Storycraft for serious authors.
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Call for “Shutter Island” Guest Posts

A StoryFix Contest

As a Big Finish to this series, I’m inviting you to submit your thoughts in the form of a blog post about your Shutter Island deconstruction experience… as well as comments on the book and anything else that’s related.

If this is your first experience with a deconstruction, or perhaps your initial glimpse of the power of the principles of story structure at work, I’m thinking it would be good to share your experience.

I’ll select a Winning Post and will pubish the post here on Storyfix, with a link to your book or your site if you have one.

AND… I’ll publish ALL of the other entries (provided they’re on-topic and appropriate) as COMMENTS under the post.

So EVERYBODY will be heard.  Everybody gets online. 

And… I’ll send the WINNER a set of ALL THREE OF MY EBOOKS — “101 Tips, et al.” … “Story Structure – Demystified”… and “The Three Dimensions of Character.”  Or, if you have those and/or prefer, a copy of my novel (look for Big News about it soon, by the way, something cool just happened…), Whisper of the Seventh Thunder (more on that HERE and HERE).

How to Submit/Enter

Just send your posts to me off-line at storyfixer@gmail.com.

Tomorrow’s post – the Conclusion of “Shutter Island”… and what it means.

Interested in revisiting prior posts in this series?

For installment 1, an Introduction to the series, click here.

For installment 2, a Structural Primer, click here.

For installment 3, the Opening Act, click here.

For installment 4, more on the Opening Act, click here.

For installment 5, Evaluating the Part 1 scenes, click here.

For installment 6, the First Plot Point, click here.

For installment 7A, overview of Part 2, click here.

For installment 7B, more on Part 2 and the Mid-Point, click here. 

For installment 8, the Part 3 Scenes, click here.

For installment 9, PP2 and the Final Act, click here.

For more information about story structure (this will send you to a description of my ebook on the subject), click HERE.

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5 Responses

  1. Larry,

    You really hit this one out of the park! Thank you so much for your thoughtful analysis and step by step presentation of an exceptionally complicated story.

    I pantsed my way thru seven novels–none published (altho a couple of close calls and two offers I turned down for other reasons). I was a confirmed, from-the-gut writer, depending on my subconscious to tell me what to do next. The novels worked okay, but only okay.

    For my eighth, you’ve convinced me to use your techniques. So far, I haven’t written a word, but have outlined the hook, setup with foreshadowing, and plot point one. I’ve also set up my suspects, each with background and solid motives. The midpoint is clear in my mind and I know where the pinch points will be. I’m still thinking out plot point two and the climax/resolution, but by planning out the prior details, I’m confident the latter will fall neatly into place.

    With the structure in place, filling in the writing will almost be too easy, certainly compared to my previous novels where I didn’t know who the murderer was until my protagonist caught him/her. Then I’d have to go back to the beginning and plant seeds of suspicion throughout the story.

    In the past 20+ years of writing, many teacher/writers/mentors have tried to convince me the value of outlining, but to me, that “O” word smacked of my eighth grade English teacher, right up there with diagraming sentences and terms like “plu-perfect.”. Somehow, you’ve gotten thru my resistance.

    Thanks for teaching all of us, your dedicated blog followers. Your time, knowledge, and experience are helping untold numbers of writers.

    Debbie Burke

    P.S. Looking forward to seeing you again in Oct. at the Flathead River Writers Conference.

  2. @Deanna — great question. Let’s say by Friday. I’ll run them a week from today, on the 17th (Monday). Hope that give you enough time to whip something up! Thanks so much for your participation. L.

  3. What a wonderful opportunity for us all Larry – thank you so much! Do you have a deadline for entries? Please excuse me if it’s listed and I’m overlooking it.

    Thanks again for this great series. It has truly taught me a great deal.

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