The London Ghostwriting Company’s scriptwriting division offers support to screenwriters of all levels. Whether you’re looking for an industry appraisal as a development report, or locking a draft into an industry standard for pitching—or if you need a book converted to a screenplay… enquire today.

We are scriptwriters for hire – working as ghostwriters and script-doctors—reviewing drafts, hosting workshops and mentoring writers through development.

Have you got a draft that needs a final polish? Looking to be coached through ‘development’? Get in touch today! For all ghostwriter-for-hire and script-doctor queries, email enquiries@londonghostwriting.com

Ready to get your story spun into the right package for presentation to producers in UK film and Hollywood? We understand what production companies are looking for, and we can build the documents you need. We can package your script so you can submit it as a film project.

“Great screenwriters are visionary story architects.”

We have been commissioned to write films for European, British and American film companies and have been reading, writing and studying film throughout our careers, developing projects from initial idea to pitch-ready stage. With an academic education in film theory, we understand story design and genre conventions and can help build your screenplay within the confines of the format, genre and story type you wish to explore. Due to the nature of creative writing, stories transform across different phases of development, and so a writer or consultant can be brought on to a project at different stages.

Jacqueline Haigh is head of the scriptwriting division, overseeing development with scriptwriters and script-doctors on all genres and story types

Jacqueline Haigh; Writer, Scriptwriter, Story Consultant “So what do you need in a great script editor? Well, firstly, you need insight. Someone who sees the bigger picture, all those plot holes and dead spots that, in your enthusiasm to get the ‘idea’ down, you somehow, inexplicably missed .. .. you need this script editor to be a team player, fun to work with, supportive and to instil confidence that the good stuff IS actually good, and that the problem stuff isn’t going to be a problem for very much longer. This script editor, for us, is Jacqueline Haigh.” Alan Short, Co Director, Watership Down

“Jacqueline Haigh is a talented storyteller. As a writer she creates engaging characters and plots, drawing the reader into charming, magical worlds. As a script consultant she can absorb and understand existing material to reveal and create the most intriguing story. I fully recommend her work to producers, directors and writers alike.” Nicholas Pilbrow, Executive Producer, Orion Film Network

Coverage Reports

This feedback is vital in helping producers decide the script’s originality, commercial viability, and quality in relation to others of the same genre, which then informs their decision to read the actual script and greenlight it for development. Producers get dozens of script submissions a day, so in helping you develop your own report, we can put you in the best possible position to sell your script.

A coverage report is up to four pages, and consists of three main sections. The first includes the basic details; the writer, genre, page count, and log line. The second is a concise synopsis that covers the major plot points, and the third section is for feedback and critique.

Headline Development Reports

The Headline Development Report is an expanded and more detailed feedback section. This report’s function is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the script, as well as areas that have the potential to be developed further in subsequent drafts. While this process focuses predominantly on the creative aspect, we also consider the commercial aspect and offer advice and feedback on how commercially and financially viable the project is, as well as how to improve it necessary. The final report will be a preview of the project’s potential, but it also serves as an assessment of your potential as a writer, so LGC will work with you to ensure your script is one everyone will want to read.

Standard Development Reports

This is the ultimate form of critique and feedback. We analyse your script in minute detail, multiple times, going through it with the proverbial fine-tooth comb until we are satisfied that its full creative and commercial potential has been addressed. Our analysis, decisive critique, and advice on key issues will lead to a tightly written, punchy script that aims to hook readers on page one.

Development Meetings

While written feedback is vital, a more personal touch can sometimes be even more constructive. We offer one-to-one meetings, both in-person and online, allowing for more exploratory and consistent discussions from the outset. If a point arises regarding a creative decision, both parties can discuss and brainstorm ways to ensure that the decision comes across clearly. These open and honest discussions are a favourite way to work, and although they may be more expensive, they save money in the long run. Meetings can be one-off catch-ups or a scheduled series of face-to-face discussions.

In-depth Development Services

This service is best suited for companies and writers with external financial backing. In-depth development services are exactly how they sound – the most in-depth, detailed and all-encompassing development process, starting from initial idea or pitch all the way to helping you sell your final draft for further development. We look at the script from its bare essentials upwards: the genre, and what audiences and producers alike expect from it, and where the script should conform or subvert those expectations. We address the narrative core, what it’s trying to say, and by that notion, its thematic resonance.

We cover it all, top to bottom, with no stone left unturned, to guarantee the final draft is engaging, submission-ready and in its most exemplary form.

Screenwriting Services

Our scriptwriting service is a ghostwriting service, and we typically do not seek to acquire credit for our work. This service, like all of our writing services, will almost always be ghostwritten by one anonymous ghostwriter or a small team. Essentially, we can ghost a script on a client’s behalf using a system similar to our development process for fiction. Read about our fiction services here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I write it as a book or a script/film?

We usually recommend developing your project as a novel first, as most films are adapted from existing material like books or comics. Spec screenplays are notoriously difficult to sell, especially for new writers, whereas a published book gives agents more leverage. That said, the best route depends on you, the project, and its potential.

I’ve already written a book. Can you turn it into a screenplay?

Yes. You will be working with one of our scriptwriters who has experience adapting stories from book to script. We will produce a ‘book to script’ adaptation report initially.

I’ve got an idea for a film. Can you let me know if it would be a good idea?

The first thing we would do is provide feedback on your project which would be in different forms depending on how developed your idea is; some people have a one page synopsis whereas others just want to talk through their project as an idea. The length of feedback will depend on your budget and we can provide a development report that will be relevant to the stage you’re at.

How much does it cost?

Prices range dramatically depending on the project and the work effort and the writers that are involved. And scripts vary in length and format. The best thing to do is make contact and provide us with information about your project.

Can you help me get it out there?

We provide pitching services to our clients, and our contacts become your contacts. We always support our own clients and leverage our contacts in both film and publishing to help with pitching and submissions.