A quick glance at Julia Lederer’s website shows the diverse path her writing has taken. From
plays to television and film, copywriting and the occasional magazine article, Julia is addicted to
words, phrases, and the various structures they can follow. Or as she describes it, “I am a bit
obsessed with the power of language.

“For me, writing can be tedious and hard to figure out sometimes, but I know I always feel
better when I do it,” she said, while pointing out how important a community can be to staying
inspired and learning new things about one’s work.

“Community is really helpful in terms of keeping going. I’ve found that in playwrights units, labs
and programs, and with friends I met doing indie theatre right out of school,” she said.
“More recently, I’ve found it through a class I took on Zoom that has continued weekly (with
some breaks) for almost a year now. Seeing others’ work change and grow and having people
to go to when you’re stuck or just feeling overwhelmed by being a writer has been essential to
me. It’s also just more fun than writing in a vacuum.”

Over the past several weeks Julia has worked with this year’s playwrights, helping to tweak and
add an additional layer of polish to their work. To extend her reach as Playwright in Residence
beyond this year’s participating writers, we asked Julia to share with us a few words of advice
for emerging and would-be writers.

1: Just Write.

I think the best advice is to write. Let yourself write knowing that most of the work will be
rewriting, and try to enjoy finding where you’re going, even if the path is winding. Try not to
worry if you’re not happy with what comes out initially, just ride it out. Words are easy to
change. 

2: Turn Off Your Inner-Critic.

I know I’ve struggled with my own inner-critic voice getting in the way of being creative, and I
really try to just push that part aside and get into the story, characters, and language. 

3: Drafts Are Essential.

Know that you’re going to write more drafts than you think, and that it will be hard (at times)
and (often) long, but once you get there you have that piece of work forever. 

4: Expand Your Community.

If you’re a playwright and you aren’t finding the opportunities you were hoping for where you
live, look elsewhere (or, do it anyway — the wonderful thing about theatre is that plays happen
almost everywhere). Do your research and reach out to places and artists who are doing work
that excites you and who you’d be interested in working with. Support your community, and
also seek out writing/work beyond that too. 
Especially in Canada, if you see or read something you connect to, reach out to the artist and
tell them. Email addresses aren’t hard to find, and most people will meet with you for a coffee
or a Zoom. Have questions when you do. 

5: Diversify.

Be open to different mediums. Find what you love, but know that there are lots of ways and
formats to write in, and you might surprise yourself. Stepping outside what you’re used to
writing will inform it when you step back in. 

6: Seek Feedback.

Seek feedback when you have a sense of what you’re hoping to achieve with a script. Outside
voices and collaborators are vital in writing for performance. Still, always hold close that this is
your work. You know it best. And still, be open to seeing it transform. 
NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival runs until August 6. Find full details including times and ticket info
at in the menu bar.

Photo by Barcsay Photography