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WHAT’S YOUR STORY? BY NICHOLE MCGILL 27 JANUARY 2011 OTTAWA INDEPENDENT WRITERS AGM

What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

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Have you ever written half a manuscript or script only to find yourself asking, "What story am I writing anyway?" This presentation summarizes a few effective ways to rediscover the true story that you are writing. This presentation is based a workshop I gave in 2008 sponsored by the City of Ottawa. The Ottawa Independent Writers asked me to adapt it for their Annual General Meeting.

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Page 1: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

WHAT’S YOUR STORY?BY NICHOLE MCGILL

27 JANUARY 2011

OTTAWA INDEPENDENT WRITERS AGM

Page 2: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TONIGHT!

1. WHAT

2. WHY

3. WHAT SPECIFICALLY

4. WHO

5. WHAT EXACTLY

6. 10 FRAMES

But first…

Page 3: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

“A CAUTIONARY TALE”AKA “HOW NOT TO WRITE A NOVEL”

Page 4: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

• Short story collection?

• Novel?

• Film?

• TV – Movie of the week?

• Producer?

What was the heart?

!ONCE UPON A TIME, I HAD A…

Page 5: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TELL T

HE T

RU

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IF N

O O

NE B

ELIE

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Page 6: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

• Novel!

• First person!

• Young adult!

• Thriller!

• Hero: Suspicious!

• Wants: Independence!

• Needs: Tell the truth!

• Arc!

NEW PURPOSE

Page 7: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

ON WRITING: “CAMILLA VS. YANN”

HEADLIGHTS PLOTS, PLOTS, PLOTS

Page 8: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

RECOMMEND: BOTH

“VOICE”, FLAVOUR ACTION, ENGAGED READER

Page 9: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

1. WHAT?

1. Type / Format

2. Genre

3. Message

4. What happens (one sentence)

i. Who is your main character

ii. Transformative action

iii. End result

Page 10: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

1. WHAT?

1. Novel (200 pages)

2. Young adult, thriller

3. Telling the truth

4. Logline:

i. A teenage girl who mistrusts adults…

ii. …decides to take on a stalker by herself, endangering herself…

iii. …but ultimately learning the importance of telling the truth.

Page 11: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

A WORD @ LOGLINES• Writing a good logline is an art

• It will transform

• This is your pitch: test this with strangers and friends

• “What are you writing?”

“I’m writing a YA novel about a teenage girl

who takes on a stalker by herself”

“I’m writing a thriller about a papergirl who is obsessed with the abduction of girls in her neighbourhood.”

TIP: An incomplete logline will tell you what you’re missing.

Page 12: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

1. WHAT ABOUT YOU?

1. Type / Format

2. Genre

3. Message

4. What happens (one sentence)

i. Who is your main character

ii. Transformative action

iii. End result

Page 13: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

2. WHY?

• Inspiration

• Moral

• One message

Your message will dictate your ending.

Your ending will dictate the entire story.

Page 14: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

MORAL FOR GIRL #3

• “The Girl Who Cried Wolf”

• Importance of telling the truth

Ending = transformative action

Story = tension

***

Ending = she has to tell someone about the stalker

Story = her not telling

Page 15: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

2. WHY – YOUR TURN

Why are you writing what you are writing?

• Inspiration

• Moral

• One message

Your message will dictate your ending.

Your ending will dictate the entire story.

Page 16: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

3. WHAT EXACTLY?

The WHY drives this:

1. Type / Format

2. Genre

3. Message

4. What happens (one sentence)

i. Who is your main character

ii. Transformative action

iii. End result

Page 17: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

YOU CAN’T FOOL THE READER

If it doesn’t ring true for you, it won’t ring true to your readers

Page 18: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: GOOD GUY/GAL

The Protagonist (#1)

(aka The Hero/Heroine/Main Character)

1. What does my main character want?

2. What does my main character need? *

3. What is their arc/journey?

 

Page 19: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: BAD GUY/GAL

The Antagonist (#2)

(aka The Bad Guy/Bad Girl/Person or Thing Thwarting Your Protagonist)

1. What do they want and how are they thwarting your protagonist?

2. Does your antagonist have a character arc? (Not necessary but could be interesting.)

Page 20: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: OTHER GUYS

1. Protagonist & Antagonist

• Driver vs. Inhibitor

2. Reason & Emotion

• Logic vs. Feelings

3. Sidekick & Skeptic

• Faith vs. Doubt

4. Guardian & Contagonist

• Guiding Light vs. Temptation

Page 21: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: OTHER GUYS1. Protagonist & Antagonist

• Harry Potter & Voldemort

2. Reason & Emotion

• Minerva McGonagall & sometimes Hermione, Ron, (changes)

3. Sidekick & Skeptic

• Ron, Professor Snape

4. Guardian & Contagonist

• Dumbledore & Draco Malfoy; Contagonist changes for each novel

Page 22: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: GOOD GUY/GAL

The Protagonist: Syd Johanssen

1. What does my main character want?

• Live, be independent

2. What does my main character need? *

• Reach out to others

3. What is their arc/journey?

• She has to reach out in the end and she has to BELIEVE in it.

