- 396 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
The Playwright's Guidebook
About this book
A concise guide to playwriting to awaken creativity, from a playwright who has taught the subject for over a decade.
"If you want to be a playwright, here's your bible." âDavid Lindsay-Abaire, author of Fuddy Meers and Wonder of the World
During the more than ten years that Sturt Spencer has taught playwriting, he has struggled to find an effective handbook for his courses. Although most of the currently popular guides contain useful ideas, they all suffer from the same problems: poor organizations; quirky, idiosyncratic advice; and abstract theorizing on the nature of art. As a result, they fail to offer any concrete information or useful guidelines on how to construct a well-written play. Moreover, few of these books are actually written by working playwrights. Out of frustration, Spencer wrote his own. The result, The Playwright's Guidebook, is a concise and engaging handbook full of the kind of wisdom that comes naturally with experience. Spencer presents a coherent way of thinking about playwriting that addresses the important principles of structure, includes insightful writing exercises that build upon one another, explores the creative process, and troubleshoots recurrent problems that playwrights actually face.
" The Playwright's Guidebook is indispensable. Clearly and thoroughly, Mr. Spencerâa playwright himselfâleads all playwrights (not only the beginner) through the travails of creation and the jungle of production." âEdward Albee
"Eureka! A clearly written, well-structured, intelligent how-to book about playwriting. Like the good teacher and good writer that he is, Stuart Spencer guides rather than browbeats. Should be next to the laptop of any aspiring, or working, playwright." âWarren Leight, author of Side Man
"If you want to be a playwright, here's your bible." âDavid Lindsay-Abaire, author of Fuddy Meers and Wonder of the World
During the more than ten years that Sturt Spencer has taught playwriting, he has struggled to find an effective handbook for his courses. Although most of the currently popular guides contain useful ideas, they all suffer from the same problems: poor organizations; quirky, idiosyncratic advice; and abstract theorizing on the nature of art. As a result, they fail to offer any concrete information or useful guidelines on how to construct a well-written play. Moreover, few of these books are actually written by working playwrights. Out of frustration, Spencer wrote his own. The result, The Playwright's Guidebook, is a concise and engaging handbook full of the kind of wisdom that comes naturally with experience. Spencer presents a coherent way of thinking about playwriting that addresses the important principles of structure, includes insightful writing exercises that build upon one another, explores the creative process, and troubleshoots recurrent problems that playwrights actually face.
" The Playwright's Guidebook is indispensable. Clearly and thoroughly, Mr. Spencerâa playwright himselfâleads all playwrights (not only the beginner) through the travails of creation and the jungle of production." âEdward Albee
"Eureka! A clearly written, well-structured, intelligent how-to book about playwriting. Like the good teacher and good writer that he is, Stuart Spencer guides rather than browbeats. Should be next to the laptop of any aspiring, or working, playwright." âWarren Leight, author of Side Man
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access The Playwright's Guidebook by Stuart Spencer in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Media & Performing Arts & Theatre Playwriting. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Table of Contents
- FOREWORD
- INTRODUCTION: HOW WE TELL STORIES
- PART ONE - STRUCTURE
- PART TWO - THE CREATIVE PROCESS
- PART THREE - DEALING WITH PROBLEMS
- PART FOUR - SOME ADVICE
- PART FIVE - APPENDIXES
- The Playwrightâs Guidebook
- Praise for The Playwrightâs Guidebook
- GLOSSARY
- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- INDEX
- Notes
- Copyright Page