How to Write a Play: The Tween and Teen Guide to Mastering Artful Storytelling

I always wanted to be a writer, but what I learned in Language Arts class always seemed to be missing something. Good storytelling couldn't be about just following a chart, right? Why was I able to ace my assignments by following the right story beats, but still think my stories weren't any good?

Then, I figured out the Campfire Theory of Storytelling, and it was game on from there. The Campfire Theory works because it's how the human brain literally evolved to understand and like stories. It's not about following a set pattern or story beats; it's about understanding what makes the brain like a story!

For the past fifteen years, I've taught creative writing to filmmaking and Talented and Gifted classes at the upper elementary and middle school level... all while writing nonstop myself.

Now, all the wisdom and materials I've created are here in one place and takes you a few steps beyond the typical English class. In order to learn how to structure a good story, you must learn what makes a good story and think beyond "What should I do next?" plot questions.

Filled with theory, exercises, examples, and jokes, How to Write a Play will get your creative juices flowing from your brain to the page.

The desire to tell good stories is built into our brains on a biological and evolutionary level. In How to Write a Play, you will learn what makes stories "tick" with readers and audiences, and why our brains crave good stories. You will be able to build from that knowledge to formulate plot, characters, scenes, dialogue, and jokes from the heaviest of dramas to the lightest of comedies.

This book is for tweens and teens with a true interest in writing and storytelling, who want to go beyond a typical Language Arts class to truly understand: What makes a story a good story?