Category Archives: 2. Dealing with Writer’s Block

It worked! — a better scene from reading each character’s dialog

Posted on 20 November 2013 by playwrightsmuse

So, maybe you remember that I’ve been posting about a dialogue-editing technique I learned about at the Dramatists Guild conference back in August. I read through my play “How to Kill a Cactus,” and read only one character’s lines. Even … Continue reading →

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Why waste time? Start out strong!

Posted on 13 November 2013 by playwrightsmuse

I went to a play reading the other night. The playwright has a lot of experience, has gotten awards, has gotten work produced around the country. So I was surprised at how weak the play was, given the playwright’s experience … Continue reading →

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When you don’t feel inspired, here are some editing tips

Posted on 19 August 2013 by playwrightsmuse

We all have those times when we feel uninspired.  Brain-dead.  Really tired and would rather just go (back) to bed. But we have so many demands on our time, we have to write when we can. Ack! So here are … Continue reading →

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Plots – “Oh, no, what could be worse?”

Posted on 22 April 2013 by playwrightsmuse

We all have problems figuring out what happens in our plays. Here’s something I learned in improvisational theater, years ago, that’s helped me develop plots. Ask yourself, how can things be worse for my main character? The first full-length play … Continue reading →

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Plots – dream up your character’s “best possible outcome”

Posted on 18 April 2013 by playwrightsmuse

I’m working on this one play for which I have a bunch of scenes. But I’m having trouble figuring out how it ends. And I’m having trouble figuring out how to get from here (the scenes I have) to there … Continue reading →

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Stuck with a scene? Write it “inside out”

Posted on 4 April 2013 by playwrightsmuse

I was having trouble with this one scene in a play of mine. I wrote two or three different drafts, but I didn’t like any of them. They were too serious, too painful, too risky, too graphic, too real, too… … Continue reading →

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Plots — More weird sh*t

Posted on 23 January 2013 by playwrightsmuse

More “To Do” Lists In my last post, Plots — All the weird sh*t that can happen, I talked about my characters’ “to do” lists. I realized I forgot a few things. Elena – The Curious Grad Student’s “To Do” List … Continue reading →

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Plots — All the weird sh*t that can happen

Posted on 17 January 2013 by playwrightsmuse

I’ve been blogging some about this great playwriting class I took last fall. (Story ideas you never would’ve thought of, Shine some brilliance on the core problem of your play.) I came up with this intriguing, witty, warmhearted story about … Continue reading →

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How to Crush Writer’s Block

Posted on 4 September 2012 by playwrightsmuse

I’m trying to write this scene for my dot-com play. I’m basing the play in part on my own life, and on my own father’s business. I hurt when I try to write the scene; I have a lot of … Continue reading →

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