Wednesday March 9

We began class watching the opening scene of "The Social Network". While it's screenwriting, not dramatic writing the script is arguably well written. There was a discussion on how to draw an audience in and the necessity of starting scenes, acts, and plays strongly. You don't need to enlighten an audience to the conflict at hand immediately, but there needs to be intention and the potential for plot development that an audience can recognize. We read the pages we brought in and had a class critique, as usual. We bring in at least 4 pages of new material every class. It's been hard work, but it's kept me busy. It's interesting how much you can change a story and how a small adjustment in a scene you write can alter all of the previous work you've done. We don't have to write scenes in order. Mr. Miller says that what works best for him is to write the beginning of a play and the end and have a specific plot chart and then fill in the middle scenes. "So you know where you've started, and where you'll end up". One's writing style is subjective. One of the other students in the class simply sits down and writes. He prefers to "let the characters take him". I feel like I'm somewhere in between. I can't simply write the beginning and then the end. I've been focusing on the middle of my play. The opening and closing will be the final touches. I prefer to deal with the bulk of the material.