# Interview with playwright Sierra Gale

An episode of [Playwriting Real-life](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1628778664), 6 Oct 2026, 33 min.

Audio: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2001114/episodes/19917981-interview-with-playwright-sierra-gale.mp3

In this episode, Kimberley talks to London Playwrights member, Sierra Gale. Sierra is a Canadian playwright who is working on some exciting projects. In this interview she shares how her playwriting journey began, and how she's navigating both her local and the UK theatre scene. Follow Sierra on Instagram : sierragale.solo_painted_path

## Transcript

[0:00] Kimberley: Hello, and welcome to Playwriting Real Life, the podcast from London Playwrights.
[0:05] Kimberley: I'm Kimberly, your host for this podcast, and in this episode, we are speaking to one of our London Playwrights members, Sierra Gale.
[0:13] Kimberley: Sierra Gale is a Canadian playwright, and we thought it would be really great to spend a few episodes of the podcast talking to our members and finding out all about what they are doing, the challenges they are facing, and what they're working on.
[0:28] Kimberley: So enjoy Hello, and welcome to the podcast.
[0:31] Kimberley: It's great to have you on.
[0:34] Kimberley: Hi, thank you.
[0:35] Kimberley: Hello.
[0:36] Kimberley: would you like to just tell us a bit about yourself and your writing?
[0:41] Kimberley: Yeah, sure.
[0:41] Kimberley: So my name is Sierra Gale.
[0:44] Kimberley: I am a writer in Canada.
[0:46] Kimberley: I live in northern Canada in the Yukon.
[0:49] Kimberley: It's quite far north, so that's fun.
[0:51] Sierra Gale: Yeah, I've been writing since I guess I could hold a pencil, but I, I started off, I've been trying to write a novel since I was 13.
[0:59] Sierra Gale: And then in the past few years, I just transitioned over to playwriting.
[1:04] Sierra Gale: I was just getting frustrated with I have about five novels that are about 50,000 words that I just can't finish, and I just was losing the love for writing,'cause I was just I was so frustrated.
[1:14] Sierra Gale: So yeah, so I switched over to playwriting.
[1:16] Sierra Gale: And I'm just loving it.
[1:18] Sierra Gale: I had a first draft within four months, and yeah, I just really have embraced it and and I love the London theater scene.
[1:26] Sierra Gale: That's great.
[1:27] Sierra Gale: Yeah, it can be really hard to finish novels, can't it?
[1:30] Sierra Gale: I know I've been writing a novel for a really long time now and it's not anywhere near finished.
[1:36] Kimberley: But I think with plays, you can get through them more, more quickly and also hopefully get some gratification if you can get them on stage as well.
[1:44] Kimberley: But it's really exciting for us at London Playwrights to have members from all different places because when we started off we were very much based in London and it was very small, and I think it's just really great that now we have people from all over the world.
[1:59] Kimberley: It's good to have a conversation with you today and find out what you've been doing.
[2:02] Kimberley: And so what's the new writing scene like in Canada?
[2:06] Kimberley: Ah I guess it depends on where you are.
[2:08] Kimberley: Okay.
[2:09] Kimberley: So I live in a village of about 450 people.
[2:13] Kimberley: And, yeah, we're quite far north, but surprisingly I've found quite a few writers out there.
[2:20] Sierra Gale: I know we're trying, we're gonna try and get a little bit of a writing club going in, in town just to, yeah, so it gives them all the writers a place to go.
[2:28] Sierra Gale: 'Cause I think there's at least a few of us in town.
[2:30] Sierra Gale: In the big city there in the Yukon we have Whitehorse, so there is a, a writing society there that I try and get to when I'm in the city.
[2:38] Sierra Gale: But other than that, yeah, I don't really have...
[2:41] Sierra Gale: I'm finding there's not a lot of yeah, writing resources around me.
[2:44] Sierra Gale: Oh, actually, I should say especially with playwriting there is quite a lot of theater opportunity I would say in the Yukon just because we're so small that, there's not a lot of people, I think, writing for theater anyways, so they try and give a lot of opportunity to those people.
[3:02] Sierra Gale: And we have, I think, some great funding.
[3:03] Sierra Gale: Yeah, no, it's been, that's been really cool to see and to start now exploring that and yeah, just be able to see that around the areas where I live.
[3:11] Sierra Gale: But yeah, yeah.
[3:12] Sierra Gale: Great.
[3:13] Sierra Gale: And so how did you find out about London Playwrights?
[3:17] Sierra Gale: It started...
[3:18] Sierra Gale: So when I first started playwriting, I had no idea what I was doing.
[3:22] Sierra Gale: I just loved theater.
[3:23] Sierra Gale: I got to a point in my life where I was finally stable enough in a career where I realized, oh I can actually, I can go see theater now.
[3:31] Sierra Gale: This is something I can afford.
[3:34] Sierra Gale: So I traveled to London saw some theater and then I, yeah, I just realized, I think some of my, one of my one of my stories for sure that was, I was trying to get to be a novel.
[3:46] Sierra Gale: I just realized, it might actually work as a play.
[3:48] Sierra Gale: So I started writing it.
[3:49] Sierra Gale: I had no idea what I was doing.
