I actually think this is one of the biggest mistakes a lot of writers make - not spending enough time marketing their material. I'm terrible at networking in person but I have optioned and sold several scripts through cold query letters.

I'm someone who whole hardily does NOT believe in the old "write a great script and the rest will take care of itself."

Certainly early on in your writing career you need to spend your time writing, but once you've written 3 or 4 good scripts (which means probably a half dozen or so bad ones) I think you would be wise to spend a solid 25-50% of your time on marketing. I mean why not? If you've got some solid material why not push the hell out of it and get it out there to everyone who will read it?

Ashley at SellingYourScreenplay.com

I think networking works best when it doesn't feel like networking. Most of the writing jobs I've gotten have been through people who are my friends, not because they could get me a job, but because they have a similar creative sensibility and I feel comfortable hanging out with them and thus we became friends. Most of these folks I've met through doing stand up comedy, that's been the path for me, but if you're a writer and not also a performer, it's good to figure out ways to get yourself out into the world. That's why I think taking classes is a good thing, not just for what you can learn, but for the people that you meet who might become your friends and then maybe one day they'll help you get a job, or you'll help them get one.

Also, when I worked on TV writing staffs, I discovered that many of my coworkers started as interns and assistants, that is a great path into the business that I'm sure has already been addressed on this blog.

The one way I've never gotten a job is by going to a so-called networking conference and handing someone my card. Maybe that's worked for others but I'd sooner kill myself then go someplace specifically to "network."

One other thing I've noticed, and this of course is not true in every instance, but I've found that the more talented a person is as a writer, the less talented they are at networking, and if someone is great at networking they're usually a not very good writer. If agents and producers were really interested in finding great talent, they might be well served by looking for the shyest, most socially awkward and miserable looking person in a room and then asking them what they're working on.

@Frank: Your point about assistants is spot on. The current head of TNT/TBS Michael Wright started out as an assistant to CAA agent Jon Levin. The current head of Showtime Robert Greenblatt was an intern at, I believe, 20th Century Fox.

In conjunction with that, the second piece of advice my first agent gave me was "Always treat assistants well... because some day, they're going to be people who can hire you."

Scott, Ashley, Frank Conniff thanks for the advice. :-)

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA