Writing Prompts Compilation

WEEK ONE - Jan. 9-13

First Writing Prompt:
Read the article: Is There a Right Way to Write? (Links to an external
site.). Compose a response to the author with your take-away from what it
says, whether or not you agree with him, and why. Then think of three
separate memories/issues/details of your life and whether or not you feel
they could be useful for writing a play.
In the beginning of this article, the author talks about how writers generally stop
writing too soonor when the going gets tough. I do agree with the author of this
article in the way that we, as writers, need to be more fearless and push through
our blocks. I think the pressure to create an amazing script makes it hard to push
though these times, but its a habit we need to break (especially me). Farther on in
the article, I agree even more. Sure, its easier to write about things you, yourself
have experienced personally. But writing about what we dont understand allows us
to delve into the mind of someone elsewhich helps us grow as actors, as well.
As for the three separate memories, I have distinct memories that prompt specific
images that Ive associated them to. Some of them arent happybut they could
prove to inspire me to write a play. This may be subjective and biased to me, but I
could find something in them to encourage me to write a play. The first is the
divorce of my parents when I was five years old. Ive written memoirs about it and
the subject in general has always interested meor rather, pushed me to want to
understand more about it. I could use that to create a play about family issues and
perseverance. (Finding clich ideas is unfortunately my forte.) The second memory
would be helping my grandma (who raised me like her own kid) through her battle
with cancer. I was pretty young, at the age of 16 when I lost her, but it shaped who I
am and how I react to hardship. I think that would translate well into a play
somehowjust not sure how. The third memory would be my very Arab father trying
to teach me how to drive. Lets just say things did not go well, but we learned more
about our bond and the amount we loved each other, even though wed had a
decade torn away from our father/daughter relationship.

Second Writing Prompt:

Go to a dictionary. Flip through it until you find a word that you don't
know. Learn the definition, then think of a situation in which that word
might be used. Write a conversation between two characters in that
situation, making sure to incorporate the word at a point where it is
significant.
Word: Cacoethes
Definition: An urge to do something inadvisable.
(RYAN and GWEN are settled in the living room, surrounded by books and studying
materials. GWEN pushes a book on the floor, sighing in defeat.)

RYAN: Oh come on, weve only been at this for an hour.

GWEN: Says the one that has two years on me.
RYAN: Im sorryAre you finally admitting to the fact that Im smarter than you?
(HE chuckles and GWEN throws a highlighter at him) Hey, hey! Okay, okay. Whats
the next word? Ill give you a hint or two.
GWEN: (ignoring the smirk plastered on RYANs face, SHE picks the book back up
and looks through it) Cacoethes?
RYAN: You dont wanna do that.
GWEN: Excuse me?
RYAN: Cacoethes: Wanting to do something you really shouldnt want to do. (HE
grins, sipping his coffee)
GWEN: Well, arent we just Mr. Scholar? Whered you learn a word like that?
RYAN: Its not hard. (HE sees GWENs glare and sighs) Okay, Lets say (HE gets
up and goes over to GWEN, holding out his hand) Lets say I do this.
GWEN: (looks at HIS hand) What do you wanta high five?
RYAN: (gives HER a look and pulls GWEN up on her feet) Like I was saying
GWEN: Really?
RYAN: Cacoethes means(HE sighs) If we wanted to rob a bank, take yoga classes,
hike a trail that we cant even see the end of on a map. Hell, go see that horrible
play youve been wanting to see.
GWEN: Hey! Watch it. (SHE grins)
RYAN: (HE chuckles, taking her hand and placing it on HIS shoulder) Orsomething
like this. (RYAN puts HIS hand on GWENs waist and they begin to dance)
GWEN: (SHE grins, swaying with him) And what about our homework?
RYAN: That can wait.
(BLACKOUT)

