I remember one time talking to my dad about writing and how I felt blocked. "I have nothing to write about," I whined. "Pick up a goddamned newspaper." My dad said.
Every day there is something new to read about. A new story. Perhaps you'll stumble across a story that really hits you. A story worth exploring. A story with people that you want to flesh out. A story you want to dramatize.
Last year, I wrote a play about James McGreevey. He put out a tell-all book about his resignation and affair. He was all over the news, Oprah, everywhere. It wasn't really his story I was interested in (though I was intrigued by it). I wanted to know his ex-wife's story. But she wasn't talking. So I thought, what if I write about her? What if I give her a voice? I'm going to tell her story.
News stories are there for the taking, people. It's made public. You can take it. I took interview quotes and public speeches and I put them into the play as dialogue.
Here's the exercise:
Read a newspaper. Browse the Internet. Browse the Blogosphere (so many wanna-be journalists out there). Find a story that captivates you. A story with a lot of unanswered questions. Those are usually the best, because it allows you to make up/create answers.
When you find a story, think about it. Think: what is the situation here? Example: James McGreevy announces resignation (as Governor of New Jersey) revealing that he is gay and that he had an adulterous affair with a man.
Next, think about a possible conflict. Example: How did McGreevey's wife find out and how did she react? Or Man (Golan Cipel) threatens to sue McGreevey for sexual harassment. What is exchange between McGreevey and Cipel?
Now how do you dramatize it all? How do you make it 'theatrical'? Well, that's the fun part.
Dramatizing news stories allows you to bring life to these stories and to these people. People who may not have a voice are now allowed the opportunity to speak.
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