Self-Inspired

"Children want to write. They want to write the first day they attend school. This is no accident. Before they went to school they marked up walls, pavements, newspapers with crayons, chalk, pens or pencils... anything that makes a mark. The child's marks say, 'I am.'" - from Writing: Teachers and Children at Work by Donald H. Graves

You may have heard people say that you should only "write what you know." What does that mean exactly? A lot of young writers get intimidated by this idea and believe that they don't know enough to write about whatever it is that interests them. That is simply not true. While it is important to know something about what you are writing, you will ultimately need to use your creativity and imagination to create the world in which the character lives and breathes. So, don't be afraid to write about that issue, that event, or that feeling that you are itching to get out. Writing is a way for you to tell the world what you're thinking and how you feel.

Strong writing is inspired by things that you are passionate about. Once you have identified an idea that you feel strongly about, draw from your experience and imagination to create a character and a world for that character to inhabit. Send them on a journey to accomplish something and see what happens. You can always go back later to do research about any experiences, time periods, or other facts that you are unsure about. These will be included in your revisions. But for now, to help you get started in generating story ideas, take a look at the following "Self-Questionnaire." This was adapted from a worksheet created by Dominique Cieri, a teaching artist with Playwrights Theatre.

SELF-QUESTIONNAIRE
Answer each of the questions about you. Be sure to include as much detail as possible.

1. What is your full name?
2. What are some nicknames you have? Who calls you these names?
3. Where were you born?
4. Is there a story about your birthday?
5. Mother’s full name (including her Maiden name, if you know it)
6. Father’s full name
7. One grandparent’s full name
8. Do you call anyone by a nickname? Who are these people? What do you call them? Why?
9. Who do people tell you that you look like? (family member, someone famous?)
10. What is important to you? What would you stand up and fight for?
11. What gets you really angry?
12. What is your biggest dream?
13. What is unique about you?
14. What or who do you admire? Why?
15. Everyone has a life question. This is something that you’re dying to know. Someone is going to walk through the door in 20 seconds and answer this question. Quick! Don’t think about it, just write down the first question that comes to mind.

Hopefully there is an answer to one of these questions that has sparked an idea to jump start your writing. These are the same questions that you might ask your characters to get a deeper understanding of each of them. See where your answers take you and if you can create a character for your story, ask these same questions of that character.

Have fun writing!

They're here!

The brochures for the NJ Young Playwrights Contest arrived at Playwrights Theatre yesterday.

They should arrive at your school by this Friday. Ask your Drama or English teacher if they received one. If not, let me know and I'll send one right out.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES!

Playwrights Theatre is now accepting submissions for the NJ Young Playwrights Contest and Festival 2009! Please read the submission guidelines below.

HOW TO ENTER YOUR SCRIPT

Read this carefully. Plays not submitted in this format will be rejected.

Entries must be postmarked no later than January 16, 2009.

Preparing Your Submission

It looks like a long list of things to do, but don't worry, it's easy and we're here to help!

• Plays must be in the style of the professional format example provided. See the format example here.


• Submit three (3) copies of your play. Keep the original at home; scripts will not be returned.


• Include a self-addressed, STAMPED, business-size envelope for return of reader feedback. Scripts without stamped envelopes will not be entered in the contest.


• Plays may not be written by more than FIVE (5) authors who are residents of, or students in, New Jersey between the ages of 9 and 19.


• All authors must be within the grade range of the division being entered.


• College students are not eligible.


• The choice of subject and style of language is up to you. However, you are strongly urged to use discretion, as the plays may become public.


• Scripts must be no longer than 20 minutes in performance time and/or no longer than 20 typed pages.


• Scripts must be typed in Times Roman, font size 12, color black, one-inch margins with pages numbers and stapled once in the upper left-hand corner. IMPORTANT: SCRIPTS SHOULD NOT BE BOUND IN ANY OTHER WAY.


• Playwright's name and other personal information should appear on the cover page, but NOT appear anywhere else in the script. Playwright must include one (1) cover page with the following information (in this order): See the cover page sample here.
  1. Name
  2. Address (street, city, state, zip)
  3. NJ county in which you live
  4. Home telephone number
  5. E-mail address
  6. Grade in school
  7. Date of birth
  8. Parent/Guardian name
  9. School name and address
  10. School telephone and e-mail
  11. Principal's name
  12. English/Writing/Language teacher's name (if applicable)
  13. If you participated in a NJWP residency.
  14. If yes, then the name of the teaching artist

Please write on the envelope the school division (Elementary, Junior High, High School, Spanish Language, or Rewrites) in which the play or plays are entered.


Very Important: Entries for different divisions must be sent in separate envelopes.


Scripts submitted to previous New Jersey Young Playwrights Contests are not eligible, except for in the REWRITES Division.

Filmscripts, screenplays, adaptations of other author's work are not eligible.

Critiques and contest results will not be distributed until June 2009.

Plays are accepted in the following Divisions:Elementary (Grades 4-6)Junior High (Grades 7-9)High School (Grades 10-12)Spanish Language (Grades 10-12)Rewrites (Grades 10-12)


REWRITES DIVISION (Grades 10-12)
This division is an opportunity for students in Grades 10-12 to submit a revised version of a script submitted to a previous year’s NJ Young Playwrights Contests. One winner may be selected. Entries to the Rewrites Division must adhere to the submission guidelines, plus the following:
1. Submit three (3) copies of the original version of the script.

2. Submit three (3) copies of the revised version of the script.

3. Be sure each version is clearly marked on both the cover page, and first page of the script.

If you have any questions, contact the Education Department at Playwrights Theatre (973) 514-1787, ext. 14 or jdevivo@ptnj.org

Send your entry to:
NEW JERSEY YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
c/o Playwrights Theatre
PO Box 1295
Madison, NJ 07940

Entries must be postmarked no later than January 16, 2009.

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The New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival is a project of Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey. Funding is provided by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State. ® New Jersey Young Playwrights Festival and New Jersey Young Playwrights Program are registered to the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission.

Where should I start?

Figuring out what to write is frustrating. The stops and starts you experience when first sitting down to write are just the mind’s way of sorting out all the potential places from which to begin. For some writers, starting is simply about putting pen to paper… or fingers to keyboard… and letting the ideas flow. The important thing to them is that words get written on the paper… or screen. Other writers will take time to think things through; perhaps creating detailed outlines or sketches before diving in. And still other writers have other methods - the ways to begin are as numerous as the people who sit down to write. There is no “best” way to start, but the best thing is to get started.

As we reboot the NJ Young Playwrights Festival for a 26th year, plans are in place to post to this blog some ideas, exercises, statements, and other items to help get you started on a new one-act play, and to keep you going once you’ve begun.

We'll begin with an article written by Alexandra R. Moses for Edutopia Magazine, an online and print publication from the George Lucas Educational Fund (yup, that George Lucas). The article centers on young playwrights programs across the county (including those sponsored by Playwrights Theatre) and is mainly geared for classroom teachers. However, there is some good information in there for young playwrights, particularly in the links to writing samples and guidelines/tips from other contests and festivals. The link is http://www.edutopia.org/student-playwrights-project-playwriting

The submission deadline for the NJ Young Playwrights Festival 2009 is a postmark of JANUARY 16, 2009. Submission guidelines will be posted to the Playwrights Theatre website and to this blog in the weeks to come. An official contest brochure will be in the mail to all New Jersey schools by the end of September, so let your teachers know to keep an eye out for that.

Keep checking this blog for writing tips and more information. For now, get writing!