artists Method and founder of Voice & Vessel. Learn more and register now.

HOPE'S APPEARANCES

January 21, 2020 - 2:30 PM -Newberry Literary Society, Newberry Library, SC
March 23, 2020 - 7:15 PM - St. Andrews Women's Club, Irmo, SC
April 25, 2020 - 2-5 PM - Palmetto Scribe Event - Irmo Library, Irmo, SC

SUCCESS QUOTE

"Be content to act, and leave the talking to others."

~Baltasar

SUccess Story

Send us your success story, telling us how FundsforWriters made a difference, opened a door, helped you get someplace you wanted to be.

Email [email protected]

What Are the Best-Selling Screenplay Genres?

By Mark Heidelberger

As a screenwriter, working out the crux of your story is a daunting enough task, but let’s rewind even further. How do you determine what genre to work in? After all, this is a crucial component to creating material that Hollywood wants to buy, right? So, how do you know which genres have the best chance of selling? There isn’t some magical way to access this mysterious information, is there? Surely, the film gods keep such knowledge under lock and key!

Actually, there’s good news: this info not only exists, it’s readily accessible if you know where to look. (Drum roll, please.) Ask a sales agent. They deal with film buyers around the world every day and can pass on valuable insights regarding what’s selling and what’s not. You can approach sales agents at film seminars and conferences, during festivals or markets like AFM (American Film Market), via personal contacts, or if all else fails, by cold calling with a plea for guidance. Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of Hollywood sales agents.

Below are six genres that, according to a prominent sales agent I know, have consistently attracted buyers, and with no signs of abating.

Gender-Neutral Action

Action films have a long, battle-tested history of selling well around the world, regardless of territory. Why? Because unlike drama or comedy, action faces no language or cultural barriers. While something that’s funny in the US may not translate in India or Spain or Japan, explosions and car chases elicit the same thrill everywhere. Gender-neutral simply means the story is broad enough to attract both men and women. Think Fast & Furious or Terminator. Oh, and avoid straight martial arts stuff, which is too oversaturated in the market due to its lower budget requirements.

Female-Driven Thriller

The woman-in-peril sub-genre of thriller has generated reliable interest in the television and home entertainment markets thanks to female audiences hungry for strong, relatable women overcoming insurmountable odds, often against an otherwise dominant masculine figure. Enough or Sleeping with the Enemy are prime examples. Lifetime really popularized this type of story with a steady stream of weekly movies that have proven to be ratings gold.

Kids & Animals

W.C. Fields gave birth to the infamous Hollywood trope, “Never work with children or animals.” But as a screenwriter, live-action family films with an adventurous group of young tots or a couple of frisky felines could be a bullseye with a distributor. especially if the animals talk. (Yes, I’m serious.) Think The Sandlot or the Air Bud franchise. It’s the type of G-rated fun parents can show their seven-year-olds without having to do “earmuffs” every five minutes. Moreover, parents tend to spend the extra dough buying rather than renting these films because they expect to watch them over and over.

Disaster

Disaster films have been exciting audiences for decades, reaching a high-water mark in the 1970s with titles like Earthquake and The Towering Inferno. Such stories can be more global in nature like 2012 or local like Dante’s Peak. They can be natural like The Day After Tomorrow or supernatural like Independence Day. And they can skew more dramatic like Deep Impact or be action-oriented like Armageddon. The common thread is simply a larger-than-life existential threat to a defined population.

Female POV Rom-Com

Romantic comedies are perhaps the most successful form of comedy film globally since relationships are universal, making the storylines (and laughs) more accessible to foreign audiences. However, it’s critical to maintain a female point-of-view for greater marketability since the ladies drive this genre’s box office. Think Pretty Woman or How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Buyers point to exit polling data that show women are more likely to invest their time in a story with a relatable protagonist. In other words, it’s something that could happen to them!

Faith-Based

Many distributors note that this heavily overlooked genre is among the most profitable due to the fact that such films have rabidly loyal audiences, little marketplace competition, and can often be produced for extremely low budgets. Films like Fireproof and God’s Not Dead generated gross revenues that multiplied their production costs many times over and, in the latter’s case, spawned a couple of sequels that were equally successful. Such films don’t have to be overtly religious as long as they’re centered around a moral or message rooted in the Judeo-Christian ethic.

