Writers Room

May 2024 - April 2025

What Is It?

Our Writers Room is a free yearlong writers development scheme. A small group of early career playwrights will have access to all Stoke The Embers programming, including creative development workshops, industry panels, and networking sessions.

Program Structure

Intake sessions for the Writers Room will take place during Embers Festival 2024. Embers Festival is a series of live performances, creative development workshops, industry panels, and networking opportunities taking place from May to July 2024. Facilitators for our workshops include Simon Stephens, Cordelia Lynn, and Jerome Scott, and panelists include Giles Terera and Daniel Bailey. Event timing vary, with workshops primarily scheduled for Thursday evenings.

Writers Room participants will have free access to Embers Festival, during which they will also work toward a sharing of their work at the Festivals closing show, Embers Showcase. During Embers Showcase each participant will have a 15 minute slot for a rehearsed reading of their work.

After Embers Festival, Writers Room participants will receive ongoing support to continue develop a full length play, including a mentor and continued free access to Stoke The Embers programming. The Writers Room program will be completed April 2025.

Program Outcomes

  • Support to develop a full length play, including dramaturgical assistance and opportunities for R&D

  • Access to an interdisciplinary network of creatives

  • An enriched creative practice

How To Apply

Please keep in mind that applications for the May 2024 - April 2025 cohort are now closed. Application details remain on our website so that you know what to prepare for the future!

Application Criteria

  • Be 21 years old as of May 2024

  • Be an early career playwright

  • Be available to attend intake sessions, occurring on Thursdays from May 2024 to June 2024, and for Embers Showcase in July 2024

  • Be able to demonstrate how Stoke The Embers values of Collaboration, Creativity, and Respect are reflected in your creative practice

  • We especially want to hear from those who haven’t had traditional pathways into the arts industry and/or playwriting, those who started writing later in life, and those who have not had a full length piece staged

To Apply

When you are ready, please submit an Application Form. Items that you will need to submit for your application include:

  • 5 pages of an existing script, or 2 pages of a script proposal

  • Answer the candidate questionnaire (4 questions)

The candidate questionnaire consists of the following questions:

Question 1: Please tell us how you reflect the Stoke The Embers values of Collaboration, Creativity, and Respect in your creative practice. (Example: how do you deal with conflict in a creative space; how do you approach challenges as a creative). (500 words)

Question 2: How do you see yourself as an artist and what do you want to say through your work? (500 words)

Question 3: In what ways can theatre and the arts industry in general positively impact individuals and society? (500 words)

Question 4: Please share your thoughts on a play, film, or TV series that you’ve watched recently. (250 words)

Candidate questionnaire responses can also be submitted in a video format via an Unlisted YouTube or Vimeo video. Please keep video submissions to a maximum of 10 minutes.

The deadline for Writers Room applications was March 28, 2024 at 12pm (Noon).

Even if you are unsuccessful in your Writers Room application, we will keep your script on file for consideration in future activities, such as our Autumn Creatives Weekend.

Application Tips

TIP 1

Be completely yourself in your application. We are interested in YOU, and what you have to say to the world. Don’t try to mould it into something you think we will like; we want to hear and see the authentic you, as that is what is most exciting.

TIP 2

Don’t be afraid to apply even if you are at the very beginning of your writing process. We welcome any and all ideas, no matter what stage in the process they may be at. Be brave! Take your shot and apply!

TIP 3

We welcome plays in all forms, because we feel that there’s no such thing as a ‘traditional’ way of telling a story.

 FAQs

  • At this time the Writers Room is only available to London-based writers in-person. As our resources expand we hope to make other resources available online.

  • We welcome applications from early career playwrights. We especially want to hear from those who have not had traditional pathways into writing, those who began writing later in life, and those who have not had a full length piece staged.

  • We will keep all scripts on file for the next year and writers not selected for the Writers Room may be invited to share their work at other Stoke The Embers programs, such as our Autumn Creatives Weekend.

  • We are happy to receive 2 pages of a script proposal. Use this as an opportunity to tell us an idea that you have for a play!

  • Only those who are aged 21 and above by May 2024 can be considered for the Writers Room.

  • Yes! We would prefer to hear from writers who have not had full length plays put on. Writers with scratch night experience are welcome to apply.

Take the next step in your creative practice!