March 19 - BBC Writersroom window... open!

Hello everyone, Monday sees the start of the once-a-year opportunity for you to send your script to the BBC.

If you send them a script, at the very worst, this guarantees you some great professional feedback from people who know what they're talking about.

At the best, this is your chance to get your name and writing known to the BBC comedy production team.

THEY WANT TO KNOW YOU. THEY WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.

But - competition is tough. Last year they received 2700 entries.

For the next four weeks I'll be sending out a weekly newsletter, packed with information and tips for how to make your script funnier, and give it a better chance of going further.

If you're interested in more help, I can give weekly one to one feedback. Get back to me for further details if you're interested. You'll find a contact email address at davecohen.org.uk

Meanwhile here's your starting point, our podcast featuring BBC Writersroom with tons of useful information: https://www.patreon.com/SitcomGeeks

Good luck!
Dave Cohen

Quote: Anorak @ 16th March 2018, 3:16 PM

If you send them a script, at the very worst, this guarantees you some great professional feedback from people who know what they're talking about.

View original

Well I was under the impression you got some kind of feedback. Let me check that...

I hardly think they'll be sending out 2,700 individual criticisms, Anorak!

"Only the scripts which progress beyond the sift to the full read stage will receive feedback. 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 a year.

The BBC's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into."

Essentially you need to make it to the third read for feedback.

Day 2 and what can we see through the BBC Writersroom Comedy Window today? A blog about getting to the funny of your characters as quickly as possible: https://www.patreon.com/SitcomGeeks

Quote: beaky @ 20th March 2018, 12:47 AM

I hardly think they'll be sending out 2,700 individual criticisms, Anorak!

View original

Oops. I'll shut up about that. Then again, I guess not getting past the third read is a sort of feedback.

Quote: Lazzard @ 20th March 2018, 10:13 AM

"Only the scripts which progress beyond the sift to the full read stage will receive feedback. 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 a year.

The BBC's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into."

Essentially you need to make it to the third read for feedback.

View original

Sorry.

Don't beat yourself up, Dave! You've falsely raised the hopes of around 2,500 people, to cruelly dash them a few posts later, but don't let that spoil your sleep, you heartless bastard!

There was me expecting to get a critique of every page and joke.

Quote: Chappers @ 20th March 2018, 9:32 PM

There was me expecting to get a critique of every page and joke.

View original

What, both of them?

50 pages and one half joke (almost!).

They do say that generally want half an hour, Chappers. More to the point they make reference to only reading the first twenty-thirty minutes.

Sorry I just didn't want you doing too much for no reason. I s'pose it's too late now.

Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 21st March 2018, 4:36 PM

They do say that generally want half an hour, Chappers. More to the point they make reference to only reading the first twenty-thirty minutes.

Sorry I just didn't want you doing too much for no reason. I s'pose it's too late now.

View original

Um - sorry! I wasn't telling the whole truth.

Quote: beaky @ 20th March 2018, 8:14 PM

Don't beat yourself up, Dave! You've falsely raised the hopes of around 2,500 people, to cruelly dash them a few posts later, but don't let that spoil your sleep, you heartless bastard!

View original

It's all a ploy. If I can crush or disappoint you all that raises my own chances of getting a script accepted.

Real people, unreal worlds? Unreal people, real worlds?

Day 5 of that @bbcwritersroom comedy window opening. Here's a re-cap of the week and some more thoughts to take into the weekend

https://www.patreon.com/SitcomGeeks

GET WRITING!

Day 8 in the BBC Writersroom house, and today it's P for Plot. What's going on? https://www.patreon.com/posts/17816708

A reminder that I've been running a series of blogs with advice on how to write your sitcom script. You'll find today's - and all of them in fact - at our Sitcom Geeks Patreon website.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKING!

https://www.patreon.com/posts/17837207