WEEK TWO - Jan. 16-20

First Writing Prompt:
Listen to the podcast "Seth Godin on the Art of Noticing, and Then
Creating" (this is about 50 minutes long).
http://www.onbeing.org/program/seth-godin-on-the-art-of-noticing-and-
then-creating/5000/ (Links to an external site.) Write down your thoughts
on the piece, particularly as they relate to the task of creating art in the
contemporary world and the role of the playwright.
I found this podcast extremely interesting and also very thought provoking. I found
this quote really applicable and it really resonates with me.
MR. GODIN: cause the college students are afraid of being wrong. And this idea
that we spend 15 years training people to be afraid
We are extremely worried about seeming stupid in class and its something that
hinders many students from sharing their ideas as well as clarifying things in class.
A lot of us are terrified to ask questions because of the response that weve gotten
from certain professors or peers in the past. It hinders us as artists because it halts
us in terms of growing and learning new things. It might be a bit of a damper on our
egos, but it helps us in the long run. Unfortunately, were all too scared to try--
myself includedbecause we dont want to make a fool of ourselves. Taking a leap
is part of growing as an artist and our generation has to realize this and act on it.
This habit also prevents us from creating art in the contemporary worldor at least
to the extent in which we are capable of, in my opinion. If we were able to overcome
this, we might be able to create astounding work. As a playwright, its particularly
important to ask more questions and observe the world around us. If we arent
afraid to stumble and fall when were out in the new world, we could benefit from it.
Im a firm believer in the idea that mistakes help you grow as a person and find
different perspectives along the way.

Second Writing Prompt:

Read the information about "The Credo" under "Portfolio" on the Home
page. Write down your thoughts on this assignment (due Feb. 2), and how
easy or difficult you think it might be.
I think this assignment is going to be challenging, but rewarding. From what Ive
read about the Credo, its basically like a code of ethics. Itll be challenging in the
way that Ill have to ask myself questions about my values and such. My values are
pretty important to me, so I feel like this is one of those assignments that Ill
remember and take to heart. Evaluating what I believe and why is something that I
find highly interesting, so Im excited to try and do this assignment as thoroughly as
I can. I am intimidated by the fact that most credos are pretty long, but I know that
if I commit to it and really allow myself to explore what I feel/believe, it wont be a
problem. Im also excited for the materials and ideas that might come from doing
this assignment. Ideas are my issue when it comes to writing. But once I have a
solid idea, Im generally able to expand on it and it turns into something okay.

WEEK THREE - Jan. 23-27

First Writing Prompt:
Choose a Shakespeare monologue. Adapt this monologue to a
contemporary character using contemporary language. Do not follow the
format of No Fear Shakespeare wherein each line is the same yet uses
contemporary language. Instead, have the character express whatever
they are trying to say in a contemporary, original monologue that stays
true to the character and story.

Othello Emilia Act 4, scene 3

Yes, a dozen, and as many to th' vantage

as would store the world they played for.
But I do think it is their husbands' faults
If wives do fall. Say that they slack their duties
And pour our treasures into foreign laps,
Or else break out in peevish jealousies,
Throwing restraint upon us. Or say they strike us,
Or scant our former having in despite.
Why, we have galls, and though we have some grace,
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know
Their wives have sense like them. They see and smell
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have. What is it that they do
When they change us for others? Is it sport?
I think it is. And doth affection breed it?
I think it doth. Is t frailty that thus errs?
It is so too. And have not we affections,
Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?
Then let them use us well, else let them know,
The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.
Contemporary Version:
Yeah, tons of them. But its definitely the guys fault in most cases. If women cheat
on them, it must mean that men are giving themselves to others. Or they make us
jealous on purpose, just to keep us around. They abuse us, emotionally, physically
out of spite. But its not like were unfeeling. We might give them the benefit of the
doubt and go running back to them, but they have to know were just waiting to
strike back. They need to know that women are people too. We do everything and
have reactions to things just like guys do. So why would they look for another? Are
they playing with our emotions for sport? They mess with us just to get satisfaction?
Pretty much. They need to know that there has to be a change. That we have to
treat each other well. Otherwise, theyll find out the hard waywhen we strike back
by doing what has been done to us.

Second Writing Prompt:

Write a scene using the following steps -
Create: Characters- Each character needs a name and a basic sketch: age,
job, gender, and relationship to the other characters. (3 characters max.):
Setting-The location in which the scene takes place.
Conflict- one character wants something from another character, but the
second character is unwilling to give it.
Write out all three components before you begin. Take ten minutes (set a
timer) to work on the scene. Do not stop writing (really). Every character
can only say three words when they speak. If you have less than 15 lines
by the end of 10 minutes, re-set the timer for another ten minutes, until
you have a scene of a legitimate length.

