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Dramatizing Character
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to
December 4, 2023
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Character Development
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“There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” – W. Somerset Maugham There...
One structure model designed specifically for screenwriters is Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat!” If you’ve been in one of my...
Hyperbole is how we speak when ordinary language isn’t big enough. Do you remember your first heartbreak? Even though you...
Do character arcs matter? Here’s an important lesson to remember: No matter how elaborate your plot is, if your reader...
Dorland Mountain Arts Colony is a tranquil retreat for writers, artists, and musicians in the mountains of Temecula, California. The...
In the best stories, the reader’s attention keeps in sync with the rhythm of the prose. It’s like a snowball...
It is human to have blind spots, and often convenient to be in denial about certain aspects of ourselves. This...
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it...
There are times, as storytellers, when we can be so bull-headed about what we want to express, that we end...
Some of you may be writing ensemble screenplays with multiple storylines and scratching your head wondering who your protagonist is....
Usually when you open a book and you’re embarking on a new adventure, you believe what the narrator tells you...
“A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the...
Blog
Taking Off the Mask
“Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” – Amelia Earhart In Jerry Stahl’s memoir, Permanent Midnight, he shares
May 1, 2023
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Blog
Who is My Protagonist?
Some of you may be writing ensemble screenplays with multiple storylines and scratching your head wondering who your protagonist is. The key
February 1, 2023
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Blind Spots in Your Story
It is human to have blind spots, and often convenient to be in denial about certain aspects of ourselves. This is natural,
June 17, 2022
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The Power of Curiosity
Story creation often begins with an idea or an image that ignites your imagination. You become curious, wanting to know more, to
April 1, 2022
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Using Your Credo to Create Story Conflict
(Image from And Justice for All, 1979) You can’t have story without conflict. As writers, it is important to investigate and become
August 6, 2021
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Act One: Maintaining Tension
“A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the need to
June 25, 2021
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Blog
Shedding the Idea for Truth in Writing
It’s not just first-time novelists or screenwriters that struggle with getting their story from the imagination to the page. Every writer struggles
June 4, 2021
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Blog
The Protagonist’s Experience
Regardless of the medium, your reader is not interested in what your character is feeling. Seriously. In fact, if you tell your
June 18, 2019
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Blog
Our Characters are Malleable
“Nothing changes more constantly than the past; for the past that influences our lives does not consist of what happened, but of
December 26, 2017
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Narrative Drive
“The purpose of narrative is to present us with complexity and ambiguity.”— Scott Turow If you’re rewriting and a point in your
November 20, 2017
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Recent posts
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it...
“Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” – Amelia Earhart In Jerry Stahl’s memoir, Permanent Midnight,...
Some of you may be writing ensemble screenplays with multiple storylines and scratching your head wondering who your protagonist is....
It is human to have blind spots, and often convenient to be in denial about certain aspects of ourselves. This...
Story creation often begins with an idea or an image that ignites your imagination. You become curious, wanting to know...
(Image from And Justice for All, 1979) You can’t have story without conflict. As writers, it is important to investigate...
“A writer writes not because he is educated but because he is driven by the need to communicate. Behind the...
It’s not just first-time novelists or screenwriters that struggle with getting their story from the imagination to the page. Every...
Regardless of the medium, your reader is not interested in what your character is feeling. Seriously. In fact, if you...
“Nothing changes more constantly than the past; for the past that influences our lives does not consist of what happened,...
“The purpose of narrative is to present us with complexity and ambiguity.”— Scott Turow If you’re rewriting and a point...
