For working playwrights

Every submission.
Every deadline.
One ledger.

The Playwright's Desk tracks your plays from call for submissions to final curtain — deadlines, fees, materials, blind requirements, outcomes, and everything in between. Start with a free trial.

✓ Free trial included  ·  Cancel anytime
Sound familiar?

The submission grind is real

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Spreadsheets don't cut it

Tracking 40+ submissions in a spreadsheet means constantly formatting, hunting for deadlines, and losing context.

Deadlines sneak up

Missing a deadline you forgot about is a gut punch. Missed opportunities don't come back.

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Which play went where?

Did you already send that play to this festival? What version? Was it a blind submission?

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Opportunities pile up

You find a great call for submissions, mean to apply, and three months later realize the deadline passed.

Built for playwrights

Everything your submissions need

The Playwright's Desk was designed by a working playwright who has submitted to hundreds of opportunities across four decades. It does exactly what you actually need.

Analyze Opportunity

Paste any call for submissions and the app extracts the deadline, fee, blindness requirements, residency, materials — automatically. No more copying and typing.

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Calendar View

See your deadlines, opening dates, and submission dates laid out on a monthly calendar. Know at a glance what's coming up and when to act.

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Deadline Alarms

Set prep alarms and send alarms per submission. Get notified when it's time to start assembling materials and when it's time to actually submit.

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Play-Centric View

Switch to By Play view to see every venue a specific script has been sent to — submissions, dates, and outcomes grouped by title.

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Dashboard

At-a-glance stats: acceptance rate, submissions by status, monthly activity chart, upcoming deadlines, and most-submitted plays.

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Full Submission Record

Every submission stores 30+ fields: fee, residency, blind status, prior production rules, materials required, cast limits, outcome, attachments, and more.

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Follow-Up Flags

Flag any submission for follow-up without changing its status. Filter to see all flagged entries at once and never let a pending response go cold.

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Export Anywhere

Export to CSV, TSV, plain text, or a styled HTML report. Select specific submissions for targeted exports. JSON backup and restore built in.

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Advanced Search

Filter by days out, status, date range, blind requirement, and more. Bulk-update status on matching entries — mark 50 old submissions No Response in one click.

How it works

From call to curtain in four steps

The Playwright's Desk fits naturally into how you already work.

1
Find the call

Copy the full text of any submission opportunity listing.

2
Paste & Analyze

Click ⚡ Analyze. Fields fill automatically — deadline, fee, materials, blind rules, and more.

3
Track & Alarm

Set prep and send alarms. Watch your calendar. Know exactly what needs action and when.

4
Record the outcome

Log the result — staged reading, decline, fellowship, publication — and build your submission history.

Simple pricing

Less than a cup of coffee a month

Start free. Upgrade when you're ready. Cancel anytime.

Monthly
$3.99/ month
  • Full access to all features
  • Unlimited submissions
  • All export formats
  • Calendar & dashboard views
  • Deadline alarms
  • Cancel anytime
Start free trial →
Free trial included on both plans. Try it free. Cancel anytime.
Why I built this

Made by a playwright,
for playwrights

"I got tired of losing track of where my plays had been — and where they still needed to go."

The Playwright's Desk was built by William A. Smith, a playwright with over 40 years of theatre experience. After submitting to hundreds of festivals, contests, and reading series across his career, he built the tool he always wished existed — and now shares it with fellow writers navigating the same terrain.

🏆 2023 International Playwriting Competition winner, Carlow Ireland · Dramatists Guild member · Published through Next Stage Press
What playwrights are tracking
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65+ active submissions
across festivals, contests & publishers
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20+ plays in active rotation
from 10-minute to full-length
Deadlines across 12 months
never miss one again
Questions

Frequently asked

Where is my data stored? +
Your submission data is stored in your browser's local storage on your own device — it never touches our servers. This means your data stays private and works offline. You can export a JSON backup at any time to keep a copy elsewhere.
Can I import my existing spreadsheet? +
Yes. The Playwright's Desk accepts Excel (.xlsx), CSV, and TSV imports. It intelligently maps common column names — play title, venue, status, date, deadline — and lets you review the mapping before committing.
What does the Analyze feature actually extract? +
Paste any call for submissions text and the app extracts: organization/venue name, deadline, opening date, fee (including waiver availability), residency requirements, submission method, category (10-minute, full-length, etc.), blind submission status, prior production rules, materials required, cast/page limits, prize amounts, and a summary of key requirements. It works via pattern recognition — no internet connection or API key required, though an optional AI enhancement is available for better accuracy.
Does it work on mobile? +
The Playwright's Desk is designed primarily for desktop use where you have room to work with a ledger. It's functional on tablet, but the full experience — especially the calendar and dashboard — is best on a laptop or desktop browser.
What happens if I cancel? +
Both plans include a free trial — to start. If you cancel after subscribing, you'll retain access until the end of your current billing period. Before it ends, you can export your full submission history to CSV, TSV, or JSON. Your data is always yours.
Is there a discount for students or early-career playwrights? +
The annual plan at $25/year is intentionally priced to be accessible to playwrights at all career stages. If cost is a genuine barrier, reach out directly — we'll work something out.