←Recommendations of Second Book Syndrome

Characters come to life to confront an author and his agent in this insightful meta play. They strip the covers from the writing process and raise thorny questions. What's the source of our ideas? Is anything we write truly original? Do we have the permission to write what we want? Does our identity handcuff us so we’re limited in what we write? To what extent are our characters autobiographical? Who are we writing for? As Mira says, “Impact trumps intent.” Those are chilling words. Well done.

I absolutely love the premise of this work, and the execution is superb. Where does inspiration truly come from? As writers, do we ultimately have RESPONSIBILITY for what (and whom) we create? And what do more contemporary pressures mean when it comes to creation? This play explores all that and more, always keeping your interest and getting you to care about the characters, even (especially?) the heel. I loved spending time in the world that Heyman created and think other audiences certainly would as well. Produce this play!

I love this roller-coaster play. Sam Heyman creates a crazy world where every time we think we are settling in, the play shifts and twists -- always driving towards the inevitable and surprising ending. This is a play set in the world of writing and publishing, as the characters look for their identities and explore how far they will go to get what they want. This play forces us to look inside ourselves and ask questions we would prefer to avoid. Well done.

Sam Heyman brings characters to life in more ways than one in this smart look at literature/publishing, marketing, imposter syndrome, cultural appropriation, and more. The play is masterfully structured and the dialogue eloquent. This was a real pleasure to read and would be absolutely fascinating to see on stage.

For the sake of commercial success, somewhere between submitting the manuscript of his novel to an agent and the actual publication, Robert's original vision mutated into something he barely recognizes. That makes it tremendously difficult for him to write a sequel. Then two characters from the original novel arrive to help, bringing their own conflicts with them, Sam Heyman has done a wonderful job here of creating two worlds, one for his play and one for Robert's successful dystopian novel. The characters are memorable and consistent and the dialogue is compelling. This is truly excellent work.

Sam Heyman's gripping play isn't just a play about writer's block. It's a robust exploration about artistry, collaboration and what we owe the characters we create when we bring them to life on the page. The idea of an author's creations coming to life is a familiar one, but "Second Book Syndrome" deftly and cleverly mines uncharted territory. It's a brilliant play that I hope gets to come to life on stage soon.

What do writers write about when they write about writers writing? They seek the truth behind the characters they think they've created, but in truth they are at the mercy of those characters and their own truths. In this creative and honest examination by Sam Heyman, the drive to be true to what they want to say is at the mercy of what the readers want to read, and that's where the conflict truly arises. This is an imaginative and intriguing tale that leaves you wondering where the real world ends and fiction begins. Bravo, Sam.

The theatricality at play here is so vivid and compelling. This genre bending story unfolds with some many themes that the creative mind hungers to answer. Sam Heyman has this wonderful stylistic trait where characters are challenged with issues that seem impossible to face but each of them are revealed through their strengths and weaknesses and why it makes them who they are and who they strive to become. Really intriguing characters, wonderfully crafted dialogue, and an overall amazing journey for audiences to take.

Super! A paranoid, deadline-dreading novelist faces some real life problems and learns about himself through his characters. Same old same old fictional characters come to life story? No way. This meta-meta-dystopian-ish-in-and-outside-a-writer's head play for four actors was a great ride from start to finish. I loved the brief moments of "past tense reflective" yet so immediate narration as it works well on stage. Bravo, playwright! It's certainly relatable AND marketable ;)

Sam Heyman has opened some incredibly intriguing philosophical discussions about the nature of writing, ownership, and power—SECOND BOOK SYNDROME is truly a play for writers. It's a little bit "Stranger Than Fiction" (which is meant entirely as a compliment!), but what I especially admire about this piece is how questions are raised to both the author and the agent, serving as commentary on both the writing process and the publishing process. A fun, thought-provoking read!