Was the writing process different for you when you were creating Series 2 of The Responder?

Do you know what? It wasn’t. I was expecting it to be, and everyone talks about the difficult second album syndrome, but I think I’m just too stupid to get stressed about it! So it was literally just ‘Do It Again’ – I went into a room and did it again.

Do you have a favourite scene or moment across the two series?

I always say this, and people must be sick of listening to it, but it’s still by far and away my favourite scene, which is in episode 1. It’s Chris (Martin Freeman) and Marco (Josh Finan) in the police car driving along.

One, I love it because it’s beautifully shot. It’s in the dark. It sums up what being a copper is so much about which is you and the person you’ve arrested or the person you’re with and that small fish-tank environment. I love that and I love that they captured that so beautifully, the director . It was the first scene that I wrote and it was me talking to me. I wrote it as an exercise which was me being a copper later in life and me being a scally earlier in life sitting in the back of a car. So it’s very much a conversation between me and me. It’s by far and away my favourite scene.

Were there any new themes that you wanted to explore or existing ones that you wanted to build on with Series 2?

The themes that I wanted to explore and expand upon that were important to me were relationships and love. I think every show – literally every show from right the way up to something like is about love and relationships. It’s the whole thing for me. The Responder is not a crime show, it’s a show about those issues. For me, being a father of a two-and-a-half-year-old I was really interested in Chris’s struggle with being a good Dad and holding that in relation to his struggle with how his own Dad wasn’t a good Dad. It’s about his fears about that and his fears about carrying that mark on him. He’s terrified that he’s going to pass those bad things onto his daughter. Those were the themes that I really wanted to look at – fatherhood, love and relationships. To me those are the most important things.

What do you think made The Responder resonate with people?

I’m still coming to terms with the fact that it did resonate with people! It resonated all around the world. I’m still getting stopped by people who want to talk about series one. It kind of caught fire and took off. I think because everyone was expecting it to be one thing and it turned out that it wasn’t. Everyone thought it was going to be Line of Duty (and I love Line of Duty) but it’s not Line of Duty. And everyone thought if it wasn’t that then it would be something like from years ago, and it wasn’t that either. It’s just a programme about people and I think people are interested in people, so it can only be that.

How important is Liverpool as the setting and what does that bring to the story?

It was massively important to me, if only because the way that I wrote it was very much using the rhythms of speech and the people. The people in the show are almost real, well they are real to me, but they’re almost real. I’ve literally just been chatting to someone who could have been in the show. It was very important to me that I got those people in the show and also I love this city, it means a lot to me. It’s nice to do something in your hometown. I think as well, it gives it an identity that maybe it wouldn’t have had if it was set in, I don’t know… Hemel Hempstead. I might write that show next!

What is it about police dramas that makes them so rich for storytelling?

When I was a copper, very very early on in my career a bobby said to me that we’re never going to knock on someone’s door and tell them they’ve won the lottery. You are only ever dealing with strong emotions and dark emotions. It’s very rare that you just have a bland, boring day. Everything is always very heightened. The minute that you heighten life then any kind of drama that you’re writing about it is exaggerated again and heightened further. It’s just fertile ground for plucking stories out (do you pluck things out of fertile ground?) It’s perfect for it. Big emotions – that’s what you want in a drama.

How did your writing journey start?

A very long time ago… it’s like ‘Once Upon a Time Tony wanted to be a writer…’ When I was a kid, I really wanted to be a writer and used to love writing stories at school. The only class I was interested in was English, that was all I wanted to do. But I failed my English exam and I thought that was it, “Oh well, never going to be a writer”. Thirty-odd years later I’m driving a cab after having a nervous breakdown and quitting the police and a lady got in the cab and said to me that she was the editor of a magazine. I said to her "I’m a writer". I don’t know why I said it, but I just said it. Now I look back and I think that I wasn’t lying really, I’d always been a writer but just hadn’t written anything. Hopefully that’s been born out after three novels and The Responder. She told me to send her some stuff, so I had to go away and start writing again. It was like someone just took the finger out of the dam and suddenly all this stuff flowed out of me. I was a writer, there was a thirty-year hiatus and then suddenly I was a writer again. I think I’m almost qualified to say now that’s what I am.

How important is life experience to your writing?

I think for me it’s very important. For my writing it’s very important. But I do sort of take umbrage with people when they say “ah well you’ve got all that life experience, someone who is twenty-one hasn’t got that life experience”. But they’ve probably just got a better imagination that I have. I don’t think life experience is important for everyone. I don’t believe in write what you know, I believe in write what you can imagine. I think people should just enjoy writing. You shouldn’t wait to start writing.

How do you create compelling characters?

I don’t know! I hope I just do it. I think what I do is not just to write a scene between two people. I’ve got one person here and one person there and information is passing between them – what should a scene do? Pass information. When I’ve written that scene I’ll come round behind this character, and I’ll try and move into their head – this is what I’m doing at three in the morning! I’ll move into their head, and I’ll look at the other character through their eyes. So, I’ve got all the information but when I run that scene again in my head I’m trying to see if there’s anything between them that I can use and build on. It might be their appearance – “look at the state of you, where have you been?’’. It’s a bit of human language. When I’ve done that, I’ll come round the other side and look through the other character’s eyes.

Your scene has got to convey information. If it’s not conveying information, then it shouldn’t be there – that’s what people would say. They’re probably right but I don’t necessarily think that’s true. I think there’s always space for a scene where you don’t have to convey as much information in what people say. Sometimes no words are better than a lot of words. People think to make a compelling character that they’ve got to say a lot. Chris Carson (Martin Freeman) in the show doesn’t really say that much. He doesn’t pass that much information on. Sometimes the compelling nature of the character is in the silence as well and what they’re doing with their hands, or where they’re sitting or what they’re looking at. Get in their head, get behind their eyes and look at the world through their eyes.

Any top tips?

There’s one that I wish I had known which is – Don’t get in your own way. I keep saying this over and over. The one thing that stops writers more than any others is themselves. Get out of your way. Start writing. We talk about self-doubt and block and confidence. It’s all you. You’ve just got to write it. Don’t think that you’ve got to buy a new notepad. I’m guilty of all of this, I’ve got about twenty brand new notepads on my desk, I’m guilty of it and that’s why I can speak with a degree of confidence. Stop telling yourself things like ‘I don’t know how to format a script’, just write it. It doesn’t matter if the format is wrong, or you haven’t got the software.

Jimmy McGovern – well if you’re going to get writing advice go to the boss! Jimmy said to me “Write you”. At the time I thought he meant just write my story but as time has gone on, I think what he was saying was to write what you feel is right, don’t write what you think will be a hit or that people are looking for. Don’t try and tailor your work to the current crop of television shows or films. Be you, you’re individual and unique.

What are the benefits of writer development schemes?

The experience – it’s just that. I was part of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom North group (Voices). You have people coming in to speak to the group who I would never in a million years get the opportunity to listen to. People would come in and talk about commissioning and theatre and radio. It’s also a calling-card if you can get onto those schemes it’s a way of other people getting to know you. One of the first people I met at a Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writers event was at Stratford in East London (at the writers’ festival). It’s a bit of a hike from Liverpool. I met Helen Black who went on to write Time series 2 with Jimmy McGovern. When I met Helen neither of us had written anything for television but we’re still mates and hoping to collaborate together one day. I’m Britain’s worst networker so it was Helen who came over and put me in a headlock and started talking to me! If you find it difficult to network, just go anyway, you’ll learn stuff, why would you not want to learn stuff?

It’s been a strange start to 2024, with a variety of issues culminating in so many brilliant people looking for work in scripted TV. I’m emailed daily from people wanting to introduce themselves, ask advice and enquire about opportunities.

A thread I posted on X offering some advice on networking received an overwhelming response (I mean, overwhelming for me), which clarified quite how difficult things are.

In an industry that can feel isolating and closed off at the best of times, building a network and making yourself visible is essential. Often it’s your one shot to make an impression and I remember walking away from meetings thinking I’d failed miserably. It took practice to work out how best to make the most of the conversations I had, and now, on the other side of the table, I’ve gained a bit of an insight into what might help you stand out in a crowded market.

1) Always remember it’s in the interest of the industry for us to meet new people.

The industry has grown significantly over the last decade and competition to win the shows is tougher than ever. Talented development people are golden and we all want the best to help us do it – to bring new relationships and a different perspective, to help identify talent and have the skills to nurture that into greenlights. The more people WE know in our networks, the more we can ensure we’re finding the right person when we need them. As an industry we often fall back on the people we know, which is great, but there are always more devils to know and we hate missing out on the best.

As one of the replies to the thread put it, ‘people buy people’. It’s easy to forget this as we try to find new work, prioritising fitting in over standing out. So don’t feel nervous about cold-emailing companies and people you want to connect with, but be aware...

2) You may not always get a reply.

Production and development can often be demanding. Weeks of writers' rooms or working on set mean emails are picked up at random times and we’re regularly responding to the urgent demands of the projects we’re working on with all the best intentions to circle back to the requests to connect later on.

If you don’t get a reply to your attempt to connect, wait six weeks or so and try again. Don’t sound put-out or accusatory, just check to see if they’d received your initial approach and ask if there’s anyone in the team it might be better to coordinate with. When I’m up against it, often there’s a colleague who might be better placed who can be a brilliant ally. Still no reply? Move on with grace.

But back to that first email...

3) Make an effort.

Be polite. Direct the email specifically to the person and production company you want to connect with, and please only email one person from the company at a time. Reference shows they make and have worked on, and why you like their content. There really is nothing worse than an impersonal mail merge or a cut and paste job. You’re asking people to give up their time to connect, so show you’ve done the same in return.

4) Be clear what you’re looking to gain.

You may only get one shot with this. Are you looking for advice about the industry and breaking in, or to introduce yourself for future work and opportunities? These are two different conversations and it’s hard to do both in one.

5) You want advice to break in or on the industry?

Think about who would be best to have this conversation with. Introduce yourself and what you do. Share your CV and be prepared with the questions you’d like to ask as a starting point for any meeting. In advance, if you already work in a different industry, think about how your skills can transfer and why you want to work in TV development.

6) You want to introduce yourself for future opportunities?

Make sure you make an impression. Attach your CV and be clear about where you are in your career and what you’re looking for in terms of your next steps. Name the last show you worked on or the companies you’ve been working with.

Are you interested in development or looking for a production role? It’s easy and understandable (especially in today’s market) to say ‘anything!’. I know I did for a long time, but try and work to your strengths and what you can offer. Be realistic if you’re looking for a step up – make sure you are able to articulate why and what your contribution has been to the projects you’ve worked on. Titles are free, so take a look at the roles at the companies you’re approaching and the experience/credits of those with similar titles to check you’re being realistic.

7) Ensure your CV reflects what you want.

I could write a whole blog on CVs. It’s understandable to want to outline all your experience, but in a world of talented multi-hyphenates and hustle, a CV can often feel confusing and do you a disservice if it doesn’t give a strong indication of who you are. You want the reader to get a clear and confident sense of where you sit in the industry and the path you’re on. Tailor your CV to the role you’re looking to achieve and focus on the relevant experience and transferable skills that speak to that.

So you’ve got the meeting...

8) Make an impression.

You want the person you’re meeting to get a sense of who you are, where your strengths lie and what gap you could potentially fill in a team.

I’ll be honest, I’ve come away from generals without a real sense of the taste and editorial judgment of the person I’m meeting which makes it hard to consider them properly when we do have an opportunity. If it’s on zoom or teams, meetings often blur into one rectangular shaped box, so impressions become even more important to distinguish yourself.

Can I judge how your taste will fit into our team? Can I tell which shows on my slate you’ll be a natural fit for? Tell me what you like and why. We don’t have to agree – I can pinpoint two roles I’ve been offered in my career that were down to respectfully NOT agreeing!

Be humble. Don’t inflate your role. Being part of a team is essential. We all know telly is made by a whole team of countless skilled people collaborating, and that’s how we like it. How did you play a part in that, what worked well and what do you think might’ve gone better?

9) Have an opinion.

