How to Do an Outline of a Skit

Run through your skit several times with cast members to check the pacing flow.

Writing a short skit or performance is harder that it might seem at first glance. It's easy to get sidetracked or off topic, turning your tightly paced performance into a rambling shambles. However, if you create a guide for yourself and have a solid idea of where you want the skit to start and finish you can keep yourself on track and keep your piece concise and focused.

Instructions

1. Decide on a basic premise for your skit. You don't need much information to start; it might be just a location, a period in history or a historic event. It should be something that your audience would be familiar with. Think about who your audience is likely to include. If it will be the general public, stick to everyday places and experiences that everyone can relate to. If your audience is made up of employees at the same company, or students at the same school, you might use a setting unique to them --- for instance, the staff cafeteria or the principle's office.

2. Pick a central theme for the skit. If it's a comedy piece, you'll want an over-arcing joke that sets up at the beginning and underpins the piece as a whole, concluding with a punchline at the end. It may well be tied into the premise or setting. For instance, "A bull tries to go shopping for wedding china." If it's a more serious piece or a re-enactment of historical events, focus on the central message you wish to convey.

3. Plot out the events of the skit in chronological order. Decide where and how it will begin and end. These are the two most important elements of the skit. Use the ending to convey your message or punchline, and the beginning to give it context. For example, if your skit involves a character learning about the dangers of drugs, it's important to demonstrate his ignorance of these dangers at the start of the piece.

4. Fill in the blanks in your list of events that lead your characters from the start to the end of the piece. If you're writing your skit in a group, this is a good time to open up to suggestions and ideas. With the boundaries of the piece set up, your group knows the focus on the piece, which helps keep everyone on the same page. Taking suggestions from even a small group can get off-topic very quickly, leaving you with a mass of unrelated material that you will struggle to connect together.

References

• Pacific Northwest Journeys; Fine Arts--Writing A Skit
• Writing For Dollars; Plays, Skits and Scripts--Are They For You?; Susan Sundwall; 2009