BIO - Mark Heidelberger co-founded Beverly Hills-based Treasure Entertainment in 2000, serving as a film executive, producer, and literary manager until 2011 before going freelance. He has produced music videos for artists Janelle Monae, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and John Michael Montgomery as well as commercials for Lamborghini, Con Air and Cox Media, to name a few. Film and TV credits include Harsh Times, Comfort, Ninja Apocalypse, It's Not You It's Me, Pray for Rain and Hallmark Channel's You've Got a Friend. Often times, he also performs ghostwriting services on screenplays in addition to his producing duties. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America. He holds a BA in Film Studies from UCSB and an MFA in Producing from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, and Television.

COmpetitions

DARLING AXE FLASH FICTION CONTEST
https://darlingaxe.com/pages/axe-to-grind
$5 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2020. Tell us a story in fewer than 1,000 words for a chance to win from a growing prize pool, plus publication on the Chopping Blog. Each entry contributes to the prize, so once we hit 40 entries, the prize pool starts to spill over and trickle down! Here's how this will work:

Up to 40 entries: $200 for first prize
At 60 entries: $200 for first prize, $100 for second prize
At 70 entries: $200 for first, $100 for second, $50 for third
Above 70: first place continues to increase – no limit!

THE COSMOS PRIZE
https://firstfandomexperience.wpcomstaging.com/writing-contest-500-in-prizes/
NO ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2020. Cosmos was an ambitious serial novel orchestrated by the staff of Science Fiction Digest (later Fantasy Magazine) beginning in June 1933. The story of Cosmos spanned 17 chapters written by 16 different authors. Raymond A. Palmer drafted the plot outline and coordinated the work of the writers. The young fanzine editor was able to convince many of the prominent professionals of the day to participate. As you can imagine, making this all work was a major challenge. The results — not surprisingly — are a bit of a hash. Still, Cosmos represents an iconic event in the early history of science fiction fandom and deserves remembering. Even more than remembering, Cosmos deserves a better ending than it got. In this writer’s humble opinion, the final chapter utterly failed to capitalize on the potential of the installments that preceded it. Penned by no-less an esteemed professional as Edmond Hamilton, the concluding Chapter 17 — Armageddon in Space — seemed to ignore much of what came before. This has always bothered me. The Cosmos Prize is our attempt to right (or re-write) an historic tragedy. First Fandom Experience will award prizes, both cash and merchandise, to selected writers who submit alternative versions of Chapter 17 of Cosmos. One Grand Prize consisting of $300, as well as copies of FFE’s publications: The Visual History of Science Fiction Fandom, Volume One: The 1930s; The Complete Science Fiction Digest and Fantasy Magazine, a three-volume set including Cosmos. One Second Prize consisting of $100, as well as a copy of FFE’s publication. Two Third Prizes, each consisting of $50, as well as FFE’s publication. All prize winners will also receive an FFE T-shirt and lapel pin.

BEDTIME PICTURE BOOK CONTEST
https://instituteforwriters.lpages.co/icl-bedtime-picture-book-contest/
$19 ENTRY FEE. Deadline March 31, 2020. Use your imagination to craft a picture book manuscript aimed at children ages four to eight. Manuscripts must be previously unpublished and 500 words or less. First prize $1,000. Second prize $200. Third prize $100. All entrants are invited to a FREE instructional online workshop with our esteemed judge and the Director of the Institute of Children's Literature and Institute for Writers. Winning entries will be workshopped by our judge to help writers understand what worked and what could be improved to make it submission-ready.

MACARON PRIZE - FICTION, NONFICTION, POETRY, CARTOON
https://cagibilit.submittable.com/submit/152327/macaron-prize-2020-fiction-nonfiction-poetry-cartoon
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 20, 2020. One winner in each category of the 2020 Macaron Prize will receive $1,000 and publication in Cagibi's 2020 print issue. Finalists will also be published in the print issue. Fiction: One story, 4,000 words maximum. Poetry: Up to three poems. Place your poems in one document. Nonfiction: One personal narrative nonfiction essay, 4,000 words maximum. Cartoon: One single-panel cartoon or a comic strip or other series of interrelated panels.

