I talk about feelings a lot.

Feelings are a huge part of my work as an artist. I have them. I examine them. I share them. I even manipulate them… I’m a writer. It’s what I do. I’m also an actor- that’s my passion and my training. My acting process anchors all of the work that I do in any other medium.

But I don’t “manufacture” emotion. I don’t flip a switch and perform feeling. That would be dishonest and… ugh. (Shudder. Spit. Turn around twice and stomp three times.) When I see actors rely on tricks instead of courageous exploration, it burns me up. It’s a slap in the face.

I’m a little fired up in today’s episode due to the algorithm targeting me with ads from acting teachers that don’t just give me red flags but set my emotional house on fire. I’ve talked about feelings before, and have probably said much the same information but I’m ablaze with moral indignation. That is probably why this episode is a little longer than usual, but I hope it provides something that hits a little differently that the last time I discussed the topic.

I promise you. This is important and I WILL discuss it again.

Don’t worry. I got it all out. I’ve processed and now my poor dog will get her walk!

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There are a lot of places where you can find detailed instructions for story structures. You can find beat by beat roadmaps and deep dives on the impact of choosing a 1,2,3 or 5 act structure. Every generation seems to have a go-to book for commercial storytelling tips and tricks.

This ain’t that.

I’m not good with “stereo instructions”. Once I figure out the logic of the IKEA build, I throw out the map. I don’t have patience for it. My brain doesn’t work that way.

Luckily, story structure is pretty flexible and it won’t destroy your walls if you put a nail in the wrong place. That’s not to say there aren’t rules. There are. But if the rules are overwhelming and stopping you from getting words on the page… this might be for you.

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We are looking at elements of character today and one of my personal pet peeves- characters that only exist out of convenience to the plot. How do you avoid making flat, flavorless NPCs? Tune in to find out.

If you are interested in reading more about Daniel Sklar’s work, check out Playmaking. It is a worthwhile read whether you are breaking down the nuts and bolts of drama for young people or trying to figure it out for yourself!

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The word “action” is surprisingly deep. On its face, it means “something you DO”, but depending on the context of the conversation and who is speaking, ACTION has important shades of meaning that are relevant to your work.

Today we are peeling back the layers of action, why and how it is crucial for your work and what it means to your collaborators.

Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse w/Bree O’Connor, part of the Unreliable Narrator Story Network. This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

I am a little behind on posting the inaugural episode of Season 2. My time blindness convinced me that I could learn an entirely new editing platform and crank out an episode in 2 hours.

This turns out not to be true.

But we soldier on!

In Season 2 we will be exploring more of the nuts and bolts of story creation while bringing in some of the awareness work that we covered in Season 1. In today’s episode, we are looking at the RULES OF THE UNIVERSE (…verse verse verse verse…) and the different methods of portraying those rules for your audience.

As usual, the first step in defining rules of the universe is by becoming aware of how the rules function in real life. I give a few examples in this episode that are worth checking out for your own entertainment if not edification.

First, a nod to Mike Judge who brilliantly breaks the first rule I offer- Show Don’t Tell. Somehow that guy seems to find ways of showing AND telling with painfully funny insight. I give you the opening section from Idiocracy.

Rowan Atkinson’s character Mr. Bean has a way of defining the rules of his specific universe by transgressing upon every one of them. While this is at the heart of most of Atkinson’s comedy, this scene (accessed through the link above) illustrates it beautifully.

Finally, this social experiment highlights a feature of human behavior that explains why understanding the Rules of the Universe in your storytelling is integral to your story’s effectiveness. I feel safe in assuming that your stories are FOR human beings. To earn the trust of your audience, you must acknowledge social realities and be true to them even when the world you may be creating is utterly fantastical. We respond to what we relate to!

Thanks for joining me for the first episode of Season 2. If you are interested in exploring Writers’ Groups or Memoir Workshops, I offer several options through my theatre company, Playful Substance. We are also active on Instagram as @playfulsubstance. This podcast is offered for free through my Substack Unreliable Narrator where you can support our work by becoming a free or paid subscriber.

You can always message or comment here! Reach out. I’d love to hear from you!

Unreliable Narrator is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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Write what you know!

Does this mean you are stuck writing only about the life you have lead? Absolutely not! Emotional responses are the great human equalizer, but don’t stop at assumptions! One of the greatest pitfalls in storytelling and performance is painting with broad strokes in only primary colors. Sure, the shorthand for loss is “sad”, but in reality a loss can be so much more complex than that. We need to have a deep understanding of ourselves in order to give our characters the full, rich, compelling lives that draw audiences in.

Unreliable Narrator / The Imperfect Impulse is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

It is all about making detailed, thoughtful, conscious choices.

We can’t get into ALL of the possibilities in 18 minutes, but we can take a step in the right direction. Tune in to the last episode of Season 1 for some thoughts on emotional responses and inviting the audience into a deeper experience.

The Imperfect Impulse will be taking the rest of August off, but we will be back later in September with all new episodes.

If you find these episodes enlightening, please share your favorites! We need help getting the word out!

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Giving supportive feedback is a skill.

If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of unusable feedback, you know what I mean.

I liked it. It was cool.

It was a travesty. Your protagonist is whiny. I didn’t think he should have killed her in the third act. He should have … (done X, Y, Z instead)

Sure. Those are valid opinions, but what does the artist DO about them? Especially if the artist feels the listener missed the point entirely!

In today’s episode, we look at The 4 Vital Questions that help the listener/reader examine their emotional responses to the work and translate that experience into useful information for the artist without eviscerating their work or dictating to them the work you wish they had done.

These questions also provide useful information for self-assessment as well. The best part? These questions are simple and open up probing conversations that can be beneficial for every artist in the room.

Thanks for listening to The Imperfect Impulse w/ Bree O’Connor. This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breeoconnor.substack.com/subscribe

Today’s episode is all about my experience with memoir work, how it started and how it grew. To date, I have written my own solo show and am in the process of editing my memoir, plus I have helped others develop their own books and solo performances. Memory contains powerful secrets that can be uncovered and understood through the process of excavation, examination with an honest lens, and editing for clarity and meaning.

It is not for the weak of heart! But you are stronger than you know. I promise.

You will excuse me. It was my intention to completely overhaul the Playful Substance website with dates and links for the memoir workshops that I mention in this episode. However, one of my personal issues is Time Blindness. I tend to believe I can accomplish a lot more tasks in the time allotted than is humanly possible.

Have a listen. If your interest is piqued, reach out to me at [email protected] and I can answer questions and get you on the “first to know” list when dates are released in early August.

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When emotions are at the core of your work (Hello, American-trained actors) it can be fairly common to run into an emotional experience that can upend your daily life.

Don’t panic.

Your emotions (yes, even the big ones) are not the enemy. You don’t need to suppress, exchange or ignore that big experience. In fact, doing so could lead you to unhealthy coping mechanisms and risky behaviors (see damn near every story of famous artists who died young). Instead, embrace and acknowledge the big feeling while also looking around for the companion experiences that helped you pull through.

Your spark. Your hope. Your inner fire. Your self-love. These will be your port in the storm, every time.

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Today’s episode was recorded on a walk with my dog, Momo:

Please pardon the wild audio! I will return to a protected sound environment next week.

This week, we are talking about the power of weird little moments that insert themselves into your work and when good collaborators find patterns that you cannot see for yourself.

I hope this summer walk inspires you to look for connection, patterns and meaning in the strangest places.

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