First Annual AW Playwrighting Workshop

Hi Mandy-Jane

I for one wasn't ignoring you, I just haven't been to the board in a few days.

Anyway, I think it's a good idea - NaNoWriMo has worked well for me in the past, so I'd love to try it with a play. February sounds doable, I think...

As for specifics, I would think we'd be aiming for an estimated run-time rather than a wordcount. Or, what did you have in mind?

Also, with February being so far from now, we could try and do some theme-posting in the other months to build up to it. Like, December could be all about structure and writing for the stage, and January could be about outlining and flushing out characters and such...

I dunno, those are my thoughts. Anybody else?

I think it sounds like a worth goal. Daring that you're choosing the shortest month of the year, but I think we're up for the challenge. I've had a couple of play ideas rattling around in my head that I need to focus on, but immediate projects stand in the way. This sounds great!

Since I already have a play outlined I'd rather not do it by theme or length (this will be a full-length). It might be a good idea to have participant options, for those who want to do it either way.

I'd do it.

I just wish there was a place on the board to workshop plays.

Looks like we're the only ones, Mandy.

I'm not sure how often I'd post plays for critique, but I'd certainly be happy to provide comments for those who were looking for them, be it in a separate sub-forum or just as individual threads on this forum.

As for NaPlWrMo and the "rules", we could say that people can aim for whatever run-time they like, but they have to declare their intent before they start writing. Sort of like the "submission pledge" a number of members on this board took for this year, where they all set their own goal.

So, the only "rules" would be that
1) You could do all the outlining and planning you wanted, but you couldn't start writing your actual script until February 1st
2) Before you started writing (either on the first, or whenever else during that month for late-starters) you had to post the intended runtime for your NaPlWriMo script in a thread we'd have just for that purpose.

There'd be no rules about theme or anything, and your runtime could be as short or as long as you liked, which may also help us attract some playwriting virgins from elsewhere on the board. ("C'mon, a whole month to write ten minutes? Give it a go!")

That's my suggestion. *shrug*

Any others?

The point of NaNoWriMo is really to push the writer to get down those 50,000 words, no matter what. So I think with a NaPlWrMo, I'd want to see something along those lines. Obviously not in word count, but perhaps in pages? 50,000 is on the shorter side of a full length novel, so... I don't know, a one act play of at least an hour?

I know you wanted shorter than that, but it's the prompt to 'get it written' that I like about NaNoWriMo. And I wouldn't mind being pushed to at last write a full one act'er.

Just a thought.

You could just share November with us. We're sharing it with nano. That way you can all start on Wednesday and share in the madness.

I still like Feb. for selfish reasons (a few big projects taking priority right now), and the rules Greasy Spoon outlined sound good. I think a page limit intention statement from the beginning would be nice, that way there is something to be held accountable to.

As for a playwriting critique forum, I don't feel comfortable posting my work in a public forum like this one, but if anyone is interested in giving/receiving feedback via e-mail or something similar I'd definitely be up for that.

Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I don't check these boards every day! (Another reason e-mail might work better for time-sensitive things like crits, etc.)

Also a no-way for November. I'm trying to write a novel that month.

I still think a password-protected critique sub-forum would get people the most feedback on their work, but if that's impossible, then yeah, emails between like-minded people sounds okay.

EDIT:

Here's hoping, dpaterso.

Naplwrimo 2006 !!!!

I just now came across this.
I actually started Naplwrimo and we are doing it right now !!!

I hope you call can join us next year !!!

Best,

Mandy-Jane said:

Okay. It had to happen. We've got one for Novels, one for Screenplays, one for Blogs - how about one for plays?

If anyone's interested, we can work out the specifics. What do you think?

Also, because November is taken up with NaScWrMo, and December is Christmas and January, people are often on holidays, we could hold it over until February. I don't know. These are just my random thoughts. I'd love to hear what you all think.

Click to expand...

oops

forgot to give you the site address :

http://www.naplwrimo.org

I've just stumbled across this. If folks are still interested, I think our own NaPlWrMo in February is a fantastic idea. I, for one, have had a play idea wandering around my brain for a while and this could be just the kick I need to actually get it done. Who's with me?

i'm in.