Begin by tailoring the play to the three unities of time, place and action. Technically, this means that the play is able to occur in the time and place allotted, and that the action surrounds a central lead, the protagonist, and an opposition, or antagonist. This structure may also contain characters that aid in the plot's development. The unity of time is flexible, as the action in a stage play actually occurs in less time than in real life; therefore small talk is eliminated and the conflict moves along at a faster pace. For example, a trial that may take an entire day to occur can be structured to occur in under an hour within a play.
Analyze the conflict. The five major types of conflict are as follows: Man against nature, man against man, man against himself, man against society and man against fate. In order to have the sufficient conflict necessary for good drama, one of these conflicts must be present. These are broad terms, and many examples are found within them; for example, "man against society" can include man against his neighbors, man against tradition and man against society's laws.
Check the scene against the conflict formula. According to Raymond Hull's "How to Write a Play," the conflict formula is M+G+O=C - Main character plus Goal plus Opposition equals Conflict. Every scene should match this equation, and the dialogue must, at all times, move this equation forward.
Follow the advice of noted playwright, screenwriter and producer David Mamet, in a letter he wrote to the writing staff of the dramatic series "The Unit." According to Mamet, "Drama, again, is the quest of the hero to overcome those things which prevent him from achieving a specific, acute goal." He then gives the three questions that must be asked in every scene: Who wants what? What happens if they don't get it? Why is this happening now? Mamet believes the answers to these questions determine if a scene is dramatic or not. Ask these three questions of every scene in the play.