What's New Archive
'Unless I write something, anything, good, indifferent, or trashy, every day, I feel ill. To me the only good reason for writing is to try to organize my scattered thoughts of living into a whole . . ..'
-- W. H. Auden
What's not quite so new since December, 1995 . . .
Friday, June 4, 1999:
Tuesday, April 6, 1999:
- International usage of The Playwriting Seminars Web site: The site received 41,000 hits from 45 countries in March. Countries of origination in order of significant usage: USA [67%], UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, France, Portugal, Philippines, Greece, Singapore, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Belgium.
Friday, April 2, 1999:
Thursday, April 1, 1999:
Thursday, March 25, 1999:
Wednesday, March 24, 1999:
- Running New Play Competitions: A unit on planning competitions, training readers, and evaluating submitted scripts. This new unit of The Seminars is intended for theatres and other nonprofit organizations with an interest in supporting new playwrights.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, March 15, 1999:
- Quotes on Craft: Many of the 160 professionals quoted in the main pages of The Playwriting Seminars Web site are now identified by a book cover of a notable play or screenplay they've written. By clicking on these linked book covers to amazon.com and then clicking on the author's name, you can get a list of most of what they've written that's in print or available on the used book market.
Tuesday, March 9, 1999:
Wednesday, March 3, 1999:
Tuesday, March 2, 1999:
Thursday, February 25, 1999:
Tuesday, February 23, 1999:
Monday, February 22, 1999:
- Playwriting Resources on the Web: Link added for Young Playwrights Inc. founded by Stephen Sondheim to support playwrights under the age of 18 with national play competitions, workshops, and other services for high school students.
Thursday, February 18, 1999:
- The Dramatists Guild: Link added for the DG's new Web site with information about membership, publications, and services.
Thursday, February 11, 1999:
- STAR WARS Radio Series: With STAR WARS mainia heading toward Earth once more, a Page with the poster of C-3PO with headphones and links to more on my producing the original 13-episode series.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, February 9, 1999:
- Solo Performance: Page on being a writer and performer in this specialized form of theatre.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
- Jo Bonney: On directing solo performer-playwrights.
Wednesday, February 3, 1999:
Tuesday, February 2, 1999:
Monday, February 1, 1999:
Thursday, January 21, 1999:
- Screenwriting vs. Playwriting: A growing number of pages like this one in The Playwriting Seminars now have linked book and script covers that let you order recommended titles directly over the Web from Amazon.com -- and without having to do an author/title search. Look for the book covers in color with blue link borders.
- Monologues: They're Mini-Plays: Addition of recommendations for three collections of monologues by contemporary playwrights.
Tuesday, January 19, 1999:
- If you can't find all the books and scripts recommended in The Playwriting Seminars at your local book store, the following pages now let you order them directly through the Web without having to do an author/title search:
Monday, January 18, 1999:
Sunday, January 17, 1999:
Friday, January 15, 1999:
- The Hollywood Hustle: Addition of a link to Zoetrope Screenplays, where you can submit scripts to one of the classiest film studios in the USA.
Tuesday, January 12, 1999:
- Screenplay Manuscript Format: Addition of a link to Scriptwriting Secrets, an excellent Web text covering everything you need to know about format for screenplays.
Wednesday, January 6, 1999:
- Copyright © Protection: Addition of directions through the maze of the U.S. Copyright Office Web site to information for registering plays.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Saturday, January 2, 1999:
- Regional Theatres on the Web: Addition of South Coast Repertory and Denver Center Theatre Company, major rep companies with a commitment to new play development. General updating of links and removal of dead sites.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Friday, January 1, 1999:
Sunday, December 13, 1998:
Thursday, December 3, 1998:
- Playwriting Resources on the Web: Link added for International Centre for Women Playwrights, a networking and support organization that also sponsors readings of new plays, primarily in the USA and Canada.
- Playwriting Resources on the Web: Link added for Writers Guild of America: Craft of Writing, an excellent source of interviews with the pros and tips on writing for film and television.
Monday, November 30, 1998:
- Playwriting Resources on the Web: Link added for Stage & Screen, a book club offering modestly priced hard-back editions of new plays soon after they have been produced in New York.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, November 24, 1998:
It's the third anniversary of The Playwriting Seminars Web site. The site is now receiving over 34,000 hits a month from around the world. Countries of primary usage in volume order: USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium, Singapore, Croatia, Mexico, Malaysia, Austria, Spain, Ireland, Yugoslavia, Japan, Israel, New Zealand, Taiwan, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway. My thanks to the many users who have made suggestions for additions and improvements to the site.
