How to Take Your Writing Skills to the Next LevelLearn expert writing techniques with my Hit Writer Course. The video lessons apply to authors and screenwriters in any genre across fiction and narrative non-fiction. If you join, you'll also gain access to me to personally help you as you write your next story. Expanding on your Intro Course skillsIn my writing Intro Course, I teach important writing skills for characters, plot, theme, and emotional impact. These skills will form a solid foundation for you. They can help you write a great story. However, you can improve a lot more from there. Tap into thousands of years of writing wisdomStorytelling has been around for thousands of years - since early humans told tales around campfires. And some of the smartest people of all time - such as Aristotle - have dedicated themselves to storytelling. Because of all those years and all those sharp minds, significant insights about storytelling have been discovered. Regardless of format or genre, many of the best stories of all time have traits in common. If you know where to look, you can see these commonalities. And if you know how to apply them to your own stories, you can deliver thousands of years of force from your pages. What are the traits the best stories have in common?These stories tend to be well structured. What does that mean? Their beginnings, middles, and ends aren't just collections of interesting events. The events are sequenced together in a purposeful way to hook, captivate, and wow the audience. An act is a tool writers use to structure their stories. Though the term "act" is mentioned a lot, most people can't accurately define it. To properly harness the power of acts, you need to understand what one is in detail. Acts are a great way to structure your scenes in a sequence. However, the best stories don't just unfold their scenes in a dramatic order - the scenes themselves are dramatic. All of them. Mastering the dynamics of a scene is essential if you want to take your writing to the next level. Which characters should go in which scenes? What should those character be doing? How should those scenes start? How should they end? What should you leave out of a scene? You need to have answers to every one of these questions. Finally, the events in all your scenes need to be connected in an effective web. You need to apply techniques for drama building to assure that you supply anticipation between scenes and generate strong emotional payoffs when you want them. For instance, have you ever been blown away by a certain event in a certain scene? Like a character dying? Or a character saving another? Or a character proposing to another? Well, your emotional reaction likely wasn't tied to just that one scene. A highly skilled writer likely built it up over multiple scenes by effectively tying story events together. Do you want to write like this?Luckily for you, I offer a sequel to my Intro class...my Hit Writer Course. There, I go into depth on these potent writing techniques. In full disclosure, the Premium course isn't free. But it's well worth the fair price. You can get through all the material in just two days. By the end, you'll definitely be a much better writer. And you'll definitely feel more enthusiastic about your writing career than ever... More writing course topicsSome more writing topics the Hit Writer Course covers...
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Is the class worth the price?With the new, expert skills you'll gain, your next story should have a lot of audience appeal. If you're an author, this can lead to the sale of many more book copies and if you're a screenwriter, your chances of selling your script can go up. If your story is even somewhat successful financially, you should make back the course's cost fairly quickly, plus earn even more. Not to mention, the course comes with a full-refund guarantee. If you register, watch all the lessons, and don't feel you learned new, high-quality writing skills, just contact me within two weeks and I'll give you a 100% refund. No questions asked. Ready to become an expert writer?I'll see you in the Hit Writer Course.