That’s what we’re paid for, so give us a glimpse of that. It can be controversial, it can be niche, but let us know you think deeper and wider and can analyse content. We all loved Fleabag/Breaking Bad/Happy Valley – so tell me something I might not have considered about them before.

You’re obsessed with sci-fi? Tell me your thoughts on the ones that work and the ones that don’t. You did your dissertation on Austen? What underrated classic do you think is ripe for adaptation next?

Tell us what you’re watching and be ready to chat about them, but don’t list endless US shows. They’re brilliant, I love them too, but sadly we have neither the run lengths nor the budgets, and our audiences are very different.

10) Have an awareness of the industry.

We all love great writing, but the best people also realise we’re a business. Try and express an opinion on that - who’s watching what, what are the trends you’ve noticed, where has a particular streamer/broadcaster got it right or wrong in their commissioning. And the million-dollar question: what’s next?

It’s hard to be across everyone making waves in the writing world. Bonus points if you can tell me about someone I might not have heard of and what you’ve identified about them. Who have you been tracking? A voice in theatre you think we need to see in TV? A writer you’ve worked with or read you think is on a path to properly breaking through?

11) How you express that opinion is EVERYTHING.

Opinions are our currency, but delivering them is how we develop and thrive in the industry. Creative relationships can be lifelong and how we flexibly resolve editorial differences and give notes are our bread and butter. Be humble, our world is built on collaboration and development is about facilitating the creative vision of a writer. Make sure you show us some of that.

It should feel like a conversation, a joyful fun one that builds and develops. We love to encourage an inquisitive team and are interested in how you can contribute to that. Absolutely be controversial, but a red flag rises quickly if it’s delivered in a way that feels inflexible or over-confident. Interpersonal skills are an essential part of the industry but as I was gently reminded a few days ago, these skills don’t always come easily and as an industry we’re on a path to recognise that we have a whole host of differently wired brains that go to support our creativity. If that resonates with you, there are brilliant organisations that can support you in building a network, check out and .

The industry is changing, seen recently with the 2022 launch of , an alliance of ten of the UK’s biggest broadcasters and streamers who have pledged to work together to ensure access provision for Disabled talent.

12) Follow up!

They’ve given up their time, so thank them! Perhaps reflect on an area of the conversation - expand on a thought you’d had, send a link to the article you mentioned or the name of the writer you’d loved. This will help cement you in their mind.

They have a sci-fi greenlit? They’ll remember your opinion on the genre. They’re keen to find IP to adapt? Your obsession with classic literature is about to pay off.

13) Connect with your peers.

Of course, you want to connect with people making hiring decisions, but don’t overlook your peers! Development assistants and coordinators, Assistant Script Editor’s and Script/Development Editor’s know EVERYTHING. They have the inside scoop on who, what, and where. They have a much better sense of the best and current ways into the industry as well as the issues. They know where the jobs are, when they’re coming up and the best places to find a home.

Email them, have coffee with them. If it’s advice you’re looking for, they’ve got it. Best case scenario, you’ve found a friend and they’ll facilitate a meeting with someone else where you can use their advice and make that impression I’ve been banging on about.

Forget HODs and Exec Prods - your peers and those a role ahead of you are the people you need in your tribe. Nurture that and you’ll be flying...

14) No meeting is wasted.

There may not always be a job available but every connection will expand your network. Person by person you’ll build a richer picture of the industry and how it works. You’ll leave with a sense of the company and whether it might be the right fit for you. You’ll pick up an insight into the industry that can help form a theory of your own and, if you’re lucky, there’s a brilliant bit of insider knowledge to be had. If you’ve made an impression, one day, I promise it’ll pay off.

15) BE KIND

Make the best tea, be an ear, be humble, roll your sleeves up and get stuck in and be the person everyone wants in the office. Scripted development and production can be stressful and demanding, and frankly, so it should be; we’re in a privileged position and there are big budgets at stake. Being trusted to always work with kindness and respect will take you a long way – it’s not always been prioritised in TV, but slowly and surely, we’ll get there. Absolutely know your worth but be willing to learn, as we all do every day...

1) CULTIVATE YOUR KNOWLEDGE

You want to be developing a deep love and understanding of story, and this means watching loads of TV, and devouring books, plays, and films.

Watch the great classic TV shows and movies from the past as well as the present, so that you can understand where the language of TV has come from. This is especially important if you want to work with writers, who are often voracious readers, and fans of films and TV.

If you can afford it, go to the theatre, especially theatres that showcase lots of new writing. To work in TV development, you will need to start thinking about the writers whose work you love and admire, and who are the new, exciting writers coming up. TV is different from film, in that we are ALL about the writer.

2) MAKE CONNECTIONS

This probably feels like the trickiest part. If you can, you should attend any networking events that you can manage. Ask people already working in the industry if they would be kind enough to have a coffee and a chat with you. (They should be kind enough incidentally, as we all had people help us too when we were new!)

Look people up who have the kind of career you might be interested in, and when you write to them, use their first name, rather than anything more formal. We’re pretty informal as an industry.

You want to start building a network of contacts, over time.

3) WHEN YOU MEET PEOPLE, DO YOUR HOMEWORK

If you have a meeting with someone, it’s always wise to look them up, and find out what they personally have worked on, and what their production company has made. Remember that it’s a small industry, and lots of people know each other, so if you’ve impressed one person, they’re likely to mention you to other people they know, and to recommend you for opportunities.

4) FIND YOUR TRIBE

Potential mentors are great, but so too are your peers – it’s a brilliant idea to start cultivating a network of people who are also starting out, because you will come up in the industry together, provide invaluable support to each other, and often become great friends.

5) GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA

There are quite a few Facebook groups advertising TV jobs, and it’s definitely useful to see what the community is discussing on sites like X, Threads, and Bluesky. Jobs are mentioned on these sites too. It’s also helpful to look at trends, and what’s happening in the States, as the USA and UK are closely linked when it comes to television. One recent example is the Writer's Guild of America writers’ strike in the USA, which had a big impact over here too.

You should create a LinkedIn profile for yourself and start adding connections as you make them.

There are great resources for those looking for entry-level jobs, such as , Creative Access, apprenticeships with , and of course the Ö÷²¥´óÐã’s early career schemes like . Look for schemes, and also check out organisations championing greater diversity in TV, like (the Disabled Artists Networking Community).

6) BE PERSISTENT AND TENACIOUS

You might find it takes a while to find your way in, and that is completely normal. The big thing is to be persistent and keep trying.

7)    ACQUIRE PRACTICAL, HANDS-ON SKILLS

As a new entrant to the industry, you can best recommend yourself to potential employers with a great attitude and an eagerness to learn. You also want to start gaining skills as soon as possible – creative skills like understanding how to read and analyse a script, practical skills like how to use Final Draft, and how to take great notes in meetings, and administrative and organisational skills like how to manage a diary. Be prepared to work very hard!

8) GET YOUR HEAD AROUND ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS

Your first step in an editorial career in TV drama might be in one of the following roles:

• As a runner in-house at a production company.
• As a freelance reader of scripts for a company or a broadcaster.
• As an assistant at a production company (a Team Assistant, Development Assistant, or a Personal Assistant).
• An assistant at a Literary Agency (e.g somewhere like or ).
• As a runner or Production Assistant on a show.
• As a researcher, although these roles are few and far between.
• As a Trainee, when this kind of role is offered by a TV company.

9)    START UNDERSTANDING THE MORE SENIOR CREATIVE ROLES, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION 

When you’re building an editorial career in TV drama, it’s critical to understand the more senior roles, how you fit into the company structure, and the kinds of jobs you might be aiming for in time. 

A great start is understanding the difference between development and production. 

Development is when you’re pitching projects to broadcasters, networks and streamers, when you’re storylining and developing scripts, and very often, when you’re working in-house at a company. 

Production is when the project is actually getting made. Production work is often freelance, or PAYE on fixed-term contracts. 

IN DEVELOPMENT: 

In-house at a company, the most senior jobs are usually Head of Drama, Creative Director, Executive Producer, and Director of Development. These people set the creative direction of the company, run the development slate, pitch to broadcasters, and usually Executive Produce shows. There are also Development Producers, another senior role, where people work directly with writers to progress projects, and might manage their own slate. 

Mid-weight roles include the role of Development Executive, whose responsibilities include looking for new talent and developing projects with writers. 

Junior roles include the roles of Development Assistant and Development Coordinator. 

IN PRODUCTION: 

On a show, the Executive Producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing and delivering the show. (N.B there are often multiple Exec Producers). The Producer is the person responsible for the show’s day-to-day management, and for managing the budget, alongside the Line Producer.   

There will be a script team, led by the Story Producer, who manages the creative process, and who will work closely with the Showrunner and other writers to deliver the scripts. There is usually a Script Editor, who manages the technical side of the scripts (what we call the ‘amends’, i.e live changes to the script that are made throughout the shoot), and may also give notes to the writers (more on this below!), as well as liaising closely with other departments in Production, for example, the Art Department. You can also be a Script Executive – similar to a Script Editor, but more senior. 

Sometimes there will be an Assistant Script Editor too; this is great entry-level creative role in Production. 

The script team are the guardians of the story and are responsible for the integrity and good health of the story and the scripts. 

In time, you’ll need to start understanding how the work of the script department dovetails into the wider production process on a show. As a creative, you should definitely aim to get as much production experience as possible, because this will enable you to come up with brilliant story solutions in high-pressure situations.

10) WORKING WITH WRITERS AND SCRIPT NOTES

Working with writers to develop stories and scripts is a huge part of any creative role in TV drama. This includes giving script notes, which means feedback on the latest outline, treatment, or script draft the writer has been working on.

My advice on notes:

• Tell the truth, but be positive, and always say what you like, and what you think is working, as well as the things that need sorting out.
• Understand that it’s a process, and that it takes time to arrive at a finished script. Most scripts go through multiple rewrites.
• Developing a relationship with a writer is also a process. It takes time to develop the trust that is at the heart of a writer/script person bond, and it’s normal to experience some resistance from writers when you’re first getting to know them!
• Notes form part of a conversation in a wider collaborative process between you, the writer, and often many other people, such as studio execs, commissioners, etc. Notes are for another human being, so they should not be your lit crit essay on the script, or your musings on the state of the universe. Great notes are respectful, actionable, and specific. You are there to champion the writer, and to help them realise what they are seeking to accomplish creatively.

And with all of this in mind…

11) BRUSH UP ON YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS, TACT AND DIPLOMACY

You will need these skills to pursue a creative career in TV drama, and they will help you to create fantastic, long-lasting professional relationships, and to diffuse tensions with difficult personalities.

12) BE A GOOD HUMAN

It’s no secret to say that TV hasn’t always been the easiest industry to work in. I’m so encouraged to see how many of the young people coming into our industry exemplify the kinds of values we need more of - integrity, generosity, and kindness.

Alexis Hood is an experienced story producer, who has headed script teams on award-winning projects for traditional broadcasters and streamers, and who has worked in development and production for numerous companies. Her most recent credit is A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW for Paramount Plus and Showtime, starring Ewan McGregor.

Stories have an analgesic, healing, and restorative effect on the orator and the listener. Yes, I’m a GP and a writer so this might sound contrived, but it’s still true. Patients and clinicians use idioms, metaphors, and other literary devices to tell the stories of their illnesses. Being a clinician and writer means working with stories. It doesn’t feel as though I’m balancing two different roles; conversely, there is a synergy between the two that improves my writing and enhances my ability to help patients.

Colleagues ask how I manage to meet deadlines while working as a GP. After all, aren’t GPs always moaning about being busy? Yes, on both counts. I still spend most of the week in general practice. At the start of the programme, I was also working as a clinical director for an NHS mental health trust, and I’ve recently left this position to devote more time to writing. I have always worked long hours and I know I’m privileged to have very understanding colleagues and most importantly, a very supportive wife. It’s also incredibly hard to complain about being busy when during the Thatcher years, my Mum juggled three jobs, alongside night school, as a single parent on a council estate.

