Welcome to Script MD! My name is Marla DuMont and I am committed to helping you wherever you are in your scriptwriting journey. With a variety of script packages and mentorship opportunities at reasonable rates, my hope is that writers will benefit from my years as a television writer in a way that is energizing and productive, receiving helpful feedback at every step. Let's get writing! 

Choose your own TV writing adventure!

Whether writing a spec script, an original pilot, or developing a pitch, I can get you from idea to final draft. AND make it fun! Because writing should be fun! Yes, it is hard work, but with compelling characters and a solid story, we can create magic. So if you’re up for a rewarding adventure, read on! 

TV Screenwriting Packages

JANE wants to be a TV staff writer. She knows the first step is to write a spec script that captures an existing show's voice and style and is funny too! But how to begin? With the TV Spec Script Package, Marla helps Jane go from logline to full draft spec script of her chosen show.

MARY wants to write an original TV show. She has an idea of the world, and her characters are fleshed out, but she needs guidance, deadlines and feedback to realize her vision. She chooses the TV Pilot Script Package to take her from idea to completed draft with all of the steps in between. 

  • Package Details
    New to writing and want to have a sample to show people when the time is right? A great first step is to write a spec episode of an existing half-hour series. Not only will the practice of coming up with a story and delivering a script that feels true to the series improve your writing, but it is a great introduction to what makes TV shows tick. 

    Since the series and characters have already been established for you, we’ll start by looking at the series with a critical eye. What types of stories do they tell? Who are the characters and what gives them each a unique perspective? 

    Using a current series of your choice, you’ll be taken through the steps of story development, with notes and feedback throughout the process (logline, story area, beat sheet, outline, revised outline). Ultimately, you’ll write a draft of an episode and then rewrite that draft, ending our time together with a polished existing series spec script.

    Includes half-hour introductory zoom, customized deadlines, written feedback from me in the margins after each step, and two half-hour zoom feedback sessions.

    Steps:
    • 3 episode loglines
    • Story area doc
    • Beat sheet
    • Outline
    • Revised outline
    • First Draft
    • Revised Draft

  • Package Details
    New to writing and want to have a sample to show people when the time is right? A great first step is to write a spec episode of an existing one hour series. Not only will the practice of coming up with a story and delivering a script that feels true to the series improve your writing, but it is a great introduction to what makes TV shows tick. 

    Since the series and characters have already been established for you, we’ll start by looking at the series with a critical eye. What types of stories do they tell? Who are the characters and what gives them each a unique perspective? 

    Using a current series of your choice, you’ll be taken through the steps of story development, with notes and feedback throughout the process (logline, story area, beat sheet, outline, revised outline). Ultimately, you’ll write a draft of an episode and then rewrite that draft, ending our time together with a polished existing series spec script.

    Includes half-hour introductory zoom, customized deadlines, written feedback from me in the margins after each step, and two half-hour zoom feedback sessions.

    Steps:
    • 3 episode loglines
    • Story area doc
    • Beat sheet
    • Outline
    • Revised outline
    • First Draft
    • Revised Draft

  • Package Details
    Have an idea for a new half-hour show and want to write the first episode in order to sell the series? Then this package is for you. 

    I will walk you through all the steps to develop and write a half-hour pilot that pops. You’ll start with a logline for the series and then develop the characters. Then we’ll drill down on the pilot episode where you’ll be taken through the steps of story development, with notes and feedback throughout the process (logline, story area, beat sheet, outline, revised outline). Ultimately, you will write a draft and then rewrite that draft, ending our time together with a polished pilot.

    Includes half-hour introductory zoom, customized deadlines, written feedback from me in the margins after each step, and two half-hour zoom feedback sessions.

    Steps:
    • Series Logline
    • Character Descriptions
    • 3 Pilot Episode Loglines
    • Story Area Doc
    • Beat Sheet
    • Outline
    • Revised Outline
    • First Draft
    • Revised Draft

  • Package Details
    Have an idea for a new one-hour show and want to write the first episode in order to sell the series? Then the 1 Hour TV Pilot package is for you. 

    I will walk you through all the steps to develop and write a full hour pilot that pops. You’ll start with a logline for the series and then develop the characters. Then we’ll drill down on the pilot episode where you’ll be taken through the steps of story development, with notes and feedback throughout the process (logline, story area, beat sheet, outline, revised outline). Ultimately, you will write a draft and then rewrite that draft, ending our time together with a polished pilot.

    Includes half-hour introductory zoom, customized deadlines, written feedback from me in the margins after each step, and two half-hour zoom feedback sessions.

    Steps:
    • Series Logline
    • Character Descriptions
    • 3 Pilot Episode Loglines
    • Story Area Doc
    • Beat Sheet
    • Outline
    • Revised Outline
    • First Draft
    • Revised Draft

TV Pilot Pitch Packages

RICHARD also has a story to tell, but he wants to verbally pitch his series to executives to sell it. The TV Pilot Pitch Package will give him all the tools he needs to wow them in the room. From idea to treatment, he’ll come out of the process with a 15-20 minute pitch document as well as pitching tips for getting the green light.

