Books on writing plays

I've taught playwriting at the college level, but I never used a textbook. I'm sure there are exceptions (I do like Aaron Frankel's book WRITING THE BROADWAY MUSICAL, though it's probably dated now), but I find most of them stifling. Writers of such books have a tendency to give you a list of rules, many of them practical; but it's hard to write when you sit down with a blank sheet of paper and a list of 137 things NOT to do.

So let me ask: for whom is the book you seek intended? What age? How much experience in the theater? How much experience with creative writing?

Often, the best solution for somebody with some theatergoing experience is simply to sit down and write a play. Don't worry if what you write is "good", but also don't fall in love with every word.

Remember that the word "drama" (which in this context includes comedy) originally comes from the Greek word that means "to do". What are your characters doing? ("Doing" on stage doesn't mean blowing up stuff as it does in action films.) Talking may or may not be doing depending on whether the talking is intended to change something.

When your first draft is written, get your friends to help you read it out loud. Listen carefully. Ask what your friends think, but keep in mind that few people are trained to skillfully analyze a play in one sitting. Take their suggestions as hints, not gospel. Be very leery of anyone who tells you you have no talent based on your early efforts.

Rewrite your play or write another one. Repeat as needed.

(ETA there are modernist plays in which the characters do nothing. Those are the exceptions that prove the rule and require enormous skill and experience. Not a good place to start.)

Updated On: 9/27/12 at 07:02 PM

I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't read Ball's book because I've heard good things about it. CapnHook raises an interesting point: sometimes books about play READING are more helpful than books about playwriting: the former often focus on what great plays DO accomplish rather than listing what bad plays DON'T.

The Playwrights Guidebook by Stuart Spencer. Very insightful. Worth a read.

Reading lots of plays is essential.

Reading about acting is an inspired idea. In fact, knowledge of any aspect of stagecraft is useful, but knowledge of acting particularly so. (Someone should share this idea with directors.)

I haven't read Jensen's book (I suppose it's obvious I'm not a fan of the genre) but I knew her casually when she taught at UCLA. Very smart lady. I doubt she would steer you wrong.

John van Druten's (long out-of-print) PLAYWRIGHT AT WORK is one of the best books ever written on writing plays. His techniques are a little old-fashioned, obviously, but most of it is surprisingly still valid.

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I second the Playwrights Guidebook. It's very good, handson instruction, with writing exercises.

I've sadly lost my copy.

These were my course books when I was studying writing:

The Art of Dramatic Writing
by Lajos Egri

Poetics
by Aristotle

I second Stuart Spencer's Playwright's Guidebook. Wow.

Something that inspired me was reading "The Great Parade" by Peter Flichia, especially his thoughts on "Here's Love". He discusses the musical, and what he would have done with the show. Based on "Miracle on 34th Street", Meredith Wilson missed the mark on how to musicalize the story.

I know you asked for plays, but it was something that inspired me in my writing.