How to Sign with a Film & TV Literary Manager
As a literary manager, I constantly field questions from writers about how to get representation. In this 2-part video course, I walk you step-by-step through the process of finding a manager and convincing them to take you on as a client.
Are you a screenwriter who wants a literary manager?
I am a working film/TV literary manager at Cartel Entertainment.
Since 2018, I have regularly spoken on panels, podcasts, and roundtables, answering screenwriters' questions about how to sign with a literary manager.
As someone who receives tons of queries from hopeful writers every day, I can tell you everything about the process from this side of the table, over the course of two 90-minute videos:
- Part 1: Querying, Pitching, and Networking
- Part 2: Meeting, Following Up, and Signing
This insight is essential as you continue your journey towards finding a literary manager of your own.
Who am I?
My name is Audrey Knox. Since 2018, I have signed dozens of writers as clients and rejected thousands more. The writers I have signed have gone on to staff on TV shows including Reasonable Doubt, Ginny & Georgia, P-Valley, The Upshaws, and grown-ish. They have written feature films produced by Lionsgate, Tubi, Lifetime, Hallmark, and they have been hired to write scripts for Wayfarer, Mar Vista, TKO Pictures, Disney, and ABC.
Why is finding a manager so difficult?
Whenever I talk to writers trying to break into this industry, their biggest problem, they tell me, is their inability to get access to managers like me.
But it's actually easier than it's ever been to get in front of agents and managers. You can find email addresses and contact information all over the internet.
So why aren't managers responding to you?
I field queries and outreach from hopeful clients every single day. There is a high bar for attracting the attention of a rep.
But there is a formula, and there are specific things we look for in queries, materials, and potential clients.
The entertainment industry can feel impossible to break into because it's so secretive and unresponsive.
If you are tired of throwing yourself and your scripts into the abyss without making any progress or getting any feedback, what you need is someone to peel back the curtain and give you actionable information about what we are looking for.
This two-part video series will walk you through the querying, meeting, and signing processes step-by-step.
I explicitly lay out what agents and managers want to see from a writer that will make us want to represent you.
Armed with this knowledge, you can tailor your material and strategy to maximize your chances at finding the person who will get you hired as a professional screenwriter.
Who is this for?
You will benefit from this course if any of these describe the current status of your writing career:
- You are confident in your craft and want to learn what concepts and scripts will capture a manager's attention.
- You have won some competitions and are thinking, "Now what?"
- You are ready for representation and want to get your work out there, but you don't know where to start.
- You have spent months (or even years!) sending out queries, but you haven't gotten any responses.
- You keep getting told, "We don't accept unsolicited submissions."
- You briefly engage with agents and managers, but they keep ghosting you, and you don't know why.
- You have had interest from managers, but you have been unable to get them to commit after a meeting.
- You have signed with reps in the past who didn't do anything for you, and you don't want to make that mistake again.
Audrey is phenomenal to work with: full of great advice, provides actionable feedback, and is a brainstorming machine. Not to mention concise and honest without ever talking down. Highly recommend!
- Lisa Garvey
Audrey's an integral part of my creative process and possesses two rare qualities: impeccable taste and a deep understanding of the film & TV marketplace. Her guidance at critical moments has elevated my work and helped my stories resonate with buyers. Scripts Audrey helped me hone consistently receive enthusiastic responses from Producers. Equally important, she's helped me focus on properties that can sell and spared me from years of writing and re-writing projects that aren't right for the marketplace. Audrey's my creative comrade, and I guess she's yours now too!
- Zen Freese (Staff Writer, How we Roll)
Audrey is a unique un-gatekeeper who lets us peek behind the curtain of the juggernaut that is the Hollywood machine. I have been an admirer of her candid LinkedIn posts, where she encourages and guides screenwriters with actionable advice. Ever since I took her webinar, I became a fan. Audrey's examples are current, practical, and concise. She is giving us live information on what is actually going on in the market. You will not get to see this anywhere else. I can't wait to see what she does next!
I signed up for Audrey's webinar hoping I'd learn a thing or two. I walked away with copious notes, new connections, and renewed inspiration to double down on my writing career. If you follow Audrey's newsletter, you already know she offers advice that people can put into action NOW, for both working and aspiring writers. Her webinar provides even more actionable tips. Highly recommend!
