Hi, I want to change my story into a stageplay, but I just can't figure how to minimize all the details and just put simple actions and cues. There's no "feeling" when I do that and feels empty.
That is one of the most difficult parts of writing for the stage, especially coming from prose fiction!
It feels empty, yes, but as a stage writer, it isn’t your job to put those details in! That’s the job of the actors and director, to take the simple words and directions you give them, and interpret those with emotion and nuance.
The most important thing in a stage script is the dialogue. Work on developing your dialogue so that even without descriptive prose, your dialogue shines with emotion and meaning.
It’s important, also, to read stageplays that are of a similar genre/ style to what you are trying to write, so that you can get a feel for what they have on the page, and so that you can compare the written version to the final performance.
[HERE] is a post about the basics of scriptwriting
[HERE] is a post about pacing in scriptwriting
[HERE] is a post about some programs that can help with script formatting