A Reading of My First Play: Ghosts, Situationships, and Vulnerability

Writing a play is like online dating: isolating, terrifying, and full of self-doubt. For weeks, I sat alone, typing The Ghosts of Situationships Past, turning my dating horror stories into a modern twist on A Christmas Carol—why men ghost, why we linger, and why it hurts so much.

Then came the reading. Suddenly, my private world of ghosts and painfully specific online dating anecdotes was out there, in a room full of humans. Vulnerable doesn’t begin to cover it.

The day before, I even had to edit the play—because the man I’d been dating for three months went completely MIA. Thanks, life, for providing extra material.

Even though it was scary, sharing it was wonderful. The audience was supportive, thoughtful, and generous with feedback that made me see my work—and my ghosts—in a new light. My lonely writing process suddenly felt worth it.

Writing is lonely. Sharing is terrifying. But sometimes, putting your work—and a little bit of yourself—out there can be profoundly rewarding. And me? I survived the reading. And, mostly, my dating life too.