Jar Jar Binks …. pod racing … there are a lot of reasons to not watch this movie, but is there anything it can teach us about storytelling? 1. Every character needs a role People hate Jar Jar Binks. That’s common knowledge. Unsurprisingly, the plot of The Phantom Menace would have developed in exactly the same … Read more3 Storytelling Lessons from Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Writing and storytelling are two sides of the same coin, and one usually needs to be skilled in both to create a great story. If your prose is not engaging, your story may not be enough to maintain your reader’s interest; therefore, those of us in the business of helping writers like to suggest that … Read moreUsing All Five Senses in Your Story: Why You Should Do It, and How
I’m by no means trying to suggest that Return of the Jedi is the episode of the Original Trilogy that is closest to perfection, but the biggest flaw with this movie is that the plot stalls in the middle, but what else can I say except that when the main characters spend the second act doing … Read more1 Storytelling Lesson from Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Women have not always been portrayed well in fiction, with female characters often being relegated to little more than objects or plot devices. Real-life women grew tired of their fictional counterparts always being in in need of rescue or stuffed into refrigerators, and the Strong Female Character was born. The Strong Female Character archetype was well-intended. … Read more4 Signs Your Strong Female Character Might Still be a Sexist Stereotype
Don’t know what #FirstChapterFriday is? After a year of analysing first chapters and finding the same strengths and weaknesses over and over, I’ve decided to bring #FirstChapterFriday to an end. I’ve learnt a lot myself about the importance of first chapters; about the differences between a chapter that keeps readers reading, and one that turns them … Read moreFirst Chapter Friday #12 (March 2017)
Video transcript Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser, there should come a time when you revise your novel, and one of the first steps of revising your novel should involve giving it structure. I know writers seethe when they hear the word should, but honestly, what’s the point of perfecting your writing, or even … Read moreWriting Rules Explained: Give Your Story Structure
Don’t know what #FirstChapterFriday is? Good Morning, Midnight, Lily Brooks-Dalton The good I liked the concept. The bad Everything else. Apart from odd transitions in places, the writing was fine. But almost the entire chapter consisted of info dumping about the character and what the setting looked like. I know his entire life, and that’s the last … Read moreFirst Chapter Friday #11 (February 2017)
We’ve learnt some storytelling lessons from A New Hope. What can we learn from The Empire Strikes Back? 1. Meaningless events: boring, confusing, pace killers The Empire Strikes Back starts with Luke being attacked by a wampa. Starting with conflict is great, especially when it prompts other characters to set goals; however, this attack serves no real purpose. When Han … Read more3 Storytelling Lessons from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
I have a plug-in on my website that constantly tells me to rewrite my content because I use passive voice too much. If I were to import my content into an online text analyser, I’d get the same result. “Don’t use passive voice” is a rule that you can bet appears on probably just about … Read moreWriting Rules Explained: Don’t Use Passive Voice
Every story has different requirements. Some don’t need much character development. Others don’t need tight plots. But for your story to be the most engaging and compelling it can be, it should comprise these basic narrative elements. 1. Character Reader-Character connection Characters are the reader’s entry point and anchor in the story: what hooks them … Read more4 Basic Ingredients to Make Your Story More Complex (the critical narrative elements of a compelling story)