Tips to Write Characters So Real They Practically Pay Rent

Tips to Write Characters So Real They Practically Pay Rent

by | Sep 1, 2025 | Inspiration, Theater, Writing Tips

You’ve got a great premise. You’ve outlined a killer plot. But your characters? They’re… fine.

They’re saying all the right things, but somehow, it’s just not clicking. It’s like they’re reading cue cards instead of living inside the world of your play or musical.

And delivering over your message? Well … they sort of feel lost. (What message?)

Here’s the truth: characters aren’t just there to deliver information. The best characters change things. They drive the action forward. And when they speak? What they say shifts the story and holds your attention through the rest of the play.

Often writers tell me that they write “character-driven” plays. That’s great – but sometimes your characters can write themselves into a corner and leave you stuck figuring how to get them out.

Or characters can act erratically, even in character, but still not help you deliver over the message you need to give to the audience at the end.

So, how to write characters that embody your action and are able to deliver over the message at the end?

Start incorporating character development not as a one-time brainstorm—but as a daily habit.

Spend 10 minutes every day talking with one of your characters. Live with them. Make them real.

Are Your Characters Are Just Mouthpieces or Real People?

If your characters feel flat, check for these red flags:

  • Every character sounds the same

  • They speak (or worse yet, sing) in exposition—telling the audience what’s happening instead of showing us through their active choices

  • One’s dialogue could be swapped into another character’s dialogue – and no one would notice

  • They never make decisions that impact the course of the story or drive the action forward.

If that sounds familiar, don’t worry—it’s fixable. Definitely fixable!

Here’s where to start.

Daily Character Interrogation Prompts

Get into the habit of checking in with your characters daily. See what’s going on with them.

Ask them questions as if they’re real people—because in the world of your story, they are. And you have to know them intimately.

Try asking them one of these questions each day while you’re plotting out your play:

  • What are you most afraid of right now?

  • What’s your secret that nobody knows?

  • Who in this story do you love—and why haven’t you said it?

  • What do you want from this next scene?

  • What lie are you telling yourself?

You don’t need perfect answers. The goal is to listen—not force a response. Let them reveal themselves to you.

Exercises to Let Your Characters Surprise You

Sometimes we try to control our characters too tightly. Loosen your grip! Let them surprise you.

Try this:

  • Write a scene you would never include in the show—a dream sequence, an imaginary fight, a childhood memory. See what comes out.

  • Monologue from the antagonist’s POV. What do they think the story is about?

  • Put your character in a modern-day situation (e.g. at the DMV, on a dating app, stuck in traffic). How do they behave?

The goal isn’t formula — it’s discovery.

Use Dialogue as Action

In theatre, sometimes dialogue is the action. It should do more than express thoughts—it should create tension, reveal stakes, and push decisions.

Before you write a scene, ask yourself:

  • What does each character want in this moment? 

  • How are they using their words to get it?

  • What’s at risk if they don’t? In other words, what are the stakes?

If characters are truly pursuing goals that are important to them, their dialogue becomes active—even explosive. 

That’s what you want, because that’s what makes your play interesting.

(You can also read another blog post “Writing Active Dialogue” here.)

Tie Character Arcs to Plot Structure

A story isn’t just about what happens. It’s about who it happens to—and how it changes them, moment by moment. And how the audience follows the action.

As you build your plot beats moment to moment, track your character arcs alongside them:

  • What belief or behavior must your protagonist unlearn?

  • Where in the story does that belief get tested?

  • Where’s the point of no return when they make a choice they can’t take back, and must plow ahead no matter the cost?

When character transformation is tied to your structure, revealed moment by moment, scene by scene, the audience understands the character and the journey.

Final Thoughts

Characters shouldn’t just talk—they should take up space, demand things, break things, fix things, move the whole story forward. They should be interesting. And the more time you spend with them—not just writing them, but living with them and listening to them—the more alive they become, for the other characters and for your audience.

So try this: Spend 10 minutes today talking to one of your characters. Ask them what they want. Then put something in their way. See what happens next.

Make them real enough to pay rent (in NYC).

That’s when the real fun begins.

 

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How Not to Lose Momentum in Writing Your Play

How Not to Lose Momentum in Writing Your Play

by | Aug 18, 2025 | Inspiration, Theater, Writing Tips

Staying productive between sparks of inspiration

If you’ve ever stared at your script and had absolutely no idea of what to write, you’re not alone. You’re only human.

