A Wannabe Writer or a Wannabe World Traveler?
A Guest Post by Nann Dunne For just a few minutes, instead of thinking of yourself as a wannabe writer, think of yourself as a wannabe world traveler. You’re standing in your hometown, smack-dab in the middle of Kansas City, Missouri, with a map in hand. You must decide which way to go to achieve […]
New: Two Affordable Story Coaching Options… That Can Put Your Story Over the Top
Today I’m launching a new story coaching package, this one even more affordable than the recent $100 service that was rolled out (with great success, for me and for the takers) a few months ago, and remains available. This new one, a high level conceptual analysis, is only $35. That’s not a misprint. And […]
When Muse and Plan Collaborate — One Writer’s Journey
Prologue (from Larry): What you’re about to read is a response to a recent Storyfix post about good vs. “bad” ideas. It’s from a guy whose mind, I’ve learned, is massively alive and deep in a “Life of Pi” sort of way, embracing ideas and integrating mental models into an interpretation of life and its […]
Two New Movies That Demonstrate Story Physics
Watch and learn. And have some popcorn while you’re at it. I saw two movies this weekend that made me itchy to get back to you with a strong recommendation. Not just because they’re excellent — they’re both in the thick of the emerging Oscar conversation — but because they have something to show you. […]
A Farewell to Art
There are three possible takes on the title of this post. First, you may think I’m about to wax cynical about the triumph of commercialism over “art” in fiction. While that’s a viable arena (and an oxymoron), that’s not what this is about. I wish it was. Then, you may be familiar with my colleague, […]
The Commodity of Courage — A Guest Post by Art Holcomb
“The chief commodity a writer has to sell is his courage. And if he has none, he is more than a coward. He is a sellout and a fink and a heretic, because writing is a holy chore.” ~ Harlan Ellison I believe a writer must have the courage to: START IN EARNEST: Not in […]
When Bad Ideas Sabotage Killer Concepts
Also known as, “The Attack of the Whopper Coincidences.” Or, “Four Plot Points and a Funeral.” Or, “Dancing with the Deus ex Machina.” A good story is very much like a romance. Not terms of genre – what you’re about to read applies to all genres – but in the sense that the relationship between […]