Being a Playwright

The essential guide to a career in playwriting, from the team behind the multi-award-winning Papatango, one of the UK's leading new-writing companies.

Writing a good play is only the first step towards becoming a successful playwright; it is just as crucial to understand all the practical and business elements of building your career. Being a Playwright transparently and honestly sets out everything you need to know, including clear and constructive advice on:

• Starting out, including training options and gaining practical experience
• Finding a playwriting model that works for you
• Getting your script noticed and connecting with industry decision-makers
• Developing a production-ready draft through redrafting and R&D
• Pursuing programming, commissioning and funding opportunities
• Approaching and working with agents and publishers
• Securing the best possible deal with producers
• Working with collaborators throughout the rehearsal process and previews
• Capitalising on a production, assessing its success and planning new projects

Drawing on Papatango's superlative track record of discovering and launching new writers - including BAFTA, OffWestEnd, Royal National Theatre Foundation and Alfred Fagon Award winners, many of whom have premiered worldwide as well as in the West End - and featuring tips from a host of industry insiders, this encouraging and accessible guide explores the opportunities and pitfalls of life as a playwright.

Whether you're an aspiring writer wondering how to break into the industry or a working playwright looking to move up to the next level, this is your road map for navigating the world of professional theatre.

'This enlightening book, full of pragmatic information, is an excellent tool for playwrights navigating today's industry.' Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre, London

'Chris Foxon and George Turvey - aka Papatango - are a phenomenon for playwriting good. Being a Playwright is packed with inside information that will kick-start your writing life. Written with insight and chock-full of useful advice, this will be a bible for playwrights.' Steve Waters, playwright and Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia

Chris Foxon is Executive Director of Papatango theatre company. He has developed and produced new plays at fringe and West End venues. These have won or been nominated for a range of awards, toured the UK, and transferred internationally. He has taught at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, as well as the Universities of York and Northampton.

George Turvey is an actor and theatre director and, since 2013, the sole Artistic Director of Papatango, a theatre company he co-founded in 2007. He has directed new plays at venues including the Arcola Theatre, Theatr Clwyd, North Wall Arts Centre, Marlowe Theatre, Cheltenham Everyman and Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, as well as for BBC Radio. As a dramaturg he has led the development of all of Papatango’s productions, which have premiered worldwide and won Critics’ Circle, OffWestEnd, Alfred Fagon and Royal National Theatre Foundation Awards. As an actor he has appeared on stage and screen throughout the UK and internationally, including the lead roles in the world premiere of Arthur Miller’s No Villain and Batman Live World Arena Tour.