To add depth to the hero of your screenplay, novel, speech or marketing tool – AND to explore that character’s arc or transformation – you must give that hero some… read more →
As Film Courage continues posting chunks of my interview with them, I want to supplement the videos with some added thoughts about my 6 Stage approach to structure. Stage 2… read more →
Q&A [The question below is one I’ve been hearing in one form or another my entire career – not just from screenwriters, but novelists, marketers, and public speakers – anyone… read more →
A common weakness among all storytellers – screenwriters and novelists as well as marketers and presenters – is the tendency to summarize. When you write or tell a story, you… read more →
Q: I really enjoy your seminars and writings on story, but I’m still wrestling with this issue: Should the needs and wants of my protagonist arise from the circumstances of… read more →
Q: I’ve read your article on the 5 Key Turning Points of All Successful Stories, and watched your lecture on 6-stage plot structure that’s part of The Hero’s Two Journeys. But… read more →
Arguably the most important portion of your story is the opening. This is where you must seduce your readers and audiences as you draw them into the world you’ve created.… read more →
Q: When I first introduce a character into a story, must I always give his or her last name? Is the first name enough? Must I name the character at… read more →
In my previous article, “Story Reality vs Real Reality,” I talked about how every story is on some level a fantasy, and what constitutes fictional “reality.” Now I want to… read more →
[Though this question is from a screenwriter, the issue it raises is just as critically important to novelists, speakers and internet marketers.] Q: Having recently completed the first draft of… read more →
