And Now For Something Completely Different (part two)
Welcome back. If you are not one of my two or three faithful readers, please read the previous post to catch up with the rest of the class.
Finished? Good, let’s get started.
This week I finished Chapter One: The Story (pages 14 - 17) and started Chapter Two: The Structure (page 18 -25). I apologize for not completing more pages, but this has been one, unbelievable week. As a sidebar: on Sunday, August 15th, we put our home on the market. On Friday, August 20th, we signed the contract: SOLD! On Saturday, August 21st we signed papers to purchase a new home — having it built, no less. Fortunately, we were able to purchase a spec home that should be finished around October 28th — we close on the home we are selling on, or around, October 8th. Seems I will be homeless for about four weeks. But I digress….
To finish up Chapter One: The Story, Pilar has the writer focus on their original intention for the project. This is a map you will refer to time and time again as you travel through your story process. You will be asked to think about, then record: the Main Character’s flaw; the Logline; the secondary character’s logline; major complication; third act trigger; the fortunately/unfortunately ending.
To end this chapter, Pilar asks the writer to describe their story as if it were a bedtime story, one act at a time. What this accomplishes? You create the skeleton of your story by filling in the blanks. And, as you discover new things about each character, and/or about your story, just go back and fill in the blanks with that new information.
Chapter One summary:
1. Brainstorm the story.
2. Create a character driven structure.
3. Create a ‘What if…’ logline.
4. Create a complication that leads you into the second act.
5. Write a brief synopsis so you get the beginning, middle, and end on paper.
6. Brainstorm backwards. Discover what ‘triggers’ your act three resolution.
7. Finally, get a better feel for your story by writing it out as if it were a bedtime story.
Now, on to Chapter Two: The structure.
Let me preface this by stating, again, I am a Four Act Structure kind’a guy (see previous posts for more info). That said, I like the way Pilar breaks down a script into four acts by splitting Act Two into two parts: Act IIa and Act IIb. Works for me.
In this chapter you will learn how to organize your story by giving each of the four (4) acts a title, like chapters in a book. Once you have done that, she then asks for a reveal for each of those acts. Using the script I am developing as an example, it goes something like this:
FIND YOUR FOUR-PART STRUCTURE
ACT I: Lost
ACT II: Fear
ACT IIb: Hope
ACT III: Redemption
Then you provide the reveals – incidents that push the story along into the next act:
ADD A REVEAL
ACT I: Lost - Trapped in underwater cave with no way out.
ACT II: Fear - Lead character must overcome his claustrophobia or, meet certain death.
ACT IIb: Hope - Lead character finds trail markers he left behind showing him the way back to the treasure, a possible way out.
ACT III: Redemption - Lead character must overcome his phobia in order to save Pixie’s life and recover the treasure.
What I have learned this week: nothing is written in stone. Don’t lock your story down, ever. As I went through these exercises I discovered different aspects to my characters: traits; actions they might take; relationships. As an example, last week I described Pixie as Handsome’s girlfriend; that has now changed to fiancée.
Also, you will discover that how a change in one character can, and will, affect your other characters; the plot; the tone of the story. All these things are linked together in a ‘storytelling synergy’. How’s that for a mouthful?
Guess that’s a wrap for this week. If you haven’t yet purchased the book I highly recommend that you do. Learn from the best as you,
Keep Writing!
