They want you to fail

They want you to fail
Playwriting Exercise
“They want you to fail so they won’t be alone.”
I came across this vivid sentence this week. Who are they? Doesn’t matter. It’s anyone who
beats you down. It’s anyone who sneers at you. Anyone who prays for you to trip so they can
laugh when you fall. And what a delicious twist – “so they won’t be alone.”
EXERCISE:
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Write a two person scene between two best friends.
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Friend A is leaving town for an exciting new life in New York.
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The scene dissolves into a confrontation. Friend B is doubtful that Friend A will succeed.
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At some point in the scene incorporate the twist: Friend B wants Friend A to fail so they
won’t be alone.
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How does Friend A react to this?
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Who is alone at the end of the scene?
Lindsay Price © 2014
www.lindsay­price.com