Playwriting with Purpose

Jacqueline Goldfinger is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg, and librettist. Her work has been produced around the world, including performances at The Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, Contemporary American Theatre Festival, École nationale de théâtre du Canada, BBC Radio 3, among others. As an educator, she has taught playwriting and dramaturgy at University of Pennsylvania (undergraduate), University of California, Davis (graduate), and others. She was the Guest Editor for the new play issue of the Journal of American Drama and Theatre. As a dramaturg, she has worked on new plays at La Jolla Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre Company, and others. For more information, visit www.jacquelinegoldfinger.com.

“We're living through a frantic and feverish time in history, and simultaneously in a golden age of playwriting. The fastest society is colliding with the slowest art form. This book will guide you to the center of that collision, where you can locate the love and ferocity that draws you to writing while sharpening your craft and getting your play on to the stage.”Rob Handel, Chair of Dramatic Writing, Carnegie Mellon University“Playwriting with Purpose is an empowering and accessible playwriting companion for new and experienced writers alike. Goldfinger draws on an exceptionally wide range of classical and contemporary texts from around the globe to create an expansive and inspiring provocation of what a play can be. I love that this book considers both the art and the artist - encouraging playwrights to think about why and how they write, as well as what they write. It demystifies and offers practical advice on navigating the business of playwriting - from writing applications to networking - offering valuable insight into the inner workings of an industry that is often overwhelming to new playwrights. This engaging, encouraging and comprehensive guide to both the craft and business of playwriting feels like having your own personal mentor in your pocket!”Dr Jenny Knotts, PhD in Playwriting, University of Glasgow"I wish I had this book when I began my writing journey. It's fresh, funny, thought-provoking, and provides important insights into the industry so that playwrights can get their work on stage immediately." Antoinette Nwandu, Award-Winning Playwright and Screenwriter, Broadway and Netflix"Read this book now. It is a gift to our students and our industry. It's going to revolutionize how we teach playwriting." Jessica Bashline, University of Miami"A refreshing and galvanizing treatise on the craft of playwriting. Great for emerging playwrights!"Yussef El Guindi, Award-Winning Playwright, Back of the Throat, Language Rooms“Playwriting with Purpose is a practical and straightforward book. It's great to use both in classes and as individual playwrights. At its heart, this book makes a difficult thing easier. The material is focused and pragmatic, drawing from a dynamic community of experts.”Justin A. Maxwell, The Creative Writing Workshop, University of New Orleans"I'm going to put this book on the Required Reading list for playwriting, acting, and directing classes. Actors and directors also need to know how plays function in order to do their best work." Margaret Laurena Kemp, University of California, Davis"Goldfinger’s workbook combines well curated examples with engaging exercises and evocative writing prompts to create an endless array of customizable approaches to playwriting. It speaks to the full range of those interested in creating scripted drama - students and teachers, novices and experts." David S. Thompson, Agnes Scott College"Goldfinger is passionate about introducing writers to a variety of playwrights. She values the diverse voices, perspectives, and structures present in contemporary dramatic literature and does not place extra value on the “well-made play.” This approach gives students the opportunity to explore their own voice. [...] Individual, self-motivated playwrights will find Playwriting with Purpose to be an encouraging and uplifting guide that lays out an exploratory path through the process of creating dramatic work, organizing it, and adding to it to develop a longer piece.”Lainie Vansant, University of South Dakota, Theatre Topics, Volume 35, Number 2, July 2025

• Introduction: How This Works 1. Writing Warm Ups 2. Now and You 3. Character 4. Externalization 5. Monologue 6. Conflict & Action 7. Dialogue 8. Stage Directions 9. Exposition 10. Story & Plot 11. Play World 12. Theme & Idea 13. Point of View 14. Scenes 15. What’s in a Scene 16. Scene Length & Scope 17. Structure & the Dramatic Question 18. Five Popular Structures 19. Other Notes on Structure 20. Play Designations 21. Short Plays 22. Feedback & Collaboration 23. Revision 24. The Business of Playwriting 25. Writing for Film & TV 26. Extra Credit