Free Association Writing
Having trouble beginning your play? Do you have too many ideas? Not enough ideas? Here's a simple way to ease into writing a scene without too much pre-planning.
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Here's a downloadable one-page version of the activity:
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You will need…
STEP ONE:
Set your timer for three minutes and begin writing whatever thoughts come to your mind in response to the sentence “Sometimes, I wish I could…”
It’s important to keep moving your pencil the whole time and get as many thoughts on paper as you can. If you run low on ideas, just keep the pencil moving across the page until the words come back again. Don’t worry about making complete sentences.
STEP TWO:
When the time is up, reset your timer. Do the same thing again, but instead use the sentence “But what I really want to say is…” Feel free to use what you wrote before if it helps you.
STEP THREE:
Now, read what you've written and circle all the phrases or words that seem interesting you.
STEP FOUR:
Choose two phrases from the ones you've circled. Feel free to pick randomly by closing your eyes and pointing at the page or by writing all the circled phrases on slips of paper and choosing two.
STEP FIVE:
Begin to write a conversation between two people that includes both of the phrases you've chosen. You don’t need to name or describe the two characters yet, just try to write at least five sentences back and forth between two people. You've begun to create dialogue.
STEP SIX:
Give your conversation a beginning, middle and end. Find a way for the two people to start the conversation and find a reason for one or both of your characters to leave at the end.
STEP SEVEN:
Begin to think about what your characters might want from each other in this conversation. These are their objectives. When the conversation ends, has one of them gotten what they wanted/achieved their objective? Has one of them given up? Why did they need to have this conversation? Change or add details to make this clear.
STEP EIGHT:
Begin to think about where this conversation might happen. Is it in a public or private place? How does the place affect what they say? Add in at least one line or a stage direction indicating the setting.
STEP NINE:
When is this conversation happening? What time of day? What time of year? Add in a line to show this.
When you think about the 'when' of this conversation, also consider how long your characters have wanted the things they want.
STEP TEN:
Now begin to think about who these characters are. Read over the lines you have so far and think about how each character speaks. Does one character prefer long words? Does the other use “um” or “like” a lot? This is the character's diction.
What do these details say about these two people? Write down five facts about each character. Give each character a name.
Consider the relationship between these two characters. How long have they known each other? How did they meet? Is this the first time they are having a conversation about this topic? Is this the first time they are expressing these wants or objectives to each other?
STEP ELEVEN:
Finally, decide why your characters must have this conversation now. Why is this moment their only chance to speak? What drew them to finally discuss this issue? If this issue isn’t discussed now, what could go wrong?
Try adding a time limit or a consequence to the characters' objectives. Put in a line to indicate how urgent it is that one character gets what she wants. Add another line to explain what will happen if a character doesn't get what he wants.
The more urgent these needs are and the harsher the consequences are if they fail, the more interesting your scene will be. Adding urgency and deepening the consequences for and motivations of your characters is called raising the stakes.
STEP TWELVE:
Continue to develop this scene and begin to think about where it might fit in a larger play!
©Philadelphia Young Playwrights 2015
- Paper
- Pen/Pencil
- Timer
STEP ONE:
Set your timer for three minutes and begin writing whatever thoughts come to your mind in response to the sentence “Sometimes, I wish I could…”
It’s important to keep moving your pencil the whole time and get as many thoughts on paper as you can. If you run low on ideas, just keep the pencil moving across the page until the words come back again. Don’t worry about making complete sentences.
STEP TWO:
When the time is up, reset your timer. Do the same thing again, but instead use the sentence “But what I really want to say is…” Feel free to use what you wrote before if it helps you.
STEP THREE:
Now, read what you've written and circle all the phrases or words that seem interesting you.
STEP FOUR:
Choose two phrases from the ones you've circled. Feel free to pick randomly by closing your eyes and pointing at the page or by writing all the circled phrases on slips of paper and choosing two.
STEP FIVE:
Begin to write a conversation between two people that includes both of the phrases you've chosen. You don’t need to name or describe the two characters yet, just try to write at least five sentences back and forth between two people. You've begun to create dialogue.
STEP SIX:
Give your conversation a beginning, middle and end. Find a way for the two people to start the conversation and find a reason for one or both of your characters to leave at the end.
STEP SEVEN:
Begin to think about what your characters might want from each other in this conversation. These are their objectives. When the conversation ends, has one of them gotten what they wanted/achieved their objective? Has one of them given up? Why did they need to have this conversation? Change or add details to make this clear.
STEP EIGHT:
Begin to think about where this conversation might happen. Is it in a public or private place? How does the place affect what they say? Add in at least one line or a stage direction indicating the setting.
STEP NINE:
When is this conversation happening? What time of day? What time of year? Add in a line to show this.
When you think about the 'when' of this conversation, also consider how long your characters have wanted the things they want.
STEP TEN:
Now begin to think about who these characters are. Read over the lines you have so far and think about how each character speaks. Does one character prefer long words? Does the other use “um” or “like” a lot? This is the character's diction.
What do these details say about these two people? Write down five facts about each character. Give each character a name.
Consider the relationship between these two characters. How long have they known each other? How did they meet? Is this the first time they are having a conversation about this topic? Is this the first time they are expressing these wants or objectives to each other?
STEP ELEVEN:
Finally, decide why your characters must have this conversation now. Why is this moment their only chance to speak? What drew them to finally discuss this issue? If this issue isn’t discussed now, what could go wrong?
Try adding a time limit or a consequence to the characters' objectives. Put in a line to indicate how urgent it is that one character gets what she wants. Add another line to explain what will happen if a character doesn't get what he wants.
The more urgent these needs are and the harsher the consequences are if they fail, the more interesting your scene will be. Adding urgency and deepening the consequences for and motivations of your characters is called raising the stakes.
STEP TWELVE:
Continue to develop this scene and begin to think about where it might fit in a larger play!
©Philadelphia Young Playwrights 2015