Characters:
Braden: 25, Firefighter, M, Best friend of Lynn.
Lynn: 24, Financial Analyst, F, Best friend of Braden.
Setting: Boston, MA.
Conflict: Braden is having issues explaining that he has feelings for Lynn. Lynn
already knows and is trying to get him to just tell her. (Clich conflict, I know. But
itll be great--hopefully.)
(LYNN and BRADEN just finished making dinner and theyre cleaning up the dishes.)
LYNN: Just say it.
BRADEN: Just saywhat?
LYNN: Get it out.
BRADEN: Make sense, please.
LYNN: You already know! (she crosses her arms and leans against the sink)
BRADEN: No, I dont?
LYNN: (places a hand on BRADENS hand) Just tell me.
BRADEN: Really? (he looks down at their hands) Right now?
LYNN: It wont change
BRADEN: Im not doing
LYNN: Just do it.
BRADEN: You do it. (he stops doing dishes and directs his full attention at her)
LYNN: Youre being childish.
BRADEN: Youre being crazy.
LYNN: Am not.
BRADEN: Delusional. And pushy. (he grins, nudging her arm)
LYNN: (she sighs) Just say it.
BRADEN: Honestly? Why now?
LYNN: Ill stop if
BRADEN: Fine! Youre
LYNN: (silence) Why cant you
BRADEN: Just say it? (sarcastic)
LYNN: Fine. (she grabs her coat and heads towards the door)
BRADEN: Wait! Lynn, just
(The door slams as LYNN exits)
BLACKOUT

WEEK FIVE - Feb. 6-10

First Writing Prompt:
Find 3-5 images or pieces of visual art that you find thought provoking.
Include these images in your portfolio/writing journal. For the actual
writing for this entry, explain what you found (include pictures if
possible), and how they might be used when forming an idea for a play.

I found this picture and at first, I just thought it was plain creepy. But when I looked
at it for the second time, I saw that it can be taken in a few different ways. I think
the most popular interpretation might be a statement about how some people are
two faced? But the more accurate interpretation (in my opinion) would be that
people are expected to put on a face for othersand that there are certain
emotions people show more than others. This one would be hard to make into a
play, but I could see it being made into something with mental illness involved in it,
possibly?
This picture caught my eye because of how interesting it is. I found it yesterday and
Im still trying to wrap my head around it. I think what it means is that were
throwing our time away? Or maybe that we find ourselves drowning because of
the time commitments in our lives? It could even be a statement about how you
should throw time out, because living my time commitments slows you down?
These are all the ideas that have been popping around in my head since Ive seen
this picture and Im still not sure which one it is. I suppose it could be any of them!
Im also biased but this reminds me of A New York Minute in a way. So, thats an
example of how easily it could be turned into a play. And Im sure it could be taken
in many different directions, as well.

This last picture is a little more obscure to me than the other two. I think this picture
illustrates whats inside the mind and how there are all kinds of things going on in
the brain that sometimes arent expressed outwardly, depending on the person. For
instance, you can see that theres quite a bit of darkness in this persons head. But
there are also butterflies flying around as well, hinting at the idea that he might be
suffering, but portraying it in a different way, outwardly.

Second Writing Prompt:

Write a scene or short play that only has one prop. Make the prop
significant and interesting (i.e. Dead Sea Scrolls, a time machine, laser
pistol, wedding ring, etc.).
Prop: Wedding ring
(SAM and LYRA are packing, about to go back to the states, as theyve just finished
up vacationing in SAMs hometown in Ireland. SAM hadnt been back in Ireland since
his grandmother passed away.)

LYRA: (she helps him pack) So... are you glad we came up here?
SAM: Yeah, I am. It helped me let go of some stuff so I feel like I can actually begin
to move on.
LYRA: Im glad. Its--really beautiful here.
SAM: I wont be coming back for a really long time. (he puts clothes in his suitcase)
LYRA: (she zips her suitcase back up) Whys that?
SAM: (shrugs) Ireland just isnt for me anymore. I dont know
LYRA: I understand But its where youre from, you know? Your roots, basically.
(she grins and puts a hand on his arm) Are you sure youre okay?
SAM: (nods) Yeah, I think Im okay.
LYRA: And youd tell me if you werent?
SAM: Yeah, I would. (he pauses) But Im okay, I promise.
LYRA: (she reaches in her suitcase and pulls out a tiny box, holding it behind her)
Sam--I
SAM: What? (he looks over at her)
LYRA: Um--well IIve been thinking about you and Iand this trip kind of
solidified
SAM: Just spit it out, Lyra. (he chuckles)
LYRA: (she closes her eyes and speaks quickly) IthinkIwannamarryyou.
SAM: (his eyes widen) You--you what? Lyra--
LYRA: (she looks up at him and clears her throat) Uh--I didnt say--anything?
SAM: (he rubs the back of his neck) I meanare you serious?
LYRA: Uh(she brings the box out from behind her and shows him the ring)
SAM: (he grins, taking the ring and setting it on the bed, then kisses her)
LYRA: (she pulls back and laughs) Im taking that as a yes?
SAM: (he nods and picks up the box again)
BLACKOUT
WEEK SIX - Feb. 6-10

First Writing Prompt:

Write a scene (up to four characters) in which one significant character is
silent (no lines at all).

