Paul Ashton is the Development Manager at BBC writersroom where he finds, nurtures and
promotes new writing talent for drama and comedy across all BBC platforms and networks. He
oversees the BBC unsolicited script system, writing competitions, development and promotion
of new writers, professional training schemes, partnerships with the wider creative industries and
the writersroom website.

Paul previously freelanced in script and writer development, including work for various BBC
departments, FilmFour, Spice Factory, Arts Council, Lighthouse Media/UKFC, and was
Literary Associate at Theatre & Beyond. He has taught scriptwriting for University of Sussex,
NAW and Pier Playwrights, and directed new work for Liverpool Everyman, Paines Plough
and Theatre & Beyond. His short film, Hard Hat, has recently been produced, he has a feature
film in development, and has been produced by Half Moon Theatre and Warehouse Croydon.

Paul Ashton, WWN Talk - 11 June 2007

THE BBC’S SEARCH FOR NEW WRITERS
Report by Lindsay Baldwin

Searching for the new generation and the hidden generation of fresh voices was how Paul Ashton described role of the BBC’s writersroom at WWN’s June meeting. Paul is the development manager for the writersroom and oversees the process of searching through the thousands of unsolicited scripts welcomed by the BBC each year to unearth new writers.

“We find writers, get to know them and find ways of developing them forward. I develop relationships with different departments within the BBC and find ways of bringing new writers in. We take it seriously” he said.

The BBC accepts hard copy scripts of any kind of drama from sitcoms to radio plays,
children’s dramas to films and single dramas to stage plays and a team of freelance script readers look at every one. They read the first ten pages of each script and about 20% will be good enough to warrant a full read through. Once read, these scripts are then returned to the writer with comments and feedback and some are asked to send in another piece of work. If the reader is impressed with the script he will hand it to Paul who will contact the writer and invite them in for a chat.

“I like to get to know the writers, find out about them and what they like and then we will try and find opportunities that would be right for them,” explained Paul.

One of the ways that the BBC tries to develop these new writers is through residential
workshops designed with particular departments.

“The BBC needed new writers for its detective shows. We brought in script editors, producers and a police pathologist and took them away for a week with ten new writers. Each writer was told to come along with a dead body, not literally of course! At the end of the week two writers with no network credits were each commissioned to write a two hour episode of Silent Witness. These episodes were broadcast last summer. One of the writers has written another Silent Witness episode and the other is writing for another BBC show”.

He urged aspiring writers to look regularly at the BBC writersroom website where there are opportunities to enter competitions which have been tailored to the editorial needs of the BBC.

Paul was frank in admitting that there are few entry points into the BBC and it is very difficult to get noticed or get your foot in the door for that first commission. However there are genuine opportunities for new writers with talent. “The BBC is a huge beast that is very hungry and needs feeding,” he explained.

When asked what elements make a script stand out, Paul was very clear:

“Scripts with passion shine through. You need to tell a story that moves forward and does not stand still. You need to have strong characters who drive the plot forward and who connect with the reader.”

Visit the BBC writersroom at www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom or write to:

BBC writersroom,
1st Floor,
Grafton House,
379-381,
Euston Road,
London NW1 3AU