Inspiration is powerful, but fleeting. If you only write when the muse shows up, your show might stall out halfway through Act One with no idea where to go. Or, your characters can write themselves into a corner, leaving both you and the story at a standstill.

But here’s the good news: momentum doesn’t depend on inspiration—it depends on action. Even bad action is better than no action, because bad action can get you someplace better. No action leaves you trapped. Stuck. Unsure of what to do.

Let’s bust the myth of the muse and explore how to keep your creative engine running, even when you’re not “feeling it.”

The Myth of Waiting for the Muse

Many writers hold onto the romantic idea that creativity strikes like lightning. But the best writers understand that waiting for inspiration can lead to long, unproductive stretches.

Professionals don’t wait—they build habits that keep the work moving forward regardless of mood.

Think of it like rehearsing a show. You don’t only rehearse on the days everyone feels inspired—you show up, warm up, and get to work. Writing is no different.

Techniques for Showing Up Anyway

Most of life depends on your just showing up. That’s the honest truth.

You don’t need a brilliant idea to get started.

Try these techniques that help you “show up” to your writing practice:

  • Freewriting: Set a timer for 15 minutes and write without stopping. It might be junk—but it might lead to something unexpectedly brilliant.
  • Morning Pages: Julia Cameron’s classic practice involves three longhand pages of stream-of-consciousness writing every morning. It clears out mental clutter and primes the creative pump. (I highly recommend Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way and its companion book The Artist’s Way Morning Pages Journal.)
  • “Permission to Write Badly” Drafts: Give yourself a pass to write something terrible. You can always revise later—but only if you write something in the first place.

Revisit Earlier Drafts with Fresh Eyes

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to look back.

Pull out an earlier draft of your script or score. Reread it as if it were written by someone else. What works? What surprises you? What needs cutting?

Time and again I’ve seen my writers go back to something they’ve put away, and when they look at it with fresh eyes, they discover something totally different.

You might find a character’s voice you forgot you nailed—or a plot thread that needs untangling. Editing can be just as creatively energizing as drafting.

Alternately, if you are in a writing group you can present your new scene or new pages to the group to get their feedback. Or you can hire a dramaturg and get their insights on the work – which may be a smart move, especially if that dramaturg is connected with a regional theater or producing group.

Structure Your Non-Writing Days to Allow a Larger Vision of Your Show

Even when you’re not writing, you can still stay connected to your work:

  • Watch a show (live or recorded) with a playwright’s eye: What works in the structure? What would you change? What do you find especially appealing visually? What specific theatrical elements create the mood or deliver over the message? “Steal like an artist.”
  • Create a playlist for a character or a scene. Let music spark emotional connections as you move about your day. Inspiration comes from unusual places sometimes!
  • Read interviews with other writers to stay inspired and feel less alone.
  • Go on a “research walk”—literally walk around and observe like your character would. Extra credit for switching out your environments.

These actions keep your creative muscles warm, even if you’re not putting words on the page.

Playwright-Tested Inspiration Exercises

Here are a few other “go-to” practices from real writers that I’ve found worked well over the years:

  • Write a scene in a totally different genre—turn your serious drama into a sitcom episode and see what happens. Or a musical. Or a farce.
  • Interview your characters as if you’re a journalist. This can be powerful.
  • Use writing prompts like “What is my character most afraid to admit?” or “What does my antagonist believe is true and right?”
  • See your scene on stage, but with no sound. Can you still understand the dramatic action?

These little “a-ha moments” often lead to bigger ideas.

Final Thoughts

Inspiration will come and go. But momentum? That’s entirely up to you.

A writing routine and a writer’s inner life is something you can cultivate.

  • Show up.
  • Stay curious.
  • Keep your project in motion—even when you’re not feeling particularly brilliant.
  • Find inspiration in the mundane moments of your life.

The muse may be elusive, but your creative habits are reliable. And inspiration is literally everywhere.

And when the next wave of inspiration hits? You’ll be ready for it.

Comment below and let me know if you’ve found any of these helpful!

 

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Why You’re Not Writing Every Day – And How to Start

Why You’re Not Writing Every Day – And How to Start

by | Jul 21, 2025 | Community, Theater, Writing Tips

 

For Playwrights and Musical Theatre Writers Who Want to Keep the Momentum Going

Let’s be real: you want to write every day.

You’ve got this show in your head that deserves to be on its feet—living, breathing, moving people. Your characters show up in your dreams, talking to you, begging you to make them come alive.

