Comments on: Breaking In, Breaking Out, and Just Plain Catching a Break

By: Larry

Larry — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:10:37 +0000

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=330735037857

By: what do my name mean?

what do my name mean? — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:09:43 +0000

man what is ur fb page

By: Larry

Larry — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:55:49 +0000

@Bubblecow — I always hate to push back on a reader who has taken the time to write me, but here goes. I agree completely with what you say, other than you observation that I missed it. Read it again, you’ll see what I mean… or maybe I wasn’t clear. The “X-factor” is, in fact, when one of the six core competencies is astoundingly well conceived and executed. That’s what it takes to break in and to break out, and that’s precisely what the x-factor is… a writing voice that sings and sizzles… a concept nobody has seen before… an iconic character… a theme that redefines life itself… and (perhaps this is the one you meant), a level of integration and execution that is flawless and rare.

We’re on the same page after all, I believe.

By: BubbleCow

BubbleCow — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 05:50:11 +0000

I agree with most of what you have written but you miss one important factor – the x factor. A break out book will have a factor that is beyond the story and the writing. It is impossible to put your finger on the x factor. The fact that US publishers paid a lot of cash for JK Rowling’s first book, meant that they HAD to make it a success. Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code tapped into a of ‘group’ thinking AND was always going to make a cracking film. I could go on…

By: Curtis

Curtis — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:05:22 +0000

Larry.
I didn’t find FPP it found me.
Saw the ca. early 80s movie ” Wall Street” last night.

An ah hah explosion and a half.
A single sentence of dialogue decided it. ” Yes, Mr Gekko. You have me.” To break bad was decided. Until that moment there were a lot of parts and pieces of story. But, THE STORY started at that moment.

I looked at my watch. It was right on time. 75% of the movie to go. Wild.

I am still excited about the find. The rest fell into place, like, well, clock work.

“Get Your Bad Self Published,” I can’t imagine half your audiance not going with that title. If it’s an ebook. Offer two titles if half the tribe prefers a different feel.

By: Shane Arthur

Shane Arthur — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:25:47 +0000

Cool. Reason I asked is I was making flow charts (mind map stuff) of the 6 core competencies so I could wrap my brain around a nice big graphical representation of everything you’ve covered and I didn’t have anything for the other 4 yet.

That title is bad-ass. Go with it.

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 15:13:56 +0000

@Shane — good morning, thanks for showing up. Not a dumb question at all. My 6CC book, “Story Engineering: Mastering the Six Core Competencies of Sucessful Writing” comes out next February from Writers Digest Books. I know, a crazy-long lead time. So it goes in New York. Meanwhile, I hadn’t really planned on doing a ebook on any of the others, though I’ll continue to blog about each in more depth. My next ebook is an expansion of an earlier series, “Get Your Bad Self Published,” which may be too hip for about half my audience, so I’m still considering that as a title. Ya think?

Thanks for all your support here, much appreciated. Hope you feel better. L.

By: Shane Arthur

Shane Arthur — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:43:56 +0000

Hey Larry, forgive me if this is a dumb question (I”m sick today so my brain is slow), but you have the 6 core competencies: concept, character, theme, structure, scene construction and writing voice.

Your Story structure book deals with Structure
Your 3 dimension of Character deals with Character

Will you come out with individual books dealing with concept, theme, scene construction and writing voice?
And, when is the 6 core competencies book out?