Write your first book—or your best book yet—
using the storytelling tricks of your favorite movies
Writing Act III of a book or script: The New Plan
Here, very simply, are the broad strokes of Act III of a book or script: At the end of Act II: Part 2 (about p. 300 in a 400-page book, about 90 minutes in to a 2 hour movie) everything crashes in an All is Lost Moment, or Black Moment, or Visit to Death. And then,...
Use that Back to School energy for your writing!
It’s September, and I don’t know about you, but this time of year I always get this rush of nervous, excited, Back to School energy. As writers, we can use this to our advantage! If you’ve been hedging about writing that book or script, now is a great time to commit...
Writing Act II: The Third Quarter Drop Dead
In the next few weeks we’ll be breaking down the essential components of Act III of your book or script: The Final Battle. But before we move on, there’s something else I’d like to point out about Act II: Part 2, the third quarter of your story. I find that right...
Your Act II Climax: The Dark Night and the Dawn
These two key story structure elements are very, very often the CLIMAX of Act II: Part 2. They almost always occur next to each other, one coming right after—or soon after—the other. There might be a climactic action sequence before or after, but these elements will...
Creating Character: Your Protagonist’s GHOST, WOUND, or CORE TRAUMA
I got an excellent question this week about how and where to reveal a Protagonist’s Ghost or Wound. This is perfect timing for our discussion of the third quarter of your book or script—Act II: Part 2—because it’s in this Downward Spiral that the internal Ghost or...
Act II: Part 2 — Visit to the Goddess
As we continue our discussion of Act II: Part 2,I want to make sure you’re aware of this important story element. It can be tremendously useful—and it’s very rarely discussed! You could characterize the two halves of Act II with these very, very broad strokes: Act II:...
Act II: Part 2 – The Clash of Inner & Outer Desire
The darker, downward spiraling Act II: Part 2 is a PATTERN in novels and movies that we tend to see often. I want to say up front, as ever: If you’re writing an Act II: Part 2 that doesn’t fit this pattern, and it’s working for you, that’s all that matters! Only use...
Act II: Part 2 – The Downward Spiral
Act II:2 is the third quarter of a book or script, and generally the darkest quarter. One of the most useful things you can do for your book or script is to start looking at Act II as two very distinct and contrasting Acts, divided by the Midpoint game-changer. (More...
The MIDPOINT Game-Changer – Part 2
Let's talk about that sagging middle. Of your book or script, I mean! This month we’ll be moving into the third quarter—often the darkest and most difficult quarter! —of a book or script: Act 2: Part 2, what I call THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL. But first I want to make...
Creating Love Triangles/Second Love Interests
After last week’s post I got a request for a discussion of how to create love triangles/ secondary love interests — and I’m happy to do a post on this excellent question! One of the key elements that makes a love triangle work is: The two possible love interests...
