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A Writer's Guide for Broadway Productions

Educational Resources > Writer's Guide for Broadway Productions

The Art of Writing for Stage and Screen

Playwrights and screenwriters hold a special place in the tradition of storytelling. They serve as imaginative life-givers who elevate our narrative experiences and reach across generations to share stories and art. These writers do more than craft dialogue; they build entire worlds, develop characters, elicit emotions, and offer cultural critiques that unfold in live theaters or across screens. Their work inspires empathy, provokes thought, and reflects society's evolving values. Whether dramatizing the human condition or scripting thrilling spectacles, these writers bridge the personal and the universal through their stories.

Writing Scripts for Theater and Plays

Writing for the live theater performance requires a deep understanding of performance dynamics. Plays rely heavily on dialogue and actor presence to convey tone and develop the plot of the story being told. Playwrights must also make the most of the space on the stage and consider how movement, pauses, and silences can be used as storytelling tools and convey meaning just as much as the words spoken. Scenes are often confined to fewer locations, making character development and thematic resonance paramount. The live audience experience also shapes how tension and pacing must be calibrated; a line's rhythm or an actor's gesture can electrify a room.

Aspiring playwrights should spend time immersing themselves in classic and contemporary works to understand the breadth of theatrical language and how they can employ theater writing techniques to help their production succeed. A strong script typically includes a clear narrative arc, compelling characters, and subtext-rich dialogue. It's also important to write with performance in mind; actors must be able to live inside your words, and directors should find interpretive space within your structure. Above all, theatrical scripts should explore the range of human emotion, the human condition, and resonate with the audience in a way that only the immediacy of live theater can.

Tips for Being a Successful Playwright

Study a Range of Plays: From the ancient Greek tragedies to contemporary fringe theater. Read them aloud to hear the rhythms. Then, when available, watch live productions and recorded performances. Notice how the dialogue is delivered, how staging affects the interpretation of the written screenplay, and how silence is used to speak volumes. Learn from notable playwrights like August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, Arthur Miller, Annie Baker, and Suzan-Lori Parks for a range of styles.

Focus on Character-Driven Conflict: Strong conflict doesn't mean yelling; it means stakes that feel personal and urgent. Emotional and philosophical tension is conflict that helps develop your story. Your characters should want something, fear something, or hide something, and these forces should collide. Ask yourself: What does each character want? What are they willing to risk to get it?

Write With the Stage in Mind: A play unfolds in a real space; it's not a book you can close and pick back up again. Limit scene changes, consider how actors move, and imagine how an audience will perceive visual cues. Rely on presence, gesture, and language, and always be economical with your words and actions. Simpler sets can lead to more imaginative storytelling. Let the language do the heavy lifting.

Embrace Subtext: Great plays live in what's not said. Write dialogue that reflects real human complexity. People dodge, deflect, lie, joke, and change the subject; use all of that, and let your audience uncover meaning by watching characters interact and react. Use pauses, contradictions, or silences to deepen your characters without adding superfluous lines.

Keep it Performable: Actors and directors need a playable script. Use clear objectives, emotionally honest dialogue, and scenes with arcs. Avoid nonessential or long monologues and don't overload with stage directions. Instead, let your collaborators bring it to life. Workshop your script with actors whenever possible. Their readings will reveal what works and what might need tweaking.

Accept Feedback, but Stay True to the Core: Not all notes are equal, but most are useful. Learn to filter feedback without diluting your voice. Be open to change but protective of your work's emotional truth. Ask trusted readers to respond to specific questions: not just "Did you like it?" but "What confused you?" or "Which character did you care about most?"

Revise Like a Director: Once you've written a draft, read it from the perspective of a director. Would it be clear on stage? Would the scene keep an audience engaged? Does the pacing feel alive?

Keep Writing and Sharing: Play writing is a craft built over time. Write short scenes, enter festivals, submit to play writing groups, or form your own. Getting your work read and seen is vital for growth. Rejection is normal; even the most celebrated playwrights have been turned down. Stay curious, keep writing, and build a community of fellow theater-makers.

Writing Screenplays for Film

Screenwriting is a blueprint for visual storytelling that is translated to film. While dialogue is still an important part of the equation, action, effects, and cinematic imagery are also key elements of a successful screenplay. Screenwriters must learn to "show, not tell" style of writing that guides not just the actors who appear on film, but the directors and crew as well. Screenplays follow a strict industry-standard format, typically a three-act structure, and include scene headings, action descriptions, and spoken lines that work in harmony to create a cinematic rhythm.

A good screenplay balances structure with creativity. Writers must think in shots and sequences: how a scene opens, what the audience sees, and how tension builds visually. This is similar to how a playwright might picture in their mind's eye how their work might appear on the stage. However, unlike plays, films benefit from editing, camera movement, and sound design to support their storytelling. All of these tools of film-making must be conveyed with clarity and purpose if the screenwriter's vision is going to come to fruition. To succeed, new screenwriters should study successful scripts, have a deep understanding of genre conventions, and practice concise and evocative prose. In film, every word counts: and every scene must earn its place.

Tips to Help Aspiring Screenwriters Succeed

Master the Screenplay Format: Unlike a play, a screenplay is a technical document: a blueprint of instructions for directors, cinematographers, editors, and actors. You must know industry-standard formatting cold: scene headings (slug lines), action lines, dialogue, transitions, and parentheticals. Use software to format your script properly. A poorly formatted script is rarely read beyond the first page.

