You need strong biceps for all-day writing sessions!!
Again, you want to be on Radio 4? Then this comp is a decent chance.
You want to write an episode of Doctors? Then there's the Writer's Room.
You want to do something from your heart? ummm.........Youtube?
(New page.....now I look daft)
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 8:32 PM BSTwhy should I continue trying to advise such clueless, deluded people not to get carried away with a one off manufactured opportunity which won't propell them to instant stardom.
Yes, because everyone was absolutely wetting their pants about this, but thanks once again for your attempts to wind people up words of wisdom.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTWouldn't you be better trying to be a writer first, meaning a proper narrative writer, and send them what they ask you to send? I'd say it's a quicker route to becoming a BBC sketch writer than sending in sketches to over competetive comps, tho both are undoubtedly extremely hard routes to real success.
'better off' in what way? Aren't you being a little presumptuous about what people want from this? I've sent in some sketches - five, to be exact - it was all I could rustle up in time. Why did I send them? Because I like to write, I want to get better at writing comedy sketches and this show came with a handy deadline which, as a lazy arse, I find useful. Maybe we're not all desperate wannabe sketch writers, maybe some of us are 'proper narrative' writers already 
*gets popcorn, pulls up chair*
This reply is for those who might be reading what Alfred is saying and believing it. I'm happy for Alfred to have his opinions but it would be better if others understood a little bit more about this opportunity could offer.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTUnless you send in several from each category of such quality they want to air, they will not think you're remarkable, they will think you're roughly the same as the hundreds of other sketch contributors.
To be fair I too would recommend writing several sketches of broadcastable quality. If you were thinking of only sending sub-standard sketches, don't. And it is true that the BBC will be looking for writers who stand out from the rest rather than being 'average'.
From here on in our opinions might diverge somewhat.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTThis will get you paid some reasonable money, enough for a nice meal out to celebrate, but it won't get you anywhere with the BBC.
Utter nonsense. See earlier list of what BBC Radio Comedy has offered people they first encountered through open submissions.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTIt's possible they could use the best sketches of the series for higher profile shows including TV, then you should get a better credit.
Don't pin your hopes on getting a TV credit out of this. TV and Radio are very separate entities at the BBC.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTLike I said, I see it as an olive branch, a PR stunt mainly, and yes it fills some airspace and may feasibly help uncover a new writer for them, but their sketches would have to be brilliant and stand out from the rest to get them this notice.
(See earlier point about trying to be brilliant - don't try to be mediocre)
This is often an accusation levelled at these types of show. The truth is that it's a lot more effort and time to run an open submissions show that a standard radio comedy. The BBC and its producers could save themselves a lot of hassle (and money) by just using commissioned writers to fill a gap in the schedules. Instead they make a special effort to give people the chance to write for it (either for pleasure or to get a foot in the door). These shows give people the opportunity to get a credit they wouldn't otherwise have got and allows the BBC to discover new writers they wouldn't have found otherwise.
Some people might see the BBC making this special effort as a good thing. But hey that might not be how everyone sees it.
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTIf you want to be a professional sketch writer I reackon it'll take you 20 years to even get a meeting with a BBC producer, unless you're an unearthed Peter Cook, and like I say, unquestionably brilliant.
Wouldn't you be better trying to be a writer first, meaning a proper narrative writer, and send them what they ask you to send? I'd say it's a quicker route to becoming a BBC sketch writer than sending in sketches to over competetive comps, tho both are undoubtedly extremely hard routes to real success.
Want to be a professional sketch writer? These types of show give you the chance to do that. Only a few will realise that dream but the chance is there.
It may sound crazy but if you'd like to be a professional sketch writer for radio then how about trying to write sketches for radio? It's quite a good way in.
(Also being a stage sketch group is quite a good way in to write / perform sketches for radio)
And if you're good you'll get a meeting with a BBC radio producer in a lot less than 20 years.
No, Stephen, Alfred is right.
Screw merit and sod talent - we expect a guarantee of fame and fortune for the hours we are putting in and anything less than that is just NOT BLOODY FAIR!
Quote: Badge @ April 4 2013, 1:34 PM BSTAre you a timelord? As far as I know this show hasn't been made yet.
Drat! What a fool I was to believe that similar past occurrences might provide a guide to future events.
That old empirical fallacy caught me out again - doh!
Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ April 4 2013, 7:23 PM BSTAll that and you're still not bothering to think about who is offering this 'great prize'. The practical reality is you will get whatever the rates are for an aired radio sketch, 30 odd quid or something per sketch and that's it.
Unless you send in several from each category of such quality they want to air, they will not think you're remarkable, they will think you're roughly the same as the hundreds of other sketch contributors. This will get you paid some reasonable money, enough for a nice meal out to celebrate, but it won't get you anywhere with the BBC. By all means put the 'credit' on your CV, but I think when they read where the credit is from they won't be taking it very seriously. It really is a show for the people who can't and won't get produced any other way. It's an olive branch.
It's possible they could use the best sketches of the series for higher profile shows including TV, then you should get a better credit. I don't have a clue if this is in their future plans tho. No it does you no real harm, other than take a lot of your spare time to write 30 plus sketches. It may be good practice, unless your material, style or technique is not good in which case you're just practising how to write badly.
Like I said, I see it as an olive branch, a PR stunt mainly, and yes it fills some airspace and may feasibly help uncover a new writer for them, but their sketches would have to be brilliant and stand out from the rest to get them this notice. The Beeb/producer will still have all the hundreds of unaired sketches, and okay, you have faith not a single one of them will find their way into the head of some unscrupulous reader or producer with ambitions of their own. So go ahead, but allow me my own views. It's a damn sight easier for them, with industry contacts and friends to do something with a half decent sketch idea than it is for you, whether you thought of it first or not.
Back to my first point - you're looking at me and not at who's running this. Now try looking at who's running this. I'm not, it's the BBC. What do their WR rules say? 'No sketches or sketch shows.' This tells you all you need to know, really. They put a show out for you because they won't have your stuff in their mainstream shows, which are all sewn up. Sketches and shows only go to recognised writers. If you want to be a professional sketch writer I reackon it'll take you 20 years to even get a meeting with a BBC producer, unless you're an unearthed Peter Cook, and like I say, unquestionably brilliant.
Wouldn't you be better trying to be a writer first, meaning a proper narrative writer, and send them what they ask you to send? I'd say it's a quicker route to becoming a BBC sketch writer than sending in sketches to over competetive comps, tho both are undoubtedly extremely hard routes to real success.
Unfortunately you're entirely wrong again. I was lucky enough to be asked to go in and write on a couple of episodes of Newsjack off the back of a few sketches I sent in towards the end of series 7, and was subsequently told about SWYW by one of the producers when it was pitched. I only got a little bit of material on NJ but I had two days experience of how these shows work, what they want and how my own material needs changing, so it was absolutely invaluable to me, and all from sending in a few sketches to a non com show.
When swyw got commissioned I did a little wee in my big boy shorts because I realised this is a massive opportunity to impress someone I've already met, and possibly get more radio credits and build from there. I am by no means special though and certainly not unquestionably brilliant as you seem to think you have to be to get noticed, I've managed three credits since I started submitting for NJ midway through series 7 and I've developed hugely for the experience.
All it took was for one producer to like my style and now I have the opportunity to get myself noticed more. If this gets any further it is up to me to work my arse off, as I did when submitting to SWYW, but anyone could catch their eye with some well written sketches and a unique style, so you couldn't be more wrong about this not leading anywhere. I lucked out as I think my sketches can be a bit flabby sometimes, but I was given pointers by the people I met and hopefully I'll improve whilst retaining what I'm good at. There are a lot of excellent writers here who could make a big impression with these producers, you are just putting people off this because you've either not had the same luck or you've just not submitted the right stuff.
After meeting one of the producers at a seminar thing I was invited to off the back of NJ, he told me to submit ideas to him if I had anything good. He gave me advice on how to put it together and how much work I should be doing to prepare something to pitch. I am now in the process of fleshing out a radio 4 idea that I will eventually send over to him once my brain has become less frazzled from SWYW. I have always written other things in addition to sketches, people are capable of doing both if they put the effort it. Like I said there are lots of reasons you can come up with to not write something, but it is far more productive to think more positively. So now off the back of all this I have the opportunity to get my narrative work seen properly by someone who knows a little bit about me and my style already, I think that comes under the category of a f**king good result don't you?
