Want a Powerful Writing Tool? Use the (beat)!

Our fifth class was devoted to the "beat"-- a moment of silence on stage wherein we get to watch the character's inner monologue rather than hear her words. It is a powerful moment, and one which you can use to emphasize an important line, whether in dialogue or monologue. It is also a moment wherein your audience gets to absorb what's being said.

If you missed class, please see me for the handout--we looked at a monologue from "When We Were Women" by Sharman McDonald--in which the playwright uses beats to slow the pace of the monologue as well as highlight the myriad of emotions throughout the piece.

CHALLENGE #5: Revise your own monologue or some dialogue that you've written previously: infuse it with beats where you believe they're appropriate. We'll read both drafts aloud next week.

Also, please keep in mind that we're beginning to work up to revising/completing the scenes you'd like read at the end of our class, for staged reading night (class #10). Email or mail me anything you'd like me to look at!

Week #5: halfway through!

Tonight (4/17) we'll be discussing beats, pauses, and devices that force a character to simply stop talking, react, and continue talking. It is a powerful moment that deserves our, well, talking about it!

We'll be happy to have Barb back tonight after her terrible car accident. I may have to bring in some treats to make sure she's feeling better.

Meanwhile, I hope you're working on revisions of challenges/scripts past; please remember to bring your monologue to class so that we can all hear them aloud--and make sure to have copies for all of us!

See you at 7!