Writers searching for reps struggle with these 5 key problems:
Problem #1: Struggling to find reps who are open to reading.
I wish there was an easy-to-access directory of literary managers who are open to unsolicited submissions.
Unfortunately, nothing like that is currently in place, which can make the process of hunting down and reaching out to reps feel daunting. I will give you actionable suggestions for specific places to find agents and managers who will consider you, as well as tips and recommendations for making sure that you're querying the right reps for your level.
With a plan in place, you'll create a list of outreach options and have a blueprint for getting to work.
Problem #2: Unable to get reps to seriously consider you.
This is one of the most common complaints I hear from writers trying to break into Film & TV.
It's true. Many agents and managers don't accept unsolicited submissions. And for those of us that do, the bar for cutting through the clutter is incredibly high. As someone who receives dozens of query letters every day, I can tell you exactly what we are looking for.
I will tell you what information you should include in your query email and what information you should leave out.
Problem #3: No one is responding to your query letter, and you don't know why.
Sending out email after email without getting a response feels devastating.
It's especially difficult to know how to adjust your approach when you aren't getting any real feedback. I will tell you which words work in a subject line and which ones don't.
I will tell you common mistakes writers make in their query emails, so you can avoid them.
Problem #4: Reps keep saying, "This isn't what we're looking for."
It can be frustrating to receive what feels like canned, ambiguous responses to the passion project you have spent years of your life working on.
What do managers mean, exactly, when they say things like this? What does it mean when they "Didn't connect with" a script or a concept? When they say, "It's not for us," how do you know what they're looking for? The trick isn't to match what they're searching for. It's to deliver something so intriguing that they need to read more.
I will tell you what a script and a concept needs to make it what a manager is looking for right now.
Problem #5: Not knowing whether a manager is right for you.
The initial meeting process can be fun and exciting, but signing with an agent or manager is a big commitment.
How do you know if you're getting into a professional relationship with someone who will actually help your career? I will walk you through the different types of managers, different specialties a manager can have, and different management styles that you will come across. I will tell you exactly what to look for in a rep based on your goals, needs, and wants as a writer.
I will tell you what questions to ask them to get this information, and I will tell you what their answers really mean.
Benefits Unlocked:
- Know exactly what literary managers are looking for: in a script and in a writer.
- A winning subject line formula that will make managers open your email.
- A template for your query email that will make managers actually read it.
- An actionable strategy for finding opportunity in your own personal network, even if you don't think you have any entertainment industry connections.
- A step-by-step action plan for reaching out to managers in a strategic way.
- A blueprint for understanding the meeting and signing process, so that you'll never feel confused about where you stand with a rep.
- A list of questions you can and should ask potential managers.
- A list of questions managers will ask you, so you can prepare ahead of time.
- Guidelines for following up and staying in touch that will keep you on a manager's radar without coming across desperate or unprofessional.
- An action plan for becoming your manager's favorite client.
How it Works
You will create an account with Kajabi and receive instant access to both videos, as well as a copy of the Querying Guidebook for Screenwriters and 4 exclusive worksheets.
There will be 2 videos, broken down into modules by topic.
Each section includes 45 minutes of lecture content and 45 minutes of recorded Q&A with writers.
You will also receive a homework assignment in Part 1 designed to jumpstart your search for a manager.
Your purchase gives you instant access to:
- 90 minutes of lecture material directly tailored to your manager search.
- 90 minutes of recorded Q&A with a literary manager.
- Template for writing a query email that managers will actually respond to.
- A homework assignment to keep you on track with your manager search.
- An action plan for reaching out to the right managers for your goals.
- A strategy for using your querying efforts as data to inform your strategy.
- A list of meeting questions and answers to prepare.
- 4 exclusive worksheets.
- Drama and Comedy TV series pitch templates.
- The Query Email Guidebook for Screenwriters
- Written Summary of the takeaways from each Q&A session.
If you're making a mistake in your manager search strategy, you will waste years of your career spinning your wheels without gaining any traction.
The knowledge I'm giving you will finally move you forward.
GET INSTANT ACCESS TO
How to Sign with a Literary Manager
You only get one chance at a first impression. Don't mess yours up.
