Meet Our Screenwriters and Screenplay Editors
Working with The Editorial Department gives you access to a dedicated team of professional screenwriters ready to assist with a wide range of screenplay and adaptation services. From critique, editing and pitch writing to full-blown adaptations and ghostwrites (features and screen series), we’ve got you covered.
Our screenplay services division is led by John Robert Marlow. As a published novelist and Academy-honored screenwriter, John is uniquely qualified to help evaluate your story’s screen potential, guide your work—or perform the adaptation for you.
John literally “wrote the book” on adaptations: Make Your Story a Movie: Adapting Your Book or Idea for Hollywood (St. Martin’s Press), with contributions from authors, screenwriters, producers, and directors whose combined films have made over $50 billion.
More information on our screenplay services can be found here.
Recommended Reading
How Ten Bestselling Authors Introduce Their Protagonists in First-Person Narratives A guide for novelists of all genres
[by Ross Browne] I’ve been editing novels for more than 30 years, and one thing that still fascinates me to no end is the art and craft of introducing (and cultivating quick engagement with) [...]
In Praise of Literary Writing
An editor's primer on the unique allure of literary fiction—and what it takes to write it well
[by Gregory Collins] The lines are blurry and the exceptions are many, but if literary writing tends to emphasize character and realism while genre writing tends to emphasize plot and tropes, then I trace my [...]
PATHS TO PUBLISHING: A Decision Guide on Traditional and Independent Publishing Options for 2024
[by Ross Browne and John Robert Marlow] Publishing has changed a lot in the 43 years since The Editorial Department opened its doors—and not necessarily for the better, in the eyes of many. But it’s [...]
EDITOR’S EAVESDROP: Award-Winning Bestselling Author Joe Ide Dishes Truth on Getting Traditionally Published (And making a living as a novelist!)
[by Ross Browne] Joe Ide is a brilliant, critically acclaimed author. He also turns out to be a refreshingly straight shooter on what aspiring writers need to know about the business of publishing and how [...]
How P.J. Vernon Delivers Fresh, Distinctive Characterization in Mystery Fiction
[by Ross Browne] When You Find Me was, without a doubt, one of the most pleasant literary surprises I’ve had in a long time. It’s a debut novel that got a warm reception from readers [...]
Exploring Ken Follett’s Masterful Handling of Plot, Characterization, and Historical Storytelling in THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH
[by Ross Browne] If you’ve read any of Ken Follett’s work, it probably comes as no surprise that he was able to turn his own personal fascination with cathedrals and how they’re built into a [...]
“Look at the scene and ask yourself ‘is it dramatic? Is it essential? Does it advance the plot?’ Answer truthfully. If the answer is “no” write it again or throw it out. ‘ David Mamet