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How To Write a Great Scene [Examples and Tips]Learn how to write an unforgettable scene in a book, screenplay, or short story. For even more writing advice, download my FREE outlining guide What is a scene?A scene is a unit of a story that focuses on one or more characters involved in a specific conflict. These scene-level conflicts should play roles in the story's overall conflict. For example, a story's overall conflict may involve a hero detective trying to catch a villain murderer. A scene in this story could be built around a conflict the detective gets into with his captain - the detective wants to go outside department guidelines to lure the villain, but the captain pushes back. What makes a good scene?Conflict is the key to a good scene. Every scene should have a subject character wrapped up in a conflict. This conflict typically involves other characters, yet doesn't have to. For instance, a character may be in conflict against nature, struggling to climb a mountain. Other than conflict, here are some characteristics good scenes tend to have:
A scene should advance the plotEven if a scene features a compelling conflict, the scene still needs to tie into the overall story to be effective. It should advance the plot. For example, a scene where two cops are dodging gunfire from a masked man in the woods may be exciting. However, if the scene doesn't move the story's plot forward, it'll feel flimsy and out of place. Thus, before you write scenes, I strongly advise you structure your story into an outline. Once you have an idea of what you want to accomplish in your beginning, middle, and end, coming up with scene concepts becomes simpler. Ask yourself these questions:
Advancing the plot while characterizing in a sceneThough not every scene needs to feature character development, many memorable ones do. As the characters in a scene square off in conflict, certain traits about those characters can emerge. For instance, in the example discussed above - where a detective is arguing with his captain about going against guidelines - the detective would come off as rebellious and daring, while the captain would come off as stubborn and cautious. A highly effective scene conflict will not only move your plot forward, but characterize. Revealing exposition in a scene Often, the audience needs to know a piece of information to follow your plot. This information is known as exposition. What you want to avoid is a data dump, where you pile a bunch of information onto your audience that's necessary to know, but doesn't seem organic to the scene where it appears. Instead, you should try to weave this information into the scene's conflict, either at the center or edge. For example, let' say the audience of a thriller needs to know that a suspect's phone signal was tracked to Houston. Here are two options for getting that information to the audience: (1) Express the information at the center of the scene's conflict. The two police officers at the station receive a call from a tech colleague that the suspect was tracked in Houston. However, in this example, one of the cops isn't satisfied with the information. He starts asking the tech colleague about the specific neighborhood of Houston where the suspect is. The technician says he doesn't have that level of detail. The cop accuses him of being bad at his job. The technician explains the limits to the tracking technology, yet the cop stresses more should still be done. (2) Express the information at the edge of the scene's conflict. Two police officers are at their station. They receive a phone call from a tech colleague that the suspect was tracked in Houston. The cops are excited about this news and head to their car to make the trip to Houston. However, moments after the officers get on the road, a masked man in the woods starts shooting at their car. In the first example, the exposition is at the heart of the scene's drama. In the second example, the scene's drama lies in the shootout, however, the exposition is at least tied to the shootout - the cops are fired at after they act on the expository information. Scenes and their settingsThough scene changes often accompany a change in setting, a single setting can contain multiple consecutive scenes. For example, in a boxing story, a boxing ring may be the setting for various scenes in a row. As long as multiple distinct conflicts occur, multiple scenes can occur. For example, in one scene, a boxer is engaged in a conflict with his trainers in his corner of the ring. After this conflict is resolved, the boxer heads to the center of the ring to fight, engaging in a new conflict with the opposing boxer. In film shoots, the term scene may be used to describe a series of consecutive shots in a single setting, even if those shots don't constitute all the events of a conflict. For example, let's say a movie has a knife fight. An angry character walking up to the bar through the parking lot may be referred to as a scene, with the knife fight inside the bar versus another character referred to as a second scene. However, from a dramatic writing perspective, since both of these actions (walking up to the bar and fighting with knives) refer to the same conflict (one character trying to stab another), we can view these actions as part of one scene. Want more tips for writing a great story?Download my free outlining guide: What Is Three Act Structure? Improve Your Story.Learn what three act structure is and how you can use it to enhance your book or screenplay. To write a great story, download my FREE outlining guide What is three act structure?Three act structure is a format certain