Story Engineering

by Brooks, Larry

• ISBN13: 9781582979984
• ISBN10: 1582979987
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-02-24
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books

Summary

From story concept to character development to scene construction and beyond, this blueprint for dynamic storytelling makes putting together a strong novel, memoir, or screenplay easier than ever. Beginning writers in all genres?from fiction writers to nonfiction writers to screenplay writers will learn how to wrap their heads around the big picture of storytelling at a professional level through a new approach that shows how to combine six core competencies: the four elemental competencies of concept, character, theme, and story structure (plot); and the two executional competencies of scene construction and writing voice. You'll discover how to achieve the greatest potential in your story through mastering the way these six factors combine and empower each other on the page.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
What Are the Six Core Competencies ... and Why Should I Care?
The Power of a Fresh Storytelling Model	p. 10
The Six Core Competencies-A 10,000-Foot View	p. 15
Defining the Six Core Competencies	p. 20
Launching the Storytelling Process	p. 24
The First Core Competency-Concept
Concept-Defined	p. 30
The Criteria for Concept	p. 35
How Do You Know If Your Concept Is Good Enough?	p. 45
The Second Core Competency-Character
The Fundamental Essence of Character	p. 54
The Three Dimensions of Character	p. 61
Character Unmasked	p. 75
The Human Nature of Character	p. 80
Creating Backstory	p. 86
Interior vs. Exterior Conflict	p. 92
Crafting a Character Arc	p. 97
Character-The Sum of the Parts	p. 106
The Third Core Competency-Theme
Defining Theme	p. 117
Implementing Theme	p. 121
Theme and Character Arc	p. 126
The Fourth Core Competency-Story Structure
The Need for Structure	p. 131
Story Structure vs. Story Structure	p. 137
The Big Picture of Story Structure	p. 139
The First Box: Part 1-The Set-Up	p. 146
The Second Box: Part 2-The Response	p. 151
The Third Box: Part 3-The Attack	p. 154
The Fourth Box: Part 4-The Resolution	p. 156
The Role of Story Milestones	p. 158
Writing to Publish: The Most Important Aspect of Your Story	p. 163
Five Missions for the Set Up of Your Story	p. 165
A Deeper Look at Foreshadowing	p. 170
The Most Important Moment in Your Story: The First Plot Point	p. 173
A Kinder, Gentler First Plot Point	p. 179
Shades of Gray: A Somewhat Liberating Spin on Story Structure	p. 182
Expanding Your Grasp of the Part 2 Response	p. 187
Wrapping Your Head Around the Mid-Point	p. 192
Commencing the Part 3 Attack	p. 196
Pinch Points	p. 199
The Second Plot Point	p. 204
The Final Act	p. 209
The Single Most Powerful Writing Tool You'll Ever See That Fits on One Page	p. 217
The Six Most Important Words in Storytelling	p. 220
Outlining vs. Organic Storytelling	p. 224
The Fifth Core Competency-Scene Execution
The Essential Nature of Scenes	p. 227
The Function of Scenes	p. 232
A Checklist for Your Scenes	p. 242
The Sixth Core Competency-Writing Voice
Finding Your Voice	p. 246
The Best Writing Analogy I Know	p. 253
More Musings on Voice	p. 256
The Story Development Process
Getting It Written	p. 260
The Pantser's Guide to Story Planning	p. 269
From How We Do This to Why We Do This	p. 275
Index	p. 279
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