Case in point: I have been pseudo-documenting the lifecycle of a play, from its inception, Melodramas or How the Old West Can Be Fun, through its initial production, Playwriting - After the First Production, and finally to this, getting the script published.
While the above articles spoke objectively about the process (based on my own experiences), this article will directly address the actual steps that occurred in this case.
I wrote the melodrama, The Wrong Side of the Law specifically for Theatre Suburbia, a theater in Houston that I visit several times each year when I travel from Denver. At the same time, I knew I would produce the show a few months later back in Denver.
After the Houston production closed (with its subsequent and inevitable rewrites), and while the Denver production was in rehearsals, I submitted the script to a publisher that publishes many melodramas. Unfortunately, it didn't fit their needs. So, the day after that rejection occurred, my script was back in the mail to the next publisher.
This time, it fit. I received an email from the Senior Editor at that publishing house, telling me how much they enjoyed reading my script and want to feature it in their next catalog. Persistence paid off in the form of (1) having a backup plan following submission to the first publisher, and (2) getting the script back into another publisher's hands as soon as possible.
Also, the second publisher is one where I already have several plays published, so my track record indicates that I can write plays that fit with their standards. Therefore, when my submission was received by them, there was likely a bit of a better reception than an anonymous playwright would receive.
Having determined that they would like to publish the script, there followed some discussions and negotiations over aspects of the play, such as character names and subtitles (since it's a melodrama). We worked through those, and I ultimately received a publishing contract in the mail.
In addition to the contract, the publisher, Eldridge Publishing in Tallahassee, Florida, sent me an Author's Information Sheet, for contact information and business purposes, and a sheet titled, "Behind the Scenes: Playwright Q & A." I believe this last sheet is a good marketing tool, in that it asked me questions, such as "What inspired you to write this play?" "What's your favorite part or line in the play?" and other questions delving into the playwriting process. What writer wouldn't be delighted to answer such questions!
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