[3:51] Sierra Gale: I was basically googling format on playwriting, how to, just how to begin.
[3:57] Sierra Gale: And then I was just, again, just googling any kind of resources.
[4:00] Sierra Gale: I couldn't find any at the time for in, in my area.
[4:04] Sierra Gale: So but I knew I loved London theater.
[4:07] Sierra Gale: And I don't know what y'all do in the UK to your writers, actors, everything, but just another level.
[4:14] Sierra Gale: It's, I think theater in the UK as a whole, but especially in London is just I don't know, it's just, it's so good.
[4:20] Sierra Gale: Yeah, I definitely started looking for resources in London'cause I knew I was, I'd be coming back anyways.
[4:26] Sierra Gale: And I found London Playwrights, and I thought, I, if you guys will have me, then I'll join that that club.
[4:33] Sierra Gale: And it's been great, yeah, super welcoming, and I've had a lot of fun.
[4:36] Sierra Gale: I did I did Wrap.
[4:37] Sierra Gale: I think that was probably my first introduction is I found Wrap.
[4:41] Sierra Gale: Yes.
[4:41] Sierra Gale: Yeah so I think I'd started writing my play in November, and then in January yeah, I started Wrap and that was fantastic.
[4:50] Sierra Gale: Really enjoyed that, and yeah.
[4:52] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[4:53] Sierra Gale: Great.
[4:53] Sierra Gale: So for anybody who doesn't know, Wrap is our January playwriting challenge where we all write a draft of a play in a month.
[5:00] Kimberley: So it's quite a, it is quite a challenge.
[5:03] Kimberley: But you get prompts in your inbox every morning to help you get that play written.
[5:09] Kimberley: And it is coming back in January 2027.
[5:12] Kimberley: So can't believe that we're in 2027 almost already.
[5:15] Kimberley: But it will be coming back.
[5:16] Kimberley: So did you get your, did you get a draft done during Wrap, or did that, that just spur you on to, to get the play almost finished that you were working on?
[5:27] Sierra Gale: Yeah, so I think I was pretty far into my first draft already.
[5:31] Sierra Gale: And then it was nice'cause I was able to go back,'cause RAP has the option.
[5:35] Sierra Gale: It's not just, if you're starting a brand new play.
[5:37] Sierra Gale: It's, there's the redrafting phase- Yeah that in the email.
[5:40] Sierra Gale: So I really appreciated that, because I really wasn't starting from scratch at that point.
[5:45] Sierra Gale: Yeah, so I...
[5:47] Sierra Gale: Sorry, what was your question?
[5:48] Sierra Gale: Oh, did you finish a play in RAP Oh, yeah redrafted?
[5:51] Sierra Gale: So I think I finished, yeah, my first draft I think by February there.
[5:57] Sierra Gale: And then I ended up doing a course with Toronto University.
[6:03] Sierra Gale: It was a playwriting course.
[6:04] Sierra Gale: I found that and they wouldn't let me...
[6:06] Sierra Gale: they had, they said,"We have to start from scratch." So I did, I ended up starting from scratch on a new play.
[6:11] Sierra Gale: And then for the second level of that course, I was able to use my original play that I had written with partially with RAP.
[6:20] Sierra Gale: And yeah, from there, I I, yeah I think I was able to finish it within the year.
[6:25] Sierra Gale: And now I'm just trying to see what's next.
[6:28] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[6:29] Sierra Gale: So what are you thinking?
[6:30] Sierra Gale: Are you submitting it to theaters?
[6:32] Sierra Gale: So trying to get it on?
[6:34] Sierra Gale: It's it's funny.
[6:35] Sierra Gale: So I'm very much Canadian.
[6:37] Sierra Gale: I don't, I'm I...
[6:39] Sierra Gale: If anything, I should be learning French, but I don't necessarily like French.
[6:44] Sierra Gale: I think that is unfortunately a flaw in the school system.
[6:47] Sierra Gale: I didn't start it till I was older, so I just have this horrible taste in my mouth for it.
[6:51] Sierra Gale: So when I originally started writing my play, it was a French Canadian play, but...
[6:57] Sierra Gale: Or it was an, French, supposed to be a French Canadian novel, but I just couldn't get wrap my head around French.
[7:04] Sierra Gale: So because I didn't I write for myself, first and foremost, which I think is really important.
[7:10] Sierra Gale: But I just wrote what I was passionate about, and at the time, I was learning Welsh.
[7:16] Sierra Gale: So I switched it to Welsh Canadian just'cause I didn't wanna deal with French.
[7:21] Sierra Gale: And now it's turned out pretty good, so I have to decide am I gonna do a French Canadian kind of version so I can maybe do something with it in Canada, or do I just keep it the way it is?
[7:33] Sierra Gale: Hopefully get some, some Welsh people to look it over and make sure it's, I would just say accurate.
[7:38] Sierra Gale: And then maybe see if I can do something with it maybe in London.
[7:42] Sierra Gale: So I'm still trying to figure that part out.
[7:44] Sierra Gale: I'd say right now I'm just looking for yeah, a couple Welsh people who might want to read it and and see what they think.
