How do I become a playwright
Get qualified to work as a playwright with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.
Related career opportunities
Browse occupations related to Playwright.
Common questions
There are no clear salary figures for Playwrights in Australia at this time. They earn money from the rent and sale of published plays, royalties, ticketing, and commissioning fees.
Courses.com.au Team
There are no clear employment figures for Playwrights working in Australia right now. They are usually self-employed, much like authors and screenwriters, but may also be commissioned by theatre companies to write a specialist production.
Courses.com.au Team
Playwrights are outstanding writers and storytellers with an extensive knowledge of theatre acting and live production. You could launch your career with a VET Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services (Live Production Management) or the Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing (Scriptwriting). To gain a much broader skillset that includes acting, stage direction, production, and scriptwriting, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre) and the Master of Theatre (Writing) are excellent choices. You could also try the Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) or Bachelor of Creative Arts (Theatre Arts).
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023
Courses.com.au Team
Further reading
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11th December 2019Playwright careers
Playwrights are specialist writers who write the scripts for plays that are performed at theatre houses, festivals, and live events. They write both the dialogue and stage directions and are often involved during casting and rehearsals.
As a playwright you could be mind-mapping some ideas on a whiteboard, updating your scriptwriting software, meeting with a theatre company to discuss the commissioning of a new play, writing a scene, reviewing dialogue, editing stage directions, rewriting a scene based on feedback from the stage director, or attending live theatre at an overseas playhouse.
To succeed in this role, you’ll need outstanding interpersonal skills and the ability to transform thoughts, feelings, body language, and human personality into compelling live performance.
