(When I was asked to participate in a segment on criticism (literary/film) for the CBS Sunday Morning Show, my friend Luisa Adams, author of Woven of Water, sent me this poem she had written after receiving a particularly negative critique.)The Critiqueby Luisa AdamsBarbed wireWords,The artist's souldangles.Opinion's hoarfrostIcy,The creative helixtangles.Devouring egosFlay,The tender skinmangles.Critic's cordEncircles,The artist's soulstrangles.When does criticism cross the line …
Writing in Snippets rather than Writing in Scene
As a strategy to seize back power from the self-doubts and self-sabatoging behaviors around her writing, she signs up for ongoing plot consultations with me. When I learn of the sacrifices she makes to afford my support, I understand how deep her resistance and negative self-talk cuts.With the 4 Energetic Markers identified through all major plot lines, she plots scenes ideas for the beginning quarter of her story. At the same time we agree to begin incorporating actual writing into her …
What Happens after the Crisis and Before the Protagonist Ends the True End of the Story?
The drop in the energy of a Universal Story is symbolized on the Plot Planner by the downward line after the Crisis. This entire downward line can be viewed as the threshold separating the middle of the story from the end. Literally, a threshold is a doorsill or the starting point of an experience.On the Plot Planner and in the Universal Story, this threshold encompasses the integration of and preparatory time needed after the crisis and before the actual crossing over into the final quarter …
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Plot Tip How to Decide Which Scenes to Keep and Which Ones to Toss
The experience of teaching online Plot Workshops to small groups of writers using innovative technology that allows ten of us to see and interact live together is without a doubt the best teaching experiences I've ever had. The workshops revolve around weekly homework assignments from Plot Whisperer Workbook: Step-by-Step Exercises to Help You Create Compelling Stories. A homework question came up about plotting scenes above and below the Plot Planner line.1) The Plot Planner line shows the …
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BLOCKBUSTER PLOTS: 7 Ways to Create an Irresistible Story that Readers Will Love
1) Create a multi-faceted protagonist2) Know who she is at the climax to determine how she’ll portray herself in the beginning – do this for any character you want to change and transform3) Commit to the primary plot of your story – character driven/action driven/meaning driven/romance driven & use all of them for depth and meaning4) Make her story goal important to others as well as to her5) Pre-plot the 4 Energetic Markers as early as possible6) Use antagonists capable of arousing emotion, …
BLOCKBUSTER PLOTS: 7 Ways to Create an Irresistible Story that Readers Will LoveRead More
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