[7:52] Sierra Gale: I have gotten some good feedback so far from the Welsh community,'cause I was a little I was a little worried that, I didn't wanna offend anybody.
[7:59] Sierra Gale: But I just love the culture and the language.
[8:02] Sierra Gale: I'm also, I'm not Welsh at all, I'm Scottish which is a whole nother story of how I got to Welsh.
[8:07] Sierra Gale: But so yeah, so I think that's my next step is I'm just chatting with the Welsh community and seeing if I can get that looked at.
[8:14] Sierra Gale: And then from there I know there's a couple...
[8:18] Sierra Gale: I've done a bit of research.
[8:18] Sierra Gale: I've I've, there's a couple plays, or sorry, there's a couple theaters in London that I could potentially submit it to.
[8:25] Kimberley: But other than that, it might just have to go back on the shelf and I'll start something new.
[8:30] Kimberley: I don't know.
[8:32] Kimberley: Yeah.
[8:33] Kimberley: Yeah.
[8:33] Kimberley: It's good to be doing both things, isn't it?
[8:35] Kimberley: Trying to get that one out there, and then maybe starting something new as well.
[8:38] Kimberley: But that's really fascinating how you came to the, the Welsh side of things as well.
[8:43] Kimberley: Great.
[8:43] Kimberley: So what do you have any plans to start writing a new play then?
[8:47] Kimberley: So you've got this one ready and that's, you're seeing what comes next with that.
[8:51] Kimberley: Do you have a new idea in the pipeline?
[8:54] Kimberley: I do.
[8:55] Kimberley: It's, I don't know, I always, I think I just choose the hardest things, but I have the most fun with it even if they don't go anywhere.
[9:01] Sierra Gale: 'Cause the...
[9:02] Sierra Gale: I started writing, I have about 40 pages of another play now that's based off of a song, and it's such a beautiful song, but I'm not comfortable doing anything with the play without the musician's permission.
[9:19] Sierra Gale: So now I'm just okay do I try and get this person's permission to do, to make a a play out of their song, or do I just try and change it as much as I can so it has no reflection?
[9:30] Sierra Gale: But then it's not, I don't know, it's not as fun anymore'cause it's not the same story to me.
[9:34] Sierra Gale: So yeah, right now I've just decided I'll write it, again, for myself, and in the end if the musician decides that's not what they want done with their art absolutely, that, that's, I think, part of if I'm gonna write this, I have to be okay with the answer being no.
[9:51] Sierra Gale: Which is fine.
[9:51] Sierra Gale: Again, I can always just put that in the archives and have it for myself.
[9:55] Sierra Gale: So hopefully after that I'm gonna pick an idea that is Canadian and my own thoughts so that I don't have to, either try and translate it or worry about getting permission.
[10:07] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[10:07] Sierra Gale: I do have ideas that are obviously my own.
[10:10] Sierra Gale: But I get really excited I think.
[10:12] Sierra Gale: I do a good collaboration.
[10:14] Sierra Gale: But yeah.
[10:14] Sierra Gale: So I don't know.
[10:15] Sierra Gale: We'll see what happens, yeah.
[10:16] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[10:17] Sierra Gale: But, all of those things, I think as well, when you're just starting to write plays, I think it's really great just to write those ideas that you're passionate about, the ones that you connect with.
[10:25] Kimberley: And okay, for example, with this one if you can't get that on because of issues with the song and the permission and everything, you've still learnt so much whilst you're writing it.
[10:35] Kimberley: And hopefully you've enjoyed the process as well, learnt about the things that like to write about.
[10:41] Kimberley: So I always think nothing is ever wasted.
[10:43] Kimberley: If that will then lead you onto your next idea or maybe a different way of working on some of the themes in that play then it all kind of leads to the right place really.
[10:53] Kimberley: But yeah, it can definitely be tricky if you need to ask for permission when it comes to songs and, or people and things like that.
[11:00] Sierra Gale: Yeah, I think, and that's a good note is I think for the longest time, especially with the novel writing,'cause you're trying to write, 90,000 words and it's like,"Oh, I don't wanna write something that's not good because then I have to start all over," and there's just, there's so much to it, right?
[11:13] Sierra Gale: But you have to.
[11:14] Sierra Gale: I think as a writer, you just you have to write anything in order to get to the eventual, end product.
[11:22] Sierra Gale: And it's not gonna be good in the beginning if, I don't know anybody that writes something good the first time, and if they do, then, give them a medal now because that's impressive.
[11:33] Sierra Gale: But yeah, so I think another great thing I like with playwriting is, I can just, especially with the dialogue, I can just spew out some dialogue.
[11:41] Sierra Gale: I get the idea there, and then from that, I can set that beside me and then write, what I actually want people to hear.
[11:49] Sierra Gale: And that's just been, I don't know, so freeing and fun, I think.
[11:53] Sierra Gale: It's, yeah, it's just, it's such an interesting process.
[11:57] Sierra Gale: And yeah, and to be able to just kind I don't know, worry more about the emotions of the, the characters and, what people are gonna feel when they're, when it's on stage.
[12:07] Sierra Gale: And hopefully getting, yeah, my words across so that, eventually if I get to that point that actors are able to pick that up and see what I was seeing.
[12:15] Kimberley: So yeah it's pretty cool.
