Have you ever been the last to arrive at a party and the host introduces you, one at a time, to everyone there? So how many of those names are… read more →
Q: How do you create tension without resorting to action? A: Tension is actually the antithesis of action. Tension is all about creating anticipation. If your reader or audience anticipate violence, as… read more →
Q: I’m writing a love story and have already developed the hero’s inner motivation and inner conflict, but I’m worried about her visible goal. Is my hero’s desire simply to win… read more →
Writing and storytelling are filled with rules and maxims that are presented as unbreakable commandments – but which should occasionally be challenged and violated for the sake of a greater… read more →
Q: I am trying to incorporate personal stories into my speeches. But a voice in my head keeps asking, “Why would anyone be interested in hearing YOUR life story –… read more →
A screenplay can ONLY include what the audience will see and hear on the screen. No background information, no author’s asides, no character thoughts or feelings. Everything must be revealed… read more →
James Cameron’s screenplay Avatar is an outstanding example of using many structural tools and devices successfully in one script. In addition to the overall structure of your screenplay – the… read more →
Brief, vivid descriptions of the characters and settings in your screenplay, novel or presentation create a vivid movie in the mind of your reader or audience. But there’s a second,… read more →
When the hero or heroine of your love story or romantic comedy is choosing between two lovers, you must be careful not to lose sympathy for your hero, and not… read more →
Imagine a story about a soldier, wounded by past battles, who is sent to a hostile, unfamiliar place filled with danger and overwhelming obstacles. He’s a stranger in a strange… read more →
