Can I examine your industry contacts?

It's one of the questions we're asked most often, usually by authors who are thinking about working with us: can we see your list of industry contacts? We understand why people ask. But it's not something we share, and we'd like to explain why.

Why we protect our industry relationships

Our relationships with agents, producers and development executives have been built up over years. They trust us because we only bring them projects we think genuinely suit them.

If we passed their details around, we'd:

• damage relationships that took years to build
• swamp busy people with submissions that aren't right for them
• make it harder to help the authors we work with in future
• break the trust that makes introductions possible in the first place

It's the same as your own contacts. You wouldn't hand your friends' phone numbers to someone you'd just met, however nice they seemed.

What we do provide for our clients

When we adapt your book, we help with what comes next too. Depending on your project, we can:

• suggest the kinds of agents and producers who suit your genre
• make introductions when a genuinely good opportunity comes up
• put your script forward when we hear of requests that match it
• advise you on how to approach people yourself

Submission to agents and producers is also available as an optional extra alongside our adaptation service.

We want to be straight with you, though. We can't promise introductions to every client. We look at each project on its own merits, and we only make an introduction when we believe it's a good fit for both sides.

The reality of screenplay representation

Even with a list of names, most agents won't read unsolicited scripts. They're sent far more than they could ever read, so they rely on recommendations, competitions and people they trust to point them towards good work.

That's why the script matters more than the contacts. A strong, professional screenplay is what makes people want to pass your work on.

Building your own industry network

You can build your own connections too, and it's worth doing whether or not you work with us:

• research agents and production companies who work in your genre
• go to film festivals, pitching events and industry talks
• join a professional organisation such as the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
• enter respected screenwriting competitions and open calls
• always follow submission guidelines exactly

It takes time, but people in film and TV notice writers who are professional and persistent. Our guide on how to turn your book into a movie covers these routes in more detail.

Let's talk about your project

If you'd like to know what we could do for your book, the best place to start is a conversation. We'll also adapt a chapter or scene of your choice for free, with no obligation, so you can see our work first. Get in touch to claim your free sample.