Author: Mike Heath
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The Art of the Subplot: Revealing What the Main Plot Can’t
Is the middle of your story feeling a little flat? Are you struggling to show your protagonist’s true humanity? Maybe you’re trying to discover your character’s need? It sounds like you could do with a subplot. Whether you’re writing a play, a novel, or a screenplay, we all reach a point in the story where…
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The Falling Action of Act 2: Where the Real Drama Lives
Every storyteller knows the thrill of building the Rising Action of Act 2. We love the chase, the tension, and the sense that the protagonist is inching closer to the thing that will finally fix everything. The momentum feels like progress—like the story is climbing toward certainty—but it’s not as dramatically interesting as the Falling…
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Online playwriting courses for everyone with WriteForTheStage
Every writer knows the feeling: you’ve got a story you believe in, characters who won’t leave you alone, and a play that should be working… but somehow isn’t. This is where online playwriting courses bring the learning to you. Maybe your first ten pages don’t land. Perhaps your Act 2 sags – the emotional logic is fuzzy,…
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Mastering Act 2: The Art of Rising Action in Storytelling
Struggling with the middle of your story? You’re not alone. After the spark and momentum of Act 1, Act 2 can feel like hitting a creative pothole — the pace dips, the purpose blurs, and suddenly you’re wandering through scenes that don’t seem to be doing very much. The rising action feels flat. Sound familiar?…
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Why Act 2 Is Where Your Play Truly Comes Alive
Introducing Top of the Stack: Act 2 — the 5‑week course that transforms your script’s middle from “fine” to unforgettable. Every playwright knows the thrill of a strong opening. Those first ten pages crackle with possibility — characters bursting onto the page, a world taking shape, a story beginning to breathe. But then comes the…
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Why Online Playwriting Courses Are Transforming How Writers Learn Their Craft
If you’re exploring online playwriting courses, you’re already on the right track. More writers than ever are choosing to learn online — not because they have to, but because it genuinely works. Indeed, the best online playwriting courses don’t dilute the experience of learning in a room—they enhance it. They widen access, deepen discussion, and make…
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Writer’s Block Solutions: Sharper Dialogue & Stronger Stakes
Every writer gets stuck somewhere down the line. It doesn’t matter how many plays you’ve written or how many drafts you’ve survived, at some point, the words stop flowing, and the story that felt so alive yesterday suddenly looks like a flat line on a heart monitor. You need some writer’s block solutions! Most people…
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Playwriting CompetitionTips: How to Smash the 10-Page Sift
Every writer who submits to competitions like the BBC Writers Open Call knows the first hurdle: the 10-page sift. Before anyone engages with your characters’ full journey, those opening pages decide whether your script makes it to the next round. That’s not just about story—it’s about readability, rhythm, and confidence in your craft. That sift is brutal. But…
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10 Inspiring Gift Ideas for Writers
Writers are a unique breed. We live in worlds of imagination, and we wrestle with words until they sing. And we often spend long hours alone with our thoughts, so, choosing gifts for writers can feel daunting Indeed, what do you give someone whose greatest joy is a blank page and a pen? The answer:…
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10 Playwriting Exercises to Sharpen Craft and Spark Imagination
You wouldn’t run a marathon without warming up; likewise, it can be difficult to sit at your desk expecting yourself to be ready to commit ideas to the page without mentally preparing yourself. And this is where playwriting exercises come in, helping us test our language, structure, and tone in the privacy of the draft.…