Writing has always been my (neglected) passion. In 2019, I took the opportunity to write an episode of Four Thought on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4. There wasn’t any doubt that I would enjoy writing the script, but I grew up with a speech problem and undiagnosed dyslexia. Giving a talk in front of a live audience, to be heard by millions of listeners around the world, would risk career-ending mispronunciations and embarrassing mistakes. Fortunately, I worked with Sheila Cook, an experienced producer who patiently helped me to perform the talk.

The episode was well received, and I planned to do more writing but then came a shocking twist: I became quite unwell and was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, and at the same time a bat met a pangolin, or a clumsy lab technician in Wuhan made a terrible mistake, (delete as applicable), and the world stopped spinning. In the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some of us began to restart our lives, I decided to start writing again.

One evening I saw a Tweet that advertised the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom Open Call. I had never entered a writing competition or open call, but for years I’d had a story called “Heartsink” stuck in my head. It’s about a locum GP’s first day in a strange village and the limits of his tolerance. The script got me through to the Voices shortlist and then the interview. It’s important to note that for Voices, the reviewers want to hear a writer’s voice in their work. Fortunately, I had no preconceived ideas of desirable styles, themes, or genres. “Heartsink” was a story I wanted to tell, and the Open Call was the excuse to write it.

Before my interview with Commissioning Executive, Alice Ramsey and Development Producer, Usman Mullan, I spent hours preparing my answers, googling my interviewers, re-reading emails from Emily Demol (Development Coordinator), and worrying that I was well outside of my comfort zone.

Had I prepared enough? Would my minimal experience rule me out? What the hell do writers wear to Zoom interviews? (I opted for a shirt and tie). Alice and Usman were brilliant and not the least bit intimidating. I tried to be as honest and authentic as possible while appearing normal and selectable.

Weeks later; still recovering from the shock of being selected, I travelled to Media City to meet the other North and Midlands Voices. I’m confident, sometimes loud and always opinionated, but once again my anxiety returned. How do writers act? What do writers talk about? What do writers wear? (I opted for jeans, a polo shirt, and fleece).

There were 12 members of our Voices group for the Midlands and North of England Hub, all of whom were wonderful, non-intimidating human beings. We were split into four groups of three. I was put in a group with Paul Jones and Makeda Matheson, supervised by Usman. Both writers were fun to be around and helpful. Paul is the humblest writer I’ve met, even though he wrote Patterdale, a brilliant audio drama. We enjoyed talks and interactive sessions with experienced writers, script editors, producers, and agents. By the end of Voices, we were expected to produce a fully worked series outline from which we could create a specimen script.

Since joining Voices, I have written a comedy-drama series outline and specimen script called “THE GOAT”. This is about a con man who becomes a televangelist with a plan to build Stoke-on-Trent’s first-ever Megachurch. It’s a story about the effect of losing faith, abusing faith, and then regaining faith in something; religion, family, or vocation. The Voices sessions helped me improve my characters/arcs plus pacing, and Usman’s advice during 1:1s was extremely helpful.

In the Voices groups, there were people younger than my walking boots, people with long careers in the industry, people doing completely unrelated day jobs, and people who found amazing success with their first script. With so many routes into this vocation, I think the best advice for other writers is to:

• Write because you want/have to write not just because you want to be a scriptwriter or novelist,
• Write truthfully, everyone has unique experiences, perspectives, and a unique voice,
• Make peace with the prospect of rejection or embarrassment, even established writers fail to win scriptwriting competitions or fail to get selected at Open Calls.

Most importantly, keep watching, reading, and writing. Cormac McCarthy said that “Books are made of books” and I reckon that statement also applies to TV and film.

To meet the selected writers for our Voices Development Group 2023, visit our blog

If you would like to be considered for our future development groups and would like to find out more about our work, read this blog post on ‘How we find and develop writers’ from Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Drama Commissioning.

Open Call will return for submissions towards the end of 2023. For further details and updates visit our the opportunity's page on our website.

Writer, Paul Rigby from our Write Across Liverpool scheme, shares his highlights and valuable writing tips taken from the RTS Story Conference.

On Thursday 25th May, (RTS) in partnership with , Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom, and , hosted the inaugural RTS Story Conference at The Liverpool Everyman Theatre, and I was lucky enough to be invited.

The day was a celebration of writing talent in the North West region, offering panel discussions, masterclasses and an opportunity for some informal networking.

Here are some of my personal highlights.

The one, the only; Tony Schumacher

Writer of the hit Ö÷²¥´óÐã One drama series, The Responder, and with a second series on the way, Tony has every right to feel on top of the world. But it’s obvious the second he starts talking that, despite all of his recent success, he is as down to Earth as can be.  Amiable, engaging and self-deprecating until the last, the story of his rise in the industry should reassure and inspire all writers out there that anything is possible. And, for someone who confessed to being wary of ever giving advice, (“I mean, what do I know?”), he had a lot of great wisdom to share.

Some highlights were:

• You are your first show. Write from the heart, put yourself on the page.
• Be vulnerable. Writing is so personal, but you have to risk criticism in order to let people in.
• Trust your readers. Find people who understand you and your story. Don’t be too precious about your work.
• Spot the opportunity. Take advantage of writing schemes and actively engage.
• Never filter yourself. Don’t write what you think they want.
• Plan your journey. Be specific in your methods and do your homework.
• Don’t get in your own way. The writing is up to you, just get it on the page however you can.

A truly invigorating conversation with someone who is fast becoming a local legend.

Writing for Continuing Drama

Sally Abbott, Neil Jones, Jayshree Patel and Jonathan Larkin are a collective tour de force in continuing drama, sharing amazing insights into the very specific job of writing for this medium.

Some of the key insights were:

• The necessity for collaboration (or ‘baton passing’ as one of the panel described it).
• The importance of fully investing in the genre and not seeing it as merely a stepping stone to something else.
• The amazing potential to explore important social ideas due to the populist nature of continuing drama.

They also shared some top tips when it comes to pitching ideas:

• A big reaction (even a ‘negative’ one) is a good sign.
• No idea is too silly, especially if you’re passionate about it.
• Personal/emotional connections hit harder.
• Distil the idea as much as possible.
• Pitch ideas never die, they are only recycled.
• A no is never final.
• Hold on tightly, let go lightly.
• There’s never just one way through an idea.

One of the biggest takeaways I personally got from this session was that it is never too late to start writing. Most, if not all, of the panellists came to writing, or at the very least made their breakthrough, in their late 30’s or 40’s - reinforcing something that Sally stressed early on that “writing is a marathon, not a sprint.”

An amazing panel chaired by  discussed the barriers to the industry, exploring how not everyone’s barriers will be obvious and how it is vital that an ecology is built within the industry to nurture new talent and champion diversity and representation. As Saphena Aziz (a fellow Write Across Liverpool writer) put it: “If you can see it, you can be it.”

We got an insight into the inner workings of a writers' room from Chloe Moss, Helen Black and Jamie Carragher, who emphasised the importance of being confident and prepared, and how a sense of humour is vital to a healthy and productive room.

Ö÷²¥´óÐã Drama Commissioning Editor for the North of England, Jo McClellan and Commissioning Executive for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Drama and the Writersroom North, Alice Ramsey took us ‘behind the curtain’ and explained what it looks like for writers to work for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã, stressing that their ‘something for everybody’ mantra means that no writer should ever feel excluded. Explaining their plethora of writer focused development initiatives, and hearing about their passion to nurture new writers, it was easy to see why the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom is considered the gold standard for emerging writers all over the country.

Which brings me nicely on to my favourite panel of the day: Write Across Liverpool. A Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom development scheme I was so fortunate to be involved with, it was a joy to sit with my fellow Write Acrossers in the audience and hear from Beth Westbrook and Chantelle Lunt about how much the initiative encouraged and supported their writing dreams.

The day was an amazing showcase and celebration of the talent we have in the North West, and truly inspiring for aspiring writers like myself. I’d like to thank everyone involved for making it a hugely enjoyable event, and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom and RTS North West for their generous invitation.

Read about the Write Across Liverpool development scheme over on our blog.

If you've submitted to the recent Writers' Access Group open call out, you might now be wondering, 'What's Next?' Read on to find out what happens to your script now the deadline has passed and some advice on how to spend your time while you wait for an update from us.

First of all, if you submitted, give yourself some well-deserved praise! Completing and sending your work out into the world as a writer is no easy task.  You should be proud of this accomplishment, so take time to tell yourself that.

We want to thank everyone who submitted their script to this year’s Writers’ Access Group (WAGs) opportunity. We received over 650 submissions! So, what’s next?

We’ve started reading! This will follow the below process:

Stage One – 10 Page Sift

All eligible entries will be reviewed by professional experienced script readers.  Over 50% of our readers for WAGs identify as deaf, disabled and/or neurodiverse.  They will read at least the first ten pages of a script and assess and discuss the applications against the following criteria:

• Quality of writing;
• Strength of story and structure;
• Ability to write believable dialogue;
• Skill in inhabiting characters and developing convincing relationships between them;
• Ability to authentically bring the world to life; and
• Ability to portray the writer's ‘voice’ in their storytelling.

Stage Two – 30 Page Sift

Scripts which hook our reader’s attention will progress to a 30-page read by a second script reader, who will then consider if the script should proceed to Stage Three to be read in full by a third reader.

Stage Three – Full Read (Longlist)

Scripts which reach the full read stage will be read by a third reader who will also provide the writer with a script report once the process has concluded.  

Due to the volume of submissions we receive and the resources we have available, we’re not be able to provide any individual feedback to writers who have not progressed to this stage.

Stage Four – Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom Team Read (Shortlist)

Following the Full Read stage the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom team will review the remaining scripts and undertake a fourth full read to create a final shortlist.

At least two producers will read each of the final shortlisted scripts and, following this, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom will then invite shortlisted writers for an interview.

Selected writers

From the interviews, 10 writers will then be invited to take part in the Writers’ Access Group programme which will run for 18 months starting in October 2023 and running until April 2025.

How long will it take?

Please be aware that the careful processing and reading of these scripts can take a number of months and we will not make contact with any writers until we have made our final selection so please refrain from contacting us for an update. We aim to inform all writers of the outcome of their submission by the beginning of October 2023.

What now?

The next Writers’ Access Group programme will return and open for submissions in 2025. In the meantime, writers can also submit to our Open Call 2024 window which will accept entries towards the end of this year.  Exact dates are to be confirmed, but please check out our website and social media channels for updates which will be posted several months in advance.  

Also look out for opportunities coming up from Ö÷²¥´óÐã Comedy and and our Opportunities page has details of organisations accepting submissions for a variety of mediums.

Most importantly, don’t wait until the next submission window to get writing! You should always be coming up with ideas and new scripts to submit to us and other opportunities across the industry.

For further advice and materials to help your development, please visit our Resources area where you can find useful writing tools in our Scriptwriting Essentials area, as well as an extensive Script Library for Ö÷²¥´óÐã shows across Film, Radio and TV.

Paul, Emilie and Alex - can you tell us a little bit about your writing careers and how much writing you'd actually done before you applied for the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award (ABBA)?

Paul Jones: I was writing fiction mainly. I'd kind of always written, but I didn't start to take it seriously until my forties, and then I always liked writing dialogue in particular. I had a couple of plays on, nothing major, you know, but I'd been stabbing away for a few years.

Alex Clarke: I had sort of come to writing sideways. I'd never really seen myself as a writer or that there was a career to be had.  I was mainly either on the dole, cleaning or a support worker. I was moving around all these different working class jobs and writing was something that I was doing mainly for my own mental and wellbeing so, I’d kind of come to it through a mental health route.

It was something that I used to figure out my own problems and things that happened to me in the past, and it was very much a cathartic practice for me. It was never really something that I saw could even become a career.  So I was probably writing for about 10 years for my own self and within different support groups that I was a member of.

Then I wrote a little piece about a crime that happened to me in my teens. I wrote this moment into a play and then sent it to the wonderful  down in London.  The team there work with dyslexic writers and autistic writers, and they thought there was something in it. So from there, I wrote little pieces of fringe theatre and then I decided I wanted to write television because my first love is television. I'm quite a visual person.  I then entered the screenwriting scheme and won it and went into development with Channel 4 with a piece that I’d written about childhood, autism and domestic violence.

