The document summarizes a workshop on developing plots and narratives for books. The workshop covers analyzing other successful books, focusing a story idea, developing protagonists and antagonists, shaping a story using character, conflict, climax and conclusion. Attendees will receive online access to workshop materials.
This document summarizes a workshop on developing plots and narratives for books. The workshop covers analyzing other successful books to understand what works and doesn't work, focusing on protagonists and antagonists, ensuring the story has conflict to drive it forward, and providing a satisfying resolution. It emphasizes starting with a clear original idea that can be summarized in one sentence, and developing the characters, their goals and conflicts, complications throughout the story, and its climax and conclusion. The workshop aims to help authors take their ideas from inception to a full narrative structure that keeps readers engaged.
This document provides an overview of a workshop on developing plots and narratives for books. The workshop will help attendees focus their original book ideas and examine protagonists, antagonists, and the core elements of any story: what the characters want, why they want it, and what's preventing them from achieving it. Attendees will learn how to shape a story using techniques like character development, conflict, complications, climax, and resolution. They will also be introduced to Freytag's pyramid as a way to examine how action drives a story from beginning to end. Attendees will receive online access to all workshop materials.
This document provides an overview of a workshop on finding the heart of your story and developing your original idea. The workshop will help attendees explore generating original ideas for fiction and non-fiction works, where ideas come from, and how to develop a kernel of an idea into a novel, narrative non-fiction, or screenplay. The document outlines the workshop structure and covers topics like examining your original idea, developing it from a spark to a fully formed narrative, focusing your idea, and turning it into a written work.
Three important elements in writing a successful thriller are characterization, plotting, and action. Characters must be compelling and undergo meaningful change. The plot should keep readers engaged through complications and a climactic ending. Descriptive action sequences are also important to drive the story forward. The document provides tips on developing these elements such as using the Freytag pyramid model and crafting character biographies and motivations.
This document provides an overview of breaking into the non-fiction book market. It discusses how non-fiction is a more accessible market to enter than fiction because it focuses on providing useful content rather than needing original stories. The document outlines tips for becoming an expert in a field, identifying a topic to write about, structuring a book proposal, and writing an effective query letter. It emphasizes doing thorough research, finding the right agent or publisher, and convincing them the book topic has not been sufficiently covered elsewhere and the author has relevant expertise or platform.
Finding the Heart of Your Story: Your Original Ideaggaldorisi
This document summarizes a workshop on developing original story ideas. It discusses exploring the kernel of an original idea and shaping it into a story. Attendees will learn how to generate ideas, fan the spark of an idea into a fire by developing plot, characters, stakes, and setting. The workshop also covers focusing an idea and determining if it is just a story or something more substantial, like conveying an emotion or theme. Attendees will then learn how to turn their idea into a narrative by creating a treatment and outline to develop the story without being chained to the initial idea.
You Don't Have to Make It Up: Breaking Into the Non-Fiction Marketggaldorisi
This document summarizes a lecture on breaking into the non-fiction book market. It discusses that non-fiction is easier to enter than fiction as it focuses on expertise in a topic rather than creative storytelling. It also emphasizes finding a topic you are passionate about and becoming an expert in through research. Further, it stresses convincing publishers that the topic has not been sufficiently covered elsewhere and that the author has a platform to promote the book. The summary provides the key high-level takeaways around subject selection, expertise, query letters, and book proposals.
This document provides an overview and recap of a workshop on establishing an online presence as a writer. It discusses generating unique content, attracting an audience, and whether to do content creation yourself or with others. The workshop also reviewed prior lessons on why to write, writing for publication, writing fiction and non-fiction, and generating story ideas. Attendees were asked to develop a one sentence logline for a story idea.
This document summarizes a workshop on developing plots and narratives for books. The workshop covers analyzing other successful books to understand what works and doesn't work, focusing on protagonists and antagonists, ensuring the story has conflict to drive it forward, and providing a satisfying resolution. It emphasizes starting with a clear original idea that can be summarized in one sentence, and developing the characters, their goals and conflicts, complications throughout the story, and its climax and conclusion. The workshop aims to help authors take their ideas from inception to a full narrative structure that keeps readers engaged.
This document provides an overview of a workshop on developing plots and narratives for books. The workshop will help attendees focus their original book ideas and examine protagonists, antagonists, and the core elements of any story: what the characters want, why they want it, and what's preventing them from achieving it. Attendees will learn how to shape a story using techniques like character development, conflict, complications, climax, and resolution. They will also be introduced to Freytag's pyramid as a way to examine how action drives a story from beginning to end. Attendees will receive online access to all workshop materials.
This document provides an overview of a workshop on finding the heart of your story and developing your original idea. The workshop will help attendees explore generating original ideas for fiction and non-fiction works, where ideas come from, and how to develop a kernel of an idea into a novel, narrative non-fiction, or screenplay. The document outlines the workshop structure and covers topics like examining your original idea, developing it from a spark to a fully formed narrative, focusing your idea, and turning it into a written work.
Three important elements in writing a successful thriller are characterization, plotting, and action. Characters must be compelling and undergo meaningful change. The plot should keep readers engaged through complications and a climactic ending. Descriptive action sequences are also important to drive the story forward. The document provides tips on developing these elements such as using the Freytag pyramid model and crafting character biographies and motivations.
This document provides an overview of breaking into the non-fiction book market. It discusses how non-fiction is a more accessible market to enter than fiction because it focuses on providing useful content rather than needing original stories. The document outlines tips for becoming an expert in a field, identifying a topic to write about, structuring a book proposal, and writing an effective query letter. It emphasizes doing thorough research, finding the right agent or publisher, and convincing them the book topic has not been sufficiently covered elsewhere and the author has relevant expertise or platform.
Finding the Heart of Your Story: Your Original Ideaggaldorisi
This document summarizes a workshop on developing original story ideas. It discusses exploring the kernel of an original idea and shaping it into a story. Attendees will learn how to generate ideas, fan the spark of an idea into a fire by developing plot, characters, stakes, and setting. The workshop also covers focusing an idea and determining if it is just a story or something more substantial, like conveying an emotion or theme. Attendees will then learn how to turn their idea into a narrative by creating a treatment and outline to develop the story without being chained to the initial idea.
You Don't Have to Make It Up: Breaking Into the Non-Fiction Marketggaldorisi
This document summarizes a lecture on breaking into the non-fiction book market. It discusses that non-fiction is easier to enter than fiction as it focuses on expertise in a topic rather than creative storytelling. It also emphasizes finding a topic you are passionate about and becoming an expert in through research. Further, it stresses convincing publishers that the topic has not been sufficiently covered elsewhere and that the author has a platform to promote the book. The summary provides the key high-level takeaways around subject selection, expertise, query letters, and book proposals.
