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Category Archives: Story Development
Get Into Your Characters’ Heads
One of the most powerful opportunities of the novel format is the ability to describe what a character is thinking. In movies or stage plays (with exceptions) you must show what the character is thinking through action and/or dialog. But … Continue reading
Posted in Characters, Novel Writing, Story Development
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Letting Go of Characters
Over the course of the story, your reader/audience has come to know your characters and to feel for them. The story doesn’t end when your characters and their relationships reach a climax. Rather, the reader/audience will want to know the … Continue reading
Posted in Characters, Creative Writing, Story Development
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Excuses, Excuses…
When a child comes up with a false reason for some small transgression, we know he is just making an excuse to avoid punishment or to side-step a negative emotional response. Adults continue to make excuses; they just do it … Continue reading
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Your Plot Step By Step!
Here are some general guidelines to help you structure your story’s plot, step by step. Act One Beginning The beginning of act one is the teaser. It may or may not have anything to do with the actual plot of … Continue reading
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The Creativity Two-Step
The concept behind this method of finding inspiration is quite simple, really: It is easier to come up with many ideas than it is to come up with one idea. Now that may sound counter-intuitive, but consider this… When you … Continue reading
Posted in Story Development, Writer's Block, Writing Tip of the Day
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About Your Story’s Title
A writing tip from Dramatica Story Structure Software What’s in a name? Having at least a working title will help you start your story, even if you ultimately change the title. The title of your story may or may not … Continue reading
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The Story Mind (Part 8) – Writing Remakes
Excerpted from the Book “Dramatica Unplugged“ By Melanie Anne Phillips, Co-creator of Dramatica What happens if you mess up and just alter part of a structure without considering the structure-wide impact that change may have? Here’s an example…. Consider the Bill Murray … Continue reading
Posted in Adaptations & Remakes
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The Danger to Writers from Convenience
“Dramatica doesn’t make writing easier; it makes it harder.” That was opening comment we made in a video interview by the BBC that was intended to show how Hollywood writers were ruining drama by relying more and more on computerized … Continue reading
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Character Development Tricks!
As trite as it might seem, ask yourself “What would a story be without characters?” The answer can help you get a grip on exactly what characters really do in a story, and therefore how to build them effectively. Although … Continue reading
Posted in Building Characters, Writing Synopses, Writing Tip of the Day
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Your Story as a Person
All too often, authors get mired in the details of a story, trying to cram everything in and make all the pieces fit. Characters are then seen only as individuals, so they often unintentionally overlap each other’s dramatic functions. The … Continue reading
Posted in Creative Writing, Novel Writing, Story Development, Writing Tip of the Day
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