  • So you’ve already written your pilot script.  Now you have to try to sell the series to people who would rather hear you tell them the story than read it. 

    With this package, you will develop and hone a 15-20 minute presentation of your hour-long television series, including a logline and tone statement, details about the characters, the season and series arcs, and a brief description of the pilot episode. 

    Includes introductory half-hour zoom, customized deadlines, and written feedback from me in the margins after each step:

    • Series logline
    • Character descriptions
    • Season arcs
    • Pilot episode story summary
    • 3 sample episode loglines
    • Pitch Document
    • Revised Pitch Document

  • So you’ve already written your pilot script.  Now you have to try to sell the series to people who would rather hear you tell them the story than read it. 

    With this package, you will develop and hone a 15-20 minute presentation of your hour-long television series, including a logline and tone statement, details about the characters, the season and series arcs, and a brief description of the pilot episode. 

    Includes introductory half-hour zoom, customized deadlines, and written feedback from me in the margins after each step:

    • Series logline
    • Character descriptions
    • Season arcs
    • Pilot episode story summary
    • 3 sample episode loglines
    • Pitch Document
    • Revised Pitch Document

  • Description: Sometimes series are sold from a verbal pitch to studio and network executives before ever becoming a script. 

    With this package, you will develop and hone a 15-20 minute presentation of your half-hour television series, including a logline and tone statement, details about the characters, the season and series arcs, and a brief description of the pilot episode. 

    Includes introductory half-hour zoom, customized deadlines, and written feedback from me in the margins after each step:

    • Series logline
    • Character descriptions
    • Season arcs
    • Pilot episode story summary
    • 3 possible story loglines
    • Pitch Document
    • Revised Pitch Document

  • Sometimes series are sold from a verbal pitch to studio and network executives before ever becoming a script. 

    With this package, you will develop and hone a 15-20 minute presentation of your half-hour television series, including a logline and tone statement, details about the characters, the season and series arcs, and a brief description of the pilot episode. 

    Includes introductory half-hour zoom, customized deadlines, and written feedback from me in the margins after each step:

    • Series logline
    • Character descriptions
    • Season arcs
    • Pilot episode story summary
    • 3 possible story loglines
    • Pitch Document
    • Revised Pitch Document

  • ½ Hour Practice Pitch Session with Marla via Zoom for feedback on your presentation.

Screenwriting Mentorships

JOHN has several story ideas, but needs to work on character development and world-building before jumping into the story beats, outlines and drafts. He chooses a Monthly Mentorship so he and Marla can customize assignments and deadlines based on his needs and schedule.

BARBARA is a writer but has never written a screenplay before. She has an idea she’s excited about, but is it any good? She has character ideas, but are they interesting enough? She chooses a Monthly Mentorship so she can bounce ideas off a professional TV writer who will give her knowledge and expertise, as well as assignments and deadlines, to fully shape her story.

  • Details
    Know you want to write but none of the packages seem right for what you’d like to do? Consider a mentorship. This is a completely customizable plan that lets us figure out together what is most useful to you. It can be anything from idea development to script polish or something in between. You pay a monthly fee for a specified amount of time, and we work together to achieve your personal goals. 

    After an introductory Zoom, I will create a personalized plan with each step and deadlines tailor-made for you.

    Complimentary half-hour introductory zoom.

  • Details
    Know you want to write but none of the packages seem right for what you’d like to do? Consider a mentorship. This is a completely customizable plan that lets us figure out together what is most useful to you. It can be anything from idea development to script polish or something in between. You pay a monthly fee for a specified amount of time, and we work together to achieve your personal goals. 

    After an introductory Zoom, I will create a personalized plan with each step and deadlines tailor-made for you.

    Complimentary half-hour introductory zoom.

  • Details
    Know you want to write but none of the packages seem right for what you’d like to do? Consider a mentorship. This is a completely customizable plan that lets us figure out together what is most useful to you. It can be anything from idea development to script polish or something in between. You pay a monthly fee for a specified amount of time, and we work together to achieve your personal goals. 

    After an introductory Zoom, I will create a personalized plan with each step and deadlines tailor-made for you.

    Complimentary half-hour introductory zoom.

  • Details
    Know you want to write but none of the packages seem right for what you’d like to do? Consider a mentorship. This is a completely customizable plan that lets us figure out together what is most useful to you. It can be anything from idea development to script polish or something in between. You pay a monthly fee for a specified amount of time, and we work together to achieve your personal goals. 

    After an introductory Zoom, I will create a personalized plan with each step and deadlines tailor-made for you.

    Complimentary half-hour introductory zoom.

Ala Carte

SONJA just wants to get eyes on her script before she starts sending it out. She knows it’s good, but wants to make sure it will stand out from the pile. For that, she needs feedback from a professional writer.

  • Notes on half-hour draft (up to 35 pages single cam, 47 pages multi-cam)

  • Notes on hour long draft (up to 65 pages)

  • Notes on feature length script (up to 105 pages)

  • Notes on long feature (106-120 pages)

  • Half-hour Zoom feedback session

  • Half -hour Zoom practice pitch

  • 1 hour tutorial in screenwriting software Final Draft, versions 11 & 12.