Authoring & Playwriting

Hi Authors and Playwrights,

Want to know the difference between a Developmental Editor, a Line Editor, a Copy Editor and a Proof-reader?

1. Developmental Editing (The "Big Picture")

Focus: Structure, plot, character arcs, pacing, theme, overall coherence, and concept.

Editor's Role: Acts as a critical reader, asking: Does the story work? Are characters believable? Is the plot logical?.

Your Role: Be open to significant rewrites, restructuring, adding/deleting scenes, and reimagining elements. You'll work closely with the editor to develop the core of the book.

2. Line Editing (The "Flow & Voice")

Focus: Sentence-level craft, clarity, word choice, rhythm, tone, and transitions.

Editor's Role: Polishes the prose, making it more engaging and precise, asking if each sentence is needed, clear, and well-written.

Your Role: Review suggestions for wordiness, awkward phrasing, and clarity; ensure the editor's changes enhance your unique voice.

3. Copyediting (The "Nitty-Gritty")

Focus: Correctness (grammar, spelling, punctuation, consistency) and clarity.

Editor's Role: Catches errors in syntax, punctuation, formatting, factual details (like dates or names), and ensures adherence to style guides (e.g., Chicago Manual of Style).

Your Role: Trust the copyeditor to find the small, easy-to-miss errors; focus on incorporating their fixes and reviewing for consistency.

4. Proofreading (The Final Polish)

Focus: Production errors (typos, widows/orphans, incorrect page numbers, bad breaks) in the final layout.

Editor's Role: A fresh pair of eyes to catch anything missed before printing/publishing.

Your Role: Don't revise; just check for production errors.

How to Work Together

Understand the Stages: The process flows from big-picture (Dev) to small details (Copy/Proof), often with rewrites between stages.

Communicate: Ask your editor questions about their feedback, especially during developmental edits.

Save Versions: Use software like Scrivener or save different drafts to avoid losing good work during major revisions.

Choose Wisely: Find editors with experience in your genre and topic for best results.

Our latest batch of targeted 2025 Open Writing Assignments (OWAs) closes for submissions in just one week, next Wednesday, December 18th.

This is your final call to get your work in front of top producers, showrunners, and executives seeking the next Palm Springs, Parasite, or Beyond the Lights. Just this past week, three writers received script requests directly from OWAs, and last month, two writers landed general meetings with major companies, this program works!

Don't let your script miss this deadline. Here’s what the industry is actively seeking:

1. For Your Sharp, Theatrical Comedies

A Producer & Showrunner is seeking comedy scripts in the vein of Palm Springs, Someone Great, and Punch-Drunk Love.

2. For Grounded Genre with a Major Twist

A Manager of Development is looking for grounded genre projects with unique twists and a strong POV. Think the bold originality of Parasite, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

3. For Character-Driven Thrillers & Horror

An Acquisitions Executive seeks character-driven thrillers and horror with budgets under $10M, comparable to the intensity of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Revenge, or Drive.

4. For Faith-Based & True Stories

A Manager/Producer is looking for faith-based features, preferably under $5M and based on or inspired by true events, in the spirit of I Can Only Imagine and Miracles from Heaven.

5. For Gripping Political Dramas

A Producer and Director is actively seeking political stories with the high-stakes drama of The Post, The Ides of March, or Political Animals.

6. For Music-Centered Projects (Scripted & Unscripted)

A Producer & Showrunner seeks both scripted and unscripted projects centered on music, inspired by hits like Beyond the Lights, The Idol, and Rhythm + Flow.

Your opportunity could be next. This is your proven, direct pathway to script requests and industry meetings.

Submit Now: https://www.stage32.com/writers-room

The deadline is Wednesday, December 18th. Don't wait—submit before time runs out!

Hey Authors and Playwrights,

Short answer: yes - but how much they can change depends entirely on what you’ve agreed to in writing.

I’ve seen this question pop up a bit lately with authors I know, so here’s a quick breakdown for anyone heading into the publishing world:

What publishers can usually change:

Minor edits: spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting - anything that brings the manuscript in line with the publisher’s style guide.

The “extras”: titles, covers, taglines, and blurbs are often under the publisher’s control unless the contract says otherwise.

What they shouldn’t change without you:

Major content: rewriting scenes, cutting chapters, altering characters, or fundamentally shifting your story.

These are considered significant editorial changes, and the author should have final sign-off - but again, only if the contract protects that right.

How to protect your work:

Read the contract carefully. Clauses about editing and revision are critical.

Negotiate if needed. You can request a clause that requires your approval on major content changes.

Communicate with your editor. Most editors want collaboration, not conflict - but if the contract gives them final say, they can legally make the call.

Expect some changes. Especially around titles and covers - these are often marketing decisions.

If in doubt, get a lawyer to review the contract.

Publishing is a partnership, but it’s one where clarity on paper matters more than good vibes.

Hope this helps someone navigating the process! Happy writing everyone!

Isn’t it wild how some projects take years before anyone really discovers them?

I’ve had a few things suddenly get attention lately, long after I released them, and it reminded me that nothing we create is ever wasted.

Has that happened to you?

A project that slept for years… then suddenly woke up?

So, since I started my writing journey various people have assumed I’d like to write screenplays based on my books.

Honestly, the idea doesn’t appeal to me at all! I feel too ‘close’ to the work, and I’m unbothered by the idea of someone dissecting my work and adapting it in ways they see fit. Case in point - my favourite film is ‘The Shining’. Quite.

I can just about imagine working in collaboration with somebody else, but think I’d get in a state if I tried it alone.

How do you feel about other creatives taking on your work and reinterpreting it?