This document provides an overview and recap of a workshop on establishing an online presence as a writer. It discusses generating unique content, attracting an audience, and whether to do content creation yourself or with others. The workshop also reviewed prior lessons on why to write, writing for publication, writing fiction and non-fiction, and generating story ideas. Attendees were asked to develop a one sentence logline for a story idea.
This document provides an overview of a writing workshop on finding the heart of your story and developing your original idea. It discusses generating ideas, focusing an idea from divergent to convergent thinking, and turning the idea into a narrative through outlining and plotting. It emphasizes developing the three key elements of characterization, plotting, and action. Specific techniques are presented like using Kipling's six questions to expand an idea and deconstructing a classic plot structure. Character examples from thriller novels are also provided.
The document discusses plotting techniques for writing successful novels, using George Galdorisi's presentation on writing naval and military fiction as an example. It explains Freytag's pyramid as a model for plot structure, with components like exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution. It also provides an analysis of the plot in The Wizard of Oz using this model to illustrate how to "deconstruct" a story's plot progression.
This document provides a summary of topics covered in previous weeks for establishing an online presence, including why write, writing for publication, and writing fiction and non-fiction. It then discusses finding the heart of a story by nurturing the original idea. This involves stating the idea in one sentence, focusing the idea from divergent to convergent thinking, and determining if it is just a story or has deeper intent. Developing the idea requires using who, what, why, where, when and how questions to expand the spark into a full narrative.
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed. In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work. You'll learn how to: Develop story-worthy ideas Translate those ideas into a compelling plot-- one that keeps readers mesmerized Pace your story for maximum excitement Create realistic, complicated characters Submit attention-getting manuscripts Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running. Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to make your dreams of publication come true. What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success! "An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out." #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks "Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George "A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone." #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
The present and future of publishing for writersBob Mayer
The industry is changing faster and faster. Here's a snapshot view from someone who has been in the business for 30 years and done traditional, hybrid and indie publishing with great success.
Plot Part I: Research and Narrative QuestionsBob Mayer
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed.
In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work.
You'll learn how to:
Develop story-worthy ideas
Translate those ideas into a compelling plot
-- one that keeps readers mesmerized
Pace your story for maximum excitement
Create realistic, complicated characters
Submit attention-getting manuscripts
Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running. Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to
make your dreams of publication come true.
What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success!
“A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone.”
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
"An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out."
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks
"Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George
The document provides information on developing a creative process for writing. It discusses examining how one thinks and creates, being open to change, overcoming fears and blocks, and profiling oneself. Different writing processes like outlining and pantsing are covered. Tools like Myers-Briggs, archetypes, and spreadsheets for organizing details are presented to help writers understand their strengths and weaknesses. Managing fears of failure, perfectionism, and the impostor syndrome are also addressed.
This document provides an overview of a class on writing fiction novels. It discusses various topics related to writing novels including choosing between mainstream and genre fiction, developing plots, characters, and action scenes. It also covers pitching ideas to agents and publishers, writing the full manuscript, and promoting the published work. Key points include outlining the classic plot structure, using the Freytag pyramid to design plots, developing compelling characters through backstories and motivations, and balancing plot, characters, and action throughout the story.
This document provides an overview of a seminar on why to write. It discusses that writers shape history through their works and outlines various writing mediums. It encourages building writing skills incrementally, from articles to books. It also stresses doing research by reading various publications to find story ideas and learn about different markets. Throughout, it shares advice from successful authors about working hard at writing and making time for it while balancing other responsibilities.
This document summarizes a presentation on developing original story ideas. It discusses generating the initial spark of an idea, developing it by focusing on the key questions of what, who, why, where, when and how. It emphasizes the importance of stating the idea in one sentence and examining if it has the elements of a protagonist, antagonist and conflict. The presentation also covers turning the idea into a narrative by creating a treatment and outline to convince oneself and others it is a full book. Attendees are provided online access to the workshop materials.
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed.
In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work.
You'll learn how to:
Develop story-worthy ideas
Translate those ideas into a compelling plot
-- one that keeps readers mesmerized
Pace your story for maximum excitement
Create realistic, complicated characters
Submit attention-getting manuscripts
Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you
need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running.
Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to
make your dreams of publication come true.
What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success!
“A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone.”
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
"An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out."
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks
"Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George
The document provides information about writing novels and getting published. It discusses:
1) The importance of storytelling and keeping readers engaged by making them want to turn the page.
2) The main elements needed for a successful novel - strong characterization, an engaging plot with action, and maintaining the reader's suspension of disbelief.
3) Tips for developing ideas like reading widely, generating character details and exotic titles, and plunging the hero into trouble from the start.
This document provides guidance on writing a successful non-fiction book. It discusses determining what type of non-fiction book to write (narrative or prescriptive), doing thorough research on the topic, and overcoming potential objections from publishers. Key steps include crafting a compelling query letter that hooks the agent/editor and addresses whether the topic has been sufficiently covered and whether the author has a platform. It also provides tips on writing a strong book proposal that outlines the book and shows the author is uniquely qualified. Examples of successful proposals for the books "Leave No Man Behind" and "The Kissing Sailor" are presented and summarized.
Here are a few ways the articles could lead:
- Recognition as an expert in the field from continued publications could lead to invitations to present at relevant conferences or symposia.
- Building your reputation as an expert over time through numerous publications could lead to invitations to teach or give lectures on the topic at universities or professional events.
- Strong relationships built with editors and other experts through collaboration could lead to invitations to collaborate on larger projects like co-authoring a book or report on the subject.
- Individual articles or groups of articles on aspects of the topic could form the basis for chapters in a future non-fiction book authored on the overall subject written by the person.
- Continued momentum and
This document provides guidance and advice for writing non-fiction books. It discusses determining what type of non-fiction book to write (narrative or prescriptive), overcoming common objections from publishers such as a book being "just an article" or the author lacking a platform, and how to write an effective query letter and book proposal to get a book deal. It also lists some iconic non-fiction writers and resources for learning more about writing in the non-fiction genre.
This document provides guidance on leveraging social media to promote writing and get published. It discusses establishing an online presence through nurturing original ideas and balancing entertaining and informative content. The document then focuses on social media challenges and opportunities, noting that everyone uses it but engagement, visibility, and momentum must be sustained. Specific social media platforms like email, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and others are examined in terms of their benefits and how to best utilize them for writing promotion. Maintaining a balance of online and offline connections is advised.
