Screenplay Contests.biz

Welcome to the world of screenplay contests, an arena in which even the first-time writer has the chance to gain recognition, acclaim, and occasionally, that elusive entry into a competitive career of professional screenwriting.  In the pages that follow, you’ll find everything you need to know about screenplay contests—from which screenplay contests are the best for you and why, to what to do once the contest results are in.

Because entering screenplay contests can be just as confusing, frustrating, and fraught with uncertainty as trying to break into the professional screenwriting industry itself, Creative Screenwriting has dedicated these pages to clarifying the process by providing insight into how screenplay contests are run, common mistakes to avoid, and how to make the most of your screenplay contest experience.

We’ll highlight past winners with news and interviews, share excerpts of screenplay contest winning scripts to give you a glimpse of the competition, and provide regular updates to keep you up to date with the latest trends and information. 

Additionally, we’ve added a toolbox full of writer’s reference materials, instructional books and DVDs, and useful links to help hone your writing skills and take your screenplay to the level it needs to be to enter screenplay contests and emerge a winner.

Why Enter A Contest?

Completing a screenplay to the point where you’re comfortable sending it out into the world is an important step in your screenwriting career.  Whether you win or lose, entering a screenplay contest can be a great way to test the waters and see how your script measures up to the competition.

Which Screenplay Contest Should You Enter?

There are all sorts of screenplay contests out there—big screenplay contests, small screenplay contests, and those niche screenplay contests we mentioned.  So which contest should you enter? 

Becoming A Professional (How You Should Enter)

The more professional your screenplay looks, the better a chance it has of advancing.  If you’ve taken the time to write a heartfelt script with wonderful characters, dialogue, and story, but your presentation is sloppy, it’s going to count against you.

Contests and Your Screenwriting Career

Winning a screenplay contest can be a surprisingly strong tool in getting your foot in the industry door.  Contest sponsors want to promote their winners, so make sure you’ve got a solid logline and synopsis of the script ready to go, as well as a concise bio.

Interviews & The First 10 Pages

Contest winners mix with contest coordinators to spill their secrets. Screenwriting contest winners post the first ten pages of their winning screenplays. Study how these winners grab the attention of a reader.

Contest Listings

Comprehensive database of screenplay contests searchable by name, deadline, rating, and cash prize. Creative Screenwriting ranks each contest to help you pick the ones you should enter.

Search Screenplay Contests

To help you find exactly the right contest to suit your needs, we've set up a searchable database.  For a complete list of contests, simply click Search.  If you're looking for contests with specific criteria, use our handy fields, as explained below.  Criteria can be mixed and matched for your convenience.

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