Jeffrey has just been admitted to the hospital and put through surgery because he
was in the car with a drunk driver, who ran his car off the road. His girlfriend, Jen
and his best friend, Ivan are in the room, arguing. Ivan was in the car with Jeffrey,
but only sustained minor injuries and didnt need to be kept for further observation.
Jeffrey is in shock, and hasnt spoken since the crash.

(JEFFREY is lying down in the hospital bed, staring at the heart monitor, when Jen
and Ivan enter the room.)

JEN: (she rushes over to him, grabbing his hand) Jeffrey! How are you feeling? Are
you okay? Your doctor said youre going to be okay. But you have to stay here for a
while and--

IVAN: Jesus, Jen, if you were going to smother him, why did he go through the
surgery at all? (he grins)

JEN: (she shoots IVAN a glare and looks back at JEFFREY) Youre going to be out of
here in no time, I promise. And until then, youll be in good hands here. They treat
their patients really well here.

IVAN: Dont lie to him, J. Or at least be honest about the food they serve here. (he
snickers)

JEN: (she drops JEFFREYs hand and whirls to look at IVAN) Im glad you think this is
funny. Lets not forget that youre the reason that hes here in the first place,
asshole.

IVAN: Jen, thats not-- (he stares off and sighs, reaching in his pocket and pulling
out a cigarette, about to light it)

JEN: Are you kidding me? (she snatches the lighter out of his hands) Can you at
least act like you give a shit?

IVAN: Im here, arent I? (he throws his hands out)

JEN: Thats because you caused this. (she gets closer to him) You did this to him.
Are you even sorry? Or are you still wasted? Think about whats going to happen
when his parents find out! Theyre on the way right now. You have no idea what
youve done. If Im reacting like this, just wait and see what they do. Youre our
friend, Ivan. How could you do this to him? If you were drinking tonight, why didnt
you just call me, instead of getting behind the wheel? They teach you that in--

IVAN: JEN--I DIDNT DO THIS. (he crosses his arms)

JEN: .What?

IVAN: I didnt do this. I--lied to you because I wanted to (he sighs and runs a hand
through his hair) It doesnt matter. But you need to know that--it was Jeffrey behind
the wheel. Okay? I wanted to keep it from you because--I know how hard its been
for you since he got out of rehab, but it wasnt--

JEN: I get it. (she crosses her arms) You didnt have to lie. But I get it. (she looks
over at JEFFREY again) Im...glad youre both okay. We need to figure out how to tell
his parents.

IVAN: (theres an awkward silence) You want that cigarette, now?

BLACKOUT

Second Writing Prompt:

Write a fractured fairy tale as a short play. For this prompt, I picked
Aladdin.

NARRATOR: There once lived a man who was despised as the royal vizier of
Agrabah. Jafar was a benevolent man, but was disliked by the entire kingdom. He
and the love of his life had traveled the world, in search of a magic lamp that would
release a powerful genie to help him rule the kingdom. He had always tried his best
to make the kingdom a better place, but this would help him do it.

(JAFAR enters, holding the lamp. He puts it on a pedestal in the middle of the stage,
staring at it sadly)

NARRATOR: You see, on the quest to get the lamp, his lover Scheherazade had
perished. Her soul was rumored to be devoured by the lamp. He then vowed never
to use the lamp, unless he was sure he had first earned the title of sultan. The only
issue was that the lamp had gone missing.

(Night falls and ALADDIN is seen, sneaking up to the lamp)

NARRATOR: Aladdin was a common thief, always looking for his next conquest. So
naturally, when he heard the tale of Jafars magical lamp, he thought he could get
away with it. That night, Aladdin snuck into the viziers room quietly.

(ALADDIN creeps in and takes the lamp in his hand, but JAFAR sees him from the
corner and runs to him.)

JAFAR: Leave that precious silver, thief. You have no idea what youre dealing with!

ALADDIN: And you have no idea how much this could be worth.

JAFAR: It is only worth the happiness of the kingdom. The selfishness of men will
only tarnish the power of it! Please--you dont know what youre doing!