This document provides information about writing novels, including the genres of mainstream and genre fiction, developing characters, plots, and action, as well as getting a novel published. It discusses that novels require strong storytelling ability through compelling characters, plots, and pacing to engage readers. Successful novels are grounded in truth but present something familiar in a new way to publishers and audiences.
This document provides an overview of a class on establishing an online presence for writers. It discusses designing unique and engaging online content that balances entertainment and information. It recommends determining the right level of effort for refreshing content and balancing what is given away online versus sold. The document also discusses whether to build a website oneself or hire someone, and provides examples of successful writer websites. It emphasizes that the online presence should represent the writer's professional persona and be updated regularly with social media used to drive traffic.
This document provides an overview of a six-week course on writing titled "Get Published Now!". The first seminar, titled "Why Write?", discusses why people choose to write and the various outlets available. It encourages participants to consider their audience and goals. The seminar also stresses that writing requires hard work and due diligence through reading widely. The course will cover non-fiction writing, novels, developing an online presence, and using social media for writing. Participants are asked to introduce themselves by sharing a brief story about their life and writing goals.
Social Media - Challenges and Opportunities ggaldorisi
This document provides an overview and recap of a six-week course on writing and publishing. The course covered topics such as why write, establishing an online presence, writing non-fiction, writing novels, and using social media. It summarizes the key lessons from each week, including tips on content creation, building relationships with editors, defining your target audience, and balancing engagement and visibility online. The document concludes with reminders about additional writing resources and an open question forum.
This document summarizes a presentation on finding and shaping original story ideas. It discusses generating an initial spark of an idea, then developing it by exploring what the plot is, who the characters are, what's at stake, and how it begins, progresses, and ends. It emphasizes focusing ideas through divergent and convergent thinking. The presentation also covers turning ideas into narratives and writing the full novel or story.
Finding the Heart of Your Story: Nurturing Your Original Ideaggaldorisi
The document provides an overview of plotting techniques for crafting narratives, using George Galdorisi's presentation on finding the heart of your story as an example. It discusses generating original story ideas, developing ideas from sparks to fires by adding elements like characters and setting. It also covers focusing an idea and turning it into a narrative using techniques like treatments and outlines. Finally, it examines key elements of successful plots like characterization, action, and provides an example deconstruction of The Wizard of Oz using Freytag's pyramid structure.
This document provides an overview of a writing workshop on finding the heart of your story and developing your original idea. It discusses generating ideas, focusing an idea from divergent to convergent thinking, and turning the idea into a narrative through outlining and plotting. It emphasizes developing the three key elements of characterization, plotting, and action. Specific techniques are presented like using Kipling's six questions to expand an idea and deconstructing a classic plot structure. Character examples from thriller novels are also provided.
The document discusses plotting techniques for writing successful novels, using George Galdorisi's presentation on writing naval and military fiction as an example. It explains Freytag's pyramid as a model for plot structure, with components like exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution. It also provides an analysis of the plot in The Wizard of Oz using this model to illustrate how to "deconstruct" a story's plot progression.
This document provides a summary of topics covered in previous weeks for establishing an online presence, including why write, writing for publication, and writing fiction and non-fiction. It then discusses finding the heart of a story by nurturing the original idea. This involves stating the idea in one sentence, focusing the idea from divergent to convergent thinking, and determining if it is just a story or has deeper intent. Developing the idea requires using who, what, why, where, when and how questions to expand the spark into a full narrative.
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed. In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work. You'll learn how to: Develop story-worthy ideas Translate those ideas into a compelling plot-- one that keeps readers mesmerized Pace your story for maximum excitement Create realistic, complicated characters Submit attention-getting manuscripts Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running. Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to make your dreams of publication come true. What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success! "An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out." #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks "Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George "A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone." #1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
The present and future of publishing for writersBob Mayer
The industry is changing faster and faster. Here's a snapshot view from someone who has been in the business for 30 years and done traditional, hybrid and indie publishing with great success.
Plot Part I: Research and Narrative QuestionsBob Mayer
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed.
In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work.
You'll learn how to:
Develop story-worthy ideas
Translate those ideas into a compelling plot
-- one that keeps readers mesmerized
Pace your story for maximum excitement
Create realistic, complicated characters
Submit attention-getting manuscripts
Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running. Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to
make your dreams of publication come true.
What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success!
“A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone.”
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
"An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out."
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks
"Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George
The document provides information on developing a creative process for writing. It discusses examining how one thinks and creates, being open to change, overcoming fears and blocks, and profiling oneself. Different writing processes like outlining and pantsing are covered. Tools like Myers-Briggs, archetypes, and spreadsheets for organizing details are presented to help writers understand their strengths and weaknesses. Managing fears of failure, perfectionism, and the impostor syndrome are also addressed.
This document provides an overview of a class on writing fiction novels. It discusses various topics related to writing novels including choosing between mainstream and genre fiction, developing plots, characters, and action scenes. It also covers pitching ideas to agents and publishers, writing the full manuscript, and promoting the published work. Key points include outlining the classic plot structure, using the Freytag pyramid to design plots, developing compelling characters through backstories and motivations, and balancing plot, characters, and action throughout the story.
This document provides an overview of a seminar on why to write. It discusses that writers shape history through their works and outlines various writing mediums. It encourages building writing skills incrementally, from articles to books. It also stresses doing research by reading various publications to find story ideas and learn about different markets. Throughout, it shares advice from successful authors about working hard at writing and making time for it while balancing other responsibilities.
This document summarizes a presentation on developing original story ideas. It discusses generating the initial spark of an idea, developing it by focusing on the key questions of what, who, why, where, when and how. It emphasizes the importance of stating the idea in one sentence and examining if it has the elements of a protagonist, antagonist and conflict. The presentation also covers turning the idea into a narrative by creating a treatment and outline to convince oneself and others it is a full book. Attendees are provided online access to the workshop materials.
Writing a novel and getting it published: That's your goal. And nothing will keep you from making it happen. Such a goal, of course, presents a number of challenges. Make sure you have the tools you need to overcome them and succeed.
In THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT, NY Times Best-Selling author Bob Mayer shares a veteran writer's hard-won advice with a style that's straight from the hip. He lays out the nuts and bolts of novel writing, along with guidelines for starting, finishing and revising your work.
You'll learn how to:
Develop story-worthy ideas
Translate those ideas into a compelling plot
-- one that keeps readers mesmerized
Pace your story for maximum excitement
Create realistic, complicated characters
Submit attention-getting manuscripts
Self-contained chapters make it easy to focus on the just the elements you
need. Take in the advice, sharpen your skills, and hit the ground running.
