I had a huge Why I Write Plays Epiphany in writer’s group the other night. Someone said of my characters, what’s interesting about them / what I like them is that they are so, so honest. At first I thought: well, huh.  That’s just bad writing. If a character is deeply honest all of the time, then how are they truly being a person? Real people avoid and and lie and sit on their feelings. Basically what I’m doing writing characters who puke their thoughts with little to no obstacle. So, that should be addressed.

But thinking about it more, I realized that my characters express themselves this way because I cannot. I struggle, I really struggle, like everyday, with being fully honest, in fear of the recipient of my words being offended / hating me / not loving me anymore. I’m careful. And so, I live vicariously through my characters as they bravely say every single disgusting and personal thing that is on their minds. There are probably like 200 other reasons why I write plays, but I really think this is a big one. And that is the truth.