ALADDIN: You are under the impression that I care about this city. (he smirks and
runs toward the exit, but drops the lamp. The genie comes out of the lamp and the
smoke takes over ALADDINs form. With a scream, ALADDIN disappears seemingly
into the lamp)

JAFAR: (he slowly walks over to the lamp and picks it up, examining it) I guess
Scheherazade had one more trick up her sleeve. (he grins and gently places the
lamp back on the pedestal, leaving the room.)

NARRATOR: Jafar kept harsher security after that and ended up becoming sultan
after years of hard work. He finally used the lamp to make Agrabah better. He never
saw Scheherazade or the thief again, but he did end up making the kingdom as
wonderful for the people living there as possible. It became a testament to his love.

BLACKOUT

WEEK SEVEN - Feb. 20-24

First Writing Prompt:
Write a short scene (50 lines or less) in which two characters engage in an
argument. The scene must have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Within the scene, be sure you have a clear inciting incident, complications,
climax, and resolution (after completing the scene, mark these structural
elements on the page.)
Samuel: He is 24. Hardworking, kind, but hot-tempered.
Lina: She is 22. Adventurous, oblivious at times, and sassy.
(SAM and LINA are at a party with friends when SAM calls LINA out to the patio to
talk. Both of them are intoxicated)
SAM: Listen. We need to talk.
LINA: Okay. That sounds like this is going to be fun. (she rolls her eyes)
SAM: (he sighs, frustrated) Can you be seriousand sober for two seconds?
LINA: I can do the first part, I guess. (she chuckles, but then clears her throat. She
crosses her arms as an awkward silence takes over) Okaywhat? Is this about what
happened in there?
SAM: Yeah. Yeah, it kind of is, Lina. That wasnt okay.
LINA: Sam. (she puts her hands on his arms) This is a party. Were supposed to
have a little fun.
SAM: Well, I dont think sucking Charlies face off right in front of me really equates
to fun.
(Inciting incident revealed)
LINA: Thats what this is about? Sam, that wasThat didnt mean anything. I just
Im drunk.
(a pause)
LINA: Okay, so I kissed him. So what?
SAM: So what? Thats all you have to say? We get into a relationship, and two
days inyoure kissing some other guy?
LINA: Okay, youre overreacting. It was just a kiss. It wasnt
SAM: Oh, Im overreacting? (he laughs without humor) Are you kidding?
LINA: Sam, I justI didnt think this was exclusive. I didnt realize youthought
that.
(complications)
SAM: (hes silent for a bit) You dont want to be?
LINA: Its not that. We just never talked about it
SAM: I just assumed. Look, I get that youve been with other guys. Lots of other
guys, but Im not like
LINA: Excuse me?
SAM: What?
LINA: (she slurs her words) You think that just because Ive been with lots of guys
that you mean less to me than I do you?
(complications)
SAM: Nothats wait, what? That doesnt make sense. Youre
LINA: You know what? No. This is so stupid. This is
SAM: Whatsstupid? What are you
LINA: I asked you out because I like you. I dont like anyone else. If I liked Charlie,
hes who Id bewithright now.
(climax)
SAM: (he raises an eyebrow) Look, youre not making any sense.
(LINA leans over the bannister and starts to get sick.)
SAM: Woah, woah (he puts a hand on her back and pulls the hair out of her face)
Hey, lets justlets get you home, okay? We can talk about this tomorrow.
LINA: (she whirls around and wipes her mouth, looking at him) Im not good at this.
okay? Im sorry. I really want this to work. I just
(complications)
SAM: I know. (he puts an arm around her) And we can make it work. You just have
to talk to me. We just have to figure out what we want.
(resolution)
LINA: I want to try it. Your way.
SAM: I want to try, too. Letstalk about this tomorrow, okay? For now, lets get
you home.
(LINA nods and SAM helps her as they leave.)
BLACKOUT

Second Writing Prompt:

