Script Reading and Development
We offer a script development service to playwrights of any age and level of experience.
From a thorough read of your play and notes in writing or in person, up to a full script development package including regular feedback sessions and workshops, the service can be bespoke to what your script needs to take it to the next level.
“The prompt, thorough and attentive feedback I’ve had from Sheer Drop on two drafts of my script has boosted my confidence and helped me to refine my writing, streamline ideas and ultimately create a much stronger play" Tasmin Pinder
Our main aim as a company is to champion and develop new and emerging writers, so we have made our prices competitive and all money generated by this service will go straight back into Sheer Drop’s work developing and producing new plays.
"Tom's feedback is at once very precise and generously big picture. He helped me imagine my play past the borders of the piece, while, at the same time, giving me the tools I was missing to put the whole thing together. He also is very professional, sticking to all of his deadlines and mindful of being as clear and direct and concise as possible" Chris Holbrook
Scripts will be read by Tom Latter, whose experience includes developing and directing new full length plays for Sheer Drop; dramaturgy, play development, directing, curating and producing new writing projects for Theatre503, as Literary Coordinator; Associate Director for Historic Royal Palaces; ten years experience as a theatre director.
Below is a description of our services - we want the process to be transparent so writers know what they are getting for their money, but also flexible, to reflect that each script and writer will benefit from a personalised bespoke service which responds to their specific needs.
Script-reading Service:
Full script read: £60
As standard, this includes:
- a first read of the script, followed by a meeting (15-20mins). This is a chance for me to ask questions on the background of the play, and for you to identify any specific areas you want the notes to focus on.
- a second read of the play, followed by script notes in writing.
- a second meeting (1 hour approx) to discuss the notes in detail.
Currently all meetings are taking place on Zoom, and we'd aim for the second meeting to take place within 2-3 weeks of your script being sent.
Above all, we want the service to be personable and bespoke to the writer and the play, so we're happy to discuss a different process or timeframe to meet your needs.
Subsequent drafts: £35 per draft
For writers who have had a full script read already and want on-going feedback on the same play. This includes:
- a single read of the redrafted script with script notes in writing
- a 1 hour approx discussion of the notes.
“Getting a professional assessment of my work from Tom at Sheer Drop Theatre was without doubt the best thing I could have done for my latest play. Tom’s very detailed and extremely thorough appraisal has helped me immeasurably with the development of my script. Not only did he provide a detailed and intelligent report, demonstrating a clear understanding of the world of my play and its inhabitants; he also conveyed some insightful advice on my characters, structure and dialogue. I would not hesitate to use Sheer Drop’s Script Development Service for future scripts. Thank you Tom!” Liz Tait
Please send your script to [email protected] with the subject line SCRIPTREADING SERVICE along with the following details:
- which script-reading service you would like
- a brief history of the play and yourself as a writer – is this your first or twentieth play, which draft is this etc
- any specific questions or areas of the script you would like the notes to address (optional)
Script Development Service
Prices start from £150
A bespoke script development package for writers at any stage of creating a script. Our aim is to support the development of a script from initial idea or early draft through to a script that is ready for submission or potential production. The exact nature of this process will be different for each writer, and you can pick and choose a package which best suits you. For guidance, a typical full process would look something like this:
Stage 1) Writing stage (for writers without a first draft yet). Through discussion of the initial idea, research, advice, and feedback, you will be supported in writing the first draft of the script.
Stage 2) Re-drafting stage (for writers with a first/early draft or who have completed stage 1). Through a personalised combination of regular script-reading, one-to-one feedback sessions, and further advice, you will be supported in developing the script to a workshop-ready draft.
Stage 3) Workshop stage (for writers with a later draft or who have completed stage 2). An organic process including workshops, collaborations with other theatre-makers, production and submission advice and all the tools at our disposal, with the aim to develop your script to a place where it is ready for submission or potential production.
To start a discussion about using the Script Development Service, please email [email protected] with a brief description of your idea/script/where you are in your writing process, including a draft if you have one, and any questions you have about the service. We can then provide a full quote and breakdown of the costs involved.
Script Development Testimonial from award-winning playwright Tom Glover
“I worked with Sheer Drop on a show, ‘Wet Bread’, where the company worked alongside me in the creation of the script. From initial ideas, down to the final fine-tuning, the writing was perhaps more of a process than ever before, and the script all the stronger from it.
The great benefit was to allow the script to develop organically. As we were able to trial scenes, sections, even scraps of ideas, as they were developed, the first draft was considerably stronger than my usual early efforts. Tom’s approach is to use discussion, readings, improvisation and script-in-hand work to test the emerging work. This was quite a unique approach and one which undoubtedly benefitted the final piece.
Writing is usually a solitary act, but working with the Sheer Drop approach enriched the process and gave me a lot of smaller staging posts in the mammoth task of writing a play. Critically, at no point in the process did I feel we were devising, that I wasn’t the creator of the play and all decisions were made by myself, informed, but not directed, by the process. Tom’s experience in theatre-making is invaluable and he respects the instincts and decisions of a writer - I really appreciated his approach which is to question and ponder but not criticise and direct.
The process of making the play was really enjoyable, natural and resulted in a piece which I was confident would be effective on stage because of the detailed work we had done whilst creating it. I would recommend every writer tries creating work this way because it’s truly helpful, inspiring and productive.”