Mayer provides all the reliable information and instruction you need to
make your dreams of publication come true.
What are you waiting for? THE NOVEL WRITER'S TOOLKIT ensures that you're properly equipped for success!
“A book to inspire, instruct and challenge the writer in everyone.”
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
"An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out."
#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Terry Brooks
"Something for every writer, from neophyte to old hand. My hat is off to Bob." Best-Selling Myster Writer Elizabeth George
The document provides information about writing novels and getting published. It discusses:
1) The importance of storytelling and keeping readers engaged by making them want to turn the page.
2) The main elements needed for a successful novel - strong characterization, an engaging plot with action, and maintaining the reader's suspension of disbelief.
3) Tips for developing ideas like reading widely, generating character details and exotic titles, and plunging the hero into trouble from the start.
This document provides guidance on writing a successful non-fiction book. It discusses determining what type of non-fiction book to write (narrative or prescriptive), doing thorough research on the topic, and overcoming potential objections from publishers. Key steps include crafting a compelling query letter that hooks the agent/editor and addresses whether the topic has been sufficiently covered and whether the author has a platform. It also provides tips on writing a strong book proposal that outlines the book and shows the author is uniquely qualified. Examples of successful proposals for the books "Leave No Man Behind" and "The Kissing Sailor" are presented and summarized.
Here are a few ways the articles could lead:
- Recognition as an expert in the field from continued publications could lead to invitations to present at relevant conferences or symposia.
- Building your reputation as an expert over time through numerous publications could lead to invitations to teach or give lectures on the topic at universities or professional events.
- Strong relationships built with editors and other experts through collaboration could lead to invitations to collaborate on larger projects like co-authoring a book or report on the subject.
- Individual articles or groups of articles on aspects of the topic could form the basis for chapters in a future non-fiction book authored on the overall subject written by the person.
- Continued momentum and
This document provides guidance and advice for writing non-fiction books. It discusses determining what type of non-fiction book to write (narrative or prescriptive), overcoming common objections from publishers such as a book being "just an article" or the author lacking a platform, and how to write an effective query letter and book proposal to get a book deal. It also lists some iconic non-fiction writers and resources for learning more about writing in the non-fiction genre.
This document provides guidance on leveraging social media to promote writing and get published. It discusses establishing an online presence through nurturing original ideas and balancing entertaining and informative content. The document then focuses on social media challenges and opportunities, noting that everyone uses it but engagement, visibility, and momentum must be sustained. Specific social media platforms like email, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and others are examined in terms of their benefits and how to best utilize them for writing promotion. Maintaining a balance of online and offline connections is advised.
This document provides information about writing novels, including the genres of mainstream and genre fiction, developing characters, plots, and action, as well as getting a novel published. It discusses that novels require strong storytelling ability through compelling characters, plots, and pacing to engage readers. Successful novels are grounded in truth but present something familiar in a new way to publishers and audiences.
This document provides an overview of a class on establishing an online presence for writers. It discusses designing unique and engaging online content that balances entertainment and information. It recommends determining the right level of effort for refreshing content and balancing what is given away online versus sold. The document also discusses whether to build a website oneself or hire someone, and provides examples of successful writer websites. It emphasizes that the online presence should represent the writer's professional persona and be updated regularly with social media used to drive traffic.
This document provides an overview of a six-week course on writing titled "Get Published Now!". The first seminar, titled "Why Write?", discusses why people choose to write and the various outlets available. It encourages participants to consider their audience and goals. The seminar also stresses that writing requires hard work and due diligence through reading widely. The course will cover non-fiction writing, novels, developing an online presence, and using social media for writing. Participants are asked to introduce themselves by sharing a brief story about their life and writing goals.
Social Media - Challenges and Opportunities ggaldorisi
This document provides an overview and recap of a six-week course on writing and publishing. The course covered topics such as why write, establishing an online presence, writing non-fiction, writing novels, and using social media. It summarizes the key lessons from each week, including tips on content creation, building relationships with editors, defining your target audience, and balancing engagement and visibility online. The document concludes with reminders about additional writing resources and an open question forum.
This document summarizes a presentation on finding and shaping original story ideas. It discusses generating an initial spark of an idea, then developing it by exploring what the plot is, who the characters are, what's at stake, and how it begins, progresses, and ends. It emphasizes focusing ideas through divergent and convergent thinking. The presentation also covers turning ideas into narratives and writing the full novel or story.
Finding the Heart of Your Story: Nurturing Your Original Ideaggaldorisi
The document provides an overview of plotting techniques for crafting narratives, using George Galdorisi's presentation on finding the heart of your story as an example. It discusses generating original story ideas, developing ideas from sparks to fires by adding elements like characters and setting. It also covers focusing an idea and turning it into a narrative using techniques like treatments and outlines. Finally, it examines key elements of successful plots like characterization, action, and provides an example deconstruction of The Wizard of Oz using Freytag's pyramid structure.
The document summarizes a workshop on finding the heart of your story and developing your original idea. The workshop covers generating original ideas, focusing an idea from divergent to convergent thinking, examining if an idea is just a story or something more meaningful, turning an idea into a narrative outline, and important elements of writing like characterization, plotting, and action. Attendees are provided materials and guidance to develop their story ideas.
This document provides an overview of plot structure and narrative elements for writing a story. It discusses key components like the initiating event, escalating conflict, crisis, climax, and resolution. It emphasizes establishing an emotional idea and conflict for the story. It also covers developing the protagonist and antagonist goals and how they drive the plot. Flashbacks, memories, and changing the protagonist over the course of the story to resolve the central problem or conflict are also addressed.
This document provides an overview of a writing course at Coronado Adult Education covering how to establish an online presence. It discusses reviewing content from prior weeks on writing skills, publishing, fiction and non-fiction. It emphasizes making online material unique, competing for attention, balancing content and entertainment, and whether to build a website yourself or hire someone. Examples are provided of successful writer websites along with advice on engagement, visibility and constants like providing content and using social media to drive traffic. The goal is to establish an online "professional persona" as the CEO of one's writing career.
The document provides an overview of a lecture titled "A Thrill a Minute: Crafting, Pitching, Writing, Selling and Promoting Thrillers" given by George Galdorisi at the La Jolla Writer's Conference. The lecture focuses on how to write a thriller novel, pitch it to agents and publishers, and work with a publisher to promote the book. It discusses developing a high concept and effective pitch, writing techniques like characterization, plotting and action, the publishing process, and book promotion strategies. The goal is to help attendees understand how to successfully publish a thriller with a mainstream publisher.
