Playwriting: From Formula to Form

by William Missouri Downs

Structure is how a play logically fits together and can be archived through formula or form. To understand the complexities of structuring with form, the beginning playwright must first learn the fundamentals of formula. Covering everything in the playwriting process from the initial concept through production, PLAYWRITING: FROM FORMULA TO FORM presents a workable method for anyone interested in the craft. Exercises and techniques are presented to help students master the fundamental principles of good playwriting, giving them the freedom to be creative. Chapters on film and television writing as well as how to market a finished script and to select an agent, provide "real world" information on surviving as a writer in today's market.

Genres: Theatre

352 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 1997

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Avoid flashbacks as a beginner playwright. This is not to say it can’t be done. Some of the finest plays ever written have flashbacks. But if your first impulse is to write a flashback in order to cover the needed exposition, you’re most likely hiding your inability to write good expositional dialogue.”