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…
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…
I finally made some forward progress on the Food Critic and the Chef story last night. As you an see, I don’t have a working title for it yet. Nothing has jumped out and grabbed me. I’m probably going to completely overhaul what I have written so far. I keep reading and learning new and…
…your own son tells you that you need a vacation just as soon as Daddy gets home. <– How I Feel September has been a stressful month on several fronts. DH has been traveling a lot this month for work. The kids are amazing! They’re able able to tune in and immediately amplify any stress…
I’ve been pondering and trying to make some more headway on that story about the Food Critic and the Chef that I brainstormed in Building Tension and Food Porn or Romance?. I hate my original outline. The story doesn’t go anywhere yet. It rambles along, but doesn’t have purpose or any promising structure. Below, I’ve…
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. In one of the craft books I was reading there was a whole section on the topic. The idea was that sentiment is sincere, honest emotion and sentimentality is a pre-packaged emotional bundle. Clichés become clichés because too many people see the usefulness in the pre-packaged…
This cartoon from the Punch magazine by John Leech in 1847 shows life hasn’t changed that much in 160 years. Everyday details intrude upon the creative space of the would-be artist. Perhaps September wasn’t the best time to try to focus on a new project or hobby. With the start of the school year, I…