Q&A: Coming of Age Stories
Q: What are the elements needed in a coming of age story? What kind of transformation are we looking for in the hero/main character?
Q&A: Naming Your Characters
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 all?
Q&A: Mixing Historical Fact & Fiction
Q: I’m writing a medieval love story full of intrigue, and the people I’m writing about actually did exist in the 15th century. But the story I am writing about those real people is a product of my fantasy.
MISDEMEANOR: Addressing Characters by Name
In real world conversations, we almost never declare whom it is we’re talking to. So unless a character in your story is searching for someone, shouting at someone…
Q&A: Old Movies and Books as Antecedents
Q: In Selling Your Story In 60 Seconds, you repeatedly stress the value of including antecedents — previously successful movies or novels that give agents…
Q&A: KEEPING IT SIMPLE
Q: Having recently completed the first draft of my screenplay, I find the 2nd act is a real drag. The movie is about a person told from three distinct memories.
Kristan Higgins & Michael Hauge Analyze her Best Selling Novel
Award winning author Kristan Higgins joins Michael during his Story Mastery event for the Connecticut chapter of the RWA to discuss her best selling novel The Next Best Thing.
Q&A: Character Arc in THE BOURNE IDENTITY
Q: I can’t identify Jason Bourne’s arc in THE BOURNE IDENTITY. He abhors the realization that he was an assassin working for Treadstone…
MISDEMEANOR: Introducing Characters All At Once
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 you able to remember?
THE KEY TO CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: VIVID, REVEALING DETAILS
Your job as a storyteller is to create IMAGES. This is true not just for screenwriters, but for anyone presenting a story to a reader or an audience.