To say the film and television industries have been through a tumultuous time over the past few years is an understatement. The WGA strike of 2023 may seem like an event shrinking into the horizon, but that’s not so.

Coverfly, a popular platform for screenwriters who can post their screenplays, enter and track screenwriting competitions, and build their creative communities, is coming to an end on 1 August 2025. Many screenwriters are understandably upset and confused about what this means to their screenwriting careers.

Many writers see it as the loss of “yet another outlet” for breaking into the industry. Perhaps there are simply too many script hosting platforms and an industry consolidation was inevitable?

Coverfly’s parent company (Backstage/Cast & Crew) had already closed several sister sites (ScreenCraft, WeScreenplay, and The Script Lab) earlier in the year to prune their offerings which competed against each other.

Reactions Within The Screenwriting Community

Reactions to Coverfly’s shutdown have ranged from disappointment to cynical acceptance. On Reddit’s r/Screenwriting (one of the largest online screenwriting communities), many writers expressed genuine dismay. “It was a really convenient way to keep all your contest placements and submissions organized,” one user lamented. For writers outside Hollywood, Coverfly provided a central place to showcase their work and “feel seen” through contest rankings and profile badges.

A key feature of Coverfly is its ability to showcase a writer’s brand and their slate of work. Given that many scripts take a while to reach production, such a platform informs the industry of updated drafts and other projects a writer may be working on to maintain a continuous online presence.

Where Can Screenwriters Go?

With Coverfly on the way out, screenwriters are actively discussing where to pivot next. Online communities have highlighted a few platforms and resources that could fill the void:

• FilmFreeway: This site is a portal for submitting to film festivals and screenwriting contests and keep track of your submissions. It may be the most obvious successor since it is also owned by Coverfly’s parent company.

• International Screenwriters’ Association (ISA): The ISA has been frequently mentioned as a viable alternative, especially on social media. Aside from entering a range of carefully-vetted screenwriting competitions and writing fellowships from its site, ISA offers users a wide variety of resources and services including building your personal writer profile, access to writing gigs/ industry outreach, script feedback, mentoring, workshops, script downloads and in-person networking events.

• The Black List: Not to be confused with the annual list of the best unproduced scripts as rated by Creative Executives, there is a paid script hosting service for screenwriters writers. It bills itself as a platform “dedicated to nurturing written storytelling and empowering writers to maximize their professional potential.”

Platforms like InkTip (where writers can pay to list loglines for producers) or Script Revolution have seen upticks in interest. The overall trend is that no single platform will replace Coverfly. Writers are diversifying across multiple services depending on their goals – competitions, networking, or screenplay exposure.

Business Models/ Costs

Most platforms offer a mix of free and paid services. Users typically build a personal profile, upload scripts, loglines and synopses. They make money via a monthly subscription fee and earning an affiliate commission if users enter contests. There are platforms like VPF which charge users a fee to pitch their ideas to producers – usually a logline and brief synopsis. ISA offers a fremium service where most resources are free, but an ISAConnect Membership offers discounts on competition entries and access to writing gigs where vetted producers post details of their requirements..

Many sites either offer a ranking system for easy producer or writer perusal or a list of “Screenwriters To Watch.” Industry professionals may filter scripts by genre, film or television format, or other criteria.

Film Freeway – $14.99/month to apply to screenwriting competitions, film festivals and even sell tickets to your film
ISAConnect – $10/month to host an unlimited number of scripts. You also get four free competition entries per year.
BlackList – $25/month per screenplay to host

Life Beyond Coverfly

Rather than mourning the end of an era, screenwriters have reasons to celebrate and (re)calibrate. There is no single path to breaking into the industry and staying in. Many writers can’t easily identify the exact moment they transitioned from an “aspiring” to a “professional” writer. Is success defined as the moment you type those pleasant words FADE OUT, when someone expresses an interest in your script, or when you get paid? It all comes down to the right script with the right person at the right time.

Accolades: Laurels and contest placement will almost certainly disappear when Coverfly shuts down. Writers are migrating their wins to their personal websites, social media, and other platforms like ISA. Writers should also consider migrating their progress reports – feedback, notes, script requests, and communications. Some platforms may allow writers to easily transfer their profiles. ISA Connect allows users to “connect” via their profiles. Your next collaborator or industry liaison may well come from there.

Query Letters: A short email with a script title, genre, format and logline is making a comeback. Adding your main laurels adds to your allure. Steer clear of querying though personal email and social media accounts.

Writing: Being a screenwriter is equal parts hustle and equal parts writing. Perhaps reducing the number of online accounts writers need to maintain will allow more space for actual screenwriting? Hopefully, a need to act might inspire writers to do another pass on their scripts before moving on.

Community: Being a screenwriter can be solitary work. Think of your online presence as your favorite cafe where writers can chat about their favorite (or not so favorite) film or television show, ask for advice about anxiety-inducing questions such as how long to wait before following up with a producer, or a craft question. Online platforms also allow writers to congratulate and commiserate.

Industry uncertainty is a fact of life for all creatives no matter how experience. There is life beyond Coverfly, so weigh your options and boldly go forward. It is the end of an era, but not the end of the world.

Being a successful screenwriter doesn’t rest on how many sites you’re registered on. It is based on your own persistent efforts.