The first half of Act Two, which we will call Act II, Part 1 (30-60 minutes in a film, pages 100-200 in a book), is the most variable of the four Acts. Yes, for reasons I go into in my workshops and workbooks, the Three-Act Structure of filmmaking actually has four...
Nanowrimo: 10 Key Elements of Act I
Last weekend before Nanowrimo! ! How about a roadmap for your first week? Yesterday I focused on three essential questions to ask yourself about this adventure you and your main character are about to go on. Now let's expand that. Here are Ten Key Story Elements in a...
Fall in Love with Story Structure!
Yeah, yeah, I know. Some writers freeze at the very word, “structure.” But it’s the easiest, fastest way I know to easier, faster, and more salable writing.So in this Nanowrimo/NO Nano series, of all my Top Tricks to Get Yourself Writing Again, my Trick #1 is: ...
Preptober: What Makes a BIG BOOK?
Since fall hit, I am pining for the in-person writing conferences, where on top of every other wonderful thing about writing conferences, every single conversation is just a gold mine in writing and marketing information. For this post I’m specifically thinking of a...
On Writers Not Writing
I've posted Part 3 of this Is My Story Idea BIG Enough? series today, too. But based on some conversations I've been having, in the workshop and out of it, I also feel the need to post something that you might call an anti-Nanowrimo post. Because the very last thing I...
Preptober: Is my story idea BIG enough? Part 2
Today, we're going to embrace the business side of writing as part of the idea-finding process. In Part I I was talking especially to the beginning writer. In the beginning, the most important thing is to find an idea that you can finish. But -If you’ve already...
Preptober: Is my story idea BIG enough?
It’s an important question. Because “Write what you feel like writing!” is a great idea if you’re calm, relaxed, and sure. But maybe not so great if you’re approaching it from a state of panic. And let’s face it. If you want to make money at writing, there are...
Equinox Magic
Happy Equinox!! The witch in me compels me to once again gently remind everyone that the weeks of the Equinoxes and Solstices, the three days before and three days after, are an especially powerful time to set intentions.Of course the full energy of the Universe is...
Preptober: THE MASTER LIST (part 1)
It's October and you know what that means....It's Nanowrimo PREP month!I always do a brainstorming and story structure review series in for Preptober, and continue throughout November with prompts and encouragement, based on my Screenwriting Tricks for...
Preptober: Three Things You MUST Know About Your Story
Aaah, Fall! Doesn’t it just make you want to—write a book or something? Well, let’s do it! Here are three absolutely essential questions that will help crystallize what you're writing: What does your protagonist WANT? What is their PLAN to get it? Who and what is...