Friday, October 30, 1998:
- Playwriting Resources on the Web: Addition of the Writer on Line Newsletter, a fine source of articles by the pros on playwriting, screenwriting, and nearly everything else along with software for writers.
Sunday, September 20, 1998:
- The SASE: Page expanded to include the issue of competitions that won't return scripts.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Friday, September 4, 1998:
Tuesday, August 25, 1998:
Monday, August 24, 1998:
Saturday, August 22, 1998:
Friday, August 21, 1998:
Tuesday, August 18, 1998:
- Taking Characters Seriously: Page expanded to include approaches to finding out who your characters really are.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Sunday, August 16, 1998:
Monday, March 16, 1998:
Monday, December 15, 1997:
Monday, December 8, 1997:
- The Playwriting Seminars: November, 1997, marked the second anniversary of the site with 25,900 hits recorded for the month. Users' countries in volume order: USA, Netherlands, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Italy, Malaysia, France, Denmark, Japan, Israel, Thailand, South Africa, Poland, Belgium, Brazil, Spain, South Korea, Switzerland, Greece. Thank you for your suggestions for improvements and additions to the site.
Friday, October 31, 1997:
Tuesday, September 16, 1997:
- Literary Managers & Royalties: Page expanded to include more information on royalties in the community theatre, college, and high school arena.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, August 26, 1997:
- Reading List: The Syllabus page has been retitled and reorganized, its link moved to the Homepage, and Supplemental Readings more clearly linked from it so recommended plays are easier to find.
Monday, August 25, 1997:
- Business: This unit of The Seminars has been retitled from "Resources" to more accurately reflect its content.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Thursday, August 21, 1997:
- Playwriting Links on the Web: Link added to Tom Noonan, movie maker, a great site from a playwright who's figured out the independent film business -- and tells you how he does it.
Tuesday, August 19, 1997:
Friday, August 8, 1997:
Wednesday, August 6, 1997:
Friday, August 1, 1997:
Friday, July 18, 1997:
- Link in Web Resources: To Playmarket: New Zeland's Playwrights Agency & Script Advisory Service.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, June 17, 1997:
Monday, June 9, 1997:
- Naturalism: Page on this style of playwriting as it's used today.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Thursday, May 15, 1997:
Monday, April 21, 1997:
Thursday, April 10, 1997:
Thursday, March 27, 1997:
- The Theatre Communications Group: Recommendation added for the new TCG book by Dana Singer, Stage Writers Handbook: A Complete Business Guide for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists and Librettists.
Monday, March 24, 1997:
Monday, March 3, 1997:
Wednesday, February 26, 1997:
- (Overlapping): Page on use of this stage direction to indicate two or more characters speaking at the same time. Example also added to the Dialogue Pages.
Thursday, February 20, 1997:
- Format by the Numbers: Page renamed and expanded from the old Dialogue Pages by the Numbers to include margins for Preliminary Pages.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, February 10, 1997:
Friday, February 7, 1997:
Thursday, January 16, 1997:
Monday, January 13, 1997:
- Voice - Your Sound as a Playwright: Page expanded and relocated from the Working Unit to the Content Unit of The Seminars.
- Storytelling in Theatre & Film: Page expanded and relocated from the Working Unit to the Film Unit of The Seminars with its companion links to Visual vs. Verbal Storytelling, Opening of Death and the Maiden, and Opening of The Passenger.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Thursday, January 9, 1997:
- Link in Web Resources: To The Playwrights Forum, an organization for dramatists in Washington, D.C..
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Wednesday, January 8, 1997:
Tuesday, January 7, 1997:
- What's Here: Table of Contents Page of The Seminar and those for each major unit reordered as a recommended sequence for users new to the craft.
- Flashbacks: Page on this as a separate topic.
Sunday, January 5, 1997:
Friday, January 3, 1997:
Monday, December 30, 1996:
Thursday, December 26, 1996:
Thursday, December 19, 1996:
Wednesday, December 18, 1996:
Monday, December 16, 1996:
Tuesday, December 10, 1996:
Sunday, December 8, 1996:
Monday, December 2, 1996:
- 100 Quotes on Craft: The Quotes on Craft Archive has been renamed and now contains the first 100 of these.