Write down a memorable dream that you have had recently, in detail.
Sketch out specific characters, the setting, and the conflict. If you arent
sure about certain details, make them up.
Alright, so I recently had this weird dream and it was so vivid that I want to try and
use it for this prompt. I wrote down a few bullet points about it and where I could
possibly go with the storyline. So heres that:
-Falling off an airship
-Futuristic society
-Theyve been gone from the ground for about 200 years (no clue how they have
enough fuel/magic/whatever to keep them in the sky)
-Framed by captain/commander and friend finds evidence, but is pushed off with her
to cover it up
-Supposedly, no one ever survives the fall, so they think there is no life down there
-Dream in between the fall and reality
-Grounded people try to find a way to bring the airship down
-Main character just wants to find a way to get back up and clear her name
So, those were my thoughts on Tuesday and Im writing this today (Thursday). Over
this time, I kind of came up with a few different ideas? Nothing permanentbut
more than what I had, at least. So instead of the main character falling, shes going
to be wrongfully blamed for a crime. In this futuristic society, theyre in an air ship in
the sky (still not sure on those details either) and anyone who has committed a
crime is basically thrown off of the air ship to their death (or so they think). Since
this idea is fairly fantasy/sci-fi, somehow, they survive the fall to the earth. Once the
main character and her friend (who gets executed with her) wake up, they find
out that theres actually a full colony of people living on the earth. The conflict is
going to be the fact that the people inhabiting the ground are trying to shoot the
airship down. But the main character is trying to get back to her little brother on the
ship. Not sure how I would have that play out, but it seems like an interesting
conflict of interest, at least. And as for characters, heres what Ive got:
Rezia: Main character. 21 years old. She is bold, intelligent, and ambitious. Rezias
main goal is to get back to the airship to save her younger brother. She feels that
shes been wrongly accused (which she hasshe finds out that shes pretty
oblivious to whats been happening around her later on). But as time goes on down
on the ground, she unravels that her real goal is to take down the Commander.
Kalen: Rezias childhood friend. 24 years old. He is quiet, introverted, and
resourceful. Kalen befriended Rezia and her brother at a young age, as his family
lived in the pod beside hers. Before he was thrown off the ship, he had been the
leader of a group, secretly planning a revolt on the air ship. They did not agree with
the Commanders way of ruling and had planned to dismantle the way their society
worked.
Besley: Rezias kid brother. 10 years old. Mischievous, creative, and determined. He
gets into more trouble than he can handle.
Commander Lyle: The commander of the air ship. 36 years old. Apathetic, clever,
and persuasive. He has dictator-like tendencies and his main goal is to keep order
on the air ship to maintain control. Hes very good at manipulating the public, so as
not to cause a revolt.
Riley: Leader on the ground. 29 years old. She leads the people on the ground and
her main goal is to shoot down the air ship because they threw her family and
herself off years agoher father perished. She rose to power after she became the
past leaders apprentice.

WEEK EIGHT - Feb. 27-Mar. 3

First Writing Prompt:
Write a short play (3 scenes) using the information from your dream from last
weeks prompt.
Here are my character descriptions from last week! I dont know if Ill use all of
these characters in the three scenesbut I added them just in case.
Rezia: Main character. 21 years old. She is bold, intelligent, and ambitious. Rezias
main goal is to get back to the airship to save her younger brother. She feels that
shes been wrongly accused (which she hasshe finds out that shes pretty
oblivious to whats been happening around her later on). But as time goes on down
on the ground, she unravels that her real goal is to take down the Commander.
Kalen: Rezias childhood friend. 24 years old. He is quiet, introverted, and
resourceful. Kalen befriended Rezia and her brother at a young age, as his family
lived in the pod beside hers. Before he was thrown off the ship, he had been the
leader of a group, secretly planning a revolt on the air ship. They did not agree with
the Commanders way of ruling and had planned to dismantle the way their society
worked.
Besley: Rezias kid brother. 10 years old. Mischievous, creative, and determined. He
gets into more trouble than he can handle.
Commander Lyle: The commander of the air ship. 36 years old. Apathetic, clever,
and persuasive. He has dictator-like tendencies and his main goal is to keep order
on the air ship to maintain control. Hes very good at manipulating the public, so as
not to cause a revolt.
Riley: Leader on the ground. 29 years old. She leads the people on the ground and
her main goal is to shoot down the air ship because they threw her family and
herself off years agoher father perished. She rose to power after she became the
past leaders apprentice.

Scene I
(Rezia and Kalen are working on the bottom floor of the ship.)
KALEN: Watch out! (he throws a pile of rope behind Rezia. It lands on the pile hard,
sending a few buckets toppling to the ground)
REZIA: Woahwhy are you in such a hurry today?
KALEN: (he goes over to fix the mess) You know why.
REZIA: Uh no? (she helps him pick the buckets up)
KALEN: The Commanders second caught word of the old man down the way
practicing flight magic again.
REZIA: What? (she drops the bucket) I hadnt heard.
KALEN: Besleys been spouting about it all morning. Didnt you run into him? I
swear, Ive never seen your kid brother so fired up about a falling before.
REZIA: He must be upset. I should
KALEN: Ohyou both knew him. God, Im an asshole. Rezia, Im sorry. I didnt
REZIA: Its okay, really. He lived in the pod next to us. After our family he made
sure we survived our first year alone. But I was never really close with him after he
got relocated. Besley used to sneak off and play cards with him, though.
KALEN: Say no more. I get it. We should find your brother, then.
REZIA: (she nods and they clean up) So theyreexecuting the falling today, then?
KALEN: In an hour.
REZIA: Lets find Besley.

