  Drama
This week: Edited by: StephBee  
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3. Letter from the Editor
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DRAMA IS:
#1 - The Greek word for "action."
#2 - A real life situtation or succession of events having the dramatic progression of a play.
Drama is the script or play brought to life. Representative of drama are the masks - one comedy, one tragedy. Modern day drama has expanded to include a multitude of several sub-genres, not just comedy and tragedy.
In this newsletter, I'll be giving you an overview of what a script/play is so you can determine if it is something you might be interested in pursuing.
On a personal note, this is my last Drama Newsletter as a regular editor. (I might come back for a guest spot here or there) The Romance/Love Newsletter became available and I took advantage of the opportunity to try something a little different.
My first Drama Newsletter was in January 2007. This is my 41st Drama Newsletter. I can't believe I've been around that long!
It's been a great journey for me. I've met some great people who edited this newsletter and I've learned a lot from them. The highlight of my time here was putting together a 1 act play, "War and Wine," which I'll include in the picks below. Thank you so much for your feedback, comments and critiques over the years. It's helped me to grow as a writer and an editor.
And now - Onto the show! |
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According to the "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing" by Laurie E. Rozakis, drama is literature intended to be performed in front of an audience. (I like the Guide to Creative Writing, it's been very helpful to me when I need to reference something) The main elements of a drama include: characters, dialogue, setting, and stage direction.
Plays are usually written in acts. Think of it like this: a one act play usually has 4-6 scenes and is usually equal to a short story. A two - three act play is usually equal to a novel. Nowadways, plays are usually crafted as two act plays with an intermission between the acts and they run about 90 minutes long.
 Musicals are a bit different from plays in that they use songs to advance the plot. They can be 1, 2, or 3 act plays.
*****
When you get ready to write your play, you should establish a checklist to reference for those working behind the scenes to help put it together. This is so they can work on props and scenery. You should list:
"A play in ___ acts"
The setting
The cast of characters
It is helpful if you can give a scene breakfown for each act, but this is optional.
 Remember to number your pages
Center the above information before diving into Act 1, Scene 1.
Stage Directions: are usually included in the dialgoue and are written in parentheses or italics. These directions tell the actor/director how to play the character.
*****
Structure, Characters, and Conflict are important to your play. They are the glue that holds the play together. Here are some elements to keep in mind as you write:
STRUCTURE
Is the opening exciting?
Is the plot clear?
CHARACTERS
Are they defined?
Are they consistent?
CONFLICT:
Is it believable?
Is it resolved in a logical way?
This is just a broad overview of what to expect if you tackle script/play writing. It's not all just about dialogue. You have to consider your characters, setting, and scene directions as well. It's a different KIND of writing from manuscript writing, but once you master it, it can be very rewarding.
Results from the last HOT DRAMA POLL
Question: What is your favorite Awards show?
#1 - The Oscars
#2 - The BAFTRA awards.
 FYI - Anne Hathaway will be helping to announce the Oscar nominations on 2 FEB 2010. This year's show will be air on 7 MAR 2010.
FEATURED PRODUCT REVIEW
Reference for this Newsletter: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creative Writing, 2nd Edition by Laurie E. Rozakis, Ph.D., 2004, Alpha Books.
Thank you so much for sharing my Drama experience with you these past 3 years, and I hope to see you soon at the Romance/Love NL starting in March.
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Here are some pics from around the site:
FOLDERS:
STORIES:
SCRIPTS/PLAYS
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1427653 by Not Available. |
|  | War and Wine (13+)
Young Edmund Huet struggles to maintain his family's vineyard during World War II.
#1452559 by StephBee |
SOME DRAMA ACTIVITIES
|  | Drama Forum (13+)
For those of us drama queens and kings, a forum to swap writing ideas and post questions
#1394242 by Joy  |
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
Don't forget to support our sponsor!
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Here's some feedback from my 6 JAN 2010 Newsletter:
Adriana Noir 
Great tips on writing a good military piece, Steph!
Joy
Great newsletter, Steph!
Using the correct military words is very important because they validate the writer. As to the "Research the Place" in your NL, that came up in my NaNo novel of World War II. Luckily I did the research and found out that some of the bases now in use were not established then, whereas there were others in use that are closed now. Research always helps. 
YOUR FULL TIME DRAMA EDITORS:
Joy
Adriana Noir
esprit
StephBee is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. Her book, "The Hungarian," is due out in May 2010 with Desert Breeze Publishing. Her book, "The Giving Meadow," is due out in April 2010 with 4RV Publishing. Her story, "Roytal Pretender," is coming soon in the Cupid Diaries. |
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Drama: February 03, 2010 Issue [#3527]
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