stories follow, with the first act dedicated to the story's beginning, the second act the story's middle, and the third act the story's end. The first two acts build to their own dramatic conclusions, while the final act builds to the whole story's climax. Three act structure exampleLet's say we have a story about a rebel warrior trying to overthrow a vicious king. The warrior is the hero, the king the villain. The story as a whole builds to whether the warrior will defeat the king. However, the beginning and middle can build to their own conclusions, which would relate to the broader story. For instance, the beginning of the story may focus on the rebel warrior escaping a prison where he's been unjustly held by the king. A full act would be dedicated to this escape. The act would have various obstacles (ex, cell bars, prison guards) the hero would confront. The events would build toward the answer to the dramatic question: will the hero break out of the prison? Once this dramatic question is answered, the hero would adjust to his new situation and the story would move toward the second act, which would have its own dramatic question. For example, in act 1, let's say the hero successfully escapes from prison. He then hides out in a village. He explains to the villagers how he was unjustly imprisoned. The villagers, who already disliked the king, now dislike him even more. The hero explains his desire to overthrow the king. The villagers are motivated to help. However, the king has a powerful army at his command, while the villagers lack combat training. Act 2's dramatic question would be: can the hero assemble a fighting force to take on the king's army? Act 2 - the story's middle - would follow the hero as he tried to train the villagers and recruit more soldiers to the cause. Let's assume the second act ends with mixed success - yes, the hero does assemble a solid fighting force, however, it's still a massive underdog against the king's larger, better-resourced army. The story now crescendos into act 3, the end. Act 3's dramatic question would be: can the hero's underdog army defeat the formidable royal army in a battle? Act 3 builds toward the battle, then shows the battle itself. The fight would be the climax of not just act 3, but the whole story. Let's assume the hero's force wins and the king is overthrown. Here, the audience will see that the hero does in fact achieve the main want he set for himself at the beginning of the story. Does a story need three acts?No, a story doesn't need three acts. Some stories can have fewer than three, others more. For stories with more than three acts, the first and final acts tend to function like the first and final acts of a three act story, while more than one middle act is added. For example, a five act story would have one beginning act, three middle acts, and one final act. Want to write an awesome story?Download my FREE outlining guide: Writing Advice From Famous Authors and ScreenwritersCheck out this can't-miss writing advice from famous authors and screenwriters, covering character development, emotional impact, and more. For detailed video lessons from famous writers, check out the MasterClass writing courses. Writing advice from famous authorsGeorge R.R Martin writing tipsGeorge R.R. Martin is the author of the fantasy-novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, which was adapted into the popular HBO show Game of Thrones. Quotes on writing from George R.R. Martin "One of the big things that distinguishes fiction from writing that's perhaps without depth is a real understanding of what real human beings are like." "All fiction, if it's successful, is going to appeal to the emotions." "You need to read everything." Tom Clancy writing tipsTom Clancy was a novelist of military fiction. He's known for his creation of the character Jack Ryan, who's appeared in many books, films, and TV shows. Quotes on writing from Tom Clancy "Two questions form the foundation of all novels: 'What if?' and 'What's next?'" "If you don't write the book, the book ain't gonna get written." Stephen King writing tipsStephen King is one of the top-selling novelists in history. He's the author of The Shining, Misery, Carrie, and various other bestselling horror and thriller books. Many Stephen King stories have been adapted into films and TV shows. Quotes on writing from Stephen King "Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." "Stopping a piece of work just because it's hard, either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea." "In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well." Elmore Leonard writing tipsElmore Leonard was a crime fiction author of novels and short stories. His titles have been adapted into various popular films and TV shows, such as Get Shorty and Justified. Quotes on writing from Elmore Leonard "I never see my bad guys as simply bad. They want pretty much the same thing that you and I want: they want to be happy." "Never open a book with weather." Cormac McCarthy writing tipsCormac McCarthy was the author of acclaimed novels like Blood Meridian; or, The Evening Redness in the West and No Country for Old Men, which was adapted into the hit film of the same name. Quotes on writing from Cormac McCarthy "If it doesn't concern life and death, it's not interesting." "Even if what you're working on doesn't go anywhere, it will help you with the next thing you're doing." Writing advice from famous screenwritersDavid Fincher writing tipsThough David Fincher is known for directing, not screenwriting, he's still very much a storyteller. He's directed popular films like Seven, The Social Network, and Fight Club. Quotes on writing