As soon as that went into development, I was awarded the Alfred Bradley. At this point I’d been throwing a lot of things into the darkness with my writing and then within one year, 2 years, a lot of things kind of collided and came together for me.

Emilie Robson: Not an awful lot had been going on for me. I'd written a couple of plays with friends, and we put them on like a free fringe, but nothing professionally produced, nothing commissioned, and then I'd written a couple of solo things that I've gotten like shortlisted or long listed for prizes, but it was just always a bridesmaid situation.

In 2020 - what a great year that was! I threw everything at the wall with very little else to do and actually, just everything sort of started coming together, and ABBA was probably one of the first things that came through where I thought, ‘oh, my God!’ Like I was close to giving up. My script was long listed, shortlisted and then in the final 5. So I was basically a complete beginner and then it all started coming together.

Paul and Alex, what impact did winning the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award have on your writing career?

Alex: It changed everything, and I think it changed everything because it changed how I was viewing myself and my work, and that definitely came through the development process and working with Nadia Molinari (Audio Drama Producer) there in the team.  Starting to see myself as potentially a professional writer, and that there was something important that I had to lend to the world of writing.

That's definitely something that I think is really unique to the process of writing for Radio. I've not found that process anywhere else.  I got a BAFTA writing mentorship through it. I think the stamp of Ö÷²¥´óÐã and having a piece of work that been professionally made by the Ö÷²¥´óÐã was a beautiful calling card. It opened so many doors. The BAFTA writing mentorship were able to hear my writing and hear what I was able to do.  From there, I got a BFI writing commission and I got an ITV mentorship, too. Then I also went into development with the Ö÷²¥´óÐã and with a new TV series that I’m developing and Dancing Ledge contacted me because they had seen that I'd won the Alfred Bradley so, yeah, it changed everything.

Paul Jones:  I mean it's the pat on the back that you need, you know.  I suppose like any writer it's difficult to call yourself a writer, isn't it? Most of the time you're squirreling away alone and for it to be recognised it gives you that little confidence boost you need. Makes it easier to get a meeting or perhaps get a second play if not commissioned, looked at.

Emilie, you received a special commendation with your ABBA submission - what happened next for you?

Emilie: I sometimes forget I didn't win! Because, I feel like – bar the money and the prestige - there was very little difference between my experience afterwards.  It was a few months later, while I was in the middle of developing Pica for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom’s Drama Room scheme that I got the message to say like we'd like to develop this for Radio 4 and I still got a full commission out of it.

That will still always be a highlight getting to do that when you kind of think ‘oh, second place, lovely. Thank you very much’. The process was just so much fun, even under COVID guidelines and restrictions.  Then also because of the Alfred Bradley and the Ö÷²¥´óÐã having departments all across the UK, the Northern department were aware of who I was, and Alice Ramsey (Assistant Commissioner for Drama Commissioning and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom North) must have mentioned my name in like 10,000 rooms by now, and it's only from skimming the top of the Alfred Bradley that she even knows who I am to put me forward for these other opportunities.  Still, I had a meeting last week where they said, ‘Alice Ramsey recommended you for this’.

So even when the commission's done, it still continues to sort of trickle and there's not really a limit to the impact it can have for you.

Gary, can you tell us a little bit about your role as an audio drama producer and how you work with writers?

Gary Brown: Audio is a writer's medium. Basically, when I get my budget, the biggest cost is the writer.  So we can't do it without the writer.  The words are everything. So we're here as Producers to facilitate the writer and ABBA is brilliant for bringing on new writers that maybe we wouldn't have been aware of.  I mean, obviously, we've got our tendrils out trying to find writers, but ABBA is a great resource for us, and we’ve picked up lots of writers over the years.  Everybody's probably seen that Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, War Horse), started with ABBA. A few years ago, we had Furquan Akhtar (The Bay, Wolfe) who's now a well-established TV writer.

My job is - I often work with established writers - but I also work with new writers and I guess the interesting thing is that it takes a year from idea to actual transmission. So we spend a long time with writers and that's the main joy of the job, because I basically take an idea that a writer’s come to me with and develop it over many drafts, and then get the joy of going into a studio with the actors, editing it and delivering it. So I go through all the processes. It's a really, really lovely job, but the writer is central.

I mentored Emilie last time for the Alfred Bradley, but she made my job really easy, because I got the script, and I thought, ‘Wow, there's not a lot I can do . I'm very happy with this.’ Sometimes you have to work quite intensively with the writer, but with Emilie I didn't have to work particularly hard, because I thought the script was excellent.  Often, as with Emilie, it isn't just the winner of ABBA that gets produced, often the runners up do as well.

What should the writers be thinking about when writing an audio play, Gary? Is there anything that they should avoid?

Gary:  Well, the most important thing is to listen to radio plays. You'd be surprised when you get some submissions, you think, ‘Gosh! Have you actually listened to a radio play recently?’ because they have changed from the old fashioned type.

The biggest mistake that writers new to radio make is that they think it's like a stage play and it isn't.  I'm looking for filmic scripts and things that move along, that are very visual, and I don’t like too many plays with just people talking in a room. I like to think of big landscapes and big ideas. For me, it's a sort of hybrid between the film and the novel, because sometimes, if you want to, you can get inside the minds of your characters.

What I would say is, be bold. Go for really bold ideas. We're looking for original stuff. We're looking for, obviously your voice, but be bold. Go for a big idea.

Paul, Emilie and Alex - writers that come through ABBA are new to writing for Audio. What did you learn about writing for the Medium? And were there any surprises for any of you?

Emilie: I very much agree with Gary that actually there's so much in common with the novel and that internal world, that you won't get to see done successfully, probably in Film and TV, and that it looks really trite in Theatre.  You actually have such artistic license within audio to get into that internal world.  Also, what initially feel like limitations where you're like, ‘Oh, I can't show a facial expression, or I can't tell them what the boat looks like’, there's so much fun to be had in thinking, ‘Well, how do you do that then?’ Embrace the limitations, I would say, because actually there's so much fun to be had within that remit of sound.

Then there's absolutely no limitation to where it can go, because if you need to be in space - brilliant. You're just going to achieve it with a soundscape.

Paul: I treated it filmically, but once that was down, just being really mindful of all of the audio opportunities. Just little things like a bird's wings, or you know, a car in the distance. You’re then able to sort of see them into the story. It's probably helpful just to close your eyes and just to kind of go through it and discover audio possibilities that you wouldn't if you were just walking around.

It's really concentrated.  I found that I really had to knuckle down in a different way, you know, and be very specific.

Alex: I think that what I learned was about that really lovely relationship between the listener and my words. It's almost like whispering into the imagination of the listener.  It just became like this really lovely, intimate thing where you're not speaking to lots of people, you speak to this one specific person. That might be, I don't know, someone boxing things up somewhere, at work or on the bus to work or lying down in bed, just having a chill.  Once I got my head around that relationship everything just became so much more easy and enjoyable for me than thinking that I had to speak to everybody. I was just speaking to this one specific listener.

It is so much like writing a novel, because when you're reading a novel, the images are coming to you, they’re specific to you and I just think that's like a special kind of magic that radio has too.

For the ABBA submission window we’re not only accepting scripts for Audio, but we’re also accepting TV, Film and Stage scripts as well and, if successful, those scripts will be taken forward for development.

With that in mind, Gary, what elements of those other mediums transfer well to audio, and which ones are perhaps better suited than others?

Gary: I think you can adapt most things to Audio. What I would say is, look at the structure.  Look at fast storytelling. When I see a new script, I always look at how many scenes there are.  If there's more than sort of 30 for a 45 minute play for example, I think, ‘Oh, good! This is going to be fast paced’.

Structure is everything with rising tension all the time.  Every scene needs to lead up to the next one. So you want to go, ‘What happens next?’

Don't worry about set up in scenes. My advice to all writers is get in late and get out early.  If you get people walking through doors at the beginning of the scene, it’s just unnecessary set up. Get to the meat of the scene.  The great thing for TV writing and for radio writing is the 2 words at the end, which is ‘CUT TO’ because then you’ve got to the meat and you’re then off to the next scene.

Those first 10 pages that you are sending to us, those have got to be brilliant, the best that you can do, because basically if you don't hook us, the readers, in those first 10 pages, we’re going to move on. It's the same principles for any great storytelling.

Alex, can you just tell us a little bit about that process of developing your submitted script? Were there any significant changes when you got to the point of developing it for Radio 4?

Alex:  There was a lot of changes, I mean the name changed (from 'Poundshop Vanilla Princess' to 'Waking Beauty'). That was one of the big ones. I think, like what Gary was saying - there was a story, and there was a seed, and there was potential because there was really good dialogue in what I'd sent in originally but the structure and the pace, and how we were going to tell this story was not really there. So I was working with Nadia Molinari (Audio Drama Producer), being mentored and getting the different drafts ready for the rest of the Alfred Bradley competition and throughout we were asking what is the best way of telling this story? Because you can tell one story a 1,000 different ways. But what's the best way to grab people's attention and keep their attention right through this 45 minutes because, the thing about radio as well as television is, you can turn over, find something else, flick through. We've got a plethora of stories out there.

It's not like theatre, because if you've paid £30 for a ticket, you’re going to stay till the end. It's the same with cinema as well. You know people are captive. So, unless it’s really bad, they're not going to get up and leave, but with radio they will. They will just go, ‘Oh, this isn't for me!’ They can do that so quickly.

So we went through many, many changes to try and get that pacing right and the vehicle for the story right.  It's like pruning a rose brush. You start cutting things back so other things can grow and come to the front and that process is lovely and really nourishing.

As Paul was saying before, a lot of times it's you writing in a room on your own, so to be able to engage with somebody else who is curious and inquisitive about your work just helps you grow. So it was so valuable that period with Nadia.

And Paul, how was that process for you?

Paul: Yeah, it was terrific, actually, I was with - and I'm working now with Jessica Mitic in developing a second Audio Drama.  It's just that kind of back and forth, and you know I'm always happy to take notes. I mean, I might not agree with them, and I might dismiss them. But for the most part it's a conversation, you know?  I'm sure everybody sends their work to a friend to say, ‘Look, have a look at this, and tell me what you think. Is this terrible or not?’ But you need somebody to bounce work off. And so, being in that relationship with somebody who is invested in it, and not frightened of telling you that's something’s no good, or that needs work, I found that tremendously beneficial, and I'm continuing to do so.

Emilie, Gary touched upon how brilliant you were to work with in the ABBA development process when you were paired up together. How did that work for you for you both?

Emilie: Well, I think Gary’s doing himself a disservice saying that he didn't do anything for a start! What I'd written was designed to have aesthetic possibilities, but it was very much the emphasis was on the dialogue, and it was on a sort of aural soundscape, if you like, so we didn't have lots of recalibrating to do, but there was plenty to be trimmed. There was plenty that needed to be clarified.  

Like Paul said, getting to hear anyone who's took the time to read your script, and who wants to back it, I think, is just invaluable. You've got to learn to love the notes.

What else is unique about Audio Drama?

Gary: For a start, and not a lot of people know this, but you've got a huge audience. There's nearly a million people who listen to the Radio 4 afternoon play, and when you say this, to maybe a younger audience, they go, ‘What?!’ And then after that, there's the life on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Sounds so you could probably add another 200,000 - 300,000 on that.  You are talking to a quite a large audience.

We’ve mentioned before that it is an intimate medium. You work collaboratively with the audience to conjure up images, and we try to do what's called, ‘lean forward radio’ where you, instead of it being sort of background, you so stop what you do, and you lean forward, and you listen to it.  When somebody says, ‘I was driving to the shops and I’d arrived and there was still 10 minutes of your play to finish, and I stayed, and I listened’. You think ‘Result: that's fantastic!’ because you've grabbed them.  I think - Alex made that point - you've really got to grab them, because there are so many other things that can go on.

Audio is a great medium and it's very important and the Alfred Bradley feeds into it all with new writers and that keeps it going.

Submissions for the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2023 close at 12 noon on Tuesday 11th April 2023.

