I guess I am looking for advice. So far I have only taken two Playwriting classes. (The first was practically a joke, so I won't count it.) The other was at my College, and the only Playwriting class we offer. It was mainly just a critical forum for our work, which, though incredibly helpful, didn't really offer me much in the way of learning any type of process.
So how important do you think it is for a playwright to have formal training? Does that mean taking classes? Reading books? Or are writing and the ability to understand human nature just natural gifts that come to some people?
I think it's helpful to have a background in drama--knowing how plays are structured, how staging and design is accomplished, what actors can do (and can't do), and a sense of where theater has been and where it might be going. It's also good to have a writer's education, versed in literature and non-theatrical forms of writing such as fiction, poetry, journalism, and essay. The more you know about what's been done, the less you have to reinvent the wheel. On the other hand, I don't think it's necessary to have an advanced degree in playwriting unless you want to teach.
That said, the most difficult part of playwrighting, in my opinion, is writing dialogue. That is where most people fail. When I applied to grad schools I sent a one act to a Broadway playwright who teaches at one of the schools I was considering. He wrote me an emailing that tore apart a lot of that one act. Then he ended the email by saying this:
Many people believe that they could be talented at writing. Be it that they think they could write fiction, poetry, screenplay, lyrics, or plays. Very few people will admit that they cannot do it, however, the truth is that very few people can do it. Most of the applications we receive have dialogue that is utterly unbelievable. The fact is that most people simply do not know how people communicate with other people. They are able to do it in their lives because of instinct, but they are unable to turn those conversations into believable dialogue.
I think that his point is true. Dialogue is something that is both difficult to do and difficult to learn. Most writers can get away without a strong talent for dialogue. The writers who have to be gifted in dialogue are playwrights.
I've posted my reasons for not getting an MFA in Playwrighting. The main reason is that I've had enough experience, mainly due to luck, that I've now learned a lot of the things I was criticized for by the playwright in the previous email. Those opportunities won't come to very many people. I honestly think you'll have a difficult time without some formal training.
