Dramatists Guild of America Unveils List of Tips for Contest and Festival Submissions

The Dramatists Guild of America has announced the release of a set of "Best Practices for Contests and Festivals" to be considered when writers submit work to festivals, conferences, or contests.

For years, writers have been contacting the Guild, concerned about variables in submission practices, fee structures, and other issues around submitting their work. In response, this document was created by a committee of dedicated DG member playwrights, composers and lyricists across the country, along with the Guild's Business Affairs department. These Best Practices are designed to help both Guild members and producers become more aware of industry standards and expectations.

The Best Practices Guidelines are intended to be a yardstick by which writers can compare opportunities, and a reference point for producers to consider when evaluating their own guidelines, and a standard to point to when writers engage with theatres that employ questionable practices. With transparency about what is right, fair, and ethical in dealing with producing entities, writers are then empowered to make informed and individual submission choices. The Best Practices are also intended to be used in tandem with the Guild's existing Bill of Rights.

The Best Practices are presented as a set of bullet points, but are accompanied by a set of notes, providing context and explanations for each guideline. These documents will be available to the public on the Dramatists Guild's new website and will be distributed to festivals, conferences and contests around the country. Dramatic writers are encouraged to look at the document, along with the preface explaining the ideas behind its creation, to determine if a particular submission opportunity will give them the experience they are seeking and protect their rights.

For more information, and to see the Best Practices, go to the Dramatists Guild website at www.dramatistsguild.com/news2.