How did you get your start as a writer?

I've been writing for as long as I can remember! I've always loved books and reading, and learned to read at an early age. I think I wrote my first story (with the help of my mom) at age 4. When I was in 4th grade, I won the class short story contest for a story I titled "The Dawning of the Sun." I continued to write through my junior high school years until I developed an interest and passion in theatre and acting.

What was it that interested you about playwriting?

My love for theatre began when I was in junior high school. I’ve been acting for more than 23 years, mostly in theatre, but also in film and television. As I got older and started having career and family commitments, I didn’t have the time to commit to theatre that acting required. But my passion for the art was still very strong, so I decided to combine my love of writing with my passion for theatre and begin writing for the stage. I wrote my first play at the age of 29. I realized that I found playwriting far more fulfilling than acting and I found that I had a natural talent for writing plays.

How did you learn about proper formatting and structure of stage plays?

Because of my extensive experience in theatre, I had little difficulty learning how to construct plays. To enhance my craft and become familiar with proper formatting, I took several playwriting classes as well as reading a number of books on playwriting. One of the best I found was Writing Your First Play by Roger A. Hall.

Tell me about the market for plays.  What kind of work is in demand?

There is a great market for plays. Of course, getting a professional theatre production can be highly competitive. But there are many opportunities, even for beginning playwrights, to be produced in community theatre as well as at colleges and universities. And because acting and speech students are always looking for original monologues and scenes for classes and competitions, writing for students can be a very lucrative market.

No playwright should be without Insight for Playwrights  (http://www.insightforplaywrights.com). It is a monthly newsletter featuring theatres looking for plays as well as playwriting contests. (There are many playwriting contests held throughout the country and this can be a great way to "get your foot in the door" if you’re just starting to build your resume.) 

How are playwrights generally paid?  Is there a flat fee, or do you get payments based on the number of performances, size of the theatre, etc.?

Most playwrights write plays because they love theatre – definitely not for the money! I have had many productions of my plays that were not paid productions. Because I’m not supporting myself as a writer, I really don’t have an issue with non-paying productions. My feeling is that it is more important to have my work seen. For the performances in which I have been paid, it has most often been a flat fee.
Professional productions will usually involve payment based on number of performances and size of the theatre.

Having one’s work published will almost always involve payment. Most of my play publications have involved a flat fee. Now that I have an anthology of my own plays coming out, Plays for a New Generation, I will be paid based on number of copies sold. 

Are you generally involved in the performances of your plays?  Do you get to see them all?

Because I have had plays produced in so many different places, I have not had the opportunity to see all of the productions. I like it when a theatre sends a video of a performance but that doesn’t always happen.

I did get the opportunity to direct a performance of one of my plays at Carrollwood Players theatre in Tampa. It was an interesting experience because I got to carry out my vision for the play from beginning to end. Because theatre is a collaborative art, it is usually the playwright's job to create the “blueprint” for a play. The director will then execute what becomes a kind of “joint vision” between the playwright's intentions and the director’s interpretation and vision. Generally, I think my work improves significantly when someone else directs it because they will often see things that I never imagined in my narrow view of the piece. I have been truly amazed at some of the productions of my plays because they have been so good. (And not because of my writing, either!) Because of the wonderful and creative directing and the unique interpretations of character and dialogue that actors have brought to the work. Way beyond what I could have done alone! That is the magic of theatre! 

How is your writing therapeutic? 

As most writers will attest, we write because we have to write. It is not a choice. I personally feel my writing is my contribution to the world. I hope that when people read my work or go to see a performance of one of my plays, they are both entertained and enlightened.

But beyond that, writing as a personal experience has been a powerful force in my life. I deal with most issues in my life through my writing. One example was the creation of my first novel, Hey Dorothy You’re Not in Kansas Anymore. When I was 25 years old, my father committed suicide. It was emotionally devastating for my family dealing with his death. But the tragic event in my life provided the seed for creation of the Robinson family - a family dealing with the sudden death of their patriarch. By writing what became a comedic novel about dealing with the sudden death of a family member, I was able to come to terms with the tragedy in my own life.

I've had several requests for short plays or monologues from drama and forensics students, and now I see that you've done some writing specifically for this market.  What made you think to write these kinds of scripts, and how did you sell them to Brooklyn Publishers and Meriwether Publishing?

I can’t say that I have ever written for a specific market. I write what I’m inspired to write and then find a market for it. I’ve been fortunate that there has always been a market for my work. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I came to playwriting with a strong theatre background, so I already know what “works” on stage.

As I mentioned before, Insight for Playwrights (http://marketinsight.virtualave.net/) is a must-have publication for anyone serious about playwriting. Almost every publication or production opportunity I have had came as a direct result of replying to call for plays in that publication. I also belong to a wonderful group called the International Centre for Women Playwrights (http://www.internationalwomenplaywrights.org/). We have a listserv and many of the members will post production or publication opportunities there as well.

Of course, students themselves are very Internet savvy, so having a website about plays and playwriting attracts many student inquiries. I always allow students to use my unpublished work free of charge if it is for educational purposes. I know that not all playwrights agree with that approach, but in my “day job” I work at a university where I counsel and advise students. I’m very much an advocate for students and for higher education. 

Do theatre producers take your work more seriously if it's done well in playwriting contests?

You have to be very careful with that! There are theatres that will only produce work that has not had a previous production. So if a contest winning includes a play production, you many have a more difficult time getting the work produced again. Of course, if you win one of the larger, more prestigious contests, your play will probably get more notice and by higher level theatres.

What are the unique challenges of playwriting, and what special qualities should a playwright possess?

Playwriting is unique because you are writing for the stage. You always have to keep in mind that what you’re writing is meant to be performed. That is much different than writing for a reader. Also, playwriting is a collaborative art. (I know I mentioned this already but it is worth repeating!) What you create as a playwright will change and grow as it is interpreted by a director and again by the actors. If you want your writing to remain static and unchanging then don't write a play! That’s what novels and short stories are for.

I think it would be very difficult to be a playwright without having some kind of theatre background. Most playwrights I know have either been actors or directors prior to becoming playwrights. At the very least, one would have to have seen a significant number of plays performed and have an appreciation for the art of theatre.

You earned your MFA in creative writing, with an emphasis on playwriting.  How much did this help (or not help) your writing?

I am a firm believer in education. I’ve always loved school and taking classes. Since I had already earned a graduate degree in my career field (counseling), pursuing a graduate degree in creative writing was something I did 100 percent selfishly. I did it, not only to take my writing to the “next level,” but also to earn a certain level of “credibility” as a writer. I have taken many (many, many!) writing classes and I believe I have benefited from all of them.

I don’t believe one has to pursue a graduate degree in writing to be a great writer, though. It’s such an individualized process. But for me, formal education has been a wonderful way to improve my writing.  

What's your best advice for aspiring playwrights?

Get as much theatre experience as possible! Watch a lot of play performances! Fall in love with theatre. I don’t think one can be a successful playwright without a passion for theatre.

You can find out more about Karen at
http://www.homestead.com/karenmueller/.

Plays for a New Generation, an anthology of plays by Karen Mueller Bryson, is available at: http://www.homestead.com/karenmueller/playbook.html.