Autumn is such a beautiful time of year. It's the transition from one state of being to another colourful, productive period of the life cycle. And as the leaves transition from green to brown to red, they descend to the earth; fertilising the soil and ready to become part of life in a new form.
And that's what writing is all about, isn't it? Creating something new from something that exists and introducing those ideas into new worlds, where your characters explore and discover, and follow a path that drives them towards a goal.
So, if the Autumn conjures something creative in you, perhaps it's time to think about how you might go about developing that creativity into something that can be read and performed.
We have three new courses starting in October: Intro (for complete beginners and experienced playwrights who want to re-explore the fundamentals), Advanced (for people who have completed Intro or Progressing or have already written a previous 60-minute script for the stage), and Producing (for people who want to learn how to take a script and put it together as a production project, ready for audiences to come and enjoy).
WFTS Intro
The WFTS Intro course is all about writing an amazing first ten pages o a script. For anyone who has ever sent a script away to a competition, you’ll know all about the ten-page sift.
For those who aren’t familiar with this (rather harsh) concept: when you send a script to a competition, they usually read ONLY the first ten pages - and from there, they make a decision as to whether to keep reading.
It’s, perhaps, a cruel way to judge a piece of dramatic writing, but it's how the industry works. So we have to learn to beat them at their own game.
The Intro course is all about creating a collection of opening pages that leaves the reader on a cliffhanger; building a world and world problem that is compelling, full of tension, and lived through the conflicts of complex, sympathetic characters.
Intro begins on 15th October
The Intro course was originally due to begin on 1st October, but this year has been a weird one, hasn't it? So we're putting off the start of the October terms for a couple of weeks while we gather people together.
If you're interested in joining but aren't sure yet, then why not join our free workshop on Saturday, 10th October.
Click here for more info about the Intro course.
Finding Starting Points: Saturday, 10th October
Our free workshop on Saturday, 10th October is called "Finding Starting Points". It will give you a little glimpse into the way we work at WriteForTheStage. We use exercises to "mine the imagination" and help you explore and discover potential new starting points
You don't need to have ideas to bring to the session; we work together to build characters and concepts that lay the foundations for a new piece of theatre writing.
We'll explore concepts of theme and character; putting together a template of characters and situations that you can develop into a new piece of writing - either as part of the Intro course or as something you just take away and develop on your own.
Or if you're already a writer but are stuck for ideas, then the workshop will help you create a starting point.
Click here to book.
Advanced
The Advanced course is all about taking your script from the Intro course (or a piece that you've already started and are struggling to develop beyond the opening pages) and working together to build a script of up to 60 pages.
We explore more complex concepts and examine the 3-act structure in much greater detail; exploring how subplot relates to the Rising Action, and how it helps navigate the path of the Falling Action.
For more info about 3-act structure, listen to season 1 of The WFTS Podcast.
WFTS Producing
In addition to our playwriting courses, we help you bring your script to life.
Our Producing course is designed to help you learn the skills for lifting a script off the page, bringing it to life on the stage.
It’s perfect for people who are planning to bring new work to the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival 2021. If you’re thinking of getting that script in front of an audience, we can help.
We cover all of the essential elements of production, including the roles and responsibilities of the crew, budgeting, casting, marketing, and technical requirements. We also explore funding possibilities and put together a real bid for funding for the Arts Council.
While there’s absolutely no guarantee that you’ll get your funding (that’s totally out of our hands), we have a pretty good track record of helping past participants of the Producing course achieve their funding objectives.
Additionally, we have a string of successful productions (see our blog archive).
The WriteForTheStage Producing course is due to begin on Saturday, November 7th (minimum numbers allowing).
Each 3-hour session runs online via Zoom.
The WFTS Podcast
If you're interested in developing your playwriting skills but aren't quite ready to commit to a course, check out our free podcast lessons.
Get booking!
If you're thinking of joining us for the free workshop or for the start of the Autumn term, click here to learn more about the courses and book online.