A successful screenplay starts with an understanding of the fundamentals of dramatic story structure. In this practical introduction, Edward J. Fink condenses centuries of writing about dramatic theory into ten concise and readable chapters, providing the tools for building an engaging narrative and turning it into an agent-ready script. Fink devotes chapters to expanding on the six basic elements of drama from Aristotle’s Poetics (plot, character, theme, dialogue, sound, and spectacle), the theory and structure of comedy, as well as the concepts of unity, metaphor, style, universality, and catharsis. Key terms and discussion questions encourage readers to think through the components of compelling stories and put them into practice, and script formatting guidelines ensure your finished product looks polished and professional. Dramatic Story Structure is an essential resource not only for aspiring screenwriters, but also for experienced practitioners in need of a refresher on the building blocks of storytelling.
Build a Timeless, Original Story Using Hundreds of Classic Story Motifs! It's been said that there are no new ideas; but there are proven ideas that have worked again and again for all writers for hundreds of years. Story Structure Architect is your comprehensive reference to the classic recurring story structures used by every great author throughout the ages. You'll find master models for characters, plots, and complication motifs, along with guidelines for combining them to create unique short stories, novels, scripts, or plays. You'll also learn how to: • Build compelling stories that don't get bogged down in the middle • Select character journeys and create conflicts • Devise subplots and plan dramatic situations • Develop the supporting characters you need to make your story work Especially featured are the standard dramatic situations inspire by Georges Polti's well-known 19th century work, The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations. But author Victoria Schmidt puts a 21st-century spin on these timeless classics and offers fifty-five situations to inspire your creativity and allow you even more writing freedom. Story Structure Architect will give you the mold and then help you break it. This browsable and interactive book offers everything you need to craft a complete, original, and satisfying story sure to keep readers hooked!
Drawing on Provost's proven philosophies, Rubie examines every facet of storytelling, from narrative hooks to fulfilling climaxes. Through advice, exercises, and an outstanding array of examples, you'll learn to create gripping narratives powered by strong characters. You'll discover the secrets of sequencing, of weaving subplots into rich stories, of manipulating story pace to increase conflict, tension, and surprise. “Rarely does a writing guide arrive with the authority of HOW TO TELL A STORY.” Publishers Weekly. "HOW TO TELL A STORY is a must for anybody who writes nonfiction or fiction -- television and screenwriters included." - Hugh Wilson, creator of WKRP in Cincinnati, director of The First Wive's Club. "A most useful book that will aid anyone tying to become a writer of fiction. I recommend it highly." - Roderick Thorp, bestselling author of River, Die Hard, and Detective. "Gary Provost was one of the best friends a writer ever had. He knew that all writers face a hard challenge: to take their ideas, aspirations, and vapors of creativity, and make them concrete for the reader. How to do it? Treat writing as a craft, with techniques that can be learned, with tricks that can be taught. In this book, Peter Rubie shows Gary Provost at his best." William Martin, author of Cape Cod and Annapolis. "HOW TO TELL A STORY offers a harvest of time-tested problem-solving techniques that will enrich every writer's art and craft. It's a feast of innovative, clearly stated advice that will nourish a writer's confidence and career. Read it and you will reap its many rewards." - Gerald Gross, author of Editors on Editing: What Writers Need to Know About What Editors Do. "Peter Rubie and Gary Provost have got it right. HOW TO TELL A STORY covers everything a novice writer needs to learn and a professional writer needs to remember. It's earned a permanent place on my desk." - Barbara Shapiro, author of Blind Spot and See No Evil. "In this unique book, the time honored ability of story telling has been dissected, examined carefully and defined in detail for the writer. With a fresh new look at what makes a story exciting and compelling, HOW TO TELL A STORY outlines for the writer all the secrets of dramatic story telling. Every writer should read this book before writing another paragraph." - Keith Wilson, M.D., novelist, and author of Cause of Death: A Writer's Guide to Death, Murder, & Forensic Medicine.
In it, Aristotle offers an account of what he calls "poetry" (a term which in Greek literally means "making" and in this context includes drama - comedy, tragedy, and the satyr play - as well as lyric poetry and epic poetry). They are similar in the fact that they are all imitations but different in the three ways that Aristotle describes: 1. Differences in music rhythm, harmony, meter and melody. 2. Difference of goodness in the characters. 3. Difference in how the narrative is presented: telling a story or acting it out. In examining its "first principles," Aristotle finds two: 1) imitation and 2) genres and other concepts by which that of truth is applied/revealed in the poesis. His analysis of tragedy constitutes the core of the discussion. Although Aristotle's Poetics is universally acknowledged in the Western critical tradition, "almost every detail about his seminal work has aroused divergent opinions."