- The Archive's Archive: The new Page and name of the still expanding Quotes on Craft Archive.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, November 26, 1996:
Tuesday, November 12, 1996:
- It's the first anniversary of The Playwriting Seminars with 7,180 users having come to the site. Comments that helped me improve the presentation have come from Australia & Tasmania, Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, and the USA. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Wednesday, October 30, 1996:
Wednesday, October 23, 1996:
Tuesday, October 22, 1996:
Friday, October 18, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To the Playwrights Union of Canada, the country's major professional service organization for dramatists.
Wednesday, October 16, 1996:
Thursday, October 10, 1996:
- Dramatists Guild: New address for the Guild effective October 15, 1996.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, October 7, 1996:
- Writer's Block: Addition of more technical reasons for its cause.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Friday, October 4, 1996:
Monday, September 16, 1996:
Tuesday, August 27, 1996:
Saturday, July 27, 1996:
Monday, July 22, 1996:
Monday, July 15, 1996:
Tuesday, July 9, 1996:
- The Seminars Web site moves: To the VCU School of the Arts. The new URL is
http://www.vcu.edu/arts/playwriting/
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, July 8, 1996:
Wednesday, June 19, 1996:
Monday, June 17, 1996:
Thursday, June 13, 1996:
Tuesday, June 11, 1996:
Monday, June 3, 1996:
- Shortcuts on the Homepage: To avoid the need for frequent users to scroll down to Primary Areas list.
Tuesday, May 28, 1996:
Monday, May 20, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To E-script, a source of on-line courses in playwriting and screenwriting.
- Link in Web Resources: To Writers on the Net, courses and individual tutorials in playwriting, screenwriting, and a wide range of other genres.
Monday, May 13, 1996:
Friday, May 10, 1996:
Thursday, May 9, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To the Audrey Skirball-Kenis Theatre [Los Angeles] - An active new play development operation for after you've received that first professional notice.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, April 29, 1996:
Monday, April 22, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To Dramatists Play Service - A source for many of the scripts referred to in The Seminars.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Wednesday, April 17, 1996:
Tuesday, April 16, 1996:
Monday, April 15, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To the Playwrights' Center of San Francisco.
- Link in Web Resources: To A Brief Guide to Internet Resources in Theatre and Performance Studies. Brief no longer -- and it's annotated.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Saturday, April 13, 1996:
Friday, April 12, 1996:
Thursday, April 11, 1996:
Tuesday, April 9, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To the new New Dramatists Call Board [BBS], an open forum [of the sort known on the Internet as a Bulletin Board] for discussions about the craft and the business of playwriting.
- Kids as Characters: Page on pitfalls and solutions.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, April 8, 1996:
Friday, April 5, 1996:
Wednesday, April 3, 1996:
Monday, April 1, 1996:
- Reading the Audience: Page on knowing what the audience is telling you.
- Link in Web Resources: To the new Theatre Central Journal. The inaugural issue [April 1996] includes Richard Toscan's "Joseph Chaikin: Closing the Open Theatre" on collective creation as an option for playwrights.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Friday, March 29, 1996:
Monday, March 25, 1996:
Friday, March 22, 1996:
Thursday, March 21, 1996:
- Recommendation in About Quotes on Craft: For anthologies of interviews with playwrights on craft, influences, and the business.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, March 19, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To Inter-Play, a search tool for finding plays in anthologies.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Monday, March 18, 1996:
Thursday, March 14, 1996:
Tuesday, March 12, 1996:
Wednesday, March 6, 1996:
- Link in Web Resources: To Muse of Fire Productions, A film production company that tells you what it's looking for in screenplays.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Tuesday, March 5, 1996:
Monday, March 4, 1996:
Friday, March 1, 1996:
Friday, February 23, 1996:
Thursday, February 22, 1996:
Wednesday, February 21, 1996:
Tuesday, February 20, 1996:
Monday, February 19, 1996:
Friday, February 16, 1996:
Monday, February 12, 1996:
Friday, February 9, 1996:
Tuesday, February 5, 1996:
Wednesday, January 31, 1996:
Monday, January 29, 1996:
Thursday, January 18, 1996:
Wednesday, January 17, 1996:
Friday, January 12, 1996:
Wednesday, January 10, 1996:
Tuesday, January 9, 1996:
Thursday, January 4, 1996:
Wednesday, January 3, 1996:
Tuesday, January 2, 1996:
Thursday, December 28, 1995:
Wednesday, December 27, 1995:
Friday, December 22, 1995:
- Link in Web Resources: To Akropolis Arts Magazine. Includes Richard Toscan's monthly column, "That Business of Plays" on finding and producing new scripts.
- Quotes on Craft by . . .
Wednesday, December 20, 1995:
Tuesday, December 19, 1995:
Monday, December 18, 1995:
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