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Year 8 · English · Modern drama · Lesson 4

Writing your own scene

How to plan and write an original drama scene: conflict, realistic dialogue, subtext, stage directions and a strong ending.

Whiteboard video lesson: Writing your own scene

19-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Plan a scene with conflict and change
  • Lay out a script correctly
  • Write dialogue with subtext
  • Use stage directions for tone
  • Improve a weak scene

The method

  1. Plan who, where, conflict and change.
  2. Open with a short stage direction.
  3. Write realistic dialogue with subtext.
  4. End with a change or cliffhanger.

Key words: conflict, subtext, stage directions, playwright, interruption, pause, cliffhanger.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

How many characters work best in a short scene?

  1. Step 1: Two or three
  2. Step 2: Easier to develop and follow

Answer: Two or three

Question 2

What is conflict in drama?

  1. Step 1: Characters want different things
  2. Step 2: Creates tension

Answer: When characters want different things

Question 3

Rewrite ‘I am very angry with you’ with subtext.

  1. Step 1: ‘(very quietly) Was it you?’

Answer: e.g. (very quietly) Was it you?