This document summarizes a presentation given by Dick Couch at the Palm Springs Writers Guild on writing. It discusses Couch's background as a naval aviator and author. Couch explains that he writes about what he knows from his experiences. He writes adventure stories to relive the thrill of his past career. The presentation provides tips for writers, including starting small with articles and building experience, as well as the importance of establishing an online presence through websites and social media. It previews the next workshop on developing original story ideas.
This document provides an overview of writing across genres. It discusses the importance of genre for readers' expectations and marketing purposes. While genre conventions exist, the document advocates for creative freedom and writing what inspires you. It provides tips for mixing genres effectively and developing characters that transcend any single genre. Common patterns are discussed for genres like fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and romance. The key messages are to know genre conventions but not be restricted by them, and to focus on telling a compelling story above all else.
This document provides information on writing and publishing novels. It discusses deciding between writing for fame, pleasure, or money. It also covers non-fiction vs fiction requirements, the Great American Novel, plotting, characterization, and getting a book sale. Key aspects include having a compelling plot, developing characters with motivations, focusing on either mainstream or genre works, and using a query letter to find an agent. Writing fiction is portrayed as difficult work that requires planning one's novel and characters.
This document summarizes a lecture on breaking into the non-fiction book market. It discusses that non-fiction is easier to enter than fiction as it focuses on expertise and timely topics rather than creative storytelling. The lecture provides tips on choosing a subject area, becoming an expert, structuring a book proposal, and writing an effective query letter. Attendees are given online access to workshop materials to help with non-fiction writing.
Fiction Secrets: Pitching, Selling, and Promoting Thrillersggaldorisi
This workshop will focus on the challenges – and opportunities – regarding getting your novel accepted by a mainstream publishing house. Learn how to decide what to write about, how to pitch a story to publishers and agents, how to seal the deal once the pitch gets a nibble, and how to team with your publisher to promote your book. While the primary focus will be on getting published by a mainstream publisher, we’ll also examine how some of these same lessons apply to the world of e-books and print-on-demand.
This document provides an overview of the modules in an online course on writing children's stories. The modules cover topics such as choosing age groups and genres, developing characters and plots, writing dialogue and fantasy/science fiction, and getting published. An introductory module discusses the elements of an engaging story, including character, conflict and contrast. It also summarizes J.K. Rowling's path to success with the Harry Potter series, from her initial idea to worldwide publishing deals and film adaptations.
The document provides guidance for students on reading and writing workshops. It discusses identifying themes when reading stories and resolving conflicts when writing stories. It encourages students to use vivid details like adjectives and verbs when revising stories. It also suggests paying attention to story elements like characters, setting, and conflicts to construct understanding at the beginning of stories.
Breaking Into the Nonfiction Market: Step-by-Stepggaldorisi
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The Original Idea: The Seed of Your StoryBob Mayer
The idea is the heart of your story. Knowing it keeps you on target to complete the book and succeed. Idea is not story. Being able to state your idea in one sentence is key. We often spend an entire day at our writing workshop getting the four attendees to pin this one sentence down, but that's how important it is!
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#1 NY Times Best-Selling Author Susan Wiggs
"An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don't miss out."
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This Dissertation explores the particular circumstances of Mirzapur, a region located in the
core of India. Mirzapur, with its varied terrains and abundant biodiversity, offers an optimal
environment for investigating the changes in vegetation cover dynamics. Our study utilizes
advanced technologies such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and Remote sensing to
analyze the transformations that have taken place over the course of a decade.
The complex relationship between human activities and the environment has been the focus
of extensive research and worry. As the global community grapples with swift urbanization,
population expansion, and economic progress, the effects on natural ecosystems are becoming
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significant role in maintaining the ecological equilibrium of our planet.Land serves as the foundation for all human activities and provides the necessary materials for
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The utilization of land is impacted by human needs and environmental factors. In countries
like India, rapid population growth and the emphasis on extensive resource exploitation can lead
to significant land degradation, adversely affecting the region's land cover.
Therefore, human intervention has significantly influenced land use patterns over many
centuries, evolving its structure over time and space. In the present era, these changes have
accelerated due to factors such as agriculture and urbanization. Information regarding land use and
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providing crucial environmental data for scientific, resource management, policy purposes, and
diverse human activities.
Accurate understanding of land use and cover is imperative for the development planning
of any area. Consequently, a wide range of professionals, including earth system scientists, land
and water managers, and urban planners, are interested in obtaining data on land use and cover
changes, conversion trends, and other related patterns. The spatial dimensions of land use and
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these patterns indicate shifts in economic and social conditions. Monitoring such changes with the
help of Advanced technologies like Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems is
crucial for coordinated efforts across different administrative levels. Advanced technologies like
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems
9
Changes in vegetation cover refer to variations in the distribution, composition, and overall
structure of plant communities across different temporal and spatial scales. These changes can
occur natural.
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Main Java[All of the Base Concepts}.docxadhitya5119
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Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
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1. Developing a Book’s
Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
George Galdorisi
La Jolla Writer’s Conference
October 26-28, 2018
2. Workshop
Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
“This workshop will help attendees focus their original book idea
and put that idea “on trial for its life.” We’ll start with the basics,
focusing on protagonists and antagonists and the most critical
trifecta for any story: What do these guys want, why do they
want it, and what’s keeping them from getting it? We’ll then
move on to the way to shape a story, using character, conflict,
complications, climax and conclusion, and then use the Freytag
Pyramid to examine how action drives a story from beginning to
end. Attendees will be provided with online access to all
workshop material.”
3. A Few Preliminaries….
• Three promises:
– This will be a fast-paced 110 minutes
– We’ll learn something…and we’ll have fun
– You’ll have access to these slides…take notes…or not….
• Three assumptions:
– You all are interested in nurturing your story idea
– You would like to turn your idea into a novel or….
– You didn’t wake up last Tuesday morning with this notion
• And a word about Power Point….
7. “If you decide to become a professional writer, you
must, broadly speaking, decide whether you wish to
write for fame, for pleasure, or for money.”
Ian Fleming
How to Write a Thriller
9. New York Times, Publisher’s
Weekly & USA Today Best-
Seller!
What if a prince in a Middle
Eastern country wanted to get
the United States to attack
another country so his
country could later win a fight
with that country?
10. New York Times, Publisher’s
Weekly & USA Today Best-
Seller!
How does the commanding
officer of a U.S. Navy ship
keep the North Koreans from
capturing her crew after they
run aground on a small island
after losing a gun battle with
North Korean ships?
11. First book of the Rick Holden
Thriller Series - from
Braveship Books
What if the most senior officers in
the United States military are so
dissatisfied with the President that
they concoct a scheme to have the
President direct a major military
operation, and then have that
operation fail in order to drive the
President out of office?
