the biggest challenge?

the moment when the initial idea loses steam...

we all know that feeling: you wake up one morning OBSESSED with something; your fingers and brain begging you to write. you blow off the whole day or stay up all night diving headlong into an idea and then... BAM! you hit a wall! hard. the well feels like it's run dry and you stare at that page or the computer and your head feels empty.

that.

or when you get that first round of notes from your dramaturg.

that.

or making time to write in a busy life that is perhaps, not the most inspiring.

that.

or learning to write without inspiration.

that.

or...
or...
or...

for me at least.
but amidst all these challenges there are few things as satisfying as writing...

Hearing the Stories to Come...

It was great to hear all the 'pitches' last night. I am excited to read what will come in the next few weeks. It was also good for me to hear the questions I should be asking myself. Those questions like: "Who is this play about?", "What's the worst that can happen?", and "What are the stakes?" are so key in focussing the work and often when you get stuck in the writing, those are the questions that you need to ask to get yourself to move forward. I can't do much writing today because of looming work deadlines, but I am anxious to go back to my script this weekend to ask myself those necessary questions and push it along to the next step.

*submitted by Kristen

Getting Started?

This is my first experience as a blog. So here I go. Getting started seems to be the most difficult thing to do but once the first step is taken then it seems to be the most joyful experience in the world.
There are times when ideas don't come and I can't see the forest for the trees. For me--writing backstories for each character has connected them in strange and unusual ways. I have found out about their motives and reasons for existence and then they might tell me what they want to say and do. 
This may sound slightly schizoid but I couldn't really look at the piece as a whole or write much of anything until I did some background research and stories on the people in the play.
This particular piece I have been working on for a while. I have now got to a point in my life where I can use my time to write and rewrite. (I have never been able to just put it all down in one go.)
I really look forward to this opportunity to listen to other ideas and points of view about life, the universe and everything--and to get feedback and direction. 
I don't know yet about this blog thing but I suspect it will help me move further into the twenty-first century. I am a dinosaur (one of the little fast ones) when it comes to all the technology AND have decided not to let that stand in my way.
So here goes. 

Biggest Challenge?

For me, probably the biggest challenge is getting pen to paper (or fingers on keyboard). After that, nearly everything else is still a challenge.

I have always had a good imagination, but haven't been good at getting the ideas down. Most of my previous writing has been more along the prose, so one of my secondary challenges in writing a play is ensuring the flow is appropriate; not switching scenes too often, keeping a flow of dialogue with any on stage action, ensuring the characters are not static on stage (either intent to move, or possibility to move if director so decides)., and keeping the dialogue interesting / on topic.

That sums up the challenges I thought of last night while contemplating the question.

I am also looking forward to the Playwrights' Circle and meeting you all tonight. :)

- Hugh Kemeny

Getting started

What isn't a challenge? I've only written prose before, so getting the rhythm right (pacing), and the wordiness out is challenging. I'm used to describing everything in detail, including what the characters look like, so just letting go of my own vision and allowing the drector and actors to visualize the play will also be interesting. I'm really excited about the workshop.

Getting Started...

There is nothing like a looming deadline to get me writing. I don't know about you, but the calendar drives most of my productivity. On that note, I spent many hours yesterday working on my Pitch and the first act of my play, Little Monsters. I know already that I have written scenes and lines that will not make it into the final script, but I also know that I have to write the bad play before the good one will come. At this stage I try not to think about the quality of the writing. If I did I would not get much done because I would spend too much time trying to finesse each line. Who cares if I have 3 great pages if I only have 3 pages? I can do that after... when I have the whole thing out there. Then I can go back and be tough on the writing. The Pitch writing was a great exercise as it made me think of where I want the script to go. I often start with a theme or concept I want to explore and it takes me awhile to push that into a plot so actually having to think about what happens next gave me a lot of momentum. I know things will change from what I wrote in the pitch, but it is a great leaping-off point.

I am looking forward to Monday. To meeting the Circle and hearing what everyone is working on. I am glad to have this push to get me moving on the keyboard.

*submitted by Kristen M. Finlay

APN Edmonton Playwrights' Circle Blog

Welcome to the first ever APN Playwrights' Circle Blog!!!

This is the place where you can post ideas about writing - your writing, writing you observe on stage, topics you talk about in your circle meetings etc.

Conni and I will post weekly questions or topics about the writing process that you can comment on.

Let's kick this off right away-

First question for all of you:

What are your biggest challenges when you are writing a play?

OK, get on here and comment away!

We'd love to hear your thoughts on this question and will keep the discussion going for the 10 weeks of your circle.

Looking forward to some good chats!

Talk to you soon!

Tracy