Want to write a play but not sure where to start? Maybe you’ve managed to get started but you need a little help along the way.

We asked playwrights Donna Abela, Hilary Bell, Michael Gow, Jane Harrison, Noelle Janaczewska, Lally Katz, Verity Laughton, Caleb Lewis, Suzie Miller, Tommy Murphy, Louis Nowra, Debra Oswald, Catherine Ryan, Tom Wright, Catherine Zimdahl, and dramaturges (a bit like an editor, who works alongside the playwright to get their script ready for production)  Rachel Hennessy and Jane FitzGerald, to answer some questions about the nuts and bolts of writing a play.  They all love writing for theatre. And they hope you’ll love writing for theatre too. 

In Fresh Ink you will find their answers, and much much more.

What makes a good character? Should you work out the plot before you start writing your play? And when you’ve written that first draft, how can you make your next draft better? Ever feel confused about dramatic action? You’re not the only one, but here you can read about why it’s crucial to your play.   Read about some of the common mistakes made by new (and not so new) writers. And explore our playwrights’ Twenty Top Tips to help you on your way.   Read Playwrights’ Pathways to show you that just as there are many different styles of play, there are many different ways to become a playwright.

Fresh Ink isn’t a step-by-step playwriting guide, it’s more like a dialogue of ideas and inspirations. We’ve included some writing exercises to try out, but they’re certainly not homework! 

You might like to dip in and out of Fresh Ink as the need arises or you might prefer to read through from beginning to end. Or end to beginning! There’s no one right way to tackle this site.  

Think of Fresh Ink as a writing buddy, one who encourages you, assists you, inspires you… and sometimes steals your favourite pen.