For Playwrights and Musical Theater Writers Who Thrive in Discovery Mode

You’ve got a great setup. Characters who pop. A world that feels rich with possibilities. But there’s just one little issue…

You have no idea how your show ends.

Or you have an idea, but it’s not landing yet.

Sound familiar?

If you’re a playwright or musical theater writer trying to write a new piece without a clear roadmap, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing it wrong. Sometimes the ending comes to us first, but then other times it doesn’t. We’ve created characters first, maybe, but we can’t quite nail the ending.

What to do?

This is very much on my mind currently, as I’m producing a play to open in June and, well, the ending still hasn’t “revealed itself.” Yikes.

Plenty of brilliant, finished shows started out as messy, half-formed drafts written by writers who trusted the process before they knew the destination.

Here’s some suggestions we’re using to keep making progress on your new script without knowing the ending yet.

Embrace “Discovery” Writing

Not everyone writes from an outline—and that’s okay. Discovery writing (also called “pantsing”) means you find the story by writing it. You let your characters talk, get into trouble, and surprise you. It’s organic. It’s chaotic. And it can lead to some of your most original ideas.

The key is to stay curious instead of panicked. If you don’t know where it’s going yet, that’s not a failure—that’s fuel. You’re exploring the terrain while building the map.

Explore Your Characters’ Wants and Raise the Stakes

When you can’t see the end, zoom in on your characters’ desires. What does each of them want—emotionally, practically, spiritually? What’s in their way?

The more clearly you understand what’s driving them and the obstacles in their way, the more naturally plot points and conflicts will arise. Ask yourself:

• What would they do next to get what they want?
• What would challenge them the most?
• What are they afraid of losing?

The answers might lead you to your next scene—or your eventual ending.

Write the Middle with a Flexible Mindset

The middle of your show is where things evolve, deepen, and get complicated. Even without a firm ending, you can write scenes that test relationships, raise the stakes, and introduce twists (typically the midpoint reversal) that excite you.

Be flexible. If a character veers off course or a subplot emerges unexpectedly, follow it for a bit. Revision is where you make it neat. Drafting is where you let it be messy and alive. Have more fun with this! The more fun you have now, the more fun your audience will have later.

Use “What If” Scenarios as Your Daily Prompts

Stuck? Try “what if” questions to jumpstart your writing:

• What if the antagonist suddenly helped the protagonist?
• What if the lovers don’t end up together?
• What if someone makes the wrong choice and it spirals?

These prompts don’t have to “fit” your eventual structure. They’re experiments to discover new layers in your story. Some might stick. Others might spark ideas you didn’t expect.

Track Your Theme and Emotional Arcs

Even if the plot isn’t clear, your theme can be. What are you trying to say? What feeling or idea keeps bubbling up as you write? What “gift” are you wanting to give the audience at the end?

Track how your characters are emotionally changing from scene to scene. Are they getting closer to something? Losing something? Growing?

Emotional arcs can anchor your show even before the structure is solid. If you follow the emotional truth, the ending often reveals itself when the time is right.

Keep Going, Even If It’s Imperfect

A draft doesn’t have to be linear. It doesn’t have to be “complete.” It just has to exist.

You’ll revise. You’ll cut. You’ll rewrite the ending three times. But if you stop writing because you don’t know where it’s going, you’ll never find out.

So trust your instincts. Let the show teach you what it wants to be. And remember: the ending might not be what you planned—but it might be exactly what your show needs.

Remember, a play is never “finished” – it’s just produced.

What We’re Doing Now:

Among other things, I’ve hired a director who lives in the world of the play, and a really smart playwright/dramaturg who does not. It helps to have divergent opinions to fully round out the characters clearly.

We’re having heady intellectual and psychological discussions between the four of us (playwright, producer, director and dramaturg) about every character, motive, and scene, reviewing the moment-to-moment stakes and thoughts motivating action. Over Zoom, as we’re working artists with commitments out of NYC.

We’re reviewing external documents that shape the issues in the world of the play together, to fully understand the lived experience of the family we’re portraying, and the issues they believe in.

Heady stuff, but all in all an exhilarating creative process. And I know the show will benefit from this research.

Your Turn:
How about you? Are you writing a musical or play without knowing the ending yet? What helps you keep going?

Share the way you go about your creative process (or pose questions) in the comments! We’d like to hear what you do.

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!