THE GHOST STORY FLASH FICTION CONTEST
http://www.theghoststory.com/flash-fiction-competition
$10 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. Each year TGS will award $500 and both print and online publication to the first-place winner of our Screw Turn Flash Fiction Competition. In addition, two honorable mention winners will receive $100 each, as well as publication online, and in our paperbound anthology, 21st Century Ghost Stories—Volume II. We are currently accepting flash fiction pieces of between 250 and 1,000 words. We’re seeking the finest work we can find that incorporates an uncanny element. Ghost stories are welcome, of course, but your submission may involve any paranormal or supernatural theme, as well as magic realism.

CHESTNUT REVIEW POETRY CHAPBOOK CONTEST
https://chestnutreview.com/contests/
$15 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. Poetry only (no images or other media). Length: 25-30 pages of poetry. The winner will receive $500 and 20 copies of their chapbook. The winning chapbook will be advertised in the CHESTNUT REVIEW and featured for sale on our website. The winning author will be interviewed in a feature in the October 2020 issue of CHESTNUT REVIEW. We reserve the right to offer to publish additional authors who submit manuscripts without awarding a prize.

AFTER DINNER CONVERSATION SHORT STORY CONTEST
https://www.afterdinnerconversation.com/contests-1
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 24, 2020. First prize $250, publication, and promotion. Possible podcast. Three honorable mentions considered for publication and promotion. Your writing can be any genre and from any perspective. The important thing is that it spurs discussions and requires the reader to expand their mind. Children’s Stories: Under 1,500 words. Young Adult: Under 5,000 words. Adult: 1,500-10,000 words.

THE BIG MOOSE PRIZE
https://blacklawrencepress.submittable.com/submit
$25 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel.

HUDSON PRIZE FICTION AND POETRY
https://blacklawrencepress.submittable.com/submit
$20 ENTRY FEE. Deadline January 31, 2020. The winner of this contest for an unpublished collection of poems or short stories will receive book publication, a $1,000 award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes awarded on publication. Manuscripts should be 45-95 pages in length (poetry) or 120-280 pages in length (fiction).

GRANTS / FELLOWSHIPS / CROWDFUNDING

VISION MAKER MEDIA SHORT FILM PRODUCTION FELLOWSHIP
https://visionmakermedia.slideroom.com/#/login/program/52848
Deadline March 1, 2020. Vision Maker Media (VMM) invites proposals for fiction and nonfiction shorts by and about American Indians and Alaska Natives for production funding award of $25,000. Selected Fellows will have access to tools, training, mentorship and communal support for becoming a successful filmmaker. Topics include tribal cultures and values, Indigenous histories and modern experiences, environmental and social justice, youth and elders and empowerment. The call is open to short documentaries, narratives, nonfiction, experimental and animation. Applicants must hold artistic, budgetary and editorial control and own the copyright of the proposed Project. Applicants must be 21 years of age and a U.S. citizen or legal resident of the United States or its territories.

GARRETT SCOTT DOCUMENTARY DEVELOPMENT GRANT
https://www.fullframefest.org/submit/garrett-scott-grant/
Deadline February 3, 2020. The Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant funds first-time documentary directors for travel and accommodations to attend the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, April 2-5, 2020. For four days, grant recipients will be given access to films, discussions, and mentorship by experienced filmmakers. Recipients will also present short excerpts from their works-in-progress at the festival. Two filmmakers will be chosen for the grant in its fourteenth year. Applicants must be American, first-time filmmakers, living in the United States, who are 18 or older.

IOWA ARTS FELLOWSHIP
https://iowaculture.gov/about-us/about/grants/iowa-artist-fellowship-program
Deadline March 15, 2020. The Artist Fellowship Program provides support to artists who demonstrate exceptional creativity and the capacity to contribute to the innovation and elevation of the arts in Iowa. Pays $10,000 and offers professional development.

RESEARCH GRANT FOR AUTHORS WRITING ABOUT IOWA
https://iowaculture.gov/about-us/about/grants/research-grant-authors
Deadline April 15, 2020. Apply for a grant to support historical research and interpretive writing on a topic related to Iowa history. Preference is given to proposals that pursue neglected topics or new approaches to other topics. If awarded a grant, you will also produce an annotated manuscript for the Annals of Iowa scholarly journal.

MARTHA'S VINEYARD INSTITUTE OF CREATIVE WRITING
https://www.mvicw.com/fellowships
MVICW is committed to providing financial support to writers through our fellowship program. Our fellowships offer educators, writers of color, parent-writers, and authors/poets with financial need the opportunity to attend our Summer Writers’ Conference every year. Through generous donations, we are able to offer a wide range of full and partial tuition/lodging fellowships. Deadline varies per fellowship.

