Storycraft for serious authors.
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Every Writer Should Watch This 60 Second Video

Malcolm Gladwell is on to something.  He spends a lot of time interviewing successful people to get to the heart of how they got there.  What results is some combination of commonality and theme… and inspiration.

Jim Carrey, like or love him or not, is one of the most successful comedians in the world.  Talk about writing… try being funny on the page sometime, it’s one of the most challenging tricks of all.  But like most great comics, there’s a heart beating beneath all that goofiness, and Carry shares it here.

Is writing your dream?  Then you need to see this.

Watch it HERE.

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Wanted to share this one with you, too… a little piece of news, surrounded by content you may find useful.

The website Boost Blog Traffic (a monster in that niche) just posted an article entitled, “9 Essential Books That Will Transform Your Writing Forever.”   The list includes “Save The Cat” by Blake Snyder, and “On Writing” by Stephen King.

It also includes “Story Engineering,” by yours truly.  I guess all those irritating analogies didn’t wreck it for everyone.  Thanks to all of you that have helped make SE a success.  If you didn’t catch the announcement earlier, “Story Engineering” is being published in China, I’m flying to Beijing in July (courtesy of the Chinese publisher) to help with the rollout, do press and give two writing workshops… one of which is for a gathering of Chinese literary professors from China’s top universities.

Now that is some scary sh*t, pardon my Mandarin.

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“Story Engineering” also got a shout out on Leisa Malik‘s terrific website, which is running some stuff from the book on character building in stories.  Her site is terrific, hope you’ll check it out.

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17 Responses

  1. Congrats on the inclusion with King and Snyder.

    Even though I get a little impatient with analogies–ironic, since I use analogies all the time–your 9 sentence approach and concept/premise discussions have given me way to keep on task.

    As for the video, I’ve taken the path of Jim Carrey’s dad but I still haven’t given up, or I wouldn’t be typing this right now . Thanks for sharing.

  2. “Never be afraid to pursue your own dream … nor to KICK YOUR OWN ASS to achieve it (knowing that no one else ever will) … also knowing that, despite your best efforts, success will never be assured.”

    There WAS a time when Stephen King was fighting to pay the rent on a miserable flat … and, I daresay, there were probably other times like that which he conveniently “forgot” to mention in his memoir.

    There WAS a time when Sting signed-up for public assistance. (“The dole.”)

    The list goes on.

    This is how “success” works. Because, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

    In the end, you’re preparing what you hope will be “a viable commercial product.” You can’t control whether-or-not it will sell; nor can you control, if it does sell, how well it sells. However, you =can= bank your own odds in your own favor, even as you “wish for luck.” After all, “luck favors the well-prepared.”

  3. @Bill– What a great idea! I, too, have created Larry Brooks worksheets for myself–and saved them all in a three-ring notebook. I fine-tune these sheets every time I re-read ENGINEERING or PHYSICS, and I print out new blank sheets all the time. If Larry came out with a workbook (with plenty of white space to pencil in ideas), I would definitely buy a new one for each new novel.

  4. Good on ya, Larry! I have a request … How about doing a “Story Engineering & Physics Workbook?” I’ve put together my own (titled: “Brooks Method”) by clipping and copying from various snips out of your two books, your blog, and some slides from your WD talks. The Scene Missions, Character Questions, Story Physics Fill-ins, … etc. … are helpful to glance through (after filling in my own info) just to be sure I’m still on track and not letting my characters run off with the plot. Anyhoo, just an idea that I, for one, would love to see you create. I would buy a new one for every new project.

    Second … Oh, China! WooHoo! If you’re in Beijing, bring your genuine American Visine®; that yellow (actually yellow in color) smog can get to you!

  5. Attempting this post again:

    “Story Engineering is like a master class in storytelling and novel writing.” – boostblogtraffic.com

    What a fantastic accolade in an article about the best books on writing. Congratulations Larry! Hope you sell a zillion more copies of it. This kind of attention certainly can’t hurt.

    The opportunity in China is fabulous. I’m sure there are quite a few aspiring writers in that country. If those professors make your book a standard recommendation (or better yet, REQUIRED reading) in their undoubtedly large classes, year after year, for many years, well that would be pretty sweet.

    Don’t be nervous about the workshop. That book speaks for itself, and they wouldn’t be bringing you over there if they didn’t already KNOW that you have some great things to say. Just do your thing like you always do and you’ll be a big hit among one of the most influential crowds I can imagine. Enjoy you trip!

  6. Fabulous news! And no surprise to this Portland, OR fan of yours.
    Of course the book is a winner. Aren’t your classes always full to the brim of excited and avid learners, all who know the value of good stuff when they hear it? And the trip to Beijing! What a thrill. Enjoy every moment. You deserve it!

  7. Hello, Larry!
    Long time no “see.”
    Thanks for sharing that great video. It’s a reminder we all could use on a regular basis.
    And huge congrats to you on your success with Story Engineering. Every accolade you receive is well deserved.

    Happy Friday!

  8. Story Engineering and Story Physics, for that matter, are both terrific books. Enjoy them, take time with them, and keep at it . . .

  9. Seven of my non-fiction books were inspired by learning the same lesson from my father that Carrey did from his. (I’ve been ignoring this video on Facebook, but if you recommend it, Larry, I’m in.)

    Re: SE — Maybe someday they’ll release “Story Engineering for Dummies” and you’ll get the credit you deserve. Er, I mean, um, y’know.

  10. Congratulations! Whatever your faults may be, whether it’s analogies or wordiness, you do have a worthwhile message about writing, and it has helped me a lot. Your analysis of story structure resonated with me in a way that what I learned in English classes never did.

    As for Mr. Carrey: he’s right. I am a teacher because I love teaching. Even if my writing were to take off, I think I would try to find some way to teach because I find that truly rewarding. I was painting my house this afternoon and two threads kept going through my wandering brain: a little bit about the novel I’m rewriting, and a little bit about how I could improve the classes I’m teaching next year. I guess this means I will never be a full time writer, but I’m ok with that. I’ve gotten too much from my teaching that has helped my writing and my life to ever give it up. Another tiny little thread in my brain said that if I ever succeed in my writing, I could use the extra income to pay someone to paint next time!

    The video also made me think of a former student I was talking to a few weeks ago. Without getting too specific, he got into his college major and discovered that he absolutely hated it. He is now on a different path, and very excited about it. I told him that you have to like your work: it takes up too much of the day to waste your time doing something you hate doing. He is following his passion now, and everything is coming together and making sense for him. I wish everyone could find that.

  11. Congratulations Larry! Your Story Engineering book is transformative! I’m so grateful I found out about you – and thanks for being so generous with your talents. And good luck in China – should be great fodder for more novels!

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