from David Fincher "I want every single person arguing a righteous side of the argument. That makes interesting drama." "Some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything's okay. I don't make those kinds of movies." "I learn the most from making my own mistakes." The Coen brothers writing tipsJoel and Ethan Coen are brothers who have produced, written, and directed acclaimed movies like Fargo, Blood Simple, and The Big Lebowski. Quotes on writing from the Coen brothers "You love all your characters, even the ridiculous ones. You have to on some level; they're your weird creations in some kind of way." -Ethan Coen "The characters are the result of two thing. First, we elaborate them into fairly well-defined people through their dialogue, then they happen all over again, when the actor interprets them." -Joel Coen "It's important that we make something we've never made before." -Ethan Coen "I guess there's a certain amount of poking fun at certain characters." -Joel Coen Quentin Tarantino writing tipsQuentin Tarantino is sceenwriter and director behind famous films like Pulp Fiction, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Reservoir Dogs. Quotes on writing from Quentin Tarantino "As a viewer, the minute I start getting confused, I check out of the movie. Emotionally, I'm severed." "Emotion will always win over coolness and cleverness. It's when a scene works emotionally and it's cool and clever, then it's great." "It's a writer's job not just to write about himself but to look at the rest of humanity and explore it - other people's way of talking, the phrases they use." Christopher Nolan writing tipsChristopher Nolan is a screenwriter and director behind famous films like The Prestige, Interstellar, and Batman Begins. Quotes on writing from Christopher Nolan "Every film should have its own world, a logic and feel to it that expands beyond the exact image that the audience is seeing." "If you want to be a filmmaker, make a film and enjoy it; don't be thinking about what's the next thing, the thing after that." "If you're trying to challenge an audience and make them look at elements in a different way, you've got to give them a familiar context to hang onto." Martin Scorsese writing tipsLike David Fincher, Martin Scorsese is known for directing, not screenwriting, yet is still very much a storyteller. He's directed hit films like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed. Quotes on writing from Martin Scorsese "The most important thing is the script." "I don't think there's any difference between fantasy and reality in the way these should be approached in a film." "Try something experimental. You push further. It's not just experimental for experiment-sake. But you push the boundaries further." More free writing tipsCharacter Development: Definition and Tips for a Great StoryAre you writing a book, screenplay, or short story? You'll need great characters if you want your story to be memorable. In this post, find out what character development is and how you can use it to create compelling protagonists, antagonists, and allies. To outline an awesome story, download my FREE guide What is character development?Character development is the process of a writer expressing the physical, mental, and cultural traits of a character. A character's blend of traits should make him or her feel like a real, unique human being. The same definition holds for non-human characters, like talking animals in a fantasy story - the more human these animals feel, the better. Fictional stories rely on character development, as do narrative non-fiction ones. Even if a character in a non-fiction story is based on a real person, the writer still needs to develop that character so the audience can understand what that person is like. Examples of traits used in character development
Show vs. tell in character development"Show vs. tell" is a writing tactic that involves expressing information to the audience by showing that information in the world of your story instead of directly telling the audience it. Certain basic physical traits - like sex, age, and hair color - can be told to the audience. However, you should try to show the others. Showing creates a more engaging experience for your audience - they must actively observe your story world and come up with their own conclusions versus you directly telling them information. For example, let's say you need to get across the mental trait that Jimmy is a lair. Instead, of simply saying "Jimmy is a liar," write a scene where this information is expressed in a dramatic way. Here's a way to do that:
The choices characters make in private say a lot about who they are as people, ie, like Jimmy's choice to cheat on his wife. When at dinner with the group, Jimmy could very well come off like a loving husband. However, that would just be an act. Once he's alone, in the car, is when the true him emerges. When showing character traits, be sure to clearly distinguish between authentic traits and phony ones characters pretend to have for others. Making a character feel real and unique isn't enoughDeveloping a character simply means the character feels real and unique. That does not guarantee the character will be compelling. To create a compelling character, you need to give the character an intriguing blend of physical, mental, and cultural traits that grips the audience. Below are some tips for creating gripping protagonists, antagonists, and allies... Character development tipsCharacter development tips for your protagonist
Character development tips for your antagonist
Character development tips for your allies
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