Think in Extremes. It's More Fun That Way.
Don’t write blindly, write strategically.
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Unless you’re aiming for a three-hour monologue packed with exposition (please, for the love of god, don’t), you need to start writing with extremes in mind.
I’m talking:
“Don’t do that!!” and
“Oh my god, what are you doing??” moments.
That’s the stuff. That’s drama.
That’s what makes your play thick like butter. Cue music.
What are extremes?
Extremes are the best or worst possible outcomes in your story.
You can find them commonly in:
Turning points
Climax moments
And it’s almost always a moment of:
Emotional detonation
Actions that can’t be undone
They’re where the character either gets what they want or realises it was all for nothing. And what happens next? That’s the meat of your story.
Do they keep fighting?
Do they surrender?
Do they disappear?
Just like in life, every big decision comes from one question:
What would it take for them to get there?
The “there”? That’s your extreme.
Some extreme examples:
Extreme: She wants to kill her partner.
The build: She manipulates them into a place (physically or emotionally) where she could carry it out.
Extreme: The baby dies.
The build: The couple is so consumed by their arguments that they forgot they’re holding the child — until their grip loosens, and the baby slips.
Extreme: He marries his best friend.
The build: They trauma-dump over coffee, share a quiet moment, and suddenly — a kiss. Or a promise. Or a pact.
But here’s the thing:
You don’t have to go there.
By simply knowing what the extreme could be, you will know how to write towards it. Even if you never reach the edge, the tension of almost getting there? That’s gold.
Each scene needs:
An action.
A task.
A motivation.
A trajectory.
Extremes give you the destination.
So you're not just writing into the abyss.
You’re writing towards something explosive.
Even if the explosion happens much later in the play.
So go forth and write them thick, write them big.
(inner laughs)
Do you also think in extremes?
If not, do you have a version of this? I’d love to know!