WHY PLAYWRIGHT ?

 WHY PLAYWRIGHT INSTEAD OF PLAYWRITE?

Many people think of playwrights as writers. As people who sit alone in a room cranking out plays to be performed onstage. It's easy to see why. But the reality is that playwrights usually need to be more hands-on than an essayist or novelist.

Other have pointed out that the word "playwright" calls to mind a trade like being a "shipwright"--someone who builds ships. Similarly, playwrights don't necessarily write a play so much as wright one--build it. It's not a purely intellectual process, but one that benefits from physical sensations and emotions.

In other words: from acting.

There's a reason why so many of our most celebrated playwrights were also actors. Because learning how to inhabit a character, and being responsible for bringing a written scene to life, teaches you a whole lot about how to write better scenes in the first place.

So with that in mind, here are some of the most important acting tips that are relevant to playwrights:

1) Know your "moment before."

Anytime a character enters a scene, they've just come from somewhere, and that previous moment determines how they feel (and act) at the beginning of the scene.

Has your character just run a marathon? Just had their first kiss? Just  lost their job?

Those previous moments will color the scene greatly, and it pays to know what each character's "moment before" is for every scene you write.

2) Know your character's goal.

Drama consists of conflict. And in order for there to be conflict, your characters have to want something. And they have to be actively trying to get that thing in the scene.

Without a goal, an actor doesn't know how to play a scene. They won't know what their subtext is (the meaning behind their words).

The most explosive scenes usually have two or more characters who both want opposing things--a wife wants to accept a job, her husband wants her to decline it; a child wants to go to the park, the babysitter wants to stay home; and so on.

3) Know your character's motivation.

Motivation is related to goal, but it's not the same thing.

The goal is WHAT your character wants.

Motivation is WHY they want it.

The easiest way to find your character's goal is to ask yourself:

"What will happen if they fail to achieve their goal?"

The answer to that question will give you your character's stakes.

If you notice that the stakes are too low, that could contribute to a less-than-dramatic scene. Try increasing the stakes to give your characters more motivation. Stronger motivation means they'll be willing to take more risks to achieve that goal, which will make for a more interesting scene.