11/30/11

50 Minutes of Story Structure

For once in my life, I have a story that refuses to write itself. It wants to involve me for some reason, wants to involve me before I put the proverbial pen to paper. Fingers to keys. Whatever.

The point is, because of its lack of cooperation - and the inordinate amount of time spent revising Those Who Trespass - I'm doing my outlining/plotting/planning now. Who's brilliant idea was this, anyway? In theory, I love outlining. In reality, it's torture.

But I did find something yesterday that made my plotting life much better...and much more entertaining. I give you Dan Wells, author of I Am Not A Serial Killer. This is the first of 5 parts of a talk he gave on story structure, and, let me tell you, it's worth the 50 minutes of your life. So worth it. I stayed up past my bedtime Monday night to watch it, and I was not disappointed. It's clear, concise, entertaining, and brilliant. Watch it all.
 
I found the link to this guy in one of Elana Johnson's posts. Do you have any more plotting links/tips/tricks I should know of? Every little bit helps...

11/30/11 Edit: I completely forgot to link to Dan Well's page...where he generously provides a download of his PowerPoint. EPIC!

1 comment:

AimeeLSalter said...

Read Dwight V. Swain's "Techniques of the Selling Writer". Seriously.

And I always love a good discourse from an entertaining writer, so I'm going to give this man 50 mins of my life. Be it on your head if it all goes horribly wrong!