"A comprehensive how-to guide that deals with every aspect of the playwriting business." -- Writing Magazine Writing Plays is the invaluable and comprehensive guide to anyone who wants to write plays and get them performed. It covers the basics of the theatre, creating and working with characters, writing realistic speech and dialogue, constructing compelling plots and creating a great ending. There are also separate chapters focused on writing for different genres, including pantomimes, musicals, radio and television. And a final section looks at the practicalities of laying out, submitting and staging your play. For anyone thinking about writing plays - mainly for the stage, but also relevant for radio and television. Especially actors looking to get into writing, or writers of other works looking to move into theatre. A comprehensive how-to guide that deals with every aspect of the playwriting business.― Writing Magazine Lesley Bown and Ann Gawthorpe are prize-winning professional writers. They have been working and writing together for more than ten years, producing over 13 plays and hundreds of sketches, all of which have been performed by amateur or professional theatre groups or in broadcast productions.