A Beginners Guide to Writing for the Stage

Scriptwriting is a unique craft—a combination of art, structure, and intuition. It’s not just about putting words on a page but about creating moments that live and breathe on stage. Every line spoken, every silence held, and every character entrance has the power to shape an audience’s experience. Whether you’re a first-time writer or looking to refine your craft, this guide will help you navigate the essential elements of writing for theatre.

1. Finding Your Story: The Foundations of a Strong Script

Before you write a single line of dialogue, you need a story worth telling.

Start with a Strong Concept

Theatre thrives on immediacy—everything unfolds in real-time before an audience. Your concept needs to be compelling enough to justify being told live. A strong idea can usually be summed up in a sentence — The elevator pitch if you will:

• A factory worker sells his ex-wife’s possessions to raise £20,000, but the ghosts of his past threaten to unravel him.

• Four strangers stuck in an airport lounge realise they have a deeper connection than they first thought.

  
  

If your idea excites you, it will excite an audience. If you can’t sum it up simply, the core idea may not be clear enough yet.

Structure: Building a Play That Holds Together

Most plays follow a three-act structure, even if they’re performed as a single act:

• Act One: Setup – Introduce characters, setting, and conflict. Establish what your protagonist wants and what’s stopping them from getting it.

• Act Two: Confrontation – Tensions rise. Stakes increase. Your protagonist is tested, facing obstacles that challenge their beliefs or push them towards a breaking point.

• Act Three: Resolution – The climax and its aftermath. Will your protagonist succeed or fail? How does the world of the play change?

However, some writers prefer alternative structures, personally I use Dan Harmon’s Story Circle, which is a adaptation of the hero’s journey. Whatever structure you use, remember: every scene must push the story forward. If a scene doesn’t add tension, reveal something new, or deepen a character’s arc, cut it.

2. Creating Compelling Characters

Theatre lives and dies by its characters. Unlike film, where visuals and editing can carry a story, a play depends on the human voice, physicality, and relationships on stage.

Characters Need a Clear Motivation

Every character must want or need something, whether big or small. Their wants and needs drive the drama:

• A lawyer needs to win this case, but also wants to reconnect with his estranged daughter.

• A nurse wants to help a dying patient but also seeks revenge on the doctor who ruined her career.

Putting barriers in place to stop your characters achieving their desire, or finding repercussions for them achieving their wants drives the story. Inside every objective lies its opposite. (A character who wants to be loved may actually be afraid of intimacy. A character who craves freedom might secretly fear being alone.) This contradiction makes them human.

Character Arcs: Change or Resistance to Change?

Some characters transform (e.g., Scrooge in A Christmas Carol), while others remain the same while the world changes around them (e.g., Hamlet). Decide how your characters will evolve—or stubbornly refuse to.

Give Them a Distinct Voice

No two characters should feel the same — if they do, consider merging them together. 

Similarly, each characters dialogue should sound different, reflecting their background, personality, and worldview. Test your character voices by removing their names from a script—can you tell who’s speaking just by the dialogue? If not, their voices aren’t distinct enough.

3. Crafting Sharp, Theatrical Dialogue

Playwright David Mamet says, "The job of the dramatist is to make the audience wonder what happens next." Every line of dialogue should either advance the plot or deepen character relationships. If it doesn’t, cut it.

Writing Subtext: What’s Left Unsaid Matters

People rarely say exactly what they mean. ("I’m fine" might mean "I’m furious.") Good dialogue leaves space for tension:

• Bad: “I am angry that you betrayed me.”

• Better: “I made you dinner… It’s in the bin.”

• Best: [Character A is at the table eating alone, Character B's dinner is served at the other end of the table] Character B: Sorry I'm late. [As Character B sit's down, Character A picks up the plate and pours the food onto the floor before sitting back down and continuing with their dinner in silence].

Using gestures, timing, and silence can give actors more to play with on the stage. It also gives you chance to have some fun on the stage.

The Rhythm of Speech

Oscar-winning writer Aaron Sorkin compares dialogue to music. Think about rhythm, pace, and contrast. A snappy argument should feel different from a slow-burning confession. Don’t feel bound by punctuation conventions — write in a way that helps you pace your dialogue aptly. 

Then, test your dialogue by reading it aloud. If it feels unnatural, it probably is.

4. Making Scenes Dynamic: Conflict, Stakes, and Space

Routines and Breaking Them

Some theatre thrives on establishing a routine—then breaking it.

• A mother and daughter always have Sunday lunch together. One day, the mother doesn’t show up.

• Two office workers take the same train every morning. One day, one of them isn’t there.

  
  

Breaking routines or expectation creates intrigue and tension.

Use the Space

A play isn’t just words—it’s physical. Ask yourself:

• Who owns this space? (A lawyer in a courtroom is confident. The same lawyer at a children’s party might feel out of place.)

• How do entrances and exits shift power? (A character barging in can change the entire scene’s dynamic.)

Think of a new character entering like someone stepping into a small wooden boat—everyone else has to reposition themselves to stay balanced.

5. Editing: Cutting, Refining, and Strengthening the Script

Once you have a draft, it’s time to refine. Don’t be afraid to ditch those lines you treasure. Here’s a few basic editing techniques:

The 10% Rule

• Cut 10% of your script that isn’t necessary.

• Then cut another 10%.

• You’ll be surprised how much stronger and tighter it becomes without losing anything.

Test Your Stakes

• Are the character’s motivations clear and urgent?

• What happens if they fail? if the answer is "not much", then your audience wont care!

• Could the conflict be solved too easily? Could they walk away from this conflict? If so, introduce limitations: time pressure, emotional stakes, or physical obstacles.

Remember, the steaks don't always have to be external (money, reputation) they can be internal (self-worth, love). Escalate the consequences, add urgency, and force impossible choices. South Park writers Trey Parker and Matt Stone say between each story unit should be the words 'but' or 'therefore', each choice should have a consequence, a new problem, a price for the success.

Do a Table Read

Hearing your words spoken aloud will highlight weak dialogue, pacing issues, and unnatural lines. Listen to what isn’t working—not just what you like.

Final Thoughts: The Magic of Theatre

Remember this is just a quick guide to writing a script, it is not a rigid structure. In the world of creativity rules are made to be broken. What works for one person may not work for another. Try everything and keep what progresses your story, and don't be afraid to scrap what isn't moving your story in the right direction.

A play is more than a script—it’s a living, breathing event that unfolds in real time. Audiences don’t just hear the words; they feel the silence, the movement, the tension between characters. Having an actor embody the words on your page will be the most powerful tool at your disposal, so engage in workshops and script sharing opportunities whenever you can!

Remember:

✅ Write characters with strong motivations and contradictions

.✅ Make every line of dialogue earn its place.

✅ Use subtext and rhythm to make conversations dynamic.

✅ Establish routines—and break them for impact.

✅ Refine ruthlessly. Cut anything that doesn’t serve the story.

Above all, trust the process. Theatre is about discovery—both for the writer and the audience. Start writing, experiment, and let your characters surprise you.

Enjoy writing for the stage! 🎭