12. New this year – second book of
the Rick Holden Thriller Series -
from
Braveship Books
What if a U.S. Navy carrier strike
group commander, tired of his
country’s vacillation in the face of
continuous Iranian terrorist
attacks, takes matters into his
own hands and decides to attack
the Iran with no authority but his
own?
14. Dissection 101 - Quickly
• Do what most successful novelists do:
– Study those who have been successful
– Find the kind of books you want to write
– Break these books down and analyze them
– Spend time understanding what worked for you
– Spend time understanding what didn’t work for you
• You should have a posse of novelists to emulate
• That said, you must bring your own uniqueness
15. Dissection 101 - Quickly
• You’ll ultimately discover that “your” idea has been
done before
• That is good news, it means your kind of story
appeals to readers
• Now, deep dive into your posse’s novels and do a
story breakdown, focusing on the narrative
• Next, deep dive into your posse’s novels and do a
scene breakdown, focusing on purpose
• Pay particular attention on how everything in your
posse’s novels moves the story forward
16. ….now that you all are budding forensic
pathologists, let’s move on to inspiration
17. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
18. “For me, I gotta write, and it’s the adventure of it that’s
hooked me. As the writer, I can do it all. I get to be the
National Security Advisor who recommends the action
to the President who must commit the forces. I’m the
senior officer who sends his men into action and who
feels the pain if they don’t make it back. I’m the enemy
and the defender; logistician and staff planner. But
most of all, I’m a young man again, that fresh
lieutenant who must lead his men into battle.”
Dick Couch
“So you Want to be a Writer”
19. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
20. Only You Are the Steward of Your Original Idea
• It is your idea and your idea alone
• You have to nurture it, don’t share it yet
• It is the foundation of your book
• Above all else, it is the spark of inspiration for you
• Don’t do too much, let it germinate
• Come up with another idea, is the first still the best?
21. Can You State Your Idea In One Sentence?
• If you can’t do this, start over and find a new one
• This one sentence ignites your creative focus
• It is often the core of the pitch to sell your book
• Remembering just one sentence keeps you focused
22. Your Original Idea in One Sentence
The subject of the sentence will describe (1) an
imperfect but passionate and active protagonist. The
verb will depict (2) the battle. And the direct object will
describe (3) an insurmountable antagonist who tries to
stop the protagonist from reaching (4) a physical goal
on account of (5) the stakes, if the goal is not reached.
23. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
24. Is It Just a Story –
Or Something More?
• The king died and then the queen died.
– A story
• The king died and then the queen died of grief.
– A plot
• The queen died, and no one knew why, until it was
discovered that it was through grief at the death of
the king.
– A mystery
25. There must be a story, plot, or mystery:
The Classic Plot
• The writer introduces a hero or heroine who has just been –
or is about to be – plunged into terrible trouble
• The hero or heroine attempts to solve his or her problem but
only slips deeper into trouble
• As they try to climb out of the hole they’re in, complications
arise, each more terrible than the one before, until the
situation could not become more hopeless, then one final
unthinkable complication arises and makes matters worse.
• At last, deeply affected and changed by his awful experiences
and intolerable circumstances, the hero learns something
about himself and the human condition. He then understands
what he must do to get out of the dangerous situation in
which he has wound up. He takes the necessary actions and
either succeeds or fails, succeeding more often than not.
26. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
27. You Must Have a
Protagonist and An Antagonist
• The Protagonist must have a goal
• The Protagonist must have a conflict
• The Antagonist must have a goal
• The Antagonist must have a conflict:
– You must give your antagonist believable motivation
– The reader must understand the antagonist’s goal
– Your antagonist must have a good plan
– The stronger the antagonist, the stronger the protagonist
• Their conflict lock makes the story move forward
28. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
29. Something Must Happen
To Make You Turn Pages
• Good stories typically start with an inciting action
• The protagonist usually gets introduced early
• The protagonist has to solve a problem
• The story involves a protagonist solving the problem
• The antagonist is hell-bent to stop the protagonist
30. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
31. What Happens Must Matter
• Character
• Conflict
• Complications
• Climax
• Conclusion
32. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
33. Most Readers Like a Satisfying Resolution
• The protagonist solves the problem or crisis
• The protagonist must change along the way (1.0-2.0)
• You don’t have to kill the antagonist
• But there must be a reason the antagonist loses
34. Now That We Know All This
Let’s Write Your Novel
Plot is Important
But That’s Not All
35. Let’s talk about three of the most
important ingredients in writing a
successful novel…
38. “There are only two plots: The hero takes a journey and
a stranger comes to town.”
Timothy Spurgin
“The Art of Reading”
The Great Courses
39. The Classic Plot
• The writer introduces a hero or heroine who has just been –
or is about to be – plunged into terrible trouble
• The hero or heroine attempts to solve his or her problem but
only slips deeper into trouble
• As they try to climb out of the hole they’re in, complications
arise, each more terrible than the one before, until the
situation could not become more hopeless, then one final
unthinkable complication arises and makes matters worse.
• At last, deeply affected and changed by his awful experiences
and intolerable circumstances, the hero learns something
about himself and the human condition. He then understands
what he must do to get out of the dangerous situation in
which he has wound up. He takes the necessary actions and
either succeeds or fails, succeeding more often than not.
40. “You can distill anydrama – a Greek tragedy, a
Shakespearian play, a modern novel, a TV drama or
comedy, whatever – into a simple equation: ‘What do
these guys want, why do they want it, and what’s
keeping them from getting it?’”
Bill Bleich
Writing advice
41. Plots
• Create a compelling plot
• Write a grabber opening
• Write a successful ending
• Create a middle that keeps the reader involved
42. James Hall – Hit Lit
• Gone with the Wind
• Peyton Place
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Valley of the Dolls
• The Godfather
• The Exorcist
• Jaws
• The Dead Zone
• The Hunt for Red October
• The Firm
• The Bridges of Madison County
• The Da Vinci Code
43. Let’s take a deep-dive into one well-known
way to design or deconstruct a plot….
47. A Movie Log Line
The subject of the sentence will describe (1) an
imperfect but passionate and active protagonist. The
verb will depict (2) the battle. And the direct object will
describe (3) an insurmountable antagonist who tries to
stop the protagonist from reaching (4) a physical goal
on account of (5) the stakes, if the goal is not reached.
