[Miriam]

I want to turn a story I've written into a play but have no idea where to start - I'm a writer by profession but I know they're hugely different disciplines. Does anyone have any recommendations (besides google!) for how to go about finding out this information - courses, groups to go to etc. I'm based in South London.

[Michael H]

I would suggest reading "The Crafty Art of Playmaking" by Alan Ayckbourn. It's a highly readable and entertaining guide to both writing and directing. It covers the inspiration, the "what if" as a central idea by looking at some of his own plays.

And read and go and see other plays! Both Fringe and in the main production houses. Writing for the stage is a strange combination between the imaginative and the practical.

It's got to be interesting for the audience (you want them to keep wanting to know what happens next, and make them feel "I'm glad I saw this" at the end), but doable and interesting for the actors, directors and technical crew. The best way to learn, though, is to do it.

But read the Ayckbourn book!

[Miriam]

Thanks very much for all these tips and advice, Michael. I'll hunt that down before the weekend

I have really been focusing on trying to see lots of plays over the past few months. I think New Boy is probably the closest I've seen thus far to the style I see my story being performed as - seeing so many more than I've done previously has opened my eyes to the plethora of styles available.

What do you think of things like the Royal Court Young Writer's Programme? I'm 24 at present and was thinking that if I can figure it out and write the play, I might try and get onto that. I don't harbour any illusions about fame and fortune from playwriting, but you never know what the future holds and the more education the better...

[Jenny_tyr]

I remember someone talking favourably about a book called "So you want to be a playright?". Don't know who the writer is, but if you check it out on amazon, I'm sure there will also be customer reviews that tell you some more about what people thought of it.

[rainbow_carnage]

I read a lot of plays by aspiring playwrights. I would say the biggest problem is that most people don't know the difference between a play and a film. If your play has scene changes every two minutes that require a whole new set each time, you're writing a screenplay.

Watch a lot of plays. I mean a lot. Both good and bad. Think about what works and what doesn't and why. Don't even think about starting to write until you have a clear idea about dramatic sense.

Good luck.

[Miriam]

I'm literally just making a start on this, having seen lots more plays since I wrote this post and figured out more how it should work dramatically and stage-wise. It's exciting but terrifying, too. I can't seem to focus on my (paid) work because I keep thinking about play things! I'll let you lot know if I get anywhere with it

[Laughingmonsta]

In my opinion its always dangerous for a playwrite to think about how it should be staged - concentrate more on the narrative and the characters within the piece - how it should be staged is the directors job!

[Miriam]

I meant stage directions, not staging, oops. And I will!

[Jill]

My advice is to include "Rain" somewhere in the title!

[Laughingmonsta]

Again as a director the 1st thing I do when I read a play or direct a play is ignore the stage directions!

Its one of my biggest bug bears! a playwright is just that a writer of plays - leave stage directions to a director. Its just that I have read so many plays where the writer tries to impose their own feelings etc on how the play should be directed and I honestly don 't believe it is their place as a writer to do that!