Further details on how to submit your entry for the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2023 

Listen to Paul Jones' winning ABBA submission, 'Patterdale' on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4 and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Sounds 

Read 'Patterdale' by Paul Jones in our Script Library

Listen to Alex Clarke's winning ABBA submission, ''Waking Beauty'' on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4 and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Sounds

Read 'Waking Beauty' by Alex Clarke in our Script Library

Read 'Pica' by Emilie Robson in our Script Library

The Dos and Don'ts of Audio Drama - plus help, advice and top tips

You can read more about Alfred Bradley's life and work in this blog post by his son, Jez Bradley

Approaching a literary agent for representation can be daunting. The questions circling in your mind as you begin to type are probably along the lines of ‘how do I stand out?’, ‘how do I sell myself’, ‘who do I write to?’…‘what do I say?’.

Agents receive dozens of representation enquiries each week, and the problem is that there are far more brilliant creatives out there than there are agents available to represent them. This means some emails might go unanswered and you’ll receive a few ‘sorry, my list is full’ responses. It’s tough but it’s part of the process; try not to let those rejections deter you or knock your confidence. Talent always finds its way, and it can take time; I for one am guilty of now representing a couple of writers who I had sent that ‘sorry, my list is full’ email to in the past…

So…how do you make that first approach?

In my experience, email is always best. It gives you the chance to reflect and think about what you want to say, and it also gives the agent time to reflect and think about their response. I’d discourage a scattergun approach of contacting agents on their social media platforms unless they say they welcome submissions this way.

Do your research...

When you’re choosing who to write to, be selective. Don’t send one email and blind copy every agent in town. Choose one agent to write to at each agency. If you write to multiple agents at one company, it can feel untargeted and unfocused.  Pick the agent who you think will connect most with your voice – a good starting point is to look up agents who represent talent you admire. Once you have your list of who you’d like to approach try and find their contact details online and send them an email directly (cc’ing their assistant if they have one).

It might also be worth looking at who the junior agents are at each company if you’re a brand new writer, as a junior agent will be looking to nurture new talent as they also begin to build their own career. Don’t worry about not reaching the whole company; in most cases it’s company practice for agents to share representation requests internally if their list is too full but they see potential in an email. is a great resource to begin your agent search – it’s a professional body for talent agencies in the UK and there are 200 agencies and management companies signed up to it. You can see its full list of members on the website. Remember talent agencies represent different types of creatives so make sure you’re not approaching an acting agent about literary representation etc.

Think about your email...

Treat it as though you’re writing a cover letter. No one email to each agent should read the same. Tell the agent about yourself, your work, why the time feels right for you to be securing representation and mention any accolades or important connections you’ve made. Don’t be afraid to boast about your achievements – we want you to namedrop the hell out of everything so your email stands out from the crowd. Let us know of any producers you’ve met with who gelled with your work, any competitions or awards you’ve won or been shortlisted for and any festivals your work has screened at. A simple hack can be to write some of these buzzwords in bold so they’re easy to spot e.g. I was recently selected for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom's Drama Room group. 

Occasionally producers will email agents recommending potential clients. If a producer or commissioner has recommended you to a specific agent, you can ask them if they wouldn’t mind emailing the agent first on your behalf. Or if you don’t feel comfortable asking them, you should write at the beginning your own email that said person recommended you reach out. Agents receive so many requests, so an email with a recommendation from someone whose taste they admire will likely pique their interest.

Think of an eye-catching subject line for your email. If I had a pound for each email I receive titled ‘seeking representation’ I could hang up my agenting boots for good! Use those buzzwords again to encourage the agent to open your email e.g. “Ö÷²¥´óÐã commissioned writer – seeking representation”.

Your Spec Script...

The most polarising question is always whether to attach a sample of your work. Do check each company’s submission policies first, but in my experience there’s no harm attaching a sample on the off-chance the agent might dip into it. If you do decide to send your work then attach one original and full sample. The piece you feel best defines you and your voice, be it a produced short film, a screenplay, TV pilot, play or web series.

We want to read something that feels authentic to you so when thinking about writing specs write what you want to write. Don’t think about something which has been successful and try to imitate it, and don’t limit yourself by writing to the constraints of a budget. The most exciting shows and films are always something which has never been seen or done before, and if you want to write that multi million dollar sci-fi pilot then do it. Ultimately, your spec script might not be the one that gets made first so it really doesn’t matter what it’s about or where it’s set. All we care about is the writing.

What then?

It's likely that you will need to chase whoever you have emailed (here is where I apologise on behalf of all agents…). If you don’t hear back in three to four weeks, send a follow-up email on the same chain (re-attaching the attachment if you’ve sent a sample). If you don’t hear back again then send another follow up a few weeks later, and so on. Don’t be afraid to check in and nag us. It might be that the agent has been busy firefighting a myriad of issues for their existing client base and that they’re keen to consider but haven’t had a chance to write back yet. If they have an assistant then you can send them an email too separately asking if the agent has had a chance to take a look.

When you secure an agent...

They will help you strategize, develop your ideas and plan your career. They will act as the intermediary between you and producers, selling your projects, suggesting you for any upcoming roles, negotiating your deals and mediating any unexpected issues which can arise during development and production.

When a client first signs with me, I’ll introduce their work to the producers who I think will connect most with their writing based on the type of work such production companies have made. Ideally the new client will have a couple of new original spec scripts that I can try and sell to get into development at a production company. Hopefully producers will be just as blown away by the writing as I was and even if they aren’t keen to develop the project, they might request a general meeting where you can meet and discuss your other ideas. By going out and meeting producers you will start to be at the forefront of their minds for any opportunities which may arise in the near future such as episodic work and writers rooms.

The road to getting an agent can be long but don’t give up hope. The advice in this article is very much based on the way I work and my own experiences. Ultimately do what feels right for you, and the writing of course will always speak for itself. Good luck!

More on the blog:

What Makes a Great Spec Script

One of my highlights of 2022 was being selected for the Waterloo Road Shadow Scheme as part of Ö÷²¥´óÐã Drama Room 2021/22. As a teen, I used to avoid maths homework and instead get engrossed in the lives of Chlo, Janeece and the inimitable Steph Haydock. Sorry to my old maths teachers, but let’s be honest, now it’s all been worth it.

Before we applied, all of us were given a chance to read the show Bible (a document that gives details on characters, episodes, themes, series arc etc) and spent a day on Zoom learning from Executive Producer Cameron Roach and his team. We were then given a couple of weeks to develop a written pitch for an episode and a few pages of script. When I got through, I was ecstatic, relieved (you get paid!) and now faced with the challenge of explaining what a Shadow Scheme was to my family.

Shadow Schemes can vary, but they aim to give you the experience of writing on a TV show without the responsibility of an episode that will be broadcast. Waterloo Road is a ‘producer-led’ show which means that the producers make the key decisions over the series arc. We were given an outline of all the plots that needed to be in our episode and then our job was to weave them together and turn them into an entertaining script. They try to make it as close to the real thing as possible, you get a script-editor, access to the research team and quick turn-around deadlines.

First, we created a ‘scene-by-scene’ which is where you bullet point what order the scenes will come in. It felt like a sort of puzzle, you are trying to make about 4-5 story-lines work together, get the rhythm of the episode right and make it fit into an hour. I would define my relationship with scene-by-scenes as ‘It’s complicated’ but the high points are when you figure out how to tie multiple plots together and you feel like a TV genius.

Next, it’s time to write the actual script. The scene-by-scene is really handy here (this is a message to future me, do the planning, the planning works!) For this first draft of the script, I focussed on making sure all the story beats fit into the episode, I did a lot of staring at the map of the school and googling whether teenagers still say "peng".

My feedback for the first draft was also tied in with one of the most fun parts of the project – the set visit! I’d never been on a tv set before, and giddily showed up like a kid on a school trip. I was given a tour of the set and loved seeing the small details like the photos on Kim’s desk. Being on set reminds you how many people it takes to make a tv show – extras, make up, lighting crew and loads more. Getting to watch actors film a scene was amazing. I don’t know how they manage to be so convincing with a camera right in their face, then they stop acting and are a totally different person - magic!

After my tour, it was time to sit down with my script-editor Amy Coombs and get some feedback on my first draft. Amy was really encouraging, and we talked through what was working and what had been a challenge. I’m a bit of a box ticker, so Amy encouraged me to be looser with the plot points. I was surprised by how much we were encouraged to make the episode our own.

I went into my second draft determined to make my mark, changing plots, locations and focussing more on characters I wanted to highlight. In some ways this was tougher than the first draft because you were inventing more plot while still needing to keep the main elements the same. You’re also given about the same amount of time you would have in a real-life scenario so you’re trying to work quickly without losing quality – great training for the real thing.

In my final feedback session Amy and I were able to talk about the whole process and what I’d learned from it. Amy advised me to trust my instincts, and I’ve been holding onto that in all my writing as I go forward. Recently, I’ve loved watching the new series and see all the characters come to life. Shadow Schemes have huge value to emerging writers and hopefully, it won’t be too long until I’m writing on a show for real.

Watch the new series of Waterloo Road on Ö÷²¥´óÐã iPlayer 

You can watch every episode of Waterloo Road (2006-2015) on Ö÷²¥´óÐã iPlayer

On the Blog: Georgia Affonso shares her roundup of the Drama Room 2021/2022 group's sessions

As a scriptwriter, you'll often be asked for a one page pitch of your ideas. How you present this information is really important. This isn’t a dry, factual document. Never lose sight of the fact that the pitch is essentially selling your idea. It should be exciting, compelling and really demonstrate your unique vision or perspective on the world: the pitch should leave the reader longing for more and feel that no one other than the writer is equipped to write it.

We’ve listed some of the key information to consider including in your document below.

NAME, TITLE, EPISODES/DURATION

Put your name and the title of the project at the top of the page. Next to the title, if you’re pitching a TV series, put the number of episodes and the duration (e.g., 6 x 60 mins). This is really useful to help get an idea of what you see as the scope and potential of your drama. It’s not set in stone and can be changed after further discussion.

Use regular sized-font – if you need to use small font to get everything in, then you need to go back and refine and edit your piece.

LOGLINE

The logline should come next. It’s a succinct, but striking, sentence that immediately answers the question: what’s it about? The logline summarises the premise or key concept of the drama, identifies the protagonist and demonstrates the conflict inherent in their journey through the series or film. It can be useful to identify the genre too, if applicable.

For further advice on writing loglines, read this blog post

KEY CHARACTERS

Whose story is it? Your pitch should include a short description of your central protagonist. This is the character we will be engaged with and rooting for, or against. They should be compelling but above all, distinctive. We need to care what happens to them. It isn’t necessary to write a huge character backstory. We want to know where your character is in the present, and reveal anything important through the story. What do they want on a physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual level? Depending on your story, these elements will take different priorities. What is stopping them from getting what they want, what or who are the forces ranged against them?

This can be summarised as: ‘How does your character change?’ The answer to this question gives you your character’s journey across the series or film. If you investigate what your character wants and what is stopping them and why, it will help you to identify what it is they need to change to continue their life in a less fraught way. These changes may be big or small but what matters is that they are significant. If you look at your pitch, and your protagonist is in the same place emotionally at the end as they are at the beginning, then you need to look again at your story. It doesn’t mean that everything should be neatly resolved at the end – although it could be - but it does mean that they should be in a different place from where they started.

Your pitch should also indicate other key characters, most notably the antagonist, who is usually the main source of conflict for the protagonist, and anyone else who plays a pivotal role in the film or series. In an ensemble drama, there will still be one or two characters who are key, so ensure you foreground them while giving a general idea of the overall cast.

Visit our resources page for 'Characters Bring Your Story to Life'

STORY

What happens to your protagonist? We need a short summary of the key points of the story, including the inciting incident that sets the story in motion. ‘Something happens’ that changes the normal life of your protagonist (and their ‘normal’ could be criminal activity, or dealing with an overheated world). It should be clear from your pitch what the inciting incident is, and why this event is so significant that it will sustain a series or film. It can be something small but what matters is that it has huge consequences for your protagonist.

If your pitch is for a TV series, it will invariably focus on the first episode but it should also reveal some of how the story will play out over a series, including major turning points and the ending. It can be a closed or open ending but it’s important to have an idea of the resolution to the story.