Quote: ash williamson @ April 6 2013, 2:55 PM BSTUnfortunately you're entirely wrong again. I was lucky enough to be asked to go in and write on a couple of episodes of Newsjack off the back of a few sketches I sent in towards the end of series 7, and was subsequently told about SWYW by one of the producers when it was pitched. I only got a little bit of material on NJ but I had two days experience of how these shows work, what they want and how my own material needs changing, so it was absolutely invaluable to me, and all from sending in a few sketches to a non com show.
When swyw got commissioned I did a little wee in my big boy shorts because I realised this is a massive opportunity to impress someone I've already met, and possibly get more radio credits and build from there. I am by no means special though and certainly not unquestionably brilliant as you seem to think you have to be to get noticed, I've managed three credits since I started submitting for NJ midway through series 7 and I've developed hugely for the experience.
All it took was for one producer to like my style and now I have the opportunity to get myself noticed more. If this gets any further it is up to me to work my arse off, as I did when submitting to SWYW, but anyone could catch their eye with some well written sketches and a unique style, so you couldn't be more wrong about this not leading anywhere. I lucked out as I think my sketches can be a bit flabby sometimes, but I was given pointers by the people I met and hopefully I'll improve whilst retaining what I'm good at. There are a lot of excellent writers here who could make a big impression with these producers, you are just putting people off this because you've either not had the same luck or you've just not submitted the right stuff.
After meeting one of the producers at a seminar thing I was invited to off the back of NJ, he told me to submit ideas to him if I had anything good. He gave me advice on how to put it together and how much work I should be doing to prepare something to pitch. I am now in the process of fleshing out a radio 4 idea that I will eventually send over to him once my brain has become less frazzled from SWYW. I have always written other things in addition to sketches, people are capable of doing both if they put the effort it. Like I said there are lots of reasons you can come up with to not write something, but it is far more productive to think more positively. So now off the back of all this I have the opportunity to get my narrative work seen properly by someone who knows a little bit about me and my style already, I think that comes under the category of a f**king good result don't you?
Good work, mate - you have the right idea.
It's ALL about contacts.
Getting a couple of gags on a no-mark show is NOT the point.
It's a finger-nail in the door.
If you don't make it happen, it sure as shit won't happen.
Anyone know when selected writers can expect to hear about this?
Writers probably won't know until just before the show is broadcast. They usually record more sketches than they actually need so they can then edit out sketches that don't work in front of an audience.
Although Jeremy, in this show they said they would - in many cases - ask the author of the sketch to rewrite (based on script ed notes) to help improve any promising sketches. They went on to say (I think it's in the wirters' guidance?) that being asked to rewrite doesn't guarantee they'll use it, and I presume in a fair few cases they'll find it easier and quicker to tweak than send back.
With that in mind we should hear a little earlier if sketches are looking promising - but it might be on a tight turnaround and I wouldn't expect much to be happening yet. I'm sure someone will post if/when they get contacted and put us out of our misery!
I got feedback/a rewrite request today on one sketch. It's from the first batch I sent in several weeks before deadline, so I wouldn't get worried if you haven't heard yet. And of course the best email is finding out post-recording that your sketch went straight into the show without even needing a rewrite!
Great they are giving feedback/giving us the chance to do the rewrite...esp given how many sketches they must have received.
Quote: The Producer @ April 10 2013, 12:54 PM BSTI got feedback/a rewrite request today on one sketch. It's from the first batch I sent in several weeks before deadline, so I wouldn't get worried if you haven't heard yet. And of course the best email is finding out post-recording that your sketch went straight into the show without even needing a rewrite!
Nice one! Well done to The Producer.
You know that you've just opened a can of anxious worms to everyone else who will be eagerly waiting a reply.
I of course will assume their inevitable failing to contact me in the next few weeks means that all my submitted material is pure GOLD and that no rewrites are necessary. Then after the show goes out, I will just assume they accidentally forgot to use my work. 
I did think about not posting for that 'anxious can of worms' reason! But decided people would rather know, plus I think really good that the BBC are giving out notes/rewrite opps. Plus of course, I'm now anxiously hoping for more rewrites requests myself so nice to share that pain
I found that information devastating, but I won't shoot the messenger!
Quote: Teddy Paddalack @ April 10 2013, 2:23 PM BSTI found that information devastating, but I won't shoot the messenger!
Don't give up just yet Teddy. If the Producer is the only one on here to have got some feedback I'm not giving up hope just yet.
(It'll be clear when the right time to give up hope is)
