Every writer has unfinished ideas.
Drafts that stall halfway through. Scenes that looked promising on Monday and terrible by Thursday. Titles that seemed brilliant for about three days.
Apparently even award-winning playwright April De Angelis isn’t immune.
I recorded a conversation with April last week for The Third Half. We talked about the discipline of writing, the strange relationship between inspiration and routine, and the reality that most creative work starts out… unfinished.
At one point I jokingly suggested she should publish a scrapbook titled “The Unfinished Works of April De Angelis.”
She laughed — and admitted there are quite a few abandoned ideas sitting quietly on her computer.
This short clip is a rough early moment from the conversation.
It’s a lovely reminder that writing — like most creative work — isn’t about waiting for inspiration. It’s about showing up, trusting the process, and letting ideas evolve.
The full conversation was wide-ranging and fascinating. We talked about:
• starting out as an actor before becoming a playwright
• how characters emerge and take shape
• the balance between entertainment and ideas in theatre
• Jumpy, parenting and recognition on stage
• her climate work, from Extinction Rebellion to the recent play In Case of Emergency
- and winning an ‘Ivor’ (formerly known as an Ivor Novello)
I’ll share a few more short clips over the next week.
The full conversation will be published here on The Third Half in around 7–10 days.
In the meantime, enjoy this little moment about the realities of writing.
And perhaps take comfort in the fact that even great playwrights have a few unfinished ideas lying around…..