48. In-Class Homework: What is Your Story?
• Take five minutes to do a “log line” for your story
• Partner up! Try your log line on your partner
• Rewrite your log line based on that feedback
• “Hold that thought” – and we’ll see what’s next
49. A Movie Log Line
The subject of the sentence will describe (1) an
imperfect but passionate and active protagonist. The
verb will depict (2) the battle. And the direct object will
describe (3) an insurmountable antagonist who tries to
stop the protagonist from reaching (4) a physical goal
on account of (5) the stakes, if the goal is not reached.
51. Let’s Use This to Dissect a
Book We All Are Familiar With
• Pride and Prejudice
• Ulysses
• War and Peace
• Anna Karenina
• Don Quixote
• Little Women
• The Wizard of Oz
52.
53. The Wizard of Oz
Exposition
The exposition stage of the story sets the scene and introduces
the characters. In The Wizard of Oz, the exposition is everything
that happens from the beginning of the story to the tornado. We
meet all the major characters. Dorothy runs away with Toto and
meets Professor Marvel; and on her way back to the farm,
Dorothy is overtaken by the storm.
54. The Wizard of Oz
Inciting Incident
Next comes the inciting action, which is the event that
introduces conflict into the story. This is a bit tricky in The Wizard
of Oz, because there are two elements in the story that might be
called the conflict:
• One is the conflict between Dorothy and Miss Gulch, because Miss
Gulch wants Dorothy’s dog put to sleep. This is what causes Dorothy to
run away from home, leading to the blow to the head she receives
during the tornado. In this sense, we might consider Miss Gulch’s
threat the inciting moment.
• But this conflict becomes more complicated when the tornado
transports Dorothy to the Land of Oz. There, Dorothy’s house lands on
the Wicked Witch of the East and kills her, and the Wicked Witch of
the West threatens to kill Dorothy in revenge.
55. The Wizard of Oz
Rising Action
The rising action is where the plot becomes more complicated
and exciting, building tension. This includes Dorothy’s departure
from Munchkinland, her meetings with the Scarecrow, the Tin
Man and the Cowardly Lion, her arrival in Emerald City; her
audience with the Wizard, and her capture by the witch:
• During this part of the story, small obstacles are thrown in the path of
Dorothy and her companions, and the two conflicts mentioned during
the inciting incident are reemphasized.
• The two conflicts are then explicitly linked when the Wizard tells
Dorothy he’ll help her get back to Kansas if she brings him the witch’s
broom.
• Dorothy and her companions then face their most difficult challenge,
with Dorothy getting carried away by the flying monkeys and her
companions breaking into the witch’s castle to rescue her.
56. The Wizard of Oz
Climax
The climax is the most dramatic and exciting event in the story.
In The Wizard of Oz, the climax comes when Dorothy and her
friends are trapped in the witch’s castle, and Dorothy kills the
witch by dousing her with a bucket of water. At that moment,
much of the story’s tension is released because at least one of
the conflicts, the one between Dorothy and the witch, is ended,
and the plot begins its descent down the other side of the
pyramid.
57. The Wizard of Oz
Falling Action
The next element is the falling action, which is made up of
events that result directly from the moment of climax. The
element after that is called the resolution, where the character’s
conflict is resolved:
• After Dorothy has killed the witch, she take the broomstick back to the
Wizard. He solves the problems of Dorothy’s three companions, and
agrees to take Dorothy back to Kansas himself.
• This is the falling action: it shows the results of the death of the witch,
but it doesn’t resolve Dorothy’s second conflict, the fact that she
wants to go home to Kansas.
58. The Wizard of Oz
Resolution
The resolution comes when the Wizard accidentally takes off in
his balloon without Dorothy, and Dorothy learns from Glinda the
Good Witch that she could have taken herself back to Kansas at
any time just by using the ruby slippers. At this point, Dorothy’s
conflict is finally resolved. The threat from the witch is
liquidated, and she realizes that she always had the power to go
home.
59. The Wizard of Oz
Dénouement
The denouement is the ending of the story, when order is
restored. At this point, we are often shown the characters one
more time so we can see what happened to them. In The Wizard
of Oz it’s the final scene in Dorothy’s bedroom, where she is
reunited with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry and the now-familiar
farmhands:
• In some stories the denouement simply shows that order has been
restored, and the world is now back to the way it was. But this isn’t
usually the case, and it’s certainly not the case in The Wizard of Oz.
• Dorothy is back home, but everything is not back to the way it was
before she went to Oz. Dorothy’s understanding of herself and her
place in the world have profoundly changed.
65. Character Traits
• Physical appearance
• Movement and gestures
• Past life
• Religion
• Sexuality
• Vocation
• Skills and talents
• Fears
• Dreams
• Pleasures
• Plans for the future
• Sense of humor
• Politics
• Voice and speech
66. Presenting Character Traits Thoughtfully
• How many major and minor characters to have
• All major characters must have a biography
• Develop a “job description” for each character
• You will know what your characters will do
• You are writing a novel – not a movie script
– You have to get your characters from Point A to Point B
– Your characters are not dead when they’re off the page
• What is each character doing?
– On stage
– Off stage
67. Take a female character who is on her way to her high school
reunion. She’s 50, attractive, divorced, and has had no contact
with her graduating class since she left Iowa for Berkley in
1985. There was a guy she jilted when she went off to
school. Develop her.
• Occupation: attorney, doctor, college professor, executive,
runs a dot.com startup, etc.
• Personal: strengths, weaknesses, phobias, attitude toward
men, attitude toward all others, etc.
• Family: siblings, relationship with mom/dad, rivalries
• Relationships: good/bad/difficult, marriage(s), children?
• Physical: height, weight, hair color, best feature, worst
feature, etc.
68. James Hall – Hit Lit
• Gone with the Wind
• Peyton Place
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Valley of the Dolls
• The Godfather
• The Exorcist
• Jaws
• The Dead Zone
• The Hunt for Red October
• The Firm
• The Bridges of Madison County
• The Da Vinci Code
70. New York Times, Publisher’s
Weekly & USA Today Best-
Seller!
Let’s color in one character,
Anne Sullivan, Op-Center’s
Deputy Director
71. “Anne Sullivan was a retired General Services
Administration super grade who had made a career in
Washington. She knew all about the government,
including government contracting, hiring, firing, and
funding, and how to sidestep the issues. These were
things Williams never had to deal with, even during
his multiple tours in Washington.”
72. “Unlike Williams, Sullivan came from money. Her
father had fashioned a successful and lucrative career
in finance with Bain Capital Ventures. Between that
family money and her GSA retirement, she was
looking forward to a comfortable life. She enjoyed the
D.C. social and cultural scene and traveled often,
primarily to Europe and especially to Ireland. That
plan was interrupted when Williams recruited her—
charmed her, really, she readily admitted—to be his
deputy.”
