A clear, supportive pathway to becoming a confident script writer

Whether you’re new to writing or looking to sharpen your skills in a specific area, our Core Writing Pathway helps you develop your craft term by term — through structured, practical courses with real outcomes.

Start here: Writing for Performance – Beginners

• 10-week course, 2 hours per session (evening or daytime)
• Build confidence through simple, practical exercises
• Explore dialogue, character, structure, and short-form scenes
• Ends with a script-in-hand sharing, performed by actors in the studio

No prior experience needed. This course gives you the foundations — and the confidence — to write for performance, even if you’ve never written before.

Then choose your focus: Intermediate courses

After completing Beginners (or if you’ve written before), you can take any of these intermediate courses in any order:

• Writing for Theatre – Develop compelling stage plays with strong characters and dialogue
• Writing for Radio – Focus on story through sound, rhythm, and listening
• Writing for Film – Learn visual storytelling, scenes, and screenwriting structure
• Writing for Comedy – Craft timing, tone, and character-driven humour
• Writing for Soap – Create serialised character arcs in a writers’ room format

Each course runs for 10 weeks, 2 hours per session — usually ending with a script-in-hand reading at the Hope Street Theatre, performed by actors in front of a supportive audience.

Key things to know

• Not every course runs every term — we rotate them throughout the year
• You don’t need to take all of them — choose the ones that interest you
• If you’ve written before, you can skip Beginners and go straight to an intermediate course

What if I’m nervous about sharing my work?

That’s completely normal. Each course builds up gradually, and you’ll only share work you’ve developed over time. Performances are script-in-hand, supported by professional actors. Most students feel proud — and surprised — by what they achieve.

What makes MAD’s writing courses different?

• Practical outcomes — every course ends with a script-in-hand reading
• Professional environment — real actors, real venues, real audiences
• Craft-first approach — learn by writing, hearing your work aloud, and refining it
• Clear, structured teaching — from tutors who understand writing for performance

How to join

Check the Upcoming Courses page to see which writing course is next — or drop us a message and we’ll help you choose.

However you start, you’ll finish with something you’ve written — and heard come to life on stage.