Read an assortment of plays. Reading plays will give you a working knowledge of traditional play structure while exposing you to a wide variety of work. Choose plays with broad scope that will challenge you to think in different ways.
Observe your surroundings. Personality traits of those around you may find their way into a character, and personal experiences may inform the action of a scene. What happens in reality is sometimes a great inspiration for what happens on the page.
Write a summary of your story. Summarizing a play will draw attention to gaps or over-complications in the story line. If it is impossible to summarize your story, consider simplifying the concept.
Write a synopsis of each character. Each character will have desires, conflicts and distinct personality traits. The synopsis will include a physical description of the character, his function in the story and the conflicts he faces.
Write a version of the play omitting stage directions. The dialogue of the play should drive the story to your desired goal. A character's personality will be revealed through his words. If you find that the dialogue is not serving the action of the story, this is a time to make changes.
Add the stage directions to the script and omit the dialogue. The actions of the characters should be clear despite the absence of dialogue. Your stage directions should create clear pictures. In some stories the stage directions tell a story all their own.
Break up the play's structure. Place your beginning in the middle or begin the story with the climax of the play. Rearranging the structure will reveal new meaning in the text that was previously hidden.