But when you sit down to write, you look at the blank screen, your mind races, you have a zillion other things to do and suddenly it’s 10:30 PM, you’re exhausted, and Netflix wins once more.

You’re not alone.

Writing daily is one of the most common struggles among playwrights and musical theatre writers. The pressure to be brilliant, the emotional vulnerability of putting words on a page, and the sheer time-suck of everyday life—it all adds up.

But here’s the thing: writing every day isn’t about discipline or punishment. It’s about building momentum, one actionable moment at a time. And getting produced is somewhat of a numbers game – the more great shows you have, the greater your chances of getting seen.

Let’s break down why it’s so hard to write everyday —and how to flip that script.

1. You Think You Need a Lot of Time

Many writers believe they need a full, uninterrupted hour (or three) to do some real writing.

But face it, long sessions are rare and unsustainable. Most of our lives are crazy busy these days. How do you find those undistracted moments to focus on your play even once a week, much less every day?

Here’s the thing to remember: You don’t need to write the entire Act I today—you just need to get something down.

What to try:

  • Set a 15-minute timer. That’s it. One focused sprint. You’ll be amazed at how much clarity can come from a short burst.

  • Keep a “daily scene” document: one page, one moment per day. No pressure to connect everything yet.

  • Make a promise to yourself to write badly. Take the pressure off yourself to be brilliant. Just write every day. Watch what happens when you just show up.

 

2. You’re Waiting to Feel Inspired

Ha! If you’re waiting to feel “inspired,” you may wait a long time.

But here’s the truth. There’s power in just showing up. If you only write when the muse strikes, you’ll end up unfocused, depressed, and thinking you should just give up.

Inspiration is not the starting point—it’s the result of showing up consistently.

What to try:

  • Create a ritual before you write: light a candle, put on a specific playlist, or make tea. Cue your brain that it’s time to enter the world of your show. Make the ritual repeatable at the same time every day (or most days).

  • Keep a running list of scene or song prompts (e.g., “Write a confrontation,” “Write a song of longing,” “Write the moment before they kiss”).

  • Before you sit to write, get into the next moment in your show visually first, in your head. I find this mental transition (while doing other things before your writing time) helps “prime the pump” of inspiration.

 

3. You’re Afraid It Won’t Be Good

Perfectionism kills momentum. First drafts are supposed to be messy. If you’re judging your work before it exists, it will never exist.

One thing I always tell my writers: Writing and editing are two separate processes. Don’t combine them.

What to try:

  • Write in a “sketch draft” mindset—you’re not writing the final script, you’re just sketching what might happen.

  • Automatic writing for 15 minutes. Use a pen and notebook to trick your brain into being less formal. No one ever has to see this version. Some people call this the “vomit” draft. Just get it on the page.

  • As to worrying about being good, that’s part of the process. Allow yourself to write badly. Writing is just re-writing, always refining the work. It will keep getting better and better if you persist.

 

4. You Don’t Know What Will Happen Next

Feeling stuck in your story is a legit momentum killer. But you don’t need to have it everything all figured out right now to keep going.

Just stick to your 15 minute writing routine and get something on the page. You’ll figure it out as you go along.

What to try:

  • Jump ahead. Write a later scene you do know.

  • Write a character monologue about what they’re feeling right now. Clues about your next scene often live inside your characters.

  • Know where you’re going. What is this play or musical about? What message are you trying to give over to the audience at the end?

 

5. You’re Going It Alone

Writing is solitary, but theater is collaborative.

If you’re trying to do this all by yourself, it’s easy to lose energy. Find someone to share your progress with.

What to try:

  • Join (or start) a small writers group with weekly check-ins. It’s remarkable what holding yourself accountable to a writers’ group will do for your process. CreateTheater has many to choose from.

  • Share short pieces with a trusted friend or fellow theatremaker to create momentum and accountability.

  • Hire a dramaturg to review your work and offer suggestions to move it forward.

✨ Try This: The “Daily Show Builder” Ritual

     (5 Steps, 20 Minutes Max)

 

Step 1 (2 minutes): Review what you wrote yesterday (no editing—just read).

Step 2 (1 minute): Write down today’s scene or moment goal.

Step 3 (15 minutes): Write. No deleting, no second-guessing.

Step 4 (1 minute): Jot down tomorrow’s “next scene idea.”

Step 5 (1 minute): Celebrate. Out loud. Yes, even just “I wrote today!”

