Plot Blueprint

"The past is prologue," said the Bard. What is a prologue? Why do so many readers love them? Why do so many editors hate them?

We'll discuss what a prologue is, what it can do, and when it can be effective-- and how to make it a powerful intro to your story.

New Course! Building Bolder Scenes. here's the link again:  http://bit.ly/building-bolder-scenes

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Check out our Plot Blueprint website for more articles about the craft of writing. https://www.plotblueprint.com/

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Some of us can't easily come up with character names. Some of us can't start a book without names for the character. What is in a name? Let's talk about how and when and what to name characters.

Are you interested in a comprehensive course to help you plot your story from start to finish, all three acts and nine turning points, along with the major character developments?

Then enroll in the Blueprint Your Plot course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

Wanna try it out first? Here's a free course in creating sympathetic characters. https://bit.ly/character--sympathy

Sign up for our writing mailing list: Get a free plotting article! http://bit.ly/AliciaRasleyStory

There are all sorts of new ways to publish these days. Here's one that is a combination sort of == games and "choose your own adventure" books. It's called Choice of Games, and you can read more about it at: https://www.choiceofgames.com/

Found footage, letters to a loved one, and many more are discussed in this episode about this classical but nontraditional method of storytelling.

Here we discuss different ways storywriters can use “found footage” and the “epistolary” (letter, journal) formats. It’s hard to describe, but novels, film, games—one innovative technique is to use environmental materials (like invented newspaper excerpts, letters, tapes) to give an interactive experience within a story. We’ll go into several examples of “found footage” stories which might give you some ideas for new story forms. (That’s funny, because the epistolary is one of the oldest novel forms, dating back to the 17th Century!)

Examples: Robinson Crusoe (journal)

Bridget Jones's Diary

Blair Witch Project

Gone Home

Myst

A listener asks about four-act plots. This is the structure of most disaster films.

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Check out our Plot Blueprint website for more articles about the craft of writing. https://www.plotblueprint.com/

Join the Plot Blueprint Course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

We do another timed writing exercise. (These are really great for breaking through writer's block!) This time, James is writing new material, and Alicia is revising an already-drafted scene.

Sign up for our email list and get a free plotting article! http://bit.ly/AliciaRasleyStory

Check out our Plot Blueprint website for more articles about the craft of writing. https://www.plotblueprint.com/

Join the Plot Blueprint Course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

Are you interested in a comprehensive course to help you plot your story from start to finish, all three acts and nine turning points, along with the major character developments?

Then enroll in the Blueprint Your Plot course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

Wanna try it out first? Here's a free course in creating sympathetic characters. https://bit.ly/character--sympathy

Sign up for our writing mailing list: Get a free plotting article! http://bit.ly/AliciaRasleyStory

Are you interested in a comprehensive course to help you plot your story from start to finish, all three acts and nine turning points, along with the major character developments?

Then enroll in the Blueprint Your Plot course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

Wanna try it out first? Here's a free course in creating sympathetic characters. https://bit.ly/character--sympathy

Sign up for our writing mailing list: Get a free plotting article! http://bit.ly/AliciaRasleyStory

What We Wrote Today is just that-- we do a writing exercise and then discuss what we wrote. Sign up for our email list and get a free plotting article! http://bit.ly/AliciaRasleyStory

Check out our Plot Blueprint website for more articles about the craft of writing. https://www.plotblueprint.com/

Join the Plot Blueprint Course! http://bit.ly/plotblueprint

This is the second part of the Goals discussion-- about how you can use goals to shape the ending of the story.