I always see the script (for a 10 minute play) as a slice of time. ‘I Can’t Breathe’ was a slice of time before the event that prompted me writing the play. ‘Parkland Requiem’ was during the event
, that is the massacre that happened at Parkland’s high school. We all know what happened immediately after the shooting and not much before the shooting other than it was a normal day of families getting ready for the day and hopeful young people hurrying off to school.
For me, the writer, it’s like walking into a room where people are having a conversation (without you) and you are plunged into the story from there.
None of the rules of writing change when writing a ten minute play, just because it’s short. You must still have a beginning, an arc, and an ending(of sorts). You have to introduce the characters through dialogue quickly and concisely. You must attract the empathy of the audience with record speed. Remember, you only have ten minutes.
How do I know when I have ten minutes? Here’s some tips: The typical rule is a page equals one minute. If a page is heavy with blocking, (movement) it will usually go longer than a minute. If you have a page that is solid with dialogue and movement you can rely on the 1 page = 1 minute. And leave lots of white space; an actor will need some space to write in blocking, from the director, and notes while in rehearsal.
Check out my many “Motivational Moments for Writers” in past posts.
Want to try your hand at writing a ten minute play? This journal is a great place to start.
Want to see more of my ten minute plays? Click here
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