This new book from the author of The Dramatic Writer's Companion approaches some of the same issues as its predecessor but from a slightly different angle. It offers playwrights, screenwriters, and other dramatic writers in-depth analysis of the dramatic architecture of three award-winning contemporary American plays: Doubt: A Parable by John Patrick Shanley, Topdog/Underdog by Suzan-Lori Parks, and The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl. Each relatively brief chapter is devoted to a specific story element--from "Characters" and "Main Event" to "Emotional Environment" and "Back Story"--with subsections that break down this element in each of the plays. Readers can choose to read across the chapters to follow the analysis of each play, but the structure gives primary emphasis to the story elements, comparing and contrasting how different writers have successfully handled them. Each chapter ends with a set of questions to help readers analyze and develop that element in their own work.
The great challenge in writing a feature-length screenplay is sustaining audience involvement from page one through 120. Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach expounds on an often-overlooked tool that can be key in solving this problem. A screenplay can be understood as being built of sequences of about fifteen pages each, and by focusing on solving the dramatic aspects of each of these sequences in detail, a writer can more easily conquer the challenges posed by the script as a whole. The sequence approach has its foundation in early Hollywood cinema (until the 1950s, most screenplays were formatted with sequences explicitly identified), and has been rediscovered and used effectively at such film schools as the University of Southern California, Columbia University and Chapman University. This book exposes a wide audience to the approach for the first time, introducing the concept then providing a sequence analysis of eleven significant feature films made between 1940 and 2000: The Shop Around The Corner / Double Indemnity / Nights of Cabiria / North By Northwest / Lawrence of Arabia / The Graduate / One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest / Toy Story / Air Force One / Being John Malkovich / The Fellowship of the Ring
"Marion is hiding a secret from her past and Kurt is trying to figure out how to recover from his mother's death as they both find solace in each other."--
How is A Game of Thrones the same story as The Lego Movie? How is the mind-bending plot of Inception identical to the terse narrative of Gravity? In what way is Clarice Starling's struggle to silence the lambs indistinguishable from Harry Potter's pursuit of the philosopher's stone? Despite the striking difference in these stories, they share a less conspicuous similarity: they're all structured on a universal pattern of actions undertaken by their characters.This sequence of six Actions and Goals is the hidden foundation of modern story structure. By aligning the unique actions your characters takes with these universal story actions, you can create propulsive narratives that grab your audience by the lapels and punch them in the face (figuratively, of course). Whether you're writing for television or plotting a novel, penning your first screenplay or coming off your most recent bestseller, this groundbreaking storytelling technique is guaranteed to change your perception of story.Actions and Goals will teach you: How to use the actions of your character to structure your story.Why your character's goal should change as the story progresses.The five turning points and the decision your character must make at each one.How a conflict of ideals creates the opposition your character faces.How your character's attempt to fulfill a new role propels him through the narrative. Successful storytellers understand the importance of structure. Actions and Goals gives you beat by beat examples of this structural secret at work in over a dozen critically acclaimed novels and films. From The Hunger Games to The Empire Strikes Back, from Titanic to Iron Man, you will learn the simple, effective structure at the heart of them all.
Get the Knowledge Without the College! You are a writer. You dream of sharing your words with the world, and you're willing to put in the hard work to achieve success. You may have even considered earning your MFA, but for whatever reason--tuition costs, the time commitment, or other responsibilities--you've never been able to do it. Or maybe you've been looking for a self-guided approach so you don't have to go back to school. This book is for you. DIY MFA is the do-it-yourself alternative to a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. By combining the three main components of a traditional MFA--writing, reading, and community--it teaches you how to craft compelling stories, engage your readers, and publish your work. Inside you'll learn how to: • Set customized goals for writing and learning. • Generate ideas on demand. • Outline your book from beginning to end. • Breathe life into your characters. • Master point of view, voice, dialogue, and more. • Read with a "writer's eye" to emulate the techniques of others. • Network like a pro, get the most out of writing workshops, and submit your work successfully. Writing belongs to everyone--not only those who earn a degree. With DIY MFA, you can take charge of your writing, produce high-quality work, get published, and build a writing career.
Craft an Engaging Plot How does plot influence story structure? What's the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that's gone off course? With Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, you'll discover the answers to these questions and more. Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including: • Techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and ends • Easy-to-understand plotting diagrams and charts • Brainstorming techniques for original plot ideas • Thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter • Story structure models and methods for all genres • Tips and tools for correcting common plot problems Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.
