Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-05-18
" 7

WIZ OULD you like to write
NV play? It's a pretty difficult
w job. but think how many
persons have become rich
from it, says the Kansas City star,
Not so many years ago Augustus
Thomas, author of THE Other Girl.
was reporter for the Kansas city
Times. Today he has uoney to waste
that is, II he has saved any of it.
and all from writing plays Here's
what he says about his art:
There are three ways of writing
plays" said Mr.. Thomas recently.
THE first kind OF writer starts out
with a story he can get anywhere
II need not necessarily be his own
and then he sets to work to give life
to that story. The second kind Of
ceives very strong situation and
writes up to that and down from it.
The third type is the one who starts
with set of characters, or with one
character. and lets them work out
their own story
And which type of man are YOU,
/
which of the three methods do you
employ in writing plays?"
The third" he replied, laconically.
Il begin with a group of characters
ana let them live together for a
while, and they make their own story
IF the public is disappointed. I'm not
for / have no idea how the thing viii
end. I haven't thought how it Will
work Out-they develop their own
story, you see. Under these condl-
tons. If man tried TO bind his char
acters by conventions. they would
smell of the theater.
How long do / think about my
characters? oh, that depends; some
times a year. sometimes two: some
times not longer than six months. The
work Of play is all done when the
writing rs commenced. That is the
mere mechanical part"
After Mr. Thomas has his dramas
well in mind-whan his dream-pe ople
have lived together. have joys and
sorrows, and developed. through stu
atlOns. a plot he sketches the story
orally to the manager for whom he Is
writing the piece II this resume
proves satisfactory lie thon writes IN
scenario, % composite picture of the
niece. ana then follows the play in
detail scene by scene, act by act, In
regular sequence
b
oh. IL isn't 4 question II division. but
OF construction. Scenes are neces-
slty They are the anatomy ~ tho
thing You can't measure them of
with a yard stick"
Does your environment affect
Your work2"
"Other things being equal II does
not. can work ana write my
where. As for Incidents which sug-
eest my plays as a man gets along
I'm life he draws on his own obsnrva-
ton; every bit Of experience OF travel,
's valuable TO him, ana he never
q ows whom ne r. going 10 need IT,"
The length OF time for writing
plaY after the Mental construction It
complete differs, Of course. depending
upon circumstance Mr., Thomas has
heon known 10 write an net IN ono
night while sometimes he rs busy
on one ms long as n month.
"po YOU like writing 10 order. or
would Won prefer TO follow your own
irclination?'
Yves, ] IKE IT," answered Nh
Thomas thouehtfullv. 'Gf ann writing
II for any actor with strong. inspir-
ing persOn1litv Thomas W Ross. for
Instance II rs "a greet pleasure to
write 2 play for him. His personality
W 50 strong go run ~ inspirnuon"
while writing "a play for some par
lcular actor must be Rreat guide 10
YOU In IN" natter ~ character work
do you not find n "a restriction that
sometimes hampers You@"
Yes, ] DO, NJ course, but one off
sets the other, us compensating
thing replied the playwright.
Asked Z whom actively at work on
enc play he ever rives thought 10 nm
other the dramatist replied:
sometimes AN alien character