Deconstructing “The Help”

My opinion: with all the workshops… all the how-to books… all the blogs… … with all that to help us, I think the most illuminating, clarifying and empowering thing writers can do is to read or see – and then analyze – stories (books and movies) in all genres with a view toward seeing what […]

The Flip Side of “Concept”

However you define it, “concept” is one of the Six Core Competencies of successful storytelling.  It is an essence of storytelling that becomes a powerful tool in that development process, as described ad nauseum here on Storyfix.  And in my new book. And since we’re about to deconstruct “The Help” over the next few weeks, […]

Getting Ready for “The Help”

Not long ago I announced that I’ll be deconstructing the bestselling novel “The Help,” by Kathryn Stockett, in a series of Storyfix posts.  This is the first in that series. If you don’t recall my past deconstructions of novels and films (dive into the archives, there are a half dozen or so buried there), these […]

Weekend Writerly Wonderings, Wanderings and Wistful Whatevers

The Periodic Table of Storytelling Remember science class?  That poster next to the blackboard full of little squares containing letters that looked more like Scrabble than the foundation of all physical creation? Me neither.  But I do remember looking at that thing and asking… why? Storyfix reader Eva Moon is sharing a link to a vast […]

Part 2: A Deeper Understanding of Craft

Last post I opened a can of worms that a few of you found… confusing.  Even discouraging.  And some of you, thankfully, found to be liberating and empowering. I promised a follow-up, but did so without taking into consideration that confusion might ensue.  So today’s post is sort of a dance between clarification and continuation […]

A Deeper, Richer Understanding of Craft

I used to think that the title of this post describes what we are all out to achieve as writers.  That this is, in fact, a description of the writing journey as well as the destination.  Not so sure anymore.  I’m certain that it can be – and I suspect that it should be – […]

Storyfixins… Weekend Wanderings, Wonderings and other Wistful Wackiness

“The Help”… nails it. I’d mentioned that I’m reading  Kathryn Stockett’s “The Help” in preparation for serving up a series of analytical deconstruction posts here on Storyfix.  Saw the movie preview today (film comes out in August), which reminds me to remind you that the series will apply to that, too. Perfect timing, I think.  […]

Putting the Character into Characterization

I’ve stumbled upon the magic pill of effective, compelling characterization. Me and a million other people who write about writing, and/or simply study and write stories.  It’s been there all along, in certain stories, at varying levels.  And while I noticed… I really didn’t.  Not like this.  Not with this new empowering understanding. Just like […]

Suffering is Optional

Or, Ten Ways to Totally Screw Up Your Novel   Yesterday, just before going into a room to give a keynote address to 800 hungry and refreshingly hopeful writers, my wife said this to me over the phone:  “Be positive.  You don’t need to tell them how hard this is.”  Good point.  A keynote is […]

Opinions are like… manuscripts. Everybody’s got one.

Ours is an opinion-driven avocation.  From stellar manuscripts that are regularly tossed under the bus to the same old worn out A-list mediocrity, it’s all a bit of a paradoxical crap shoot. We writers have opinions about more than the end product of our efforts.  We have opinions about what a story should be.  And, […]