An individual creative-writing entry for teens aged 13 to 19 in which the entrant submits a written script for a short play or skit, rated by the panel on the page rather than on a stage.
Plays and Skits (Writing) is a written-submission class in the Creative Writing category. The entrant writes a script, meaning the words and stage directions of a short play or comic skit, and hands it in to be read. Nothing is acted out in front of the panel: the judges see only the page, so the script has to work as a piece of writing and as instructions that others could stage.
In eTalenter’s templates the class appears once, in an international teen talent competition run at state or regional level and then at national level. It sits beside Articles and Essays, News Writing, Poetry and Short Story, which is why it asks for something none of them do: dialogue carried by characters, a setting described in a line or two, and action shown through directions instead of narration. The performed drama and skit classes are separate items in other categories.
A finished entry has a title, a short list of characters, a note of where and when the scene takes place, and then the scene itself, with each speaker’s name set out clearly before their lines and stage directions kept apart, usually in brackets. A skit tends to be a single scene built around one funny or pointed idea; a play can run to a few scenes with a beginning, a turning point and an ending.
The template sets no time limit, so the script is normally written beforehand and handed in by the organiser’s deadline, with the entrant’s number on it if the organiser marks blind. Organisers run the class because it gives young writers who love drama but do not want to perform a place to compete. For coordinators using eTalenter it is entered like any other item: register the entrant, record the panel’s rating, and the ranking is calculated within the Teens group.
Where Plays and Skits (Writing) is run
In eTalenter’s data this Plays and Skits (Writing) item appears on one template: an international teen talent competition for the 13 to 19 age band. Script-writing classes are run in many school and youth writing contests, but this page describes only the format that template defines.
- International teen talent competition (state, regional and national levels)
Key facts
- Individual entry: one teen writes and submits one script.
- Single age group, Teens (13-19); boys and girls compete together; English.
- Rated by the panel and ranked within the Teens group; the assignment sets a maximum score of 5, while the score label reads “out of 10”.
- No time limit in the template, because the script is prepared in advance and handed in.
- Written script only: acting a play or skit is a different class, and prose, poems and stories belong in the sibling Creative Writing classes.
- Idea starters, not rules: a skit about a mix-up at a school event, a short play set in a waiting room, a two-character scene about a difficult choice, a comic sketch on a modern habit.
On eTalenter, Plays and Skits (Writing) is filed under Creative Writing and typically scored with Rating out of 10. It appears in 1 ready-made event templates — each one can adjust its time limit, age-group assignment and scoring setup independently.
Across the templates that use it, Plays and Skits (Writing) is most often entered as an Individual competition, typically scored out of 5.
The scoring method the templates attach to this item, and what that scale means. The category this competition is filed under when a template is installed. Others in this category: Essay Writing, Story Writing, Poetry Writing, Article Writing, News Writing, Script Writing eTalenter matches an item to its criteria on the words in its name, and creates exactly these when the template is installed. No criteria match this name, so none are created automatically — judges score it on the event’s own criteria instead.How it is scored
Where it sits
Judging criteria installed for it
What judges look at in Plays and Skits (Writing)
What a Plays and Skits (Writing) panel is actually weighing up, and where the marks are usually won or lost:
- Dialogue: lines that sound like real speakers, differ from character to character and move the scene forward instead of explaining the plot.
- Structure: a clear opening situation, a problem or surprise that builds, and an ending that lands, whether as a punchline for a skit or a resolution for a play.
- Characters and idea: a small set of distinct characters and one strong central idea that the whole script serves.
- Stagecraft on the page: stage directions that are short, useful and actually performable, with entrances, exits and actions clear to a reader who has never seen the piece.
- Format and language: speakers’ names laid out consistently, correct spelling and punctuation, and an original script rather than a copied or rewritten known one.
Treat these as the judging focus, not a fixed rubric: publish your own weighted criteria for Plays and Skits (Writing) under Scoring Setup, or start from the full essay & story writing judging criteria guide.
How to prepare for Plays and Skits (Writing)
How entrants and their teachers usually get Plays and Skits (Writing) right on the day:
- Start with one idea you can state in a sentence, such as a misunderstanding or a secret about to come out, and write the ending before the middle.
- Keep the cast small; two to four characters are easier to make distinct than eight.
- Draft the dialogue first, then add stage directions only where the reader needs them to follow the action.
- Read every line aloud, or ask friends to read the parts, to catch lines that sound stiff or characters who sound alike.
- Use one clear layout throughout: speaker’s name, then the line, with directions in brackets, and check it against any format the organiser sets.
- Cut any line that does not move the story or reveal a character, then proofread the final copy for spelling and punctuation.
Events that run this (1)
Ready-made templates that already include this competition. Installing one sets it up for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Plays and Skits (Writing) judged individually or as a team?
Across eTalenter’s templates it’s most often run as an Individual entry, though an organiser can set either participation type when assigning the item to an age group.
Do I have to perform the play or skit?
No. This class judges the written script only. Performed plays and skits are separate drama items in other templates.
What is the difference between a play and a skit?
A skit is short, usually one scene built around a single funny or pointed idea. A play can be longer, with several scenes and a more developed story. The template groups them in one class, so check with the organiser which suits the length allowed.
Is there a word limit or a time limit?
The template prints neither. Ask the organiser for the page or word limit, any set theme and the submission deadline.
How is it marked?
The panel gives a rating out of 5 in this template, and entrants are ranked within the Teens (13-19) group.
Similar competitions
Items whose names share a word with this one — usually the same discipline in another form.
Want the full judging picture? Read the full essay & story writing judging criteria guide, or browse every creative writing competition item.
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