how can i get short stories/scripts published or looked at?

Question

our 8 year old daughter has written a few short stories and also a script for SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. We where wondering if we could send them to someone to peruse . or if someone could put us in touch with someone local we are in scotland .the stories are amazing i am not just saying that because she is our daughter but it would be a shame to just leave them many thanks

Answer 1

I believe most television shows (as well as movie studios) would require you to submit queries and scripts through an agent.

You could always pick up a copy of The Writer's Market to find out which magazines and publishers would accept unagented submissions. That guide tells you everything you need to know about submitting to each publisher/magazine.

Answer 2

There are very few TV shows that take unsolicated scripts, Star Trek being the notable exception. I don't know for sure how you would find out if they take unsolicated scripts, but finding out which company owns the property would be a start.

Simply writing the script does not violate copyrights, as long as your daughter doesn't try to sell or distribute the work. If it stays within your own house, then that isn't an issue. But trying to get someone to publish a story based on someone else's character is a legal quagmire.

Writer's Market is a great resource for that, but as I remember it focuses on U.S. Agents.

One of the best places to start if you don't really understand the process of publishing a book or story is the Idiot's Guide and For Dummies series. While their information is not complete, and they should never be your only resource, they do let you get an idea of how it all works and where to start. From there you can look up websites and also figure out how to keep an eye out for scams.

Answer 3

You cannot take the copyrighted work of the author and have your daughter use it to write a script based on Spongebob Squarepants.

You and your attorney should contact the attorney for the author of SpongeBobSquare pants before you get involved in a lawsuit. Your 8-year cannot write stories based on copyrighted and published work of the writer.

Copyright infringement is serious. Consult an attorney.
Perhaps someone on here can enlighten you on the legality of what you and your daughter are trying to do.