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A Process for Playwriting, Part II

© Dave Brandl

In the previous article, the reasons for having a playwriting process were presented, along with a general overview of the process. This article will begin to look at the specific phases of the process. Briefly, they are:

1. Idea - Make sure the idea selected has the most potential and determine whether it really is a stage play.

2. Concept - Determine what kind of play it is and do some high-level planning.

3. Definition - Establish the parameters of the script and plan the writing.

4. Development - Collect all notes and write the scenes and dialogue.

5. Introduction - Hold a staged reading and rewrite as necessary.

6. Deployment - Finalize the script and submit to target markets.

Idea

I maintain a notebook with about 200 play ideas in it. When I've completed a script and am ready to start working on a new one, I go to this notebook to select my next idea. But selecting a single idea from among many can be a challenge. How do I determine which idea is the best one to pursue? Here are a couple criteria:

• Current Events - What's happening in the world today can help determine if one play idea has more validity than another. Sometimes the timing is just right for a certain story to be told.

• Interest by a Producer or Publisher - While this doesn't guarantee anything, having solid interest gives the script (and the playwright) a boost.

Another activity is determining whether the play really is a play and not a novel, movie, short story, or some other venue. Also consider whether there is a market for the idea, and whether it can practically be staged.

Concept

Many people take an idea and immediately start outlining it or even begin writing dialogue. The Concept Phase gives the opportunity to evaluate the value of the idea before investing your time. Consider these four activities:

• Determine the scope of the play. Will it be a full-length show or a one-act? Is it musical? Comedy? Drama? Mystery? Will it be suspenseful, as a thriller? Will it be a wild farce?

• Estimate the number of characters. I usually estimate in groups of five; that is, five or less, five to ten, 10 to 15, or 15 or more. When researching potential markets, they usually specify the cast size they're looking for, and sometimes the gender mix of the casts, for example, they may state that they're looking for strong female parts.

• Encapsulate your idea into 100 words. Write a synopsis that you can keep in mind and be able to relate should someone ask you what your play's about. Make it interesting so the listener says, "Tell me more." Check movie listings for examples.

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