[12:16] Kimberley: It's exciting.
[12:18] Kimberley: Yes.
[12:19] Kimberley: Yeah, I see what you mean.
[12:20] Kimberley: It's it's quite exciting, isn't it, to be able to work visually like that and think about the emotions and also think about looking forward to, collaborating and having actors work on that and seeing how they interpret your work.
[12:32] Kimberley: I think perhaps with a novel it's a much, it's a much longer road, isn't it, in terms of getting your work published and then knowing what people think when they read it.
[12:41] Kimberley: Whereas I think, on stage you get a much more immediate response or if you seek out feedback along the way as well.
[12:50] Kimberley: Do you think you'll go back to writing those novels or are you firmly in the playwriting world at the moment?
[12:57] Kimberley: No, I definitely will.
[12:58] Kimberley: It's still a goal of mine.
[12:59] Kimberley: I'd love to have a novel out again, even if it's, just myself, self-published, just on my bookshelf.
[13:05] Kimberley: I would just love to be able to get that finished.
[13:07] Sierra Gale: But I do see myself staying in playwriting for, for as long as I enjoy it.
[13:12] Sierra Gale: Yeah, there's just something, I don't know.
[13:13] Sierra Gale: I do think I've always struggled with reading, which is hilarious because I'm a writer.
[13:17] Sierra Gale: And I don't know, many people out there, I feel like of, ADHD.
[13:21] Sierra Gale: So I find it's still a long process and it's, it's still very intense, but I'm able to get my full thoughts out, even within a couple months get a full 70 pages of just dialogue and a story and really be able to feel like I can still see it.
[13:38] Sierra Gale: I struggle with the novels.
[13:40] Sierra Gale: I can't even remember what I wrote because it took so long to get to, the part that I'm at.
[13:46] Sierra Gale: So I really appreciate, yeah, I just really enjoy the playwriting'cause I just feel like even if it's, a horrible misspelling, awful first draft, I can still get that first draft and just feel like I can see it and then again, i, I, when I got my first draft finished of the first, my first play, I just remember I felt so accomplished because it was actually, I, again, for myself I just, I feel like it, it was pretty good.
[14:15] Sierra Gale: Again, I'm not saying it was it's gonna end up anywhere, but but in terms of how I felt about myself reading something I wrote I just felt really good about it.
[14:24] Sierra Gale: And it was nice to remember that feeling'cause it'd been a while since I'd written something that I really was proud of myself.
[14:31] Sierra Gale: So yeah, I think I'll stay in playwriting for a while'cause it, it really is, it's feeding my artistic vision I guess.
[14:37] Sierra Gale: I don't know.
[14:38] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[14:39] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[14:39] Sierra Gale: And now again, and the community too, right?
[14:41] Sierra Gale: Again, London Playwrights alone has been such a great community to join.
[14:49] Sierra Gale: And it's nice, when I come to London and I see theater I can join.
[14:52] Sierra Gale: I'm on the time, same time zone so I can join the, the writing groups-'cause or the writing sessions'cause I've been missing them a lot'cause they're usually during my work hours in Canada.
[15:01] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[15:01] Sierra Gale: Yes.
[15:01] Sierra Gale: But yeah, so no, really enjoying it.
[15:04] Sierra Gale: I will eventually go back to novel writing, but I do think, again, even just I don't know, having something that I feel like I just feel accomplished in is just a win there whether the plays go anywhere or not.
[15:14] Sierra Gale: I just, it's really nice to just feel proud of yourself when you're writing.
[15:20] Kimberley: Yeah.
[15:21] Kimberley: Absolutely.
[15:21] Kimberley: I think, I, that's part of the reason why we always start the new year off with RAP because I think if even if you don't get the first draft finished, you can feel accomplished that you've got some of that done.
[15:30] Kimberley: But I think the, just getting that first draft out there, even if you're not pleased with it, even better if you are pleased with it, but even if you're not, just having it.
[15:39] Kimberley: Because like you say, you can see the whole thing.
[15:41] Kimberley: I guess that's probably what's harder- about writing a novel.
[15:43] Kimberley: It's very difficult to see the whole thing in front of you.
[15:44] Kimberley: But I think with a play once you get to that, the end of that first draft then the fun can really begin in terms of redrafting, polishing, maybe having a reading of or getting a little bit of feedback from the community, swapping the script with somebody.
[15:59] Kimberley: So it feels like there's it's a good point to, to be at even if you know that first draft needs lots more work.
[16:05] Sierra Gale: I think I've always been such a visual person.
[16:08] Sierra Gale: And even with, the books I try to write, I can envision and just see the whole thing laying out before me, like a, a film.
[16:15] Sierra Gale: I don't know, it's just always been a trait I really like about myself is I can just see it in front of me.
[16:21] Sierra Gale: But it's harder to do with a novel obviously'cause you're going into the minute details so that everybody else can see it too.
[16:28] Sierra Gale: But with a play, it's nice.
[16:30] Sierra Gale: I can just listen to the characters talking, and then I just write it down.
[16:34] Sierra Gale: And then, yeah, I'm, there's definitely...
[16:36] Sierra Gale: I had to realize,'cause I was trying to write it a bit more like a novel at first.