Beware of just writing a dry exposition of events. The reader needs to be entertained and emotionally engaged. Surprise and tantalise the reader so they want to know more. If you are proposing a crime drama or a mystery, then consider revealing ‘whodunnit’ or the source of the mystery as it will help to show if the whole story works. You can still maintain the mystery and suspense in the way that you write your pitch.

WORLD

The ‘world’ of the show is more than just where the story is set, although if a specific location is important to the story, put that in your pitch too. The ‘world’ indicates the milieu that your characters operate in. What is different about this world that makes it stand out from other shows and is exciting for a viewer? Is it an elevated world or does it feel like the one we all live in already - even if it seems familiar your pitch should highlight why it is a world that we will be keen to enter as a film, or on a weekly or streaming basis.

TONE

This is a key element of writing a successful pitch. It’s what will help to convey your unique view of the world, your writing style and your vision for the show. The tone of your pitch will give the reader a sense of what it will be like, how it will feel, to watch your drama. On a very simple level, if you are writing a comedy or a thriller, the tone of your pitch should reflect this: incorporating humour or suspense into the piece.

Tone is not the same as genre, it’s the attitude of a show, or the mood of it so, for example, you could have a playful (tone) thriller (genre). The tone is what will set your idea apart from others out there, especially if it is within a world or genre that is very familiar. If you’d like to reference another film or series to give an idea of what your drama is aiming at, use sparingly and choose wisely as it can undermine your pitch if it’s hard to see the connection.

FINALLY, BE YOURSELF!

At the end of the pitch, you may want to put a line or two about what drew you to this particular story. Remember that the pitch is a starting point and much may change once you start developing the idea so don’t worry if you haven’t got everything tied down. These notes are only a guide. There’s no need to put these elements into separate sections, they should all be interwoven in your pitch. How you write your pitch is for you to experiment with until you are happy that it is a true reflection of you as a writer and the great story you want to tell.

Other useful resources:

Treatments, Pitches, Outlines - WHAT ARE THEY?

From Introductions to Re-writing - watch a series of eight videos covering the essentials of writing a successful script

What Makes a Great Spec Script

How would you describe Happy Valley?

Sally Wainwright: It is not a police show, it’s a show about Catherine, who happens to be a police officer. It’s not a police procedural, it’s not a crime show. It’s really about Catherine and about what happened to her in the past and this weird crooked relationship she has with this man who affected her life so badly.

How would you describe Catherine Cawood’s personality traits?

Catherine is very strong and very stubborn. I think she has got a very strong streak of irony and comedy. What I often think about Catherine is that she is a good person to whom something very tragic has happened. That informs the character that she is now. That she has got this streak of tragedy that strikes through her but she is somebody who prior to that was very amusing and entertaining and good fun. She is strong, I think police officers have to be strong.

Why do you think the audience loves Catherine so much?

I think it’s Sarah Lancashire’s performance. I think that she is an extraordinarily empathetic performer. I think she conveys the real subtleties of the tiny, tiny moment-by-moment thoughts in everything she does. The audience really engage with her.

Did you always have Sarah Lancashire in mind for the character of Catherine Cawood?

For Catherine yeah, because we had done Last Tango In Halifax where she played Caroline and she really captured my imagination. I thought she played Caroline so well, and again she just gets everything. She gets every little detail and she has that fantastic charisma and personality. So again, right from the first series, I had her in my head which really helped when I was creating the character. To be able to see her and have some pretty clear idea of how she would deliver the lines.

What originally inspired you to write Happy Valley?

I saw a documentary by Jez Lewis called Shed Your Tears and Walk Away and it was about drug and alcohol problems, specifically in Hebden Bridge. The other influence was that, when I was a kid, there was a series called Juliet Bravo, which I really, really liked. It was actually not filmed far from Hebden Bridge, it was filmed in Todmorden. It was about a female police inspector and it was a really good show. It’s kind of in my top ten TV shows from adolescence, so it was my attempt to re-visit that.

The other big thing that inspired me of course, which I’ve talked about a lot, was Nurse Jackie. I wanted to write my own Nurse Jackie, but obviously I couldn’t write about a nurse, so I wrote about a policewoman instead. When I wrote the first series that was very much in my head as an influence.

Can you tell us how you came up with the title, Happy Valley?

So Happy Valley... I always work closely with police advisors, who are old police officers who have worked in the area, and one of them told me that is what they call the Valley because of issues with drugs. For me it reflected the show. It’s dark, but it has also got a lot of humour in it. I think less so in season one, more so in season two. We want to continue that in the new season. It’s still very much about the dark side of life, but it’s also about how within that people always find ways of being funny and warm and human.

When writing the show, how do you determine the contrast between the dark and the light?

Balancing the dark and the light is usually done through the character of Catherine because she is so nice to write for. She is a fantastic character to write for, she has got a lot to her. The show is kind of a portrait of Catherine, a portrait of what she has gone through in life and what she is now, the kind of person she is now. And obviously I know I am writing for Sarah. Nothing will be wasted, she will get everything. She’ll push everything in the right way. She will get the humour across. I think that balance is encapsulated in that character.

Why do you think audiences love Happy Valley so much?

It’s odd with Happy Valley, so many people talk about it in such a way that I do now believe it’s pretty good! I did ask someone the other day, ‘what is it that you think?’, and she said ‘the characters and the performances and the stories’. You know the truth is it’s just an alchemy, just an alchemy that some shows somehow manage to press buttons with people. I guess it’s just one of those. You kind of hit a patch of gold, a seam of gold in it somehow. It does always seem to capture people’s imaginations when you are writing about things that are on the wrong side of the law. It’s about transgressive behaviour and I suppose humans are fascinated by transgressive behaviour. I guess that’s why people are so fascinated by crime. It’s a kind of vicarious thing, that we don’t indulge in ourselves but like to watch other people doing it, or we like to see them get caught, or we like to follow the people who sort things out.

Why have you waited so long to write series three?

I waited six years because I wanted to get to a point where Ryan would be old enough to start making choices about whether he wanted to have a relationship with his dad or not. And could he have a relationship with his dad, and how would Catherine feel about that? I really wanted to be able to explore that. It’s been great that we got Rhys back to play Ryan which has been fantastic, and he has done a really lovely job in that. That was always the intention, to have a gap and it has worked out just about right. Just the right period of time because he is now 16, so he can travel places by himself, he can make choices. He can do things behind Catherine’s back. The intention developed through conversations I had with Sarah to make it a three-parter, to make a trilogy. We always said this would be the final season and it is very definitely the final season.

Happy Valley series three begins at 9pm on 1 January, New Year’s Day, on Ö÷²¥´óÐã One and Ö÷²¥´óÐã iPlayer.

Read all the scripts for Series 1 and 2 in the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom Script Library

Listen to our podcast, Inside the Writersroom with Sally Wainwright 

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall has been adapted for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4 and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Sounds. This landmark adaptation sees the Splinter Cell universe - previously portrayed in the hugely popular video game series, and novels by - brought to life on the airwaves for the first time.

The eight-part series follows veteran Fourth Echelon agent, Sam Fisher on a new mission, recruiting and training the next generation of Splinter Cell operatives for the National Security Agency's covert action division.

We spoke to the writers, and  about how they approached this unique project and what tips they had to offer for writers.

How did you both get started in writing for Radio Drama? 

Sebastian Baczkiewicz: So my start was when I was invited to apply to be the Writer in Residence for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Drama in 2000. I was the first (I don’t think they do it anymore) but that was really the start of my radio writing career. I was writing plays before that and performing as an actor.

I then just carried on making work and did some adaptations of Les Misérables and The Count of Monte Cristo, and originated two series: Pilgrim and Elsinore. I also worked on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Front.

I never really thought about writing for audio. I've always thought about writing for writing. I think of Radio as a completely visual medium. There are some things you have to sketch in, but the audience is very good at working out what's going on, and the more that you can stimulate their imagination the better, really. Some writers get really hung up about writing for Radio but I've never really worried about it. Drama is drama. Story is story and the technical stuff follows on from the Drama.

Paul Cornell: I'd written a few audios for and I’d written two audio plays which Nadia Molinari, the Director of Splinter Cell, also directed. The first of those I got, because I shared an agent with Iain M. Banks, and Iain wanted to have one of his novellas, The State of the Art adapted for radio. So I got into that and I've always loved it.

In your work, you both lean towards Genre (Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy). Where did this come from? And what are your influences?

Sebastian: I sort of came into it accidentally. When I started to develop Pilgrim, we were invited to come up with a series idea during a residential (organised by Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom). I’d just become very interested in folklore and, at the time, there was very little actually about it. Now it's everywhere but then it wasn't, and I just couldn't believe that there was such a resource of English and British folk tales that just sat there in books waiting to be talked about or discovered. I was then very keen to use them as the DNA for stories and not set them in distant times but in our world and explore what would happen if it was true and happening now.

With Genre, I learnt to write through thrillers really.  That's always been a big influence on how you tell a story. Hitting the ground running is always a good thing, and I think both Paul and I have done that with Splinter Cell.

Paul: For me, I've been a fan of genre from when I was tiny. I'm a fan of all things fantastical, and I've actually joined a lot of fandoms. I've joined some fandoms before I knew what they were about! It's a wonderful way of being in conversation with one's peers, and knowing the nuts and bolts of how that particular genre works.

I think that Fantasy and Science Fiction provide a tremendous tool box for dealing with the modern world. You know we're living on so many different levels now, and so much that, when I was a youth might have been regarded as fantastical, has simply become how we see the world. How things are. I would take as an example, perhaps, the concept of multiple worlds, which has gone from the realm of abstract physics to people just kind of knowing in their bones that it might be true, and that being reflected in current media, how we can deal with there being multiple Batmen for example.

Genre is steeped in my bones. I am a fan boy from my boots. I'm a Doctor Who fan specifically. I mean, I can quote you detail on that which would make your toes curl! And that fandom especially, that stew of my peers in the early nineties, where we were all getting on together, and we all knew each other and each other's work so well that when one of us got a professional gig, the feeling was "Well, if they can do it, so can I!” There's nothing else like that being part of a gang who will come up together.

Speaking of fandoms, what connection did you have, if any, to the Splinter Cell one?

Paul: I’d played first person shooters, so I was familiar with the genre but not so much the Splinter Cell game itself.

Sebastian: Coming to the Splinter Cell franchise fresh and not being overburdened with ‘Sam Fisher’s got to be this’ and ‘it's going to be that’, was actually quite liberating I found. I think the plus of a fandom situation can be that you know all the ins and outs, you know all the levels, you know who gets killed, where and when and by whom, but coming to it like, ‘Well, this is a new story that's never been heard before’, was the only way Paul and I could come to it. We had to examine this story as though it had never ever been told before and in a completely new way.

The thing about Splinter Cell is that it's very mission based. It’s not like Doctor Who which has got different planets and societies. You're very much in a world that is defined by the game.

Paul: I’d played enough first person shooters to know what we should be doing. For example, one of my scenes in Splinter Cell is set in the railway station where it's very much: you shoot that bulb, you get under that train before those people turn around the corner and I thought that feeling was important for the audio drama.

It's a unique project in that the source material is not only a game but also a novel written by James Swallows which ties into the Ubisoft franchise. How did you approach this?

Paul: Well, oddly, James is one of those peers that I talked about. He was part of that stew back in the day and I haven't seen him for ages! Basically it was taking that structure of the novel and simplifying, compacting and reducing dialogue to what we could use. It was really good to have something to fall back on all the way.

Sebastian: Also, the genre demands strong narrative. The book has got a very strong narrative structure so thank you very much, James! I mean, I had to move a few things. The opening of the book is slightly different from the opening of the radio episode one as I wanted there to be a “hot opening”, as I'm told they say, in the trade. But the changes are really tiny. I don't know about you, Paul?

Paul: I had to zhuzh things around a bit to form cliff-hangers sometimes, and simplified the ending. I think I changed the focus of the very ending in order to give us the possibility of a sequel which was very much what everybody seemed to be after! It was a good solid piece to work from, and I tried not to go against the spirit of it.