From a thorough read of your play and notes in writing or in person, up to a full script development package including regular feedback sessions and workshops, the service can be bespoke to what your script needs to take it to the next level.
“The prompt, thorough and attentive feedback I’ve had from Sheer Drop on two drafts of my script has boosted my confidence and helped me to refine my writing, streamline ideas and ultimately create a much stronger play" Tasmin Pinder
Our main aim as a company is to champion and develop new and emerging writers, so we have made our prices competitive and all money generated by this service will go straight back into Sheer Drop’s work developing and producing new plays.
"Tom's feedback is at once very precise and generously big picture. He helped me imagine my play past the borders of the piece, while, at the same time, giving me the tools I was missing to put the whole thing together. He also is very professional, sticking to all of his deadlines and mindful of being as clear and direct and concise as possible" Chris Holbrook
Scripts will be read by Tom Latter, whose experience includes developing and directing new full length plays for Sheer Drop; dramaturgy, play development, directing, curating and producing new writing projects for Theatre503, as Literary Coordinator; Associate Director for Historic Royal Palaces; ten years experience as a theatre director.
Below is a description of our services - we want the process to be transparent so writers know what they are getting for their money, but also flexible, to reflect that each script and writer will benefit from a personalised bespoke service which responds to their specific needs.
Script-reading Service:
Full script read: £60
As standard, this includes:
- a first read of the script, followed by a meeting (15-20mins). This is a chance for me to ask questions on the background of the play, and for you to identify any specific areas you want the notes to focus on.
- a second read of the play, followed by script notes in writing.
- a second meeting (1 hour approx) to discuss the notes in detail.
Currently all meetings are taking place on Zoom, and we'd aim for the second meeting to take place within 2-3 weeks of your script being sent.
Above all, we want the service to be personable and bespoke to the writer and the play, so we're happy to discuss a different process or timeframe to meet your needs.
Subsequent drafts: £35 per draft
For writers who have had a full script read already and want on-going feedback on the same play. This includes:
- a single read of the redrafted script with script notes in writing
- a 1 hour approx discussion of the notes.
“Getting a professional assessment of my work from Tom at Sheer Drop Theatre was without doubt the best thing I could have done for my latest play. Tom’s very detailed and extremely thorough appraisal has helped me immeasurably with the development of my script. Not only did he provide a detailed and intelligent report, demonstrating a clear understanding of the world of my play and its inhabitants; he also conveyed some insightful advice on my characters, structure and dialogue. I would not hesitate to use Sheer Drop’s Script Development Service for future scripts. Thank you Tom!” Liz Tait
Please send your script to [email protected] with the subject line SCRIPTREADING SERVICE along with the following details:
- which script-reading service you would like
- a brief history of the play and yourself as a writer – is this your first or twentieth play, which draft is this etc
- any specific questions or areas of the script you would like the notes to address (optional)
Script Development Service
Prices start from £150
A bespoke script development package for writers at any stage of creating a script. Our aim is to support the development of a script from initial idea or early draft through to a script that is ready for submission or potential production. The exact nature of this process will be different for each writer, and you can pick and choose a package which best suits you. For guidance, a typical full process would look something like this:
Stage 1) Writing stage (for writers without a first draft yet). Through discussion of the initial idea, research, advice, and feedback, you will be supported in writing the first draft of the script.
Stage 2) Re-drafting stage (for writers with a first/early draft or who have completed stage 1). Through a personalised combination of regular script-reading, one-to-one feedback sessions, and further advice, you will be supported in developing the script to a workshop-ready draft.
Stage 3) Workshop stage (for writers with a later draft or who have completed stage 2). An organic process including workshops, collaborations with other theatre-makers, production and submission advice and all the tools at our disposal, with the aim to develop your script to a place where it is ready for submission or potential production.
To start a discussion about using the Script Development Service, please email [email protected] with a brief description of your idea/script/where you are in your writing process, including a draft if you have one, and any questions you have about the service. We can then provide a full quote and breakdown of the costs involved.
Script Development Testimonial from award-winning playwright Tom Glover
“I worked with Sheer Drop on a show, ‘Wet Bread’, where the company worked alongside me in the creation of the script. From initial ideas, down to the final fine-tuning, the writing was perhaps more of a process than ever before, and the script all the stronger from it.
The great benefit was to allow the script to develop organically. As we were able to trial scenes, sections, even scraps of ideas, as they were developed, the first draft was considerably stronger than my usual early efforts. Tom’s approach is to use discussion, readings, improvisation and script-in-hand work to test the emerging work. This was quite a unique approach and one which undoubtedly benefitted the final piece.
Writing is usually a solitary act, but working with the Sheer Drop approach enriched the process and gave me a lot of smaller staging posts in the mammoth task of writing a play. Critically, at no point in the process did I feel we were devising, that I wasn’t the creator of the play and all decisions were made by myself, informed, but not directed, by the process. Tom’s experience in theatre-making is invaluable and he respects the instincts and decisions of a writer - I really appreciated his approach which is to question and ponder but not criticise and direct.
The process of making the play was really enjoyable, natural and resulted in a piece which I was confident would be effective on stage because of the detailed work we had done whilst creating it. I would recommend every writer tries creating work this way because it’s truly helpful, inspiring and productive.”
