Eva Deverell: Creative Writing Blog The Irrefutable Algebra of Story - Storyfix.com Don’t be scared off by the implication of forthcoming mathematics. I know, writers aren’t known for their affection for numbers, but I promise you this particular story problem will be right up your alley. This post is inspired by a recent story coaching client who answered this question — What is the core dramatic arc of your story? — with this response: My story is about a woman seeking to discover her roots to find out who she really is. This answer, almost to a word, is very common. That said… it may be fine (too often it isn’t) if the context is a cocktail party or passing an acquaintance on the street, or as the first line of a premise that goes on to offer more. It is missing the dramatic heart and soul of the story itself. Which you haven’t accomplished with the answer you’ve given. Actually, that’s not accurate… make that less then 100 percent, because some agents will trash your pitch based on such an answer alone. Because, you see, “finding out who she is” is an outcome.
Writers Write Live Write Thrive | Insights, inspiration, and practical advice for writers How to Plot A Novel Or Screenplay…The Fifteen Plot Spots – Your New Plotting Tool :eWritersCoach 52 Weeks of 52 Kick Ass Tools! Welcome to Week 2! As many of you may know, I am a lazy writer. I like short cuts. 15 Essential Plot Spots (Freedman, 2012) An excellent plotting tool that can be used for movies, plays, memoirs and novels. Your Story’s Logic Always be aware of the logic of your story. 1. * The Grabber: 1st page – 1st 5 pages (M or S, Usually M) Do something interesting and do it quick. 2. * Old Self in Old World: 1st Quarter of the Story. 3. 4. Struggle with the journey: The hero wonders whether or not to go on the journey or enter the new world. __________________________End ACT 1__________________________ _______________________Act 2 Begins Here_______________________5. After the hero has a goal, has walked through the door into the new world and launches himself into the journey, he will experience some small victories (initial success) or rough landing — or a little of both. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. May have new self – but the problem still exists. 13.
Lightning Bug How to Make Beta Reading Work for Us (Note: I just finished a brutal two-week revision under deadline, so rather than staying up until 4 a.m. (again), I’m recycling this guest post I wrote a couple of years ago for Anne R. Allen’s blog. Ever struggle to make readers’ interpretations of your writing match your intentions? Maybe readers come away with the wrong impression of a character. As writers, we’re so close to our stories it’s impossible for us to know how readers will interpret our words. Sounds Great! Once we have fans and readers of our published work, we might be able to find volunteers who would love a sneak peek at our stories in exchange for feedback of issues they discover. Most writers in that position exchange work with other authors in an “I’ll give you feedback if you give me feedback” beta-reading arrangement. Do Beta Readers Need to Be Familiar with Our Genre? We probably want most of our beta readers to be familiar with our genre, but it’s possible for beta readers outside our genre to be valuable too.
Create A Plot Outline In 8 Easy Steps By Glen C. Strathy How would you like to create a plot outline for your novel in less than an hour that is emotionally compelling and dramatically sound? It's easier than you think. The secret is to incorporate the 8 Basic Plot Elements. Sound intriguing? I'll describe each of the eight elements in turn. On the other hand, if you already have a draft for a novel, that you're looking to revise, then ask yourself, as we go through these elements, whether you have included them in your story. 1. 15K+Save The first element to include in your plot outline is the Story Goal, which we covered in detail in the previous article, The Key to a Solid Plot: Choosing a Story Goal. For instance, let's say we want to write a story about a 38-year-old female executive who has always put off having a family for the sake of her career and now finds herself lonely and regretting her choices. There are many ways we could involve other characters in this goal. ... a mother who wants her to be happier. 2. 3.
Creative Writing Courses and Ideas: An Online Resource for Writers