Submissions Help

  • close What is your submissions policy?

    If you have been previously published by Playscripts, you may submit through your Playwright Information Center. You may also submit through an agent or literary manager. At this time, we do not accept any unsolicited submissions.

    Please submit each play individually. Each playwright may have no more than two submissions total under review with us. When you are notified of a decision on one of your submissions, you may submit another piece. Additional submissions will not be read. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but if you receive a competing publication offer, we ask that you please notify us immediately. We should be able to expedite our evaluation process for the play in question.

    Please note we cannot accept revisions to pieces once they've been submitted.

    We will make every effort to respond to your submissions within 6-8 months, though at times it may be longer. If it has been more than 8 months and you have not yet received a response, we will be happy to reply to a query regarding the status of your submission.

    If you have more than two pieces you would like to be considered, you may send a one-paragraph synopsis of each play with the subject line “QUERY”, including genre, approximate length, and cast specs. If interested, the literary committee will reach out for sample pages. In your query message, be sure to include:

    -The play's genre, approximate length, cast size, and year of creation.
    -Any awards and productions the play has garnered.
    -Your full contact information.
    -Your agent's contact information, if applicable.
    -A brief biography.

  • close When will I know your decision?

    The evaluation period lasts 6-8 months. Playscripts will always respond with a decision, either offering or declining to publish your play. If you have not heard back from us after eight months have elapsed, please let us know.

  • close Why haven't you responded to my submission yet? Does silence mean I'm rejected? Should I follow up?

    Silence does not mean that you have been rejected. We thoroughly evaluate every single play that is submitted to us, and we will respond with either an acceptance or rejection message. We ask that you please do not follow up, asking about the status of your submission, unless you have a competing publication offer to report or 8 months have passed since you submitted. 

  • close What kind of publisher are you? Do you publish books?

    Playscripts, Inc. publishes and distributes books worldwide, and we license stage performance rights.

  • close What if my play gets another offer from a competing publisher?

    Please inform us before signing a contract with the competing publisher. We should be able to expedite our evaluation process for your play, and then you might be able to weigh more than one publication offer.

  • close Can I submit to more than one publisher while my play is under consideration with Playscripts?

    Absolutely. Our only requirement is that you inform us if and when you receive a competing publication offer. We should be able to expedite our evaluation process for the play in question.

  • close How much do you charge the customer for books? How much for performance rights?

    It depends on the play. In our online catalog, the book and performance royalty fees are displayed on each play's profile page. The royalty rates are set based on a number of factors, especially the duration of the play

  • close Do you publish everything that's submitted?

    No. Every submitted play undergoes a very time-intensive, thorough evaluation process that can last many months. A tiny percentage of submitted plays are selected for publication by Playscripts.

  • close May I submit a musical?

    Unfortunately, the limitations of time and staff prevent us from accepting unsolicited musical submissions at this time.

  • close Is there a submission fee?
    No.
  • close Can I publish with other companies, too?
    Our standard publishing and licensing agreement assigns Playscripts the exclusive right to handle the publication of acting editions, the licensing of professional and amateur performance rights, and related rights. Playscripts thus becomes the only entity authorized to exercise such rights. This would mean that you could not publish the particular play in question with another licensing house (e.g. Dramatists Play Service). 
     
    An exclusivity arrangement with Playscripts would probably not prohibit you from having a play published in a trade anthology with a company like Applause or Smith & Kraus, however, because their agreements are usually non-exclusive.
     
    All of this information is laid out in the agreement between Playscripts and the author, sent to the author in the event of a publication offer.
  • close Does your contract include film rights?
    No.
  • close Are your plays sold in bookstores?
    Yes. Many of our plays can be found in both large and small theater bookstores across the world.
  • close Can I shop around my play to theaters once it's published?
    Absolutely. We encourage our authors to continue their promotional efforts after publication. We would still handle the licensing and book sales for all productions.
  • close Can I see a copy of your author contract?
    We only give such contracts to authors whose plays have been selected for publication.
  • close Do I receive books once published? Do I get an author discount?
    The answer to both questions is yes. We ship complimentary books to the author after the play is published, and offer a steep discount on subsequent purchases of the play.