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 →
I once consulted with a screenwriter who complained when I told him his screenplay lacked credibility. “Movies aren’t ever real,” he argued. “Is it believable that zombies could take over the… read more →
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 →
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 →
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 →