Think Visually, Write Visually: Film is a visual medium. Describe what can be seen or heard. Instead of writing internal thoughts, show what a character does or how they react. Visual storytelling means subtext happens in gestures, glances, edits, and imagery, not long monologs.

Learn the Three-Act Structure (and Then Break It): Most screenplays follow the classic three-act arc: setup, confrontation, and resolution. Employing this structure helps build momentum, deliver payoffs, and pace your film well. Once it's second nature, you can subvert or stretch it to fit your story. Study notable screenplays and practice identifying structure in action and get a feel for how other screenwriters play with the standard format.

Write Scenes With Cinematic Purpose: Each scene should 1) move the story forward or 2) reveal something essential. No filler. Everything has a purpose. Scenes are best when they begin late, end early, and contain visual tension. Think in moments that will leave an emotional or aesthetic impression. Don't be too precious about cutting scenes; if a scene does not meet one of the criteria included above, cut it.

Show Character Through Action: Reveal character traits through their actions and by what they do under pressure, not just what they say. Dialogue is crucial, but action can be just as loud. Let behavior, choices, and physicality carry the weight. Create turning points at which a character must make a choice. Their decision defines them far more than exposition ever could.

Keep Descriptions Short and Cinematic: Blocky paragraphs of text can ruin the flow. Aim for one to four lines per paragraph, with white space between blocks to make it skimmable and dynamic. Action lines should be brief, punchy, and cinematic. Don't get hung up on directing the camera, unless you're writing a shooting script, but do guide the reader's imagination with clarity and style.

Write a Killer First Ten Pages: Agents and executives decide in the first 10 pages whether they'll continue to invest their time and resources into a screenplay. Hook them fast: introduce the main character, establish the tone, and hint at the central conflict. The opening is your one shot at attention. Try a cold open with a striking image or moment that demands curiosity.

Study Films, Then Read Their Scripts: Watching films is vital, but reading the screenplay after you've seen the film helps you to better understand what the writer actually wrote versus what was interpreted by actors, directors, or editors. Use resources like The Script Lab, IMSDB, or Screenplay Library to read real, professional scripts.

Build a Writing Routine and Finish Drafts: Take your writing seriously. A screenplay isn't a passion project you tinker with forever; it's a project with a deadline. Build writing discipline. Outline, write a draft, revise it, and keep moving. Your first draft won't be perfect. It's not meant to be. Set specific goals: "One scene per day" or "Five pages a week." Writing is a habit that needs to be established and upheld, not a mood.

Know the Industry and Know What Your Voice: Study how scripts sell, what producers look for, and how genres evolve, avoiding the trap of trends. Find your unique voice and perspective, hone your writing, and don't be afraid to "try on a voice" to see how it feels.

Additional Tools for Writers

Seven Differences Between Writing for the Stage and Screen: Read a thoughtful list of the major differences between writing for the stage and writing for the screen.
Writing for Stage and Screen: The dialogue in content created for the stage and for the screen can be markedly different in their function.
Analyzing Performances vs. Text Meant for the Stage: There are many different aspects of performance-based content and written content that can be analyzed, and those different types each have unique considerations.
Writing Across Media: Whether you're writing for the page, the stage, or the screen, there is always something new to learn or something to perfect.
Writing Tips From the Theater: Theater can teach us so much, including some things that can also improve our writing.
Tricks of the Trade: Writing for the stage and screen can be made easier when you apply these five writing tips.
Guide for Writing in Theater: Read a detailed guide to help you develop your theater writing skills.
Introducing Characters: There are many ways in which writing for the stage is different than other forms of writing. This resource can help you learn how to effectively introduce characters in your theater writing.
How to Write a Play: Learn how to write better plays in nine steps and become a great dramatic writer, or simply learn a new way to express yourself on stage.
Elevate Your Writing: Creativity, conciseness, and cleverness are all important parts of writing for the theater.
Write Better Dialogue: Dialogue is an important part of screenwriting. Learn how to write better dialogue for your on-screen characters.
Play Writing Tips: Fine-tune your play writing and create more compelling stories to be played out on the stage.
Writing Your First Play: New playwrights can benefit from these five writing tips.
Screenplays vs. the Stage: Everything you need to know about the differences between writing for the stage versus the screen can be found on this page.
Is Your Concept a Better Fit for the Stage or Screen? Not every concept works for every type of media. This article can help you decide if your writing is better suited for the stage or the screen.
Brainstorming, Standup, and Content Creation: A podcast from the New York Improv Theater digs into how to improve your theater content through the identification of key characters and the use of the senses.
Writing a Script: Learn about what a script is, the different types, and the process of developing a quality script for theater or film.
Why Writing Matters in Theater: Writing is powerful, and the power of good writing is magnified when it's put on the stage or screen.
Writing Stage Directions: Learn from a detailed resource for screenplay writers on how to write effective stage directions.
Writing Children's Theater: Read a bit of history and tips on writing for children's theater here.
Screenwriting 101: Find out more about how to write and structure a screenplay.
Writing a Stage Play: Learn how to structure and write a successful stage play.
Be Practical in Your Theater Writing: Get advice on how to not only write for the theater by instinct and with heart but with pragmatism.
How Do I Start? Beginning is often the hardest step to anything new. Those new to play writing can benefit from this article on how exactly to start writing a play.
Are Scripts for the Stage and Screen Interchangeable? There are certain considerations that need to be taken when writing for the screen and stage. In some cases, content might be better suited for one or the other.