if you’re still writing that play, you’re not alone

There’s no single “average,” but across professional and amateur writers, a full-length play (90–120 minutes) usually takes several months to a few years from first idea to a finished draft.  Here’s how it tends to break down.

Typical timelines

Fast drafts: 4–8 weeks

• Usually an experienced playwright

• Often commissioned or deadline-driven

• Relies on instinct and revision later

• Example: David Mamet has said early drafts of some plays came quickly, but rewriting took far longer.

Common range: 3–12 months

This is the most typical window.

• Idea development: 2–8 weeks

• Drafting: 1–3 months

• Rewriting: 1–6 months

• Many playwrights cycle through multiple drafts during readings or workshops.

Long gestation: 1–5+ years

• Character-driven or structurally ambitious plays

• Writers balancing other jobs

• Plays developed through repeated productions

• Tony Kushner worked on Angels in America for several years while revising between stagings.

What actually determines the speed

• Experience level (new playwrights usually take longer)

• Process (outliner vs. discovery writer)

• External pressure (commissions, grants, theater deadlines)

• Revision philosophy (some rewrite endlessly)

• Collaboration (actors/directors can accelerate or complicate)

A useful rule of thumb:

Writing the first draft is often the shortest part. Finishing the play is what takes time.

Perspective from history

• William Shakespeare likely drafted plays quickly (weeks), but constantly revised them in rehearsal and performance.

• Modern playwrights tend to replace that rehearsal-based revision with years of private rewriting.

Bottom line

• Quick draft: ~1 month

• Solid, production-ready play: 6–18 months

Play you’re truly done with: possibly never 😉