Are you excited, or horrified, by the prospect?!

Hello everyone.

I’m currently working on my screenplay “The Diary and the Watch”. It’s a historical drama about a British industrialist, with the story unfolding against the backdrop of the Titanic disaster and the First World War. My aim is to build a fictional narrative on top of real historical events, and along the way I’ve often run into moments where an idea simply couldn’t be executed because it didn’t fit the logic or the actual history. I’ve had to rethink situations, adjust the plot and find solutions to those narrative challenges — especially anything connected to the war and the front. As a result, the early draft is very different from what the story is becoming now. That didn’t upset me — quite the opposite. It’s genuinely fascinating to revisit certain characters and their actions: at first you judge one of them, and then you realise he couldn’t have acted any other way.

Alongside this, you end up exploring the inner life of your protagonist and the way various historical events shape him — the sinking of the Titanic and the war. How all of this affects his life and the choices he must make between personal feelings and duty. Who he was at the beginning and who he becomes by the end. It’s almost like writing two different versions of the same man. An important part of the research for me has also been understanding public attitudes towards homosexuality in early 20th-century Britain, and how those social norms restricted the protagonist’s personal life and the choices available to him.

I’d be really interested to hear whether you’ve written books or screenplays based on real historical events, especially wartime stories. How did you shape your idea to fit the actual history? Have you ever had to change plot points or adjust the chronology so you wouldn’t break historical logic? And how did real events transform your characters? And how did you experience those moments with your characters?

Hey, Writers!

If you enjoy thinking about how you write just as much as the writing itself, this first video from Brandon Sanderson’s 2025 lecture series is a fantastic kickoff. It’s an introductory talk, but it quickly becomes a deeper exploration of what it means to approach your craft with a professional mindset.

Watch the lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEUh_y1IFZY&list=PLSH_xM-KC3ZvzkfVo_Dls0...

In the lecture, Sanderson breaks down:

• His philosophy for teaching writing

• The difference between discovery writing and outlining (and why neither makes you more or less of a “real” writer)

• How to understand your natural process so you can support it rather than fight it

• What it actually means to write with the long-term goal of becoming a working professional

• The mindset shifts that matter far more than genre, background, or education

One of the most helpful parts is how he frames the idea of professionalism — not as publishing credits or sales numbers, but as how you treat your work, manage your time, and refine your process. It’s a grounded, approachable way to think about leveling up.

Even if you don’t write sci-fi or fantasy, the core ideas apply to any writer building discipline, clarity, and momentum.

Drop one key takeaway in the comments below!

I'm a retired traditionally published non-fiction author (and current full-time artist) so I know the publishing business, but I've written a children's book that I'd also like to illustrate. I'm aware that the LONG held rule was that agents/publishers don't want to see illustrations from the author - just the text. I'm wondering if anyone knows if that restriction might have loosened, or if there are kids' books agents/publishers happy to look at both text and art. Thanks in advance for any input.

I’m always curious how other writers navigate this time of year — some people slow down, some ramp up, and some use the season to reset for the new year.

Do you try to keep your usual writing routine through November/December?

Or do you intentionally step back, refill the creative well, and come back fresh in January?

Would love to hear how you handle it.

Hi everyone!

I’m currently developing a psychological thriller called The Voice of Silence.

The concept is already well developed, but before I move deeper into outlining and refining the structure, I’d love to gather some craft-related insight from writers experienced in character-driven thrillers.

The story centers on a burned-out detective who investigates what appears to be an accidental death, only to discover a strange mark on the victim. He soon finds the same mark in other cases, leading him toward something darker — and possibly supernatural.

Without going into the full storyline here, I’m looking for advice on:

• maintaining tension and emotional stakes in a grounded thriller

• integrating subtle supernatural elements without breaking realism

• portraying a psychological descent in a nuanced, non-cliché way

• structuring reveals and turning points so they feel earned rather than forced

If you have experience with similar stories, or references you find especially strong, I’d truly appreciate your insights.

Thanks so much!

We’re kicking off December with a brand-new batch of targeted Open Writing Assignments (OWAs) for 2025. These opportunities come directly from a powerhouse group of producers, showrunners, and executives looking for the next Palm Springs, Parasite, or Beyond the Lights.

With a direct line to top-tier talent and companies, this is your chance to get your work onto high-level desks. But the window is short—submissions close Wednesday, December 18th.

Here’s what the industry is actively seeking:

1. For Your Sharp, Theatrical Comedies

A Producer & Showrunner is seeking comedy scripts in the vein of Palm Springs, Someone Great, and Punch-Drunk Love.

2. For Grounded Genre with a Major Twist

A Manager of Development is looking for grounded genre projects with unique twists and a strong POV. Think the bold originality of Parasite, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

3. For Character-Driven Thrillers & Horror

An Acquisitions Executive seeks character-driven thrillers and horror with budgets under $10M, comparable to the intensity of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Revenge, or Drive.

4. For Faith-Based & True Stories

A Manager/Producer is looking for faith-based features, preferably under $5M and based on or inspired by true events, in the spirit of I Can Only Imagine and Miracles from Heaven.

5. For Gripping Political Dramas

A Producer and Director is actively seeking political stories with the high-stakes drama of The Post, The Ides of March, or Political Animals.

6. For Music-Centered Projects (Scripted & Unscripted)

A Producer & Showrunner seeks both scripted and unscripted projects centered on music, inspired by hits like Beyond the Lights, The Idol, and Rhythm + Flow.

If your script aligns with these comps and visions, this is your direct pathway to submission.

Ready to submit? Go here! https://www.stage32.com/writers-room