The title of this could also be 'How I Write, and How I Want to Write'.

My training in college was all about developing work through improvisation over a long period, but that model is an expensive one if you're looking at a professional production, and I do shy away from asking creatives to work for free just to gain experience. But as a writer, building a complete world with characters and a socially relevant story arc all by myself is a tricky thing to do. Over the past few years I've developed one piece by working with an existing company and having discussions about the script, followed by a read-through before rewrites, and then doing last minute tweaks at the start of a two week rehearsal period - BUT that was tight. The play I'm working on now I've written after having an initial discussion with a dramaturge about the concept, followed by a second dramaturge session before final rewrites. But at no point have I heard the words read by actors - that will come when we go into rehearsals, and there won't really be much time for rewrites at that point. 

Luckily I trained originally as an actor, so when I'm writing I do tend to act out the lines I'm typing. But as a writer in these days of tight funding it's all about finding ways to bring your idea to the stage, and being creative about that is part of the job that I love. There doesn't seem to be any one model any more, and although it's difficult to get your head around all the possibilities, it's also an amazing time to be a creative. There are a thousand ways to get your work out there, and I'm happy to talk ideas with anyone. So if you're trying to create something and you think collaborating with a writer might be part of that process then let's talk.

I'm happy to write in all sorts of ways, just as long as I can keep writing and getting my stuff out there :-)  

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