The Playwright's Business: A Practical Guide to Professional Theater Writing

Your brilliant play is written. Now what?

Is your masterpiece gathering dust in a drawer because you don’t know how to navigate the bewildering world of professional theater? Are contracts, agents, and submissions more terrifying than a blank page?

Welcome to the rulebook the theater industry forgot to give you. The Playwright's Business is the ultimate practical guide for any writer who is serious about turning their artistic passion into a sustainable profession. Forget the "starving artist" trope; this book is your roadmap to becoming a savvy, resilient, and successful creative entrepreneur.

Written with the no-nonsense, humorous voice of a seasoned mentor, this guide demystifies the entire process, from protecting your work with copyright to cashing your first royalty check. You are a storyteller, but you are also a business owner. This book teaches you how to be brilliant at both.

Inside, you will master the skills to:

Navigate Complex Contracts Like a Pro: Understand every clause in an option, commission, or production agreement with simple analogies and annotated examples that reveal common red flags.

Build a Rejection-Proof Mindset: Learn the psychological tools to handle rejection, overcome writer's block, and build the resilience needed for a long-term writing career.

Get Your Play Seen: Craft a killer query letter and submission strategy that gets your script out of the slush pile and into the hands of artistic directors and literary agents.

Understand the Money: Decode royalty statements, find and win grants, and manage your finances like the creative professional you are.

Collaborate with Confidence: Master the art of working with directors and actors, and learn how to give and receive notes without losing your mind. Stop waiting to be discovered and start building your career. Scroll up and grab your copy of The Playwright's Business today!

From the Publisher:

Being a great writer isn't enough. In the competitive world of professional theater, you need to be a great businessperson, too. The Playwright's Business is the first book of its kind to bridge that gap, offering a comprehensive toolkit for every stage of your journey. Filled with actionable drills, real-world scenarios, and insider advice, it provides the strategic edge you need to succeed.

Whether you're aiming for a local production or a Broadway run, the principles in this book will provide the foundation for a thriving career.

A Look Inside at the Table of Contents:

Part 1: The Foundation of the Playwright's Career Chapter 1: The Professional Mindset: Discipline, Collaboration, and Ethics Chapter 2: The Resilient Playwright: Managing the Inner World of a Creative Career

Part 2: The Architecture of the Play Chapter 4: The Playwright's Craft: Writing Plays that Producers and Actors Want Chapter 5: The Development Cycle: From First Draft to Production-Ready Script

Part 3: The Business of the Business Chapter 6: Representation: Finding and Working with Agents and Managers Chapter 7: The Deal: Understanding and Negotiating Contracts Chapter 8: The Money: Royalty Structures, Grants, and Financial Planning

Part 4: Getting Your Work Seen Chapter 9: The Submission Game: Research, Strategy, and a Killer Query

Part 5: Life in the Theater Chapter 11: In the Rehearsal Room: Working with Directors, Actors, and the Creative Team

© 2025 JNR Publishing (Ebook): 6610001125707

Release date

Ebook: 18 December 2025