Besides perfectionism, procrastination is my next biggest issue. Way back in college, it used to be a running joke that for me a study break was when I took a break and studied. I’m finding similar issues these days as I find myself reluctant to face certain truths or balk at actually writing them…
I’m sure many of you remember the game where you had to fit all the funky shaped little pegs into their appropriately shaped holes before the timer counted down, the board popped up and they all went flying again? Anyway, that’s how I feel lately. I’m holding too many funky shaped pieces and they don’t…
Have you ever noticed that three is truly a magic number? I’m not talking numerology or anything like that, but the number three keeps coming up in everything I’ve been reading lately. The Classic Three-Act form. A hero must pass 3 tests to get his reward. Three cheers. Make sure you highlight a setting with…
My son’s Cub Scout Pack spent the weekend camping in the cold and windy mountains. No incidents involved wild critters, but at night, we could hear the wolves howling at the nearby preserve. The boys had a great time imitating them. We left home later than we’d hoped, so I put up the tent (mostly…
I got some phenomenal feedback on Revealed from several Divas. Jodi suggested some great websites: Michael Hauge’s article Screenplay Structure and The Unknown Screenwriter’s article on Transformational Character Arcs. She also recommended the book Emotional Structure: Creating the Story Beneath the Plot by Emmy award winning TV producer Peter Dunne, which has me itching to…
13 Reactions to Criticism This entry might not be as entertaining as the previous ones, but it’s something I’ve had to think about as I put my first piece out there and asked for opinions. It was a terrifying experience to put myself in such a vulnerable position, but my desire to learn more…
As promised, I’ve posted the first of the stories based on the exercise of telling a story in the traditional Three ACT form. Revealed is set in the Regency Period and runs about 2400 words. The idea was pulled from an abandoned novel opening and might work as the opening chapter some day. If you…
I finished the story arc I’ve been talking about recently. I’m not at the point where I can do them quickly, so I may just post them as I finish them and feel they’re readable. Once I finish a few more minor edits, I will post that one on a page here with links to…
I’m not sure if my plan is going to work. Yesterday, I worked on a story arc for another story idea that’s been around for a while. I spent far longer than 30 minutes on it and I didn’t get beyond than the set up and inciting incident. I should probably start on one that…
I neglected to find a pretty image to go along with today’s post. I chose the image and post to serve as a focal point. The diagram is very familiar to me by now. Books on plot and structure obligingly include at least one variation when discussing the Classic Three Act Structure and overall story…