[16:40] Sierra Gale: I was putting too much, description of when the characters were talking or the setting itself.
[16:48] Sierra Gale: So I was told by a teacher I had to cut that back.
[16:50] Sierra Gale: But makes sense because the point is that, you write it, but then you give it to somebody else and you see what they see.
[16:57] Sierra Gale: And then, whether it be the director or the actors then they can grow with it.
[17:01] Sierra Gale: So it's a yeah, I don't know, it's just it's really cool.
[17:03] Sierra Gale: It's exciting.
[17:03] Sierra Gale: I forget your question, but it's great.
[17:07] Sierra Gale: No, it's great.
[17:07] Sierra Gale: It sounds like you're really enjoying it, and I think what it sounds like from talking today is that, you've decided,"Okay, I wanna start writing plays," and that's exactly what you've done, and you're experimenting with that and trying out different ideas, which I think is fantastic.
[17:20] Kimberley: What would you say to somebody who perhaps is in your shoes, how you were a little while ago in terms of perhaps they've done a bit of writing or wanted to, and they want to write plays but they haven't started yet?
[17:33] Kimberley: Would you have you got any advice that you might give them?
[17:35] Kimberley: where should they start?
[17:37] Sierra Gale: I think, yeah, I think it's as simple as just just start writing.
[17:41] Sierra Gale: It doesn't have to be the right format.
[17:43] Sierra Gale: It doesn't have to be if you don't know what you're doing...
[17:45] Sierra Gale: I had no idea what I was doing.
[17:47] Sierra Gale: I, I really didn't start seeing theater till my late 20s,'cause we just we couldn't afford it when I was younger.
[17:53] Sierra Gale: And it took me a while to be able to afford it as an adult.
[17:56] Sierra Gale: So I really I knew I loved theater, but I really didn't know a lot about it.
[18:01] Sierra Gale: And then to write it, yeah I had no idea.
[18:04] Sierra Gale: So I think the biggest thing is to just if you're writing for yourself, it is a lot...
[18:10] Sierra Gale: I feel like it's just more enjoyable.
[18:11] Sierra Gale: It's easier because you're not worried about, the external world.
[18:16] Sierra Gale: So yeah, I would say just open, whether it be, your Word document on your computer, a pen and pencil.
[18:22] Sierra Gale: Just start writing what you're thinking.
[18:24] Sierra Gale: Yeah, worry about format and everything afterwards.
[18:27] Sierra Gale: If you know it's gonna be a play, that's all you need, I think, at the beginning.
[18:31] Sierra Gale: And then just look for resources.
[18:32] Sierra Gale: Look for people who can help you, right?
[18:35] Sierra Gale: That's what I did, and you build a community around that.
[18:38] Sierra Gale: And yeah, just enjoy the process, I say.
[18:41] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[18:41] Sierra Gale: 'Cause, that's why we write, right?
[18:43] Sierra Gale: If you're not enjoying it, then you're probably in the wrong genre or maybe the wrong art.
[18:48] Sierra Gale: I started painting at one point'cause I was like,"Wow, fuckin', I'll just try something else." So yeah, I'd say as long as you're enjoying it, it doesn't it doesn't even have to be good.
[18:57] Sierra Gale: As long as you're proud of it, as long as it's good for you I think that's the most important thing, and that's probably the hardest lesson to learn because obviously as humans we want people to like our work.
[19:09] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[19:09] Sierra Gale: But it doesn't matter as long as when you read it, if it's a comedy and you laugh, then that's all that matters.
[19:15] Sierra Gale: If it's a drama and you're feeling the emotion when you read it, then that's all that matters.
[19:20] Sierra Gale: If it's...
[19:21] Sierra Gale: it really is it's a self-sport until it's not.
[19:24] Sierra Gale: You just keep it for yourself until you have to share it I think as well, is just really enjoy that until the world gets to it,'cause yeah, you don't know what's gonna happen after that.
[19:34] Kimberley: And it's scary.
[19:35] Kimberley: So just enjoy the process.
[19:38] Kimberley: Yeah.
[19:38] Kimberley: Yeah.
[19:39] Kimberley: I agree with that.
[19:39] Kimberley: And I think, you don't have to have it all figured out or know everything about playwriting or theater before you start.
[19:47] Kimberley: If you've got an idea and you think,"That would make a really good play," you don't have have experience of writing plays, or working with actors, or working in a theater.
[19:56] Kimberley: You don't even need to have been to the, go to the theater all the time.
[20:00] Kimberley: If you if you know that it makes a good play, I would say to someone, write it and just start writing it, and then seek out that community.
[20:07] Kimberley: Seek out people who can help you.
[20:09] Kimberley: Maybe then start going to the theater a bit more so you can see other things.
[20:12] Kimberley: And hopefully then you'll get your draft in a place where maybe you can get a table reading, and you'll learn about that whilst you're doing it.
[20:19] Kimberley: But you can really learn on the job, I think.
[20:21] Kimberley: But I think the key is, as you said, just to get started, and write, and just be open to that.
[20:26] Kimberley: That can be for yourself at first, and you can keep going with that and try out different ideas till you've got something that you're really pleased with.