Sebastian: Yeah, I think that's well said. That's always your job. Whatever you're adapting from Les Misérables to Splinter Cell. You have to be true to it. It’s no good going off and saying, ‘here's my much better version’. You’ve got to be respectful in the most practical way.

Paul: James also wants us to make him look his best. So it's more respectful to change things if the change is necessary to make it fly, you know.

Were there any other challenges you faced when you were adapting this project?

Sebastian: I think the challenge was to try to emphasise that there is a moral dimension to it which I think needs to be placed. In a game, you can go around shooting as many people as you like, and then you have a lie down but, for a Radio Drama, you can't just go around killing everybody. There has to be something about what it means to do what they do. It was at the forefront of my thinking all the time and I had to retain a kind of moral grip on what could have just been a kind of shoot-‘em-up for the radio. I had to hold that quite strongly in my mind that it was about people, and then people will die, and that can't just be nothing.

Paul: Also I wanted to put in more humour. I think as soon as you put some humour in the audience starts to like the characters and empathise with them more.  With Sam Fisher being so down the middle, he really needs people around him who warm him up a bit. He is capable of dry humour, but it's very dry.

Sebastian: What you're saying about humour is really important. It's kind of finding the truth in the genre. That's the really important thing. It's when it feels like the reality of the genre is being adhered to. The rules of the game if you like. We used to say this on Pilgrim, that there's no ‘winking’. There's no: ‘This is crazy, isn't it?!?!’ kind of acting. This is what's really happening and there really is an ancient psychotic spirit from a thousand years ago, and he really is in that front room.

A lot of writers who submit their work to us are interested in genre writing. Do you have any other advice for them?

Sebastian: Don’t wink!

Paul: You have to know your genre really well. I mean if I ventured into, say the Western right now, I would write a pastiche. I would write something that was the most surface gloss on it, because I don't know anything. What you need is to know what other people have done in that genre and be in conversation with that. React to it, or ignore it, or push against it, or go with it, but know where others have trod. That will always serve you well. I mean, if I wanted to write a Western I would go and actually read up a lot about the real old West and find something new to talk about.

People seem to think of Science Fiction and Fantasy as easy genres, because there is not a body of historical fact or anything like a police manual that you can read. But there is a body of work by people who've done a lot of this before and you really should pay attention to that.

Sebastian: I think that's really a good point. Splinter Cell has very defined rules. You know, Sam Fisher’s not going to appear in cabaret any time soon, for example. Interestingly in Pilgrim (which was Fantasy), I had to have really strong rules about what Pilgrim could or could not do. However wild it got, it needed to be held by the reality and the truth of the situation they were in. I think audiences respect that. Even if they don't even necessarily know what you're doing, they know that they are being held, that there are rules in this world, and our respect to the audiences is that we're not just going to break them like that. If we break the rules there'll be a good reason for it.

It’s keeping true to the scenario you set up and not suddenly going, ‘Oh, I did that. But you know what? I can do this because I can do anything!’ That's kind of cheating. If you can do anything, it doesn't mean anything.

You started writing the project in June and then it was on air in early December so it was a quick turnaround! How was that and how did the Radio Drama team support the writing process?

Sebastian: The production team Jessica Mitic, Lorna Newman and Nadia Molinari were on this from the start. So we were working from a brief and could use the book and I guess, in both of our cases, a degree of experience and knowing how to do this, so as not to have a meltdown about it.

Paul: Yes, calm throughout from all sides! Which was lovely. I do think something which would be useful for writers to hear is, my way of working is that I try and get a first draft - I don't know golf at all but to use a golfing metaphor - I try and knock it down the fairway and get it somewhere near the green with the first draft and then lots of notes. With the second draft I'm really looking to get there and to firm it up. My first drafts are often pretty rough so I'm after those notes from the Radio Drama team. They help with that.

Did you both attend the studio for the recording of Splinter Cell? What role does the writer play there?

Paul: I was there for one day and was called upon once or twice to change a line because it wasn't working. I think it's not quite like it is on television where you really are just popping in to say, 'You're all doing very well!' and have lunch and go. There is something for you to do.

With my previous play, the Iain M. Banks one with Nadia Molinari, I got to be on the floor and stand amongst the actors as Nadia directed them. At one point an actor asked us a question and she replied, and then I replied too. Then I found myself going, ‘Oh, sorry! Two voices!’ because on television that would be really a no, no! Then Nadia said, they're grown-ups they can listen to two voices. I really appreciated that. It is definitely more of a writer’s medium and your input is more part of the continual process.

Sebastian: Sometimes, in studio, you can be useful as the shorthand for actors and directors to say what's happened before because we are the ones who've got the overview. We know why people are doing what they're doing, and when they're doing it, as it were. Also sometimes things need to be cut or shortened, and certainly with Splinter Cell I thought of myself in studio as a sort of resource to be called upon and I enjoyed it. I like to see it being made. I think it's just part of the excitement of the process. To me, it's the reward.

What are the challenges you face in writing for Audio?

Sebastian: I think that what we're doing in Radio and Audio Drama often is that we're making something out of absolutely nothing. For TV, you've got a set. You've got lighting. You've got sound for the show. You've got all these things that are 50% of the work. What we have to do is build it up out of nothing and we have to do that by using characters and what they're saying, and what they're talking about, and immediately draw the audience in. You've just got to have an emotional connection immediately to the thing being made.

Paul: And leaning a lot more on dialogue of course.

Sebastian: That's it. There is nothing else. Our job is to make things appear in the imagination of the listener as vividly and as clearly as we possibly can. Radio Drama tends to get overlooked, you know. Obviously, it's not as sexy as television or film, it doesn't have the allure of the lights, but it has brilliant people in it, there are brilliant actors all the time in Radio bringing their talent to the words we make.

What are the benefits in writing for Audio?

Paul: I don't think there's any limitation with Audio. It's easier to do special effects!

Sebastian: Exactly. It makes the budgets much more friendly too! One of the great things is, you can develop an idea for television or film and you can be years doing that and that can be - for this writer - that could be quite a soul destroying experience. I know somebody who's been developing a film for nearly twenty years! So the great thing about Radio is that, although you know it doesn't have the kind of high media profile that television and film has, and theatre has to some degree, the advantage is you can realise your work without having to have an £80 million budget.

Paul: I think it's also a very good medium for idea-led Science Fiction. The only person really doing that in movies is . He has big visuals to go alongside his big ideas and because audio is led by dialogue, it's led by ideas. So you can actually develop a complicated science fictional argument quite well, and it's hard to do that and maintain great visuals in Film and TV.

Sebastian: Also, dialogue is character, it’s people talking to people. With Splinter Cell, the people come first. We don't have the visuals. We don't have the games. We don't have the guns. We don't have the dripping pipes. We don't have the whole world of that. So what do we have? We have these extraordinary characters, and those are the people that we have to animate into action, and as soon as they're doing something, the audience is with them. So characters don't just talk on Radio. They are doing things to each other in action; action being the operative word. That's true in a Christopher Nolan movie, it’s true in a play at the National Theatre as it is on a radio piece, as it is in EastEnders. It's people doing things to other people using words.

Any further writing advice?

Sebastian: The great joy of writing is cutting. Some less experienced writers find it hard to let go of anything but it's so liberating. You just go, ‘I don't need any of that. I don't need any more exposition. It's just there’. By doing this, you're keeping your work as light on its feet as possible. Also, if you’re interested in Audio Drama, listen to some.

Paul: That is surely the first thing that any aspiring writer should do is actually consume a lot of the thing they want to write. And yet…

Sebastian: There's such a huge variety of work out there. From Splinter Cell to a domestic drama set in Northumberland to a play about street gangs in London. Also The Classic Serial. There’s such a huge umbrella of ideas and content going out every week. Listen to things you're interested in and read. Reading is really important. It fertilises the mind and that's what we’re in the game for.

Paul: I enjoy having my mind fertilised!

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall continues today at 14.15 on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio 4 or you can listen to the whole series as a box set on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Sounds.

If you've submitted to Open Call 2023, you might now be wondering, 'What's Next?' Read on to find out what happens to your script now the deadline has passed and some advice on how to spend your time while you wait for an update from us.

First of all, if you submitted a script to our Open Call submission window, give yourself some well-deserved praise! Completing and sending your work out into the world as a writer is no easy task. You should be proud of this accomplishment, so take time to tell yourself that.

We want to thank everyone who submitted their script to this year’s Open Call opportunity. We’ve received over 4,000 submissions! So what’s next?

We start reading...

Stage One – 10 Page Sift

All eligible entries will be assigned to our group of professional experienced script readers and Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom team who will read at least the first ten pages of every script.

The main factors that push scripts through to the second stage of our Open Call are:

• Originality of voice – the writer’s voice clearly shines through
• Originality of idea – unique stories that explore new territory, concepts, worlds, experiences, characters etc
• Storytelling ability – how you hook your reader/viewer/listener with the world and characters you have created

Stage Two – 30 Page Sift

Scripts which hook our reader’s attention will progress to a 30 page read by a second script reader, who will then consider if the script should proceed to Stage Three to be read in full by a third reader.

Sometimes, if applications reach this stage but do not progress further, then we may consider the writer as a candidate for our Voices 2024 programme.

For further information on our Development Groups, read this recent blog post

Stage Three – Full Read (Longlist)

Scripts which reach the full read stage will be read by a third reader who will also provide the writer with a script report once the process has concluded. It is our hope that this will help writers with their development.

Due to the high volume of submissions we receive and the resources we have available, we’re not be able to provide any individual feedback to writers who have not progressed to this stage.

Stage Four – Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom Team Read (Shortlist)

Following the full read stage the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom team will review the remaining scripts and undertake a fourth full read to create a final shortlist. At least two members of staff will read each of the final shortlisted scripts.

Interviews

Following this, the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom will then invite at least half of the shortlisted writers for an interview with a view to being considered for suitable development opportunities including our Drama Room and Voices groups. Interviews will take place online over Zoom.

How long will it take?

Please be aware that the careful processing and reading of these thousands of scripts can take a number of months and we will not make contact with any writers until we have made our final selection so please refrain from contacting us for an update. We are hoping to let people know by June 2023.

What now?

Don’t wait until our next Open Call 2024 window to get writing! You should always be coming up with ideas and new scripts to submit to us and other opportunities across the industry.

Coming up: 

The Writers' Access Group is our development group for deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers. The submission window opens on Tuesday 24th January 2023 and closes on Tuesday 18th April 2023. Further details will be published in due course.

Also look out for opportunities coming up from Ö÷²¥´óÐã Comedy and  

Our Opportunities page has details of organisations accepting submissions for a variety of mediums – take a look and keep writing and working to those deadlines.

Our Open Call script submission opportunity is currently accepting submissions and, during the window, we've been hosting online drop-in sessions to give writers the opportunity to ask us their questions and receive some submission advice. 

These sessions have been popular and, while we've not been able to answer everyone's queries during that time, we've collated and answered some from our previous drop-in below. We hope this will help to fill writers in on what our annual script submission window is all about.

What are the most common mistakes writers make in their screenplays?

Definitely familiarity and submitting something which feels derivative. If it is a well-trodden territory – such as a detective show - give us a fresh take on it.

Also, if you’re going to submit to our Open Call, don't second guess what the Ö÷²¥´óÐã is looking for because that comes through in your writing. We'll be able to tell because it's going to feel self-consciously commercial and inauthentic and we often receive multiple versions of Fleabag or Line of Duty.

At the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom, we accept TV, Film, Theatre, Online or Radio scripts during our submission window. When choosing your medium, however, you have to ask yourself if your story is right for that particular medium. Why have you chosen for it to be Radio over a visual medium like TV or Film for example? When scripts feel like they have been written in the wrong medium it can have a negative effect and jar with the reader.

For further advice, read this recent blog post on What Makes a Great Spec Script

What are the first things you look for in a script / project / writer? How can we stand out in a good way?

When we read your work, we are looking out for the signs of a distinctive and compelling voice; characters that engage us, that make us laugh/cry/angry, that we can relate to via their complicated relationships with others.

