I am not nearly as skilled as most participants here.  I love this board and have learned tons, ordered many of the suggested books, visited the suggested websites, and wish I could apprentice under any number of these talented professionals.  What I can do is offer this...blocking is everything...and one of my early theatre mentors, Ken Bradbury, drilled into my head that it is the director's job to plan the blocking - not always a collaborative process.  He stated that theatre is like a picture book and it is the director's job to create the pictures.  So, with each scene, you create the picture and give the actors movement and gestures that compliment their lines.  You probably get this already...but I work primarily with middle school and high school students...once they 'get it,' you can ease up on the 'dictated' blocking and allow them more freedom (and for some they just naturally know what to do), but for the newbies, you may need to provide them with props (which tends to help with business), make sure they gesture a certain way with an important line, and definitely assist them in where to stand or where to move...and make sure they understand why:-)  You may need to give more direction that you want...but you might have to anyway.

I agree wholeheartedly with the "stage picture" idea. If books on directing are sometimes too esoteric, then study books on art. Look at classical paintings done by the European masters. See how they've placed their subjects (especially groups of people), varying them by height, foreground, background, sitting, standing, leaning, etc. etc.

Find the important moments in your script and structure a picture to highlight its impact. Place your actors to create the picture: who's dominant? Who's recessive? Who's drawn to the action? Who's repulsed by it?

Do this at several points throughout each scene and it merely becomes a question of getting the actors to these positions during the preceding dialogue. You'll find the movements start to come more naturally as the actors realize they must get from "Point A" to "Point B" by a specific time -- just like a dance.

Hmm, dance? Painting? Art, music, theater. It's remarkable how it's all intertwined.

"Thinking Like A Director" by Michael Bloom is a very good, practical book on stage directing. But if you've already started rehearsals, it's a bit much to digest and then apply as you direct. The other respondents are correct: you create the stage pictures with respect to composition and balance; you block the play. If you rely completely on the actors to find their own blocking, the process will very uneven at best.

Break the play down into natural "beats", or sub-scenes. Then create action to suit the beats. You will start to create a framework within which the play can exist. When your actors get a feel for how you are trying to lead them, you can then back off and allow them to contribute to the creative process. I hope this helps. Remember to convert your ideas into playable actions--this is what the audience sees.

By the way, which play are you doing?

I'm following this discussion closely - thank you!  I'm scheduled to direct my first show this fall/winter (first weekend in December), after three decades ON the stage.  As an actor, I find that my PERSONAL preference is for a director who has a clear vision of what s/he wants the show to be, but allows the actors freedom to give their own input, & I tend to chafe under the sort of director who tells you to take three steps left & point, then step down & shrug.  One of the best experiences I've ever had on stage was a production of AN INSPECTOR CALLS, which is an odd play, to say the least...  The director gave us her "pictures" - "You start here, you end here - get there."  It caused our cast to REALLY explore our characters & their relationships to one another, their backstory, their reasons.  :::sigh::: But I'M directing GODSPELL, which is a whole other kettle of fish.  I'm finding myself storyboarding each segment - which sort of sounds like what all y'all are talking about???

Joe, I love what you said. "...have an open mind & except creative accidents". I just directed a show where the character had to come in wearing a winter coat. I didn't see a reason for her take off the coat in the scene. Her character was only suppose to stay a minute. To make a long story short. During rehearsal my actress got a bit warmer then the rest of  us and flung the coat off. It worked so well, I kept it in. It got a big laugh every night. I call that "change of life" blocking. I am always looking for those things that the actors do that really work that they may not be aware of. I am always a litle sad opening night, because I just love the process.