Scene II
(Rezia and Kalen are searching for Besley in the commons area of the ships dining
hall)
KALEN: This place is completely empty during the day.
REZIA: Sometimes he comes here to think. Or hide.
KALEN: Right (he looks around) Besley? Besley!
REZIA: Besley? (she walks over and opens the kitchen door, shining a light on the
room. She finds him behind one of the cooling mechanisms) Besley..? What are you
doing in here? Its freezing. (she goes over and sits next to him)
BESLEY: (he covers his face) I dont want to talk about it.
REZIA: Bes, practicing magic is illegal. You know that. He wasnt
(KALEN enters, unnoticed)
BESLEY: I know that! But it shouldnt matter. He wasnt trying to hurt anyone. He
told mehe was just trying to get off of this ship.
REZIA: He told you that?
KALEN: Thats suicide, Besley. Not to mention, against the law.
BESLEY: Its better than being here! (he exits, storming off)
REZIA: Besley! (she starts to go after him)
KALEN: Let him cool off.
REZIA: We should go after him.
(Alarms start to go off)
KALEN: Theyre starting the ceremony now. We have to get up there, anyway.
REZIA: Iguess well see him up there. I just wish he didnt have to see this
(they exit)

Scene III
(A crowd of people are on the deck of the ship and the COMMANDER is watching
from afar. REZIA and KALEN rush to see what the people are crowded around. A
woman is lying on the ground.)
REZIA: What happened?
KALEN: I dont
MAN #1: She tried to stop the Falling. The officers gunned her down.
REZIA: (pushes her way through to the front of the crowd with KALEN)
KALEN: Rezia, dont. You know the consequences! Shes gone
REZIA: (she kneels in front of the body)
OFFICER #1: Get back, girl. You know the rules.
REZIA: You had no right to kill her. She was just trying to protect her grandfather
(the officer strikes her in the face and KALEN rushes forward, helping her up)
KALEN: Hey! Dont you
(the crowd starts to talk amongst themselves, creating chaos. The OFFICER goes to
strike KALEN but the COMMANDER comes out and stops them.)
COMMANDER: What is the meaning of this?
REZIA: (she stands up) She was wrongfully killed.
COMMANDER: This woman tried to intervene with preparations for the Falling.
REZIA: Because its her family. You have no right to
COMMANDER: Take the girl to the Founded. She has to answer for this.
KALEN: Noplease. Shes
OFFICER: (pushes KALEN back into the crowd and drags REZIA off)

Second Writing Prompt:

Write five, three-line scenes that reveal character, relationship, environment and
conflict. Choose the best two and explain why you chose these.
Here are the two scenes I chose:
Scene I
AMBER: Where have you been? Moms been freaking out all night.
LUKE: Relax. I was at Jims house. I told her last week. She was probably too busy
paying attention to you to remember. (he continues doing dishes)
AMBER: Whatever, asshole. I was just trying to warn you before she grounds you
for the rest of your life. (she laughs and walks off)

Scene II
SAM: I cant even believe this.
LEXI: Im sorry, but I thought you needed to know. I cant keep going in our
relationship like this. (she plays with the food on her plate)
SAM: Okay, but did you have to pull the plug on dating for 3+ years in the middle
of a nice restaurant??

I chose the two scenes above because they clearly show character, relationship,
location, etc. Because of the way that I set the scenes up, it wouldnt be hard for the
readers/audience members to figure out whats going on. I think the other scenes I
wrote are a little more difficult to tellsimply because theyre not as obvious.
Theyre shown below.

Scene III
LIBBY: Look, weve been friends for three years. But I cant do it anymore. This
friendship has become toxic.
ANNE: This is because Im with Jack now, isnt it? (she sits on the edge of the pool,
wringing her hair out)
LIBBY: No, II dont care that youre with him now. I just wish things had gone
differently.

Scene IV
MAX: This grade is unacceptable. (he throws the paper on the ground)
LINA: (she looks around, embarrassed, putting another item in the grocery cart)
Dad, I knowbut I just I didnt study as much as I shouldve.
MAX: I know. You justYou can do so much more, honey.