[20:33] Kimberley: But I think that it doesn't...
[20:35] Kimberley: I think it can probably feel quite daunting to someone if they've never written a play before to think that's what I'm gonna do.
[20:40] Kimberley: I'm gonna write a play." But I think it it's worth starting.
[20:44] Kimberley: And like you say, if you then enjoy it, then that's fantastic, isn't it?
[20:48] Sierra Gale: What I just wanted to add to that was, yeah, it's talk to everybody.
[20:51] Sierra Gale: I'm...
[20:53] Sierra Gale: I, it's funny'cause if you're not used to it, it's quite scary at first.
[20:57] Sierra Gale: But I reach out to everybody.
[21:01] Sierra Gale: People that I have no idea who they are, but they look really cool and they're in the, an industry or something that I'm interested in, and I message them online, I send emails.
[21:13] Sierra Gale: And, a lot of people never get back to me, and that's fine.
[21:16] Sierra Gale: Obviously I'm sending respectful, happy message.
[21:19] Sierra Gale: And then some people do get back to me, and they're just not interested in meeting up, and that's fine too.
[21:24] Sierra Gale: But I do get quite a few people who, you know especially for my traveling right now I've had several people within the playwriting industry in Wales and London I've just sent them messages saying,"Hey, this is what I'm trying to do.
[21:38] Sierra Gale: I'm new to everything.
[21:39] Sierra Gale: I'm just looking for a coffee and a conversation." And yeah, I've been able to meet up with some people and just learn more, and again, just have a nice connection.
[21:50] Sierra Gale: Whether, again, I'm not, Sometimes it's just, all you're looking for is yeah, just a conversation and to maybe learn a little bit more that you didn't know yesterday.
[21:57] Sierra Gale: And it's been great.
[21:58] Sierra Gale: And that's also, it feeds your, the drive to wanna do more, right?
[22:03] Sierra Gale: Yeah whether it be talking to Emily.
[22:05] Sierra Gale: After I talked to Emily, I just remember thinking, oh okay, for one thing she's Welsh and she's not offended that I'm writing this play.
[22:11] Sierra Gale: I'm like, okay, this is really good.
[22:12] Sierra Gale: Let's see where I can go next with this.
[22:15] Sierra Gale: And yeah, so I think it's just talking and not being afraid to ask the questions or to ask for help,'cause the answer might be no, and that's okay.
[22:25] Sierra Gale: Don't take no as, oh, my God, this person thinks, my play is awful or thinks this is stupid or, I'm stupid or whatever.
[22:32] Sierra Gale: I think it's really easy nowadays when, people, when you're, get rejection to just get into that mindset.
[22:39] Sierra Gale: Yeah but, I think, yeah just really putting yourself out there and just looking for the community the support, can just be super rewarding,'cause, I don't know, you you always find the right people.
[22:49] Kimberley: Especially when Yeah you're looking, right?
[22:52] Kimberley: Yes.
[22:52] Kimberley: Yeah.
[22:53] Kimberley: Absolutely.
[22:53] Kimberley: And as you say someone can not get back to you or they can politely decline an offer of coffee.
[22:58] Kimberley: It's fine, isn't it?
[22:59] Kimberley: But I think that when you do meet those people, you do start to have those conversations.
[23:03] Kimberley: And also as well, you learn from people.
[23:05] Kimberley: But as well as that, you also find out that lots of people are at the same level as you, they're going through the same things as you.
[23:12] Kimberley: Yeah.
[23:12] Kimberley: I think it's very easy when you start out to think everybody else who's writing plays has had work on, they know what they're doing.
[23:18] Kimberley: Maybe they've done a play writing MA or something.
[23:22] Kimberley: it, it is to assume that everybody's more experienced or doing, doing all these things that you hadn't, haven't done yet.
[23:28] Kimberley: But actually when you talk to people, there, there's a lot of playwrights you talk to they've been working on a play a while because they work in a really busy day job, and they can't they don't have time to spend all their days writing.
[23:39] Kimberley: Or they're trying to get that first play on, or they're just haven't shown anyone their work yet because it's their first play and they're worried.
[23:46] Kimberley: So I think just having those conversations, it can teach you a lot, but also it can reassure you and also give you those people then that might be able to help you get your work on, or they might be able to give you a bit of feedback or tell you about an opportunity, yeah.
[24:01] Kimberley: Yeah.
[24:01] Kimberley: No, I think it's, Yeah, it's...
[24:04] Kimberley: There's just, there's so much opportunity out there, right?
[24:06] Kimberley: And I think you don't know until you know sometimes.
[24:09] Kimberley: Yes.
[24:09] Kimberley: I think it's really easy.
[24:10] Kimberley: I know for me, sitting in just this super lovely remote village, which I love, but I'm, sometimes you just sit there and think,"Okay what do I do from here?"
[24:18] Sierra Gale: But I don't know how many hours I spent just searching online.
[24:22] Sierra Gale: And usually right at the moment where I'm, I think,"Okay there's nothing.
[24:25] Sierra Gale: I can't...
[24:25] Sierra Gale: There's nothing.
