I was having this discussion with another reader last night. The major problem I'm seeing is a poor sense of plot. Many of the plays I've read have started off strong, with interesting characters. Sometimes they're even in interesting situations.
And then nothing happens.
They stare off into space at the fade with blank looks on their faces like chess pieces the player didn't know how to use. In my grumpier moments I blame it on Raymond Carver and the character-uber-alles MFA program writing style, but mostly I think it's that most writers end up with opaque endings when they don't know what they're trying to say. On the other hand, I'm also recognizing that writing a one-act is hard, the equivalent of a 1000 word short story. It's difficult to cram any kind of character arc into that little time in an original way.
Out of the dozen I've read, I've found one I love, and even that one sort of breaks apart at the end.
no subject
And then nothing happens.
They stare off into space at the fade with blank looks on their faces like chess pieces the player didn't know how to use. In my grumpier moments I blame it on Raymond Carver and the character-uber-alles MFA program writing style, but mostly I think it's that most writers end up with opaque endings when they don't know what they're trying to say. On the other hand, I'm also recognizing that writing a one-act is hard, the equivalent of a 1000 word short story. It's difficult to cram any kind of character arc into that little time in an original way.
Out of the dozen I've read, I've found one I love, and even that one sort of breaks apart at the end.