Working on Lizzie

My play “A Bike Called Lizzie” is almost a complete draft!

I don’t think I realised when I had the idea to write it how different writing a one-person play would be. When I started in January, I thought we would be nearly finished by this point. Without another person to bounce the conversation on, it’s hard to move the story in a way that has a traditional plot structure. I have always relied on dialogue and silences between two or more characters to build tension.

At the moment, I have five pages that would make an awesome monologue and a second set of five pages that are also good but don’t relate to the first five pages at all. In between these two sections are even more pages that serve a purpose but aren’t as strong as I would like.

If I wasn’t so in love with the story and what I am trying to say with it, I think I would have quit.

Fortunately for me, I have Matt, who is helping me develop the play.

He was excited back in August when I pitched him my idea and has never wavered in his excitement or commitment to take it to Fringe.

I feel like I sound like I’m complaining.

I love this play, and I’m loving the learning process it has led me on.

I just wasn’t expecting it.

I’m excited to see where it goes. \

I’m also excited to be a better playwright with new skills by the end of this whole process.

I just also want to acknowledge how difficult learning new things can be.

I think once I get this to a solid first draft, I am going to take a short break before I dive back in.

I’m so glad I have such a long time till Fringe.