Writing for the stage can be one of the most dynamic experiences for any writer or artist. As you write your play your characters speak to and through you. The stage directions you compose move characters, determine the elements of your scene (lights, sound) and outline the design of your set. The reading allows you to hear the voices of your characters as interpreted by actors. And when your play is ultimately produced, you get to watch your imagination literally come alive. Indeed, playwriting, like life, is not for the faint of heart—it is a rich and complex journey that involves many different people and requires a lot of brain power.
If you are new to playwriting you may be wondering how to begin such a dynamic journey. The answer is quite simple: you begin by writing. Before you tackle the elements of plot, character and conflict I strongly suggest you get to know what story inside you wants to be told and you do this by letting it roam freely. (Though we often say we are writing a story, we are more accurately discovering it and you discover by doing, by writing.)
So, the first thing you do is sit down with a paper and pen (or your computer) and freely compose. Your writing may be connected in some way to a subject or concept that interests you or it may seem totally random and disjointed. Whatever it is and wherever it you begin, just allow it to flow out onto the page. This is called free writing—jotting down anything that comes into your mind—ideas, dialog, blips of narrative—anything that strikes you. This may seem like a chaotic start, but it is the fertile ground in which your mind can play, and much of that play (you are writing a play, after all) happens in your subconscious (backstage, so to speak).
Write for at least fifteen minutes (set a timer so you don’t cheat) and let your idea(s) build and change and flow onto your page. Allow yourself to get to a theme, line of thinking or subject area that interests you. If you find that your writing is disjointed and you don’t see a theme, that’s fine—something is developing and your work has begun. I know, it sounds all hocus-pocus, but trust me, your play has begun.
The next step I suggest may also seem weirdly simple, but I view it as another essential part of the discovery process and it is this: put your play down. Once your ideas have roamed on paper for a period of time, put it down and let them roam in your subconscious. (I call this the gestation period.) Listen to some music, have coffee with a friend, take a run or a walk with the dog. Do something that does not involve your play.
I suggest you repeat this pattern for a few days at least—free writing and then putting your play down. Allow yourself to develop this habit and be persistent and consistent with it. Do it for as long as you need, your story will begin to take shape in your mind.
When your story does begin to push to come out more fully, start using your writing time to sketch out some narrative. It may come out all at once and straight through like a complete story would, but more likely it will be in parts. There will be a heart to it, some part that interests you most: a character or plot or dilemma. Keep feeding that heart—the part that most interests you—in your free writing time and then letting it sit for a day.
If you do this consistently and deliberately you will have begun to write your play. Again, I know it sounds a little weird and the “product” may look scary and chaotic, but you have begun your play and the first strong indication of that is when you begin to recognize the heart of it. Explore that for a few days before moving on to the next step.
Next step: Playwriting 102: crafting your story
