New Project No. 1

This weekend, I started on one of my 2014 writing projects. 'Dead Fit' is the first of the two murder mystery plays I plan to write this year. I had January pencilled in for working on my novel but a request from a friend on Friday night led to a massive brainstorm session this weekend.

Requirements:

• a 20 to 30 minute murder mystery play,
• first act needed in a week,
• known cast of 10 (4 male, 6 female) aged from late 20s to 70s,
• 9 motives for murder,
• and a setting that requires minimum staging and props.

Stories, of all kinds, always have a starting source. Perhaps, it's a character - that little old lady you saw at the  bus stop - that begs for a plot, or a newspaper story that places a 'what if' in your mind. With my murder mystery plays, there are always two starting points:

• Who is the murder victim?
• Why would anyone murder this person?

I have an answer to the first question. Priscilla is a flamboyant aerobics instructor in her sixties. I'm still working on the 'why'. A weekend of late nights and early mornings have led to the completion of Act One, written, re-drafted and polished, ready to send off. 

Act One serves its purpose of introducing the characters and dropping in a few clues. My next task is to compile a list of motives. Wish me luck.