[24:26] Sierra Gale: I'm not gonna be able to do anything with my idea or what I wanna learn or something." But things always pop up and you just, I don't know especially with, our day and age, technology just, sometimes just finding, yeah, that one person or that right one link you can just find resources to really do whatever you're trying to do.
[24:42] Sierra Gale: And yeah, I think playwriting's no exception.
[24:43] Sierra Gale: I I found so many resources just through people and online searches.
[24:49] Sierra Gale: Yeah and yeah it's pretty cool.
[24:51] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[24:52] Sierra Gale: Yeah, I agree, and I think that's very true.
[24:53] Sierra Gale: I think if you're if anyone's listening to this and, you're in a small village or you feel very far away from where all the playwriting stuff and theater is happening you can still, you can find opportunity.
[25:04] Kimberley: I think, there's still things you can probably submit to.
[25:07] Kimberley: There's online opportunities digital opportunities, things like audio dramas, podcasts online communities like London Playwrights and, maybe even...
[25:17] Kimberley: Like you said at the beginning of this call, you spoke to people in your local area and you found that other people are writing as well.
[25:22] Kimberley: But you don't know that till you have the conversations and till you seek out the, that community.
[25:26] Kimberley: there is something.
[25:26] Kimberley: I think that everybody can get involved.
[25:28] Kimberley: Maybe it's easy, of course it's easier probably, if you live in London maybe or somewhere- where there's a really busy theater scene.
[25:34] Kimberley: But I think that doesn't mean that you can't get involved or that it might feel a bit harder, but you can definitely find those people I think.
[25:42] Kimberley: Yeah.
[25:42] Kimberley: Yeah, and and that's the other thing is, I think the other misconception is if, you don't have enough money I know money, for a long time that was always an issue for me.
[25:51] Sierra Gale: But what I've realized is, even...
[25:53] Sierra Gale: I don't know if there's a lot of volunteering for London, but I know even in my city in Canada there's opportunity like, if you go help out at the theater one day I got offered to watch a rehearsal for a, a play.
[26:07] Sierra Gale: And then I was able to chat with the producer and director of one of the companies there who have been a huge support for me as well.
[26:13] Sierra Gale: And it didn't cost anything.
[26:14] Sierra Gale: It's just again, it I think what's the word?
[26:16] Sierra Gale: Curiosity doesn't cost anything, so when you ask questions and, you're asking for people's knowledge especially if it's something that they're passionate in that's free, and people are often willing to give that to you for free.
[26:30] Sierra Gale: Because they want to talk about the things they like, right?
[26:32] Sierra Gale: The things they're passionate about.
[26:34] Sierra Gale: So if you share a passion or an interest or, yeah, just want to get, know something more a lot of people are really happy to actually help you with that'cause they wanna share that.
[26:44] Sierra Gale: Yeah so I think, yeah, even whether you live super remote again, one of the good things about technology is we are connected.
[26:52] Sierra Gale: You can, I've, I'm Zooming with you right now.
[26:55] Sierra Gale: I don't have to be in the exact same spot.
[26:56] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[26:58] Sierra Gale: And I was able to talk to Emma, who's in Canada.
[27:00] Sierra Gale: She was in Wales.
[27:01] Sierra Gale: And, yeah, I think just whether remote maybe, you're just financially you're thinking I can't afford to go see a lot of theater.
[27:09] Sierra Gale: I can't afford to do all those things." There's also I love what's it called?
[27:12] Sierra Gale: National Theatre Online.
[27:14] Sierra Gale: Yes.
[27:14] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[27:15] Sierra Gale: I think, isn't it...
[27:16] Sierra Gale: I, I don't have it right now but I think it's 10 pounds or something- Yeah or$10 a month.
[27:21] Sierra Gale: Yeah.
[27:22] Sierra Gale: And you just get access to all these theater productions, right?
[27:26] Sierra Gale: They're all recorded.
[27:27] Sierra Gale: So there's, I feel like there's always gonna be a way.
[27:30] Sierra Gale: It's, it...
[27:30] Sierra Gale: I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
[27:32] Sierra Gale: I don't obviously wanna say that, oh, if you just wanna do it, then it's just gonna be super easy.
[27:36] Sierra Gale: No it's never, I don't think that's ever the case.
[27:38] Sierra Gale: But I think there are gonna be certain resources out there for you.
[27:42] Kimberley: If you do want to, say, write a play or be involved in that I think there...
[27:47] Kimberley: Yeah you'd be surprised what you can find if you just talk to the right person or search the right thing.
[27:54] Kimberley: Yeah.
[27:54] Kimberley: Sometimes that can take a while'cause you gotta try and find those.
[27:58] Kimberley: But but they're out there.
[27:59] Kimberley: They they're hiding.
[28:00] Kimberley: They're hiding somewhere, and you have to find them.
[28:01] Kimberley: It's like like I Spy or what are those like Pokémon games or whatever.
[28:06] Kimberley: Yes.
[28:06] Kimberley: Yeah.
[28:07] Kimberley: You just have to know where to look.
[28:08] Kimberley: But I think having those conversations helps because, we're talking about this now, someone might not know about National Theatre Online.
[28:15] Kimberley: They might check that out, and they can watch then loads of plays for maybe 10 pounds a month.
[28:19] Kimberley: So there are things out there.
