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Tips to Ensure Your TV Script Is Read by an Agent

Ryan Ly

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A former partner at Creative Artists Agency, Ryan Ly is a successful television literary agent who now serves as a principal at Curate Entertainment. Responsible for generating millions in annual commissions, Ryan Ly has represented creative talent for popular shows such as Better Call Saul.

If you're an aspiring screenwriter who is attempting to catch an agent’s attention with your script, one of the most important tips is to make your script is easy to read and visually appealing. Script readers receive an avalanche of submissions and spend very little time on each one. In fact, some agents simply flip through the pages to see how the script looks on paper before deciding whether it’s worth a closer look.
Make sure your pages are not weighed down by large blocks of text with complex action or dialogue, as this slows down the reader’s pace and means your script is less likely to be read. Eliminate anything that a viewer cannot hear or see on the screen. Also, cut any fluff about your characters that doesn’t add depth or insight into their inner thoughts. Avoid effusive descriptions that don’t add to the story. Make sure there is meaning conveyed behind any action the character takes.