Final Thought: Small Progress Is Still Progress

 

Living a creative life is all about the process.

Some days you’ll write three pages. Some days, just a single line of dialogue. It all counts.

Progress in theater isn’t linear—it’s built in scenes, in stumbles, in sticky-note revelations.

So don’t wait for the perfect moment.

Don’t wait to feel ready.

Just write the next beat.

Your characters (and audiences) are waiting.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Want a free downloadable version of the Daily Show Builder Ritual of your own?

Let me know and I’ll send it your way.

Get the Daily Show Ritual Builder!

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Down Time

Down Time

by | Dec 16, 2024 | Inspiration, The Working Playwright, Theater, Writing Tips

 The Working Playwright 

by Melissa Bell

I know the deal.

You wake up. Maybe you hit the gym. Deal with hungry kids and needy pets. Work a full
day. Walk into work to find 85 email messages in your Inbox. Work a full day. Make dinner. Afterwards
maybe you find time to write a scene in your play.

Or maybe you’re working on a commission or making revisions after a read-through and preparing it for a staged reading. You’re going over every line, every stage direction – but you’re drawing a blank and your head feels blanker than the sheet in front of you.

When I took a Logic class in college, the professor gave us some advice: If you get stuck on a problem,
don’t try to solve it by trying harder. Get up. Take a walk. Move your body. Read a book. Then return
and try it again.

And dang, she was right. It worked every time.

 

It’s the same with playwriting.

Maybe you’re stuck. Or done for the day but there are still problems to
solve. Get up. Go to the gym. Or the grocery.

I was on the elliptical and got an idea for a new scene between a college bound teen and her father who
gambled away her college savings account. I was taking a walk when my feet started a rhythm that led
to a chant that became the song to lead a parade filled with puppets and stilt-walkers.

You may have heard the adage that humans only use 10% of their brains. But it’s not true. Our brains
are constantly, furiously working, regulating our bodies and solving problems while awake or asleep.
Like a security program that your computer runs in the background, part of your brain is always running,
looking for connections, fitting the pieces together. It just needs a little space and for the anxiety—the
true reason for block in the first place—to stand down and let the neurons flow.

There you’ll be, standing in the grocery aisle, reading the label of ingredients and bam — that ending
line you were searching for all day comes waltzing in over a can of pink beans. That button that sums up
the scene, untangles the knot and lets the words flow comes watching your kids shoot nerf darts at each
other in the park. You scramble to find a piece of paper, or run to the nearest exit, repeating the idea
over and over until you get home then feverishly add it to your script. (Don’t worry, you got it!)

This is why when characters have their Sherlock moment in a play or movie, we believe it. Because in
life, like art, we experience our own AHA! moments, and they come at unexpected times. Most of all,
they likely come when we are at ease, doing something else.

 

So don’t underestimate the value of down-time.

When the kids challenge you to a game of nerf darts, don’t demure or tell them you need to crack this scene. Get up. Put on those safety glasses. Play the game. You might hit a bull’s eye in more ways than one.

 

Melissa Bell’s work has been featured in The New York Times and been nominated for Best Adaptation &
Modernization by New York Shakespeare and awarded Finalist for Henley Rose Playwright Competition
for LADY CAPULET and awarded Honored Finalist for the Collaboration Award by the Women in Arts &
Media Coalition for COURAGE. Read her work on the New Play Exchange and on her website, themelissabell.com.

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Be Specific

Be Specific

by | Nov 11, 2024 | The Working Playwright, Theater, Writing Tips

The Working Playwright 

by Melissa Bell

It’s All in the Details

Do you know your character’s favorite color? Favorite dish? The street they lived on as a child? What was the game their mother played with them when they were five? Why do they keep an item in their pocket and when do they take it out and stroke it? What memories does it provoke? What emotion does it conjure in your character?

Details. From the larger, to the smaller, and from the smaller to the larger, details make the character specific and unique. This unique person is facing the challenges you give them, the puzzle to solve, or the recognition they must make to bring catharsis to the play. What are the details of the character’s life, and how will those details help them obtain the thing they want or be the obstacle that stands in their way?

In Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex, the king, Oedipus, has vowed to cure his city of a pestilence by finding and exiling the murderer of the previous king, Laius, late husband of his wife Jocasta. To discover who this man is, Oedipus consults many people: Oracles, herdsmen, and slaves who offer clues to the murderer’s identity. But the most telling clue is a set of scars on his ankles. Oedipus bears the same scars on his own ankles, which had been pierced by his father who sent him away as an infant to be killed. The herdsman given this grim task took pity on the baby and passed him along to another herdsman, who then passed the baby along to his king, and Oedipus, named after his swollen feet, grew up not knowing his true identity or heritage. When Oedipus learns that the murderer bore the same scars he carries, Oedipus realizes that a man he once killed in a roadside brawl was none other than King Laius, Jocasta’s first husband, and that he (and his actions) is the cause of the plague on his city. Moreover, he discovers that Laius was his true father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. This had been predicted by the Oracle at his birth and had now come true.

Wow. Talk about why detail matters. It was the clue that solved the entire puzzle, unlocking his past, present and future.

Your character may not be a king who murdered his father, but they do have a want and a need and those wants and needs will lead your character on a journey of consequences and reckoning.

The same rule applies to objects. Does an object have a special meaning for your character? What does it symbolize? Is it shared by another? How is it used for them or against them?

In Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moorish military general Othello is manipulated into suspecting his wife, Desdemona, of adultery. While wooing her, Othello gifts Desdemona with a handkerchief, which she cherishes. When she accidentally drops it, her maid finds it and turns it over to her husband, Iago, who uses it in his manipulation of Othello as revenge for denying him a significant military post. When Othello asks Desdemona to show him the handkerchief and she is unable to produce it, Othello becomes convinced of her infidelity and smothers her. It is only after her death that he realizes the significance he had placed upon an object as easily lost as a handkerchief, which allowed him to be manipulated by an evil and cunning opponent.

What are the details in your character’s lives? What do they represent to the character and to the theme? How does the physical enhance the metaphysical? In a play, every detail matters.

Try to give your characters details that reveal and reflect their journey. Are you working on a play right now? Have you finished a play? Make a list of the details that you have used to support the theme of your play and make sure they are placed in a way that affects the outcome. The details often provide the “button” that your audience can hold on to after the curtain goes down.

Melissa Bell’s work has been featured in the New York Times and has been awarded Finalist for Henley Rose Playwright Competition and nominated for Best Adaptation & Modernization by New York Shakespeare for LADY CAPULET and awarded Honored Finalist for the Collaboration Award by the Women in Arts & Media Coalition for COURAGE. Read her work on the New Play Exchange.

One Step at a Time

One Step at a Time

by | Aug 13, 2024 | NPD, The Working Playwright, Theater, Writing Tips

The Working Playwright

A monthly column by Melissa Bell

 

One Step A Day

Writing is hard work. It takes time and energy. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the process. Our day jobs require most of our energy. Our family commitments take up the rest of the time. When do we have time to write, develop and promote our creative work?

There are some weeks when I never seem to be able to sit down and focus on my art. Like today. I just returned from a weekend trip to a family event. The suitcase is still unpacked, the laundry sits in the basket and the fridge is empty. Yet my brain is ticking and my fingers are itching for the keyboard. Something has to give.

So I satisfy the most urgent need. The need to write and create. And I follow a technique that has worked for me over the years: One Step a Day. When put into effect, it can be a powerful process. It means diving in and starting with creativity. Taking a short amount of time to write or create without stopping for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes. Just do it. Don’t stop. Get those ideas on paper. Make a list. Start a dialogue. Work for without stop for your chosen time. Set your timer. Create. When the timer goes off, stop work. Then load the laundry. Go to the grocery. Hit the gym. Walk to work. Do whatever it is you need to do. After you’ve done chores, made dinner, put the kids to bed, answered your emails, THEN take a moment to review what you wrote earlier. Read it. Allow yourself to reenter the piece and make some edits. Clarify it. Rework it. It slowly begins to make sense.

During the day, while you were out doing other things, your brain continued working subliminally. You unleashed the urge, pushed something out, and walked away. But your brain kept the fire going. And when you gave it a little space, you came back clearer. You’ve made a new connection. Take a few moments and reflect on what you created. Respect it. Then close down for the day. You’ve done your work, one step at a time. Every journey begins with a step.

 

 

Melissa Bell’s work has been featured in the New York Times for Farm Arts Collective; LADY CAPULET was nominated for Best Adaptation & Modernization 2020 & 2021 by New York Shakespeare and as a Finalist for Henley Rose Playwright Competition; and COURAGE was awarded Honored Finalist for the Collaboration Award by the Women in Arts & Media Coalition. ZOE COMES HOME is available to view on the CreateTheater YouTube channel.

 

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