1.    Using the photos

Don’t always go for the obvious. The photos are just a starting point, and can be used in many different ways. Use one or all of them for inspiration. For example, as…

•    A moment in time. What’s happened before? What might happen next?

•    A memory. Whose memory? What does it mean to them?

•    A dream or fantasy. Whose? Why are they having it?

•    A metaphor. Brainstorm what the images suggests to you, and then think of a situation that embodies this idea.

•    An object. Ie. someone owns this photo, or finds it. Who? How did they get it? What is its history?


2.    Create a character

It’s advisable to start with one character and get to know him/her in as much detail as possible. If stuck, ask lots of questions, eg:

Name? Age? Job? (if no job, how do they spend their day?) Education? Where do they live? Where did they grow up? Family? Friends and lovers? What do in spare time? Skills? What matters to him/her?

Then make up stories, incidents about him/her – eg. what’s their biggest regret? Who was their first love? What did they have for breakfast this morning? It’s the details that will bring your character to life. Otherwise, your character might be flat or clichéd.

Finally, think in more detail about what matters to this character. What’s really important to him/her right now? It’s very helpful to work out something that they want. It should be something concrete and specific, not vague and general – eg. NOT ‘he wants to be loved’, but ‘he wants to ask out the woman who works in the library’.




3.    Create a second character

Create a second character to bring the first character’s dilemma into focus. Think about what makes for a strong, interesting dramatic relationship:

•    Attraction – something in common (to avoid the ‘strangers bumping into each other’ play)
•    Conflict – something that could pull the characters apart
•    Contrast - so the characters aren’t exactly the same
•    Potential to transform each other. This is crucial – plays are about physics, the push and pull of human interaction – your characters should do something to each other


4.    Decide on a setting

A sense of place is an important element of your play and can help tell your story – provide atmosphere, create tension, underline or counterpoint the mood of your play. Consider not only what you can see, but also:

•    Sounds
•    Smells
•    Times of day, times of year

Whose territory is it? How do both your characters feel in this place?


5.    Think about structure

Structure is often seen as the most difficult thing about writing a play but really it’s just about making choices: which bit of your story are you going to show? Remember, this is only a 10-minute play. Don’t overcrowd it with too much plot or back-story. Let a simple encounter speak volumes; the small story should tell a bigger story.

Trust your audience. Your job as playwright is to spark the audience’s imagination, not shut it down. So go back to your characters. How can you bring out the central dilemma in a simple, subtle way? Brainstorm different scenarios. Which one suggests the most and carries the weight of the story you want to tell?

Most importantly, a play should be about change. The character should end the play changed in some way. Eg. A different attitude, mood, a decision made or thwarted.


6.    Common mistakes

•    Overwriting. Suggest, don’t spell out. Character should emerge from action and behaviour, not long speeches about one’s childhood.
•    Starting in the wrong place – is your first 5 minutes spent setting up the plot? Cut it out and start in the middle of the action – let the audience think for themselves.
•    Unnecessary stage directions. Keep these direct and essential, don’t be pedantic.
•    Dialogue feels flat, or descriptive. Plays should be written from the inside not the outside. Get inside your characters’ heads, think how they’d think, feel how they’d feel, let them speak for themselves, not to illustrate your theme
•    Nothing changes. The two characters merely chat and the lights come down. Please note, change can be subtle – your play doesn’t have to end with a character in a pool of blood, a knife sticking out of their chest.


7.    Lay-out

This isn’t crucial; the most important thing is to be legible. Try to indicate clearly who is speaking, and make sure the stage directions are marked out differently from the dialogue (use italics or put them in brackets). If in doubt, flick through a few play-texts in a bookshop.


8.    Get writing!

There are many obstacles you can create between your first idea and sitting down to write. “I need to do more research, I still don’t quite know the characters well enough, I’ll just make another cup of coffee…” There’s no substitute for plunging in. See what happens. You can always re-write later or throw pages in the bin.