Let’s face it—talking about your own work can feel just as awkward as showing someone your eighth-grade yearbook photo. (You know the one. With the braces and the unfortunate haircut.) But here’s the deal: people can’t read your brilliant screenplay or novel if they don’t know it exists.
So how do you promote your work without feeling like a walking billboard or a pushy used car salesperson in a tweed blazer?
Welcome to the first installment of Building Buzz a playful peek at ways to share your writing without losing your soul.
🎥 Screening Room
Got a screenplay or teleplay you’re proud of? Consider posting an excerpt—or even the full thing—as a writing sample on your website. That way, when someone Googles you (agents, producers, curious fans… your mom), they can read your work with the click of a button.
I know one writer who landed their first staffing gig because they had their script up and ready to read. No password. No hoops. Just “click here, be amazed.”
💡Pro Tip: Don’t just plop the PDF on your site with no context. Introduce it with your cocktail pitch that makes people lean in and say, “Ooooh, tell me more.”
🖼 Make a Poster: Make a fun movie poster to go with your script. A picture is worth a thousand words!
🔐Protect Your Pages: Before you unleash your words on the internet, make sure they’re protected. You can:
- Register your screenplay with the WGA for just $25 - even if you’re not a member.
- Copyright it with the Library of Congress for $65.
📖 Book Nook
Let’s make it ridiculously easy for people to buy your book. Enter: the Universal Book Link (UBL). Think of it as a one-link-to-rule-them-all situation. A UBL takes readers to a landing page (one page website) where they can choose their favorite bookstore.
Because here’s the thing:
- I’m a Kindle-for-life kinda gal.
- Some folks are ride-or-die Apple Books users.
- Others want to support indie bookstores through Bookshop.org.
- And your superfans? They’ll want to buy directly from you to cheer you on.
💡Here’s my own UBL for How to Turn Your Screenplay Into a Novel so you can see what I mean.
🛠️ UBL Services I Love:
- BookFunnel – I use their UBL ($20/year), and here’s why I like it: they let readers buy directly from me before showing other store options. Bonus: they also deliver ebooks, audiobooks, and run author promotions.
- Draft2Digital's Books2Read – Free and open to everyone. Even if you don’t distribute through D2D, you can use this handy tool. One caveat: if you sell books on your own website, Books2Read won’t highlight that option—you can list the link, but it doesn’t say “buy directly from the author.”
- Genius Link – Offers free and paid versions. Great for savvy link wranglers who want to customize every click.
🤑Affiliate Pro Tip: Use affiliate links for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retailers wherever you can. That way, you earn a little extra with every sale—even if it’s just a few coins jingling in your virtual tip jar.
More fun tips coming soon. For now, go forth and share your stories with confidence and flair!
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This week I'm on the Native Tongues podcast! Listen to me talk about writing, life in Hollywood, and my search for the perfect ground beef taco.
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