We are excited to find story worlds and perspectives we haven’t seen on screen before, or maybe a fresh and surprising look at a world we are familiar with. We want to see all parts of our diverse nation represented, we want to speak to the universal human experiences of love, family, death, heartbreak etc in the local and specific. We are looking for writers who have something urgent to say about who and where we are as a society now. But most of all we are looking for talented writers who love television, are engaged viewers themselves and are excited about the potential of the medium to speak to audiences across the UK.

Could you talk a bit please about what you’re looking for in terms of Comedy Drama? (as opposed to sitcom etc which is what you’re not looking for?)

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly, but Comedy Dramas show the light and dark sides of life, often containing big emotional issues befitting a drama, which are then matched by a strong comedic elements.

Drama has progression; the characters are affected by the events and choices they make within the story and are changed for better or worse. Comedy sitcoms, however, are cyclic and no matter what has happened in the episode the characters will reset to their default for the next instalment.

If you want to read more on the topic, you may find the What is Comedy Drama? blog post of interest.

Does the story have to be set in the UK or it can be based in the USA or anywhere?

It can be set anywhere, even outer space! There are no limits, especially as the scripts you send us will not be produced so you should not be thinking of any production constraints when preparing your submission.  Just write what you want to write and write what best represents you and your work.

Once you have selected the successful applicants - do you find they're mainly writers with experience, or do you have newcomers as well?

Our groups often have a real mix of writers, not only from different disciplines such as performance poetry or short film but also in writing experience. Sometimes, writers have been selected and the script they have submitted is the first one they have ever written.

We also accommodate this through each of our tailored development groups which offer different opportunities to writers based on their level of experience.

For further details on our Groups and what they offer read this recent blog post.  

If accepted as writers, how does the development programme work?

We use Open Call to identify interesting new writers and then they may be invited to take part in either our Drama Room or Voices writer development groups.

Voices is a programme for emerging writers who have a strong creative track record in aligned creative fields (theatre, short film, comedy, spoken word etc) but are new to television writing.

Drama Room is for emerging writers who demonstrate a distinctive, original voice and an understanding of the fundamentals of writing for TV but who do not have a professional television credit.

For further details on what is included in each of our development groups' programmes read this recent blog post. 

Are Voices and Drama mutually exclusive? Can you be invited to further development opportunities?

Each of our development groups are aimed to provide writers with support and opportunities most suited to them and their level of experience in screenwriting. Once they have completed a group such as Voices for example, it is our hope that writers will return with the tools they have learned during their time with the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom and reapply for the next development scheme. In this case, Drama Room, which will open them and their career up to further opportunities.

Do writers who don't get shortlisted still get feedback?

No. Only the scripts which progress to the Full Read stage will receive feedback in the form of a Script Report on their submission. We do not have the resources to fully read and feedback on anything more than a small proportion of the thousands of scripts we receive.

The open call specifies “comedy-drama and drama” but is there room for scripts that use horror/supernatural elements? Similar to Wreck and In The Flesh, where the genre’s used to further the dramatic story?

Absolutely. If you want to write genre and you're really interested in genre, then absolutely write that and it will be eligible for Open Call as long as it falls under the Drama or Comedy/Drama umbrella.

If you are going to go for a genre twist, then ask yourself the question: ‘why am I doing it?’ You need to subvert expectation with it and not make a script supernatural (for example) just to make it feel a little bit different in the hope that it will stand out more.

The submission can be 2 x 15 page scripts, is that correct?

Yes. If submitting something which is short form, such as an Online/Children’s TV or Radio/Podcast script, then multiple episodes may be submitted as a single document provided the total length comes to at least 30 pages. You may also submit up to 2 short film scripts as long as the total exceeds 30 pages.

You may not, however, submit multiple scripts from different mediums. i.e. If you submit a short film script you cannot also add an episode for Online/Children’s TV or Radio/Podcast series as well. These will be seen as multiple submissions and marked as ineligible.

Visit our website for further details on the Open Call Terms and Conditions.

Can I send a play script that is less than 30 pages?

No. Submissions must be a minimum length of 30 pages excluding title and character pages. There are no exceptions and anything less will not be considered.

Visit our website for further details on what we can and cannot accept.

How can you find out what scripts I have already sent?

When you sign into your  there will be a list of all of your previous submissions and which opportunity they were sent to.

Is there anything that would make you pass on an applicant in terms of existing credits or awards? Asking for semi-pro writers who haven’t had a broadcast credit but might have had an option/development etc.

During the reading process for Open Call, we will only consider the script and nothing else.

As part of the application, we do ask for a paragraph on your Writing History. However, you do not need to have any credits, awards or professionally produced work. We just want to understand your passion for writing and a little bit of the journey you have been on up to this point.

If your script is shortlisted and you are invited to an interview, the answers to the application questions can help us to decide whether you would be more suited in the Drama Room development group or the Voices if successful.

You understandably don't accept poetry, but would stage drama with verse elements / verse drama be looked upon less favourably than a screenplay?

No. Many of the successful writers who have made it through Open Call have entered scripts for the stage. If the use of verse within the script is essential to your unique voice and characters then it will not be looked on less favourably.

In the later stages of the process, when we look at the answers to the application questions, we do like to see that writers also demonstrate a passion for TV and desire to write for the screen.

You can find these questions in advance of submitting on this downloadable E-Submissions Application Preview .

I'm a children's book author - would I be allowed to submit a script based on one of my (published) books?

Yes. As long as the script is entirely the original work of the entrant then it is eligible for Open Call. The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom does not commission or produce television projects so the fact that the source material has been published is not an issue.

Is there a limit on how many scripts make it through the initial reading stage before progressing to the next round, or is it simply that the best ones will progress, regardless of how many of these there are?

The best ones will progress, regardless. This is one of the reasons why the processing and reading can take a number of months.

Just wondering where you would like us to write the logline - should this be on a separate page before the beginning of the script?

When you , there will be a designated box for you to type your logline into.

A logline is a one (sometimes two) sentence summary of your script or TV series. It captures all the key ingredients of your concept: Protagonist, Inciting Incident, Antagonist, World, Stakes.

For further advice, read this blog post on Writing Loglines

Does one need to form a production company to begin a formal dialogue with the Beeb? I have ideas beyond the screenplays I have already created, but I never know what avenue will get them brought to life.

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom does not commission or produce television projects and the scripts sent to Open Call will not be made.

If you are interested in submitting a scripted television idea to the Ö÷²¥´óÐã for further development, then you need first to have a production company attached who will send the project directly to the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Drama Commissioning team for consideration.

Further details can be found on the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Commissioning website.

Is there a particular script format that is preferred?

The formatting of your script can be dependent on whichever Medium you are writing for (TV, Film, Theatre, Online or Radio).  We have some useful examples in our Medium and Format section of the website. In addition to this we have an extensive Script Library where you can read the scripts for Ö÷²¥´óÐã shows for TV, Film and Radio.

As long as your script is clearly formatted and legible, we will not penalise if they don’t adhere to industry standard formats.

If I submit the pilot and have a rough idea of the way I want the series to go, do I need to have every episode planned out for the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom's Open Call?

No, you should focus on the one script. We will only accept and read one script from each writer for Open Call and we will not consider any additional materials such as Treatments or Series Outlines.

Whatever you submit, treat it as calling card that showcases your talent, your ability and your voice and we want to see that you have put the work and planning into it.  We look for unique stories and enjoy it when the writer guides us through the world and characters they have created with confidence and authenticity.

May be a silly question, I'm very new to this. Do you have any guidance on how to turn a story into screenplay/script? I have a story, however I have limited experience in how to turn that into a script format for submission.

Our website has a number of valuable resources for writers at any stage of their scriptwriting careers. We have a Script Library of over 1,000 Ö÷²¥´óÐã shows from Film, Radio and TV.  Reading scripts is a valuable exercise for any writer. As you read, ask yourself: what works? What doesn't? Where do the key points of action come in?

You may be interested in our series of videos, Scriptwriting Essentials which advise on the key ingredients to write a successful script.

Visit our Resources page for more help and advice.

What age range of writers do you take?

The Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom will work with any writer over the age of 18 as long as they are a resident of the UK and Republic of Ireland (including the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).

It says on the website that you don't want first drafts. I have sought feedback from various people and am adjusting my script accordingly. Is there a level of feedback I should have attained before I send it in? I've done several versions already.

This is hard to say and really, as the writer, it’s up to you as to when you think your work is ready to be sent out. It’s very common that you’ll never be completely happy with it, but if you've sent it out to people who you respect and got their feedback and then it sounds like you have made it the best it can be at this point.

If you get 5000 submissions, how many get through to stage 2?

On average, between 500-600 scripts will progress to Stage 2 - 30 Page Sift.

The main factors that push scripts through to the second stage of our Open Call are:

• Originality of voice – the writer’s voice clearly shines through
• Originality of idea – unique stories that explore new territory, concepts, worlds, experiences, characters etc
• Storytelling ability – how you hook your reader/viewer/listener with the world and characters you have created

A good portion of the 5,000 scripts are ineligible as they don’t adhere to the Open Call Terms and Conditions. Make sure you have read them before applying.

Many answers can be found on our website if they are not included above. If you still have questions about our Open Call opportunity, you can join one of our online drop-in sessions for Help and Advice.

Visit this page for drop-in times and registration details.

Once each drop-in has reached capacity, no further registrations will be accepted. You can also email your questions to the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Writersroom team on writersroom@bbc.co.uk

To submit your script, visit our Open Call Submission page

Back in April, we noticed a great thread on  where he shared some writer archetypes based on his experience as co-founder of . As our Open Call submissions have just opened (deadline noon on 7th December) we asked James to expand on his tweets and commissioned some illustrations from David Mercer.

Which one are you!?!

1) The Perfectionist 

That one script, the masterpiece. They do draft after draft, endless re-writes, never satisfied. Each set of feedback sending them in a different direction. They have huge potential - if only they could move on!

2) The Machine

Absolutely smashes out script after script. Like they have a relentless outpouring of creativity they just have to channel. They make everyone else feel lazy.

3) The Real Deal

Often humble, unassuming and their work absolutely explodes off the page. Ready made with clear vision, technique and originality. Their career often lifts off quickly.

4) The Artist

Their work is abstract, often surprising and almost always confusing. But it doesn’t matter because there’s a beauty to it. And they don’t care AT ALL what you think.

5) The Jaded Pro

This is usually someone who’s had enough success to get their career going but the going has been tough. Advice is always well meaning but inevitably laced with years of bad experience. Can be a buzzkill for new writers.

6) The Doubter

This is most common. Inexperienced hobbyist who constantly assumes they’re doing it wrong (they aren’t) But they want to learn, they devour every book, interview and piece of advice. Must avoid The Jaded Pro at all costs.

7) The Genre Switcher

No genre is off limits. Thrillers to romcoms to horror to spoof comedy. Their list of samples are so varied they can go in any direction they want. Often closely linked to The Machine. 

8) The Generous Pro

This is often someone who’s done loads but still remains humble, endlessly giving and open to everyone. Ego is not involved and their writing reflects it. Probably started as The Real Deal.

9) The Semi-Finalist

It’s probably in their Twitter bio, but they’ve placed in every competition in existence. Quarters, semis, maybe a finalist. But rarely the winner. They must be thousands in debt. Their time will come!

10) The Advice Giver

Tends to offer up unsolicited opinions on every aspect of the screenwriting journey despite having limited experience. There is no ‘what works for you’. There are only RULES. Despises The Rule Breaker.  

11) The Rule Breaker

Often a comedy writer, rules mean nothing. Jokes in description, fourth wall breaking, bold, underlining, italics, colours - their work has it all! Sharp, snappy. Often forgets about narrative.

12) The Idea Protector

Someone who rarely writes a word. Instead they’re so terrified of their ideas being stolen they spend their time commenting online about how their masterpiece is too precious to share. They always know someone who got the idea for [insert major show] first before it was nicked by Hollywood.

13) The Cheerleader

A constant source of support for their peers, they cheer your every win, offer pep talks for rejections, all the while churning out fun and inventive work. 

'Writer Types' Illustrations created by David Mercer at