Scene V
TRACY: Weve decided to give you a promotion. I need someone sharp as my
assistant and as you know, our vice principal just left us.
DANIEL: Does this mean what I think it means? Youreoffering me this job? (he
leans over his desk, accidentally spilling coffee on himself)
TRACY: Yep, youre our new vice. If you want it. (she eyes the coffee) And if you can
promise me you wont spill any of that on me. (she smiles)

WEEK NINE - Mar. 6-10

First Writing Prompt:
Explore what you are discovering, learning, confused about, etc. as you have
participated in/observed the workshops.
I think that workshopping has helped way more than I thought it would. Its really
scary, Ill admit. But it was worth it. It was nice to hear everyone elses ideas and
see the feedback they were given, as well. Hearing them accept feedback helped
me make mental notes as to what I should fix in my own play. Just hearing the
others helped me re-evaluate my own, if Im honest. For instance, if another
persons dialogue seemed kind of choppy to me, I circled back and took another
look at my own dialogue. It really helped to get feedback for my own play, too,
though. I was so incredibly insecure about what I had so far and I wasnt sure how
people would react. But I was glad to hear that some people thought it was on the
right track at least. It was also nice to hear thoughts on what I should do with my
character, Remy. I still havent decided if I want to cut her out entirely or make her
show up more? But hearing that having her in the play seemed kind of imbalanced
helped me to realize that I need to do something with it. I think I might just have her
referenced as opposed to having her show up for such a brief scene. I was also glad
to hear some feedback on what people thought of the fight scene, as well as Dans
character, as I was worried that he might be harder to sympathize with. I was
worried that the scene would seem contrived and that Dan would seem heartless
when I really just wanted to show that hes burying himself in his work as opposed
to facing the fact that his son is gone. Overall, Im really happy that we had time to
workshop them. Im excited to see how the class responds to the feedback theyve
been given and how theyll change their plays in response.

Second Writing Prompt:

Write a monologue in verse (iambic pentameter; every-other line rhymes; every line
rhymes; etc.). Be sure it is a monologue as opposed to a poem (though poetic
language is encouraged).
I apologize in advance. Poetry isnt my thing, but Im going to try it out!

Too many hearts have lapsed, dreaming of love.

For those that have loved before, they will know.
It is a fear of trying and failing,
A choice to fall, and to lose something so.
The chance to gain, to love another soul.
When asked if it was worth it, they would nod.
Some would waver in the face of the truth.
We are only human, and therefore flawed.
But how many of us would choose to lose,
How many of us would choose this for love?
Most of us take the chance to find its worth.
It is a toss-up when push comes to shove.
But whos to say we wont pay the price?
Falling and loving someone is one thing.
But loss always follows closely after.

WEEK ELEVEN Mar. 20-24

Work on your revisions this week for your two official prompts; write your three
free-write entries as usual. Early drafts for monologues and revised drafts for
plays will be workshopped starting March 28 when we return to class.

Revisions can be found under the tab for Drafts.

WEEK TWELVE - Mar. 27-31

First Writing Prompt: Reflect on your progress and accomplishments in this class.
What did you struggle with? Where have you improved most? Were you successful
in establishing a weekly writing routine? Do you feel your self-discipline improved
(at least for this class)? If so, did you see it affecting any other part of your daily
routine?
I think that overall, in this class, Ive improved quite a bit. At the beginning of the
class, I was so incredibly insecure with my writing and it took me such an incredibly
ridiculous amount of effort to make myself write. I think thats the biggest thing Im
going to take away from this class. I actually wrote a few things in this class that I
can look back on and not feel ashamed about. It made it easier for me to write
without feeling afraid of judgementespecially since the rest of the class was
feeling the same thing. I think sharing my work with the rest of the class was the
scariest thing for me. But knowing that I wasnt alone in that feeling helped. The
daily writing routine was extremely difficult the first few weeks, but after a while, it
became a cycle and I found that my day felt empty without it. It definitely helped
give my creativity a boost. Part of me wishes that I wouldve done the morning
pages, but I dont think I couldve kept up, really. Nevertheless, my self-discipline
still improved a great deal. As for whether or not it affected the rest of my daily
routine, I think it just affected the time I spent on free writes/prompts during that
day. On Tuesdays/Thursdays I would always do one right after Periods & Styles and
that helped immensely to know that I would be going straight to the union to do
that after those classes. Other than that, I would just keep time free every night for
the other three.

Second Writing Prompt: Continue to revise and formulate final drafts.

Not sure if I should submit my revisions in this document? But I have them done!