Your CAST of CHARACTERS
Who is in your story? What do they want? What is as important to them as that next breath? List ten things for each. Avoid opening confusion with too many characters. Each character, except walk-ons, should have a goal, a strong point, as well as a fatal flaw. What mannerism; way of speaking, is unique to each one?
A) Star of the Show – protagonist
B) Villain – antagonist
C) Love interest
D) Mentor – wise old woman, best friend, grandmother, grandfather, etc
E) Bit parts – the walk-on cab driver, waitress
What is the THEME of your Story? What is Your Point in Telling This Particular Story?
Romeo & Juliet – Great Love Defies Death.
Beyond the Quiet – a repressed widow learns to live.
No matter what story you want to tell, always remember the #1 Rule in storytelling:
NEVER BORE YOUR READERS!
Stay off your soapbox or you will lose your reader. If you absolutely must lecture on your theory of life, go into your bathroom, stand in front of your mirror, and talk to your heart’s content. For your novels, however, learn the fine art of subtlety. Everyone runs when a windbag enters the room or takes over the pages in a book.
Story Structure is the stumbling block in many writers’ adventure. Is there a basic plot? Yes:
Basic plot: character A wants something and character B tries to stop him. According to Aristotle, there are three sections of a story: the Beginning, Middle, and End; or, Act 1, Act 2, & Act 3
Each act has a specific job to perform, and therefore, each has different requirement.
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