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Enjoy a dose of my playwriting process,
writing confessions, and all the mess in between.
I first heard this on Emily Sheehan’s Playwright’s Process Podcast.
It’s one of those classic bits of writing advice, right up there with "show, don’t tell."
Obviously, it’s not literally about killing your loved ones (though… lol).
What it really means is: sometimes, there are moments or elements in your play that are absolutely mesmerising — but if they do not serve a strong enough purpose in the story, you need to let them go.
And so, what do you do?
🔪🧑👶🧔♀️🔪
It’s kind of a cousin to Chekhov’s Gun — the idea that every element in a story must have a purpose. If there’s a gun hanging on the wall, it must go off at some point. Otherwise, why is it even there?
A lot of times, we get so caught up writing the moment — but if those moments happen in isolation, they may not actually serve the whole story.
So, here’s what I do:
1. Embed It Across Moments
When I introduce a new element, I make sure it doesn’t live in just one scene. I thread it into earlier and later moments, giving it a driving action, task, or meaning.
Take The Obsidian Whisperer from my John Paul Parker Smith — I gave it a power and a purpose. It wasn’t just a cool item; it became the object that Christopher’s mother used to punish him, his trauma’s origin story. And in later scenes, the Obsidian Whisperer returns in different ways (I won’t spoil it for you!).
2. Give It Layers
One element, multiple meanings.
In The Woman Who Was Too Afraid To Touch The Sun, the sun metaphor wasn't just to burn, to scare, to scorch — it also represented light, guidance, and warmth.
Different characters, different moments, different perspectives.
Layering keeps your elements purposeful and fresh.
3. Pressure Test It
Really, really ask yourself:
Do I actually need it?
Could another element cover the same ground?
Could the story move forward without it?
Sometimes I imagine it from a producer’s lens: would I spend X amount of money for this one item that only shows up once and does nothing?
4. Kill It
If you don’t need it, cut it. And don’t be sentimental about it.
Unless, of course, you’re intentionally using it as a MacGuffin — an object that drives the plot. Think the Sorcerer's Stone in Harry Potter or the ring in Lord of the Rings. Even if the item itself is passive, the journey toward it fuels the story.
But if it's just a random pitchfork lying in the middle of the room for no reason? Murder it. Clean and swift.
And lastly, remember.
If you don’t murder your darlings...
they’ll murder you.
What is a darling that you recently murdered?