Part 3 - Practice Monologue Writing

What is a prompt monologue, and how do I write one?

Now that we’ve explored great monologues, our next step in learning to write one is writing some practice monologues, based on writing prompts

Writing Prompt: a leading set of constraints/inspirations that help guide you through any specific writing

Stage Directions
Writing Prompt Monlogue #1
Writing Prompt Monologue #2

Stage Direction

Most of a monologue is what the speaker is saying to the listener. But how do you tell the reader where and when your monologue is taking place? How do you tell an actor performing your monologue what they’re supposed to be doing in a scene? We use stage directions!

To start a stage direction, open a parenthesis: (

Next, write the place where your monologue will take place
Next, write the year in which it takes place
Next, write the time of day when it will take place
Next, write the weather and the mood when your monologue takes place
Your monologue will have one speaker. Write their name, and what they’re doing

Finally, close the parenthesis: )

Stage Direction Example: (The forest. 1972. 1:52pm. Sunny. Eerie and uncomfortable. Jasmine is hiding behind a tree.)

Please note: stage directions are written in present tense. All verbs should be what’s happening right now, not what happened in the past (run, not ran, talk, not talked).

Most of your monologue will be your speaker talking, but if you want, you can also add internal stage directions, which go between lines in a monologue. For example:

Jasmine
You can’t find me! You’ll never be able to find me! (She ducks out from the one tree and goes to hide behind another one.) I bet you can’t find me before lunch!

Next, click the Writing Prompt Monologue #1 Tab

Now that you’ve written a stage direction, you’ll start your first prompt monologue

Your prompt monologue should be at least 1 page long. Remember it’s only your first practice at monologue writing… it doesn’t need to have all the dynamic factors!

How will you know when your monologue is finished? You’ll know when it feels finished to you. It will probably get to a stopping point naturally, and you’ll know when it’s done.

Ready for a monologue prompt? Choose between one of the following prompts, and use the prompt as the first line in a monologue. Remember: your listener doesn’t respond, and the speaker speaks to the listener until they’re done talking

Whichever you choose, try as best you can to create a Dynamic Monologue! Who is speaking? To whom? Why now? What’s the problem? What does your speaker want?

Choose between one of the following prompts:

PROMPT 1 -

Did you bring it? _____________

PROMPT 2 -

You lost it? How could you possibly lose it? Now we’re in real trouble. How can we ever hope to _____________

PROMPT 3 -

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve known things you’re not supposed to know. Like I’ve always known _____________

You now have the option to read your monologue out loud. I find that it’s often helpful for me to either read a monologue to someone else, like a family member, or a friend via facetime, google hangouts, or zoom, or to read it and film myself, then watch and listen to the recording so I can hear it out loud myself

Next, click the Writing Prompt Monologue #2 Tab

Now that you’ve practiced writing a monologue, we’re going to do another practice before we get to thinking about and writing our performance monologues.

Remember: start any monologue with a stage direction

Stage Direction Example: (The forest. 1972. 1:52pm. Sunny. Eerie and uncomfortable. Jasmine is hiding behind a tree.)

Remember: stage directions are always in present tense!

After your opening stage direction, write your monologue. Choose between one of the prompts below as the first line of your monologue, and remember to consider the following questions while you write:

To whom is your speaker speaking? What does your speaker want? What is your speaker’s problem?

PROMPT 1 -

The happiest moment of my life was ________________

PROMPT 2 -

The most in love I’ve ever felt was ________________

PROMPT 3 -

I’ve never told anyone ________________

Once you’ve written your monologue, you can choose to share it with someone like you did Prompt Monologue 1, or not. It’s totally up to you.

Now that you’ve practiced writing a few monologues, it’s time to switch gears and do some brainstorming around what you might want to write your monologue about.

Next--->

Part 4 : Brainstorming

Links to help you pickup where you left off!