FREELANCE MARKETS

CHICKEN SOUP: THE MAGIC OF DOGS
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline January 31, 2020. Our dogs make us smile and laugh every day, but sometimes they really outdo themselves and do something magical. Tell us about the magic your dog created, what he taught you, how she made you smile and then laugh out loud. Pays $200 and ten copies for up to 1,200 words.

SEEING PROFESSIONALS WHO LOVE TO FREELANCE
CONTACT Tracey Ivey / T[email protected]
Assistant Project Manager / Colibri Group
Colibri Group is a family of brands (Elite & McKissock) that provide learning solutions for licensed professionals across multiple industries, including Land Surveying, Home Inspection, Personal Care and many more. We are currently seeking licensed professionals with a background from the following fields: Cosmetologists, Estheticians, Barbers, Nail Technicians, Manicurists, Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Home Inspectors. We would like these professionals to join our Curriculum Development Team as an author. Please note, this is a remote, contractor position, and a contract for this project must be signed. The writer must have an active license in one of these fields. The writer will be given guidelines and must comply with all copyright protection rules. The writer must use APA documentation model and writing style while citing accurate references. The writer will be required to write measurable and relevant learning objectives. The writer must provide multiple choice questions. (The number of questions is determined by credit hours). One credit hour consists of 6,000 words.

CHICKEN SOUP: BE YOU
http://www.chickensoup.com
Deadline January 31, 2020. 101 Stories of Affirmation, Determination and Female Empowerment. Women have diverse voices, aspirations, interests and individual definitions of beauty. However, no matter where women find themselves, their journeys are unique and full of purpose. We are looking for your true stories on how you are living your best life, building quality relationships, and living well even while overcoming challenges, to be the best version of YOU. You will receive a check for $200 and ten free copies of your book. Limit 1,200 words.

Publishers/agents

THREE ROOMS PRESS
http://threeroomspress.com/submit/
We are particularly interested in seeing the following with word counts of 65,000+:

Fiction:
Diverse characters, settings, and writers across all genres
Mystery fiction with strong female protagonists
Cyberpunk/technopunk-themed novels

Nonfiction:
Biography/autobiography of spectacular women
Memoirs that tell stories we haven’t heard before, LGBTQ+ memoirs
Recordings of oral history and memoirs of music scenes

YA:
Imaginative LGBTQ+ YA with innovative plots, especially exploring friendships, mysteries, coming-of-age
Fully-realized casts of characters, including female, LGBTQ+, and underrepresented leads
Diversely populated worlds, perhaps with speculative elements to explore

BLINK
https://www.blinkpublishing.co.uk/submissions
Blink Publishing is the adult nonfiction imprint of Bonnier Books UK. Nonfiction includes memoir. Submissions can be sent to [email protected]. Please attach the first three chapters of your book, and no more than a one-page synopsis. In the body of your email, please include all relevant information about yourself.

TARTARUS PRESS
http://www.tartaruspress.com/submissions.html
We are looking for short story collections and novels between 75,000 and 120,000 words. We would like to receive literary strange/supernatural fiction. We are not interested in high fantasy, violent horror, or young adult fiction. If you write within a traditional genre such as vampire or ghost fiction then please make sure that the more clichéd trappings of your genre are, at best, a very marginal part of your work. Please note, we do not publish teen, children's or young adult fiction.

PINATA BOOKS
https://artepublicopress.com/submissions/
Piñata Books is Arte Público Press’ imprint for children’s and young adult literature. It seeks to authentically and realistically portray themes, characters and customs unique to US Hispanic culture.

KAYA PRESS
https://kaya.com/about/
Kaya Press is a group of dedicated writers, artists, readers, and lovers of books working together to publish the most challenging, thoughtful, and provocative literature being produced throughout the Asian and Pacific Island diasporas.

BLACK LAWRENCE PRESS
https://blacklawrencepress.com/
During our June and November open reading periods, we accept submissions in the following categories: novel, novella, short story collection (full-length and chapbook), poetry (full-length and chapbook), biography & cultural studies, translation (from the German), and creative nonfiction. We also enthusiastically accept hybrid submissions.