Coverage Ink's Writers on the Storm Screenplay Competition - Open for entries

Happy Friday all!  If you can’t tell by my recent short posts I’ve actually been kinda busy...just writing my stuff and not writing because I've been helping some awesome people I know with their webseries (more on that in a few weeks).  Oh, and there was also that last twenty four hours I spent awake to watch the Royal Wedding (kidding, but I must admit I did DVR it).

Anyway, saw this listing for a new writing contest I hadn’t heard of (you know I’m wild about contests) and thought I'd pass along:

Coverage Ink’s Writers on the Storm Screenplay Competition

Hooray for contests!

With so many contests out there, it’s hard to know what's a waste of time or money and what might actually be useful (especially since many contests, including this one, have crazy websites so full of ads for screenwriting stuff it's hard to see the links you need to read about the actual contest).

However, once I got past all that, a few things about this contest really appealed/jumped out at me and made it seem like a good thing to pass along:

1. High placing entries signed with agents/managers.

There's a whole interview with the runner up whose entry last year got him signed by UTA...not too shabby, and it seems like the contest gave him good guidance.

2. Major/reputable companies have agreed to read entries.

The contest has an impressive list of companies who have agreed to read top placing entries (including UTA, ICM, Gersh, Management 360, Gotham Group, and Untitled Ent.).  The contest seems to focus on getting the scripts read by managers more than agents, which is cool.  As they point out on their site, it’s managers who are looking for new talent to nurture and develop while agents…not as much…but you already knew that agents only really want to step in when it’s time to make money.

3. Every entry gets feedback

Yes, there is an entry fee for the contest ($40 if you enter from now till 6/1, $45 from 6/2-7/11, and $60 from 7/12-7/31) not unusual for most writing contests (readers gotta get paid…and frankly $40 is on the low end for many contests) but one cool thing is that every entry will get feedback (not like full in depth coverage, just a taste of it).  So, even if you don’t win/advance, you get SOMETHING back for your money (which is more than most contests promise).  The site also offers you the chance to pay for coverage services before the contest (so you can “get your script ready” and if you do that you can enter the contest for free).  Didn’t check the rates on that, but I imagine it’s quite a bit more…maybe not a bad idea if you feel like you don’t know anyone who can give you good feedback.

4. $10,000 top prize

Yeah, this is cool, but it's lower on the totem pole for me.  Most contests like to lead with this, and hey, who wouldn’t want to win $10,000 in a contest?  In the end, getting signed by an agent/manager is probably more important to most baby writers, but as someone who enjoys spending my time writing and not working a non-writing related job, money is always nice.