Page 23: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

4. WHO: BAD GUY/GAL

The Antagonist : Faceless Man

1. What do they want and how are they thwarting your protagonist.

• He wants to “collect” her

2. Does your antagonist have a character arc?

• Archetype

Page 24: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

PROTAGONIST

• Who?

• Want?

• Need?

ANTAGONIST

• Who?

• Want?

• (Need?)

Page 25: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

WHAT SPECIFICALLY?

Plot = action + character

Action =• anything that moves story forward • what the main character does to get what she/he wants• and how they deal with adversity

Page 26: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

PLOT TOOLS

1. Three-Act Structure

2. Scene Outline

3. Tell your story in ten panels

Page 27: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #1: SYD FIELD’S THREE-ACT

ACT I

• Set-up

• Catalyst

• Beginning

1 – 30 pp

ACT II

• Confrontation

• Obstacles

• Middle

30 – 90 pp

• Resolution

• End

90 – 120 pp

ACT III

Page 28: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

SYD FIELD’S THREE-ACTPage 1: Sets the mood

Page 3: Viewers needs to know central question of story

Page 10: Viewers need to know what the story is

Page 30: New world (1st Turning Point)

Page 45: Protagonist has character growth

Page 60: The Point of No Return:

Character commits themselves further to their goal; some success

Page 80: All is Lost! (2nd Turning Point)

Pages 90-120: Climax, End

Page 29: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

SYD FIELD’S VIEW OF “ALICE IN WONDERLAND”

Page 1: Alice with her sister doing lessons

Page 3: Alice is bored; sees white rabbit

Page 10: Alice falls down rabbit hole

Page 30: Alice enters Wonderland (can’t escape)

Page 45: Takes control. She can shrink and grow at will

Page 60: Alice decides she wants to go home

Page 80: Croquet with the Queen. “Off with her head!”

Page 90-120 Trial. Alice grows big. Mushroom wears off. Chased by guards. She wakes up.

“It was all a dream!”

Page 30: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

“A” STORY VS. “B” STORY

Plot out your “A” story first Everything in your story is a slave to it

Alice in Wonderland

All “A” story

Titanic

A = Love story

B= Boat’s sinking

Page 31: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

WHAT ABOUT YOU?Page 1: Sets the mood

Page 3: Viewers needs to know central question of story

Page 10: Viewers need to know what the story is

Page 30: New world (1st Turning Point)

Page 45: Protagonist has character growth

Page 60: The Point of No Return

Character commits themselves further to their goal; some success

Page 80: All is Lost! (2nd Turning Point)

Pages 90-120: Climax, End

Page 32: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #2: PLOT OUT SCENESChapter by chapter

Scene by scene

Reader & writer still need to know:

• Central question of story

• 1st Turning Point: Protagonist is in a new world

• Protagonist has character growth

• The Point of No Return

• 2nd Turning Point: All is Lost!

• Ending

 

Page 33: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

VERY, VERY IMPORTANT!

Something has to happen

on every page,script or prose.

 

That “SOMETHING” has to move your plot forward.

Page 34: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

This is a test…

Script, novel or long story

“A” storyline

On track

 

Page 35: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

This is a test…

Script, novel or long story

“A” storyline

On track

Can you tell your story in 10 panels?

Page 36: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

Panel 1: Set-up main character and situation

 

Panel 2: Show us what this story is about

 

Panel 3: 1st turning point:

Main character is in new territory

 

 

Page 37: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

Significant Second Act Events

Panels 4 to 7: Character growth

Point of no return

Could test “B” story

Could put 2nd turning point

 

Page 38: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

Panel 8: 2nd turning point

 

Panel 9: Climax

 

Panel 10: End

 

 

Page 39: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

TACTIC #3: 10 PANELS

Panel 1: Set-up main character and situation

Panel 2: Show us what this story is about

Panel 3: 1st turning point (New territory)

Panel 4: Character growth

Panel 5: More growth / “B” story / success or failure

Panel 6: No return

Panel 7: Some success

Panel 8: All is lost (2nd turning point)

Panel 9: Climax

Panel 10: End 

Page 40: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

WHAT ABOUT YOUR 10 PANELS?

Panel 1: Set-up main character and situation

Panel 2: Show us what this story is about

Panel 3: 1st turning point (New territory)

Panel 4: Character growth

Panel 5: More growth / “B” story / success or failure

Panel 6: No return

Panel 7: Some success

Panel 8: All is lost (2nd turning point)

Panel 9: Climax

Panel 10: End 

Page 41: What's your story? Storytelling tips for fiction writing

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