[28:21] Kimberley: There are theaters that offer writer resources, also sometimes writers groups that are free writing courses that are free.
[28:28] Kimberley: There, there are opportunities- Yeah out there.
[28:30] Kimberley: And I agree with you.
[28:31] Kimberley: It doesn't have to be like, oh, I need loads of money to get started, or loads of time even.
[28:38] Kimberley: I think that can be another misconception that, you know, if you're working in a full-time job that...
[28:42] Kimberley: and I know obviously it's very difficult- Yeah to find that time when you're tired and you're working a lot.
[28:46] Sierra Gale: But actually, you can make really good progress by just, even if it's your Saturday morning for an hour, that, that will build up over time, just writing a few pages here and there or...
[28:59] Sierra Gale: So you have to think, I think the takeaway from that is that you don't have to start off really big.
[29:02] Sierra Gale: You don't have to know everything.
[29:03] Sierra Gale: You don't have Yeah be able to throw loads of money at it, and you don't have to give it all of your time.
[29:09] Sierra Gale: If playwriting's something that you wanna do, you can just do it.
[29:12] Sierra Gale: And I think it will snowball, and you can find that information and build that community slowly over time Yeah.
[29:18] Sierra Gale: I think I think at the beginning there I started...
[29:21] Sierra Gale: I had this really crappy laptop, and it just kept deleting all my documents, but I didn't wanna hand write,'cause I was just...
[29:29] Sierra Gale: I have such bad spelling, and then you can't add things above and everything.
[29:31] Sierra Gale: So I said,"Okay." I think I ended up, I set a timer.
[29:34] Sierra Gale: I had to write 10 minutes three times a day, or three, not three times a day, three times a week.
[29:39] Sierra Gale: And then I would take a screenshot of the document on my laptop in case it was deleted.
[29:48] Sierra Gale: Wow but it was just, like it was awful, and it was, like, fun.
[29:52] Sierra Gale: I remember some days writing, sitting there writing, just crying because I had to reference this photo because everything was deleted.
[29:59] Sierra Gale: Oh, no.
[30:00] Sierra Gale: But I still had to write and sometimes it would just be awful, and I still have some of those drafts of just, like I don't even know.
[30:09] Sierra Gale: They're not even cohesive.
[30:10] Sierra Gale: They're so bad.
[30:12] Sierra Gale: But the ideas in them, I find I go back and I'm like,"I don't actually know what I was trying to..." I use now for, for writing later on.
[30:22] Sierra Gale: So I think, yeah, it's just it...
[30:23] Sierra Gale: And I think dedicating time to, I think that's a great way to start.
[30:26] Sierra Gale: It's like even if it's not every day, even if if it's only five minutes a day or, yeah, for me it was 10 minutes three times a week while I was working.
[30:32] Kimberley: And I was working like three jobs trying to go to college.
[30:34] Kimberley: And then and every time I sat down, it wasn't always productive.
[30:39] Kimberley: Sometimes I got a couple sentences out.
[30:41] Kimberley: Sometimes I was crying by the end, just'cause I was so tired.
[30:47] Kimberley: Yeah.
[30:47] Kimberley: But it usually was always worth it because after, a couple days of just trying to get things out and then, I'd finally have a day I'd go back and I'd think,"Okay, thank God I wrote this already," even if it took me a month.
[31:07] Kimberley: It's now all worth it because I can look back, go, what I wrote and now, see the light at the end of the tunnel.
[31:15] Kimberley: That might have been a bit of a ramble.
[31:20] Kimberley: But I think, yeah it's, you don't always have to have, a huge idea
[31:24] Sierra Gale: it was really great to talk to you, so thank you for joining me.
[31:27] Sierra Gale: Wishing you the best of luck.
[31:29] Sierra Gale: I'm really excited to hear about all the things that you're doing, and I'm sure it's all gonna pay off as well because it sounds like you're working really hard to get projects finished and have those conversations.
[31:38] Kimberley: So I'm sure that we'll hear more from you, and it will definitely all pay off.
[31:43] Kimberley: But thank you so much for talking to me today and taking the time out of your day.
[31:48] Kimberley: Yeah.
[31:48] Kimberley: Thank you so much for chatting with me.
[31:50] Kimberley: I know it's a little different'cause I'm living in Canada, but I do love London Playwrights.
[31:54] Kimberley: I really appreciate the support they've given me.
[31:57] Kimberley: And yeah, whether you guys see something from me in the future we'll see.
[32:00] Kimberley: But just know I'm enjoying the process and I'm loving being part of the community, so thank you.
[32:06] Kimberley: That's great.
[32:06] Kimberley: Thanks very much.
[32:07] Kimberley: It was great to speak to you.
[32:09] Thank you for listening.
[32:10] If you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and check out our work at our brand-new website, londonplaywrights.com.
[32:18] We offer loads of resources and opportunities for writers, so do check out our work, and we are grateful for any support you can give us.
[32:27] If you can sign up as a member, we really appreciate it.
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[32:32] Or if you could just give us a share or sign up to our mailing list, we'd really appreciate it.
[32:38] If you'd like to be on the podcast or you've got any ideas for future episodes, please get in touch with Kimberley at londonplaywrights.com.

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