Skip to content- Admire characters for attempting more than what their successes have been.
- Keep in mind what’s interesting to you as an audience, not what’s fun as a writer. They can be very different.
- Trying for theme is important, however you won’t see what the story is about until you’re at the end of that story. Got it? Now rewrite.
- Once upon a time there was…… Every day, ……One day……Because of that, …… Until finally……
- Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You’ll feel like you’re losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
- What is your character good at or comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at him. Challenge him. How does he deal with it?
- Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard. Get yours working up front.
- Finish your story. Let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world, you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
- When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next. More often than not, the material that gets you unstuck appears.
- Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is part of you. Recognise it before you use it.
- Why must you tell this story in particular? What’s the belief burning within you that your story feeds off? That’s the heart of it.
- Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th — get the obvious out of the way. Surprise yourself.
- Give your characters opinions. A character being passive or malleable is easy for you as a writer, but it’s poison to your audience.
- What’s the essence of your story? What’s the most economical way of telling of it? If you know that, you can build out there.
- If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel? Honesty lends credibility to unbelievable situations.
- What are the stakes? Give us reason to root for the character. What happens if he doesn’t succeed? Stack the odds against him.
- No work is ever wasted. And if it’s not working, let go and move on — if it’s useful, it’ll show up again.
- You have to know yourself, and know the difference between doing your best & being fussy. Story is testing, not refining.
- Coincidences that get characters into trouble are great. Coincidences that get them out of it is cheating.
- Exercise. Take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How would you rearrange them into what you DO like?
- Identify with your situation/characters. Don’t write “cool.” What would make YOU act that way?
- Putting it on paper only allows you to start fixing it. If a perfect idea stays in your head, you’ll never share it with anyone.
