1. First, you get the task of writing a play.

You either are given the task or take it upon yourself for some reason or other. You want to make money, you have a class, you have a deadline, you want to practice some grueling self discipline, or you want to impress someone.

2. Then, you have the million-dollar idea.

This can be found in the shower, under a bridge, while watching SNL, or over-hearing a conversation. *these two first steps can switch on occasion

3. You tell people about the idea without ever actually going to work on said idea.

4. Your idea is done cooking, incubating, or whatever, so you write a skeleton.

A plot. Points. An outline. Something that lets you know which direction you are trying to go.

5. You set up the world.

Who are the characters? What is the setting, time period, and style you are going for? Something contemporary? Something meta? Something long and arduous? A musical?

6. You start typing.

This can be the hardest and most revised step.

7. You are riding the high.

There will be many writing highs along the way, but this is always the best one!

8. Your brain, for some inexplicable reason, has malfunctioned, and you sit for hours, days, or half a millennia trying to come up with something, anything, to either keep the story going or wrap it up.

9. The big finish!

Boy does that final swoop feel good!

10. Editing.

Let's just skip this part and forget about all of the drafts after the first. Now, you have at least done the thing. What's yet to come would take up about five more listicles.