SO YOU WANNA WRITE A PLAY? 1

CREATE A BIBLE

This sounds like a pain in the ass, but it pays off, in Spades.   It suggests incidents. It gives you information to hang scenes on. It suggests dialogue. It develops character. It provides a reliable reference when you can’t remember a fact you need to get right.  

Note what you already know about plot and character. Add to it as you write. Ideas come out of the blue .   Add them in as they come to you.   You can always change them when a better idea hits you.

A PLAY NEEDS: SET UP, BUILD UP, CLIMAX, AFTERMATH

SET UP:  Who? What? Where? When?   Introduce main character, their circumstances, what they want/ hope for/need to do?  

Where they live (external)   REAL - beware of memory, it canplay tricks. Consult maps/ street views /if possible visit and take notes.

 FICTIONAL - draw a map of the location, fill in relevant locations. 

 Where they live (internal)   Draw a map of each relevant room .  Mark doors, furniture etc. 

BUILD UP:  the steps the main character takes towards their goal. What do they do right/wrong/or avoid? What/who's the opposition? Highs and lows of their journey to...

CLIMAX:   The high point of the drama.   The main character overcomes opposition/danger/ attains goal/resolves issues.

Or, in tragedy, is finally defeated.

AFTERMATH: What has changed as a result of the action?

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