Many writers ask why and how Publishers, Agents and Films works, and how they can know if it will work for them.
Publishers, Agents and Films works very well – and has worked well for nearly 12 years, originally as Publishing and Agents – because it helps to directly connect writers to publishers, literary agents, film producers, production companies, film agents and managers, and others in the publishing and film industries. In effect, the service streamlines the process of making this connection by using special software, so the letter comes from each writer’s own email and is sent directly to the particular contact by name. Plus the service helps writers write a good pitch letter, which ironically, many writers can’t do, because this is a marketing letter, and they are doing a different type of writing.
Sometimes writers ask, why can’t I do this myself? Well, if you want to take the time and effort, you can. But it might take you 20 to 40 hours to obtain the industry information to create the database Publishers, Agents and Films has put together from industry sources and doing mailings to test whether the emails are still viable and if the publishing and film professionals are open to contacts from writers. In addition, unless you have purchased your own software or subscription, you have to do these mailings individually to each contact in your mailing, which can take hours. Plus, you have to purchase the directories and industry sources Publishers, Agents and Films obtains to create its databases – which can cost you several hundred dollars. But Publishing, Agents and Films already has created these databases with thousands of contacts, and it has special software so it appears that the email comes directly from each writer. At the same time, each contact is addressed personally, rather than the query appearing like a generic pitch.
Another thing Publishers, Agents and Films does that makes the service successful is that an editor reviews every letter that goes out to make sure it is effective – or the service arranges for a skilled writer to write the letter. Often writers think they can write their own letter; after all, they are a writer. But they commonly make many mistakes – from errors to formatting to not writing a clear, persuasive letter. For example, they don’t include a subject line or their subject line is too vague, general, or filled with sales hype. They provide too much detail about their book, script, or themselves, rather than making their letter short and to the point. Or they don’t provide enough detail, so their description of their book or script is too vague and general, like their subject line. And on and on. So a Publishers, Agents and Films editor reviews every letter, makes some minor editing fixes or tells the writer what to do to create an effective letter. Or they write a good letter for the client.
The effectiveness of this approach is shown by the company’s long history as a business and by the many testimonials it has gotten from writers and others. Even agents have used the company for their clients, and its clients have included a famous director, the grandson of a famous novelist, and many writers who have published multiples books before and are now looking for a new publisher or agent.
As a business, the company’s history goes back to December 2003, when it was first founded, and the first test of the database led to the founder’s own sale of a book to Random House: DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR DOG?, which led to numerous reviews and guest appearances, including on Good Morning America. The company was also featured in articles in The Wall Street Journal and The Contra Costa Times, soon after its founding, and it has sent out letters for over 1000 clients, and it has featured over 260 testimonials to the effectiveness of the service on its website. For a time, the founder worked as a consultant and writer when the company was taken over for five years by new owners, and now Publishers, Agents and Films is a successor to this business with the founder as a partner. Under this new ownership, since January 2014, about half of the clients have found agents or publishing deals, and about a dozen of these recent testimonials are featured on the site.
Thus, Publishers, Agents and Films has a proven track record of success.
Another question frequently asked by writers is whether an equerry by the service will work for them; are there any guarantees? That is a question that can’t be answered until the writer sends out a query, because the writer’s success will ultimately depend on the manuscript or script, and not everyone will be successful in the very competitive fields of publishing and film production. So there can’t be any guarantees, because there is no way to know what the result will be in a particular case. On average, though, writers get about 10-30 requests for more information on their book or script, and then about a third of these writers do find agents or publishing deals. In some cases, writers can build up their ability to interest a publisher in their current or next book by self-publishing to build a platform for sales, speaking, and media interest. And Publishers, Agents and Films can help a writer with self-publishing and PR, too.
In sum, Publishers, Agents and Films has a proven ability to help connect writers with publishers, agents, and the film industry, and these connections have led to many success stories, including a few six figure deals for some writers. Given the competitiveness nature of the business, an equery can’t work for every writer. But most writers do get a request from the recipients of their mailings to learn more, and about a third ultimately find agents or get publishing deals – which is a much higher rate of success than for the industry as a whole, since agents, publishers, producers, and production companies get thousands of submissions for the few books or scripts they accept. At the very least, the Publishing Connection streamlines the connection process, so writers can more quickly and efficiently send out their queries and get responses from several hundred or a few thousand contacts in the publishing and film industries.
For more information, you can contact Publishers, Agents, and Films at www.publishersagentsandfilms.com . You can email publishersagents2@yahoo.com, or call (925) 385-0608.
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Gini Graham Scott, PhD, is the author of over 50 books with major publishers, including two on the film industry: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO WRITING, PRODUCING, AND DIRECTING A LOW-BUDGET SHORT FILM and FINDING FUNDS FOR YOUR FILM OR TV PROJECT, both published by Hal Leonard. She has written and produced over 50 short films, has written 15 scripts for features, has three other films in preproduction, and has one feature film she wrote and executive produced in post-production for release in November 2014. She also writes scripts for clients, and has several film industry Meetup groups which have meetings to discuss members’ films. She is the Creative Director of Publishers, Agents and Films.