73. New York Times, Publisher’s
Weekly & USA Today Best-
Seller!
Let’s color in one character,
Kate Bigelow, Commanding
Officer, USS Milwaukee
(LCS-5) Freedom-Class Littoral
Combat Ship
74. “Kate Bigelow was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. She’d
gone to the Academy for two reasons: to play lacrosse and to
sing. Coming out of Montgomery Blair Prep in Silver Spring,
Maryland, her two passions had been playing lacrosse and
singing in her school glee club and church choir. She was an all-
state midfielder and also had a strong voice. Her grades were
good if not outstanding, but the Academy women’s lacrosse
coach saw her play and liked what she saw. Lacrosse was a
rough sport, even the woman’s game, and Kate Bigelow, while
owning a technically sound game, was not above flattening an
opposing player with a legal hit. She started for three years on
the lacrosse team, beating Army two of those three years, and
had sung in the Catholic Choir and the Naval Academy Glee
Club.”
75. “Kate had graduated in the upper half of the bottom third of
the Class of 2002. She’d never really considered a full career in
the Navy as a seagoing officer, two things intervened that kept
her from leaving the service. She found she liked U.S. Navy
sailors and she had a knack for leading them. Secondly, she
found command intoxicating. There was nothing like it on the
outside, so she stayed in the Navy. She had previously
commanded an MCM ship like Defender that now followed
them out of Sasebo.”
76. First book of the Rick Holden
Thriller Series - from
Braveship Books
Let’s color in one character,
Lieutenant Laura Peters,
Intelligence Officer, U.S.
Southern Command
77. For Laura Peters, it was an opportunity for professional growth
that might not come her way again. It was not surprising she
loved what she was doing. The daughter and only child of a
Navy chief petty officer, she had been the apple of her father's
eye. Master Chief Donald Peters had risen through the ranks as
far as he could, but he always wanted to be an officer. That
goal, unfortunately, had eluded him. When it was clear his
marriage would produce no sons, he regaled Laura with the
opportunities that beckoned in the Navy. The master chief
knew enough about how the Navy worked and what it looked
for in its officers—and particularly its need to recruit more
women officers—that he groomed his daughter throughout
high school to make her a shoe-in for winning a Navy ROTC
scholarship.
78. She had thrived at the University of Virginia, earning top
grades, and lettering in cross-country, squash, and tennis.
Sensing that the Navy was still not enlightened enough to fully
accept women as equal partners commanding ships and
aircraft squadrons, she opted for the intelligence field upon
graduation, correctly surmising that it would provide a more
level professional playing field and afford her the opportunity
to prove herself and advance through the ranks. In her seven
years since graduation she had sought out only the toughest
assignments, usually registering firsts, breaking ground where
female officers had not gone before.
79. New this year – second book
of the Rick Holden Thriller
Series - from
Braveship Books
Let’s color in one character,
Lieutenant Anne Claire
O’Connor, F/A-18E/F Super
Hornet Pilot, USS Carl Vinson
80. Anne Claire O’Connor came by her bent for naval aviation
naturally. The only child of now-retired Captain Jeff “Boxman”
O’Connor, who had flown F-4 Phantoms in Vietnam and gone
on to command his own carrier air wing, she had grown up in
the midst of the lore of naval aviation. An honor student and
varsity athlete at Coronado High School in southern California,
she had won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and
had excelled there as a swimmer. Tall, slim and attractive, at
five foot nine and a lithe 130 pounds, Anne O’Connor turned
heads. She knew her good looks didn’t help her blend as a
naval aviator—there were fewer than two dozen women
among Carl Vinson’s over two hundred pilots and naval flight
officers. Unlike everything else she did in her life, she failed in
her mission to not stand out.
81. O’Connor was also worried. Not of what would happen in the
air. No, she was worried because of Bingo. Commander Craig
“Bingo” Reynolds was the Stingers executive officer and he was
not the kinder, gentler type. As a brand-new lieutenant,
O’Connor had absorbed more than a fair share of Bingo’s
wrath. She didn’t know if he was trying to make it hard on her
because she was one of only four women officers in the
squadron. She was terrified because he would be in the
Stingers’ Ready Room and would see her come in late.
O’Connor looked out on the waters of the Arabian Gulf and into
the perpetual haze that hung in the skies. As she got ready to
taxi her aircraft back to its original position on deck, she
wondered what part she would play in any conflict. One thing
she did know—she’d be ready.
83. When he finished packing, he walked out onto the
third-floor porch of the barracks brushing the dust from
his hands, a very neat and deceptively slim young man
in the summer khakis that were still early morning
fresh.
James Jones
(From Here to Eternity, opening sentence)
84. "Jones packs a hell of a lot into that first line. He tells
you it's summer, he tells you it's morning, he tells you
you're on an Army post with a soldier who's obviously
leaving for someplace, and he gives you a thumbnail
description of his hero. That's a good opening line."
Ed McBain in Killer's Payoff
86. “I do not over-intellectualize the production process. I
try to keep it simple: Tell the damned story.”
Tom Clancy
87. What About Action?
• Action evolves naturally from the plot
• There is no “formula” for having action in your novel
• As Clancy said, don’t overthink the action
• That said, here are some things to consider:
– Different kinds of novels lend themselves to more or less
– Write all the action you can – then consider Goldilocks
– If riveting, hold-your-breath action is anywhere – up front
– Balance scene and summary to bound action scenes
88. Developing a Book’s Plot and Narrative:
From Dissection to Inspiration
• The coolest thing about writing!
• Start with your original idea
• There must be a story, plot, or mystery
• You must have a protagonist and an antagonist
• Something must happen to make you turn pages
• What happens must matter
• Most readers like a satisfying resolution
90. Keep Polishing Your Log Line
The subject of the sentence will describe (1) an
imperfect but passionate and active protagonist. The
verb will depict (2) the battle. And the direct object will
describe (3) an insurmountable antagonist who tries to
stop the protagonist from reaching (4) a physical goal
on account of (5) the stakes, if the goal is not reached.
91. Resources
• E.E. Forster Aspects of the Novel
• Francine Prose Reading Like a Writer
• Richard Curtis How To Be Your Own Literary Agent
• James Hall Hit Lit
• Dr. Linda Seger
– The Art of Adaptation
– Advanced Screenwriting
• Robert Masello
– Robert’s Rules of Writing
– Writer Tells All
• The Great Courses, especially, Jane Friedman How to Publish
Your Book
92. A Word About Surveys:
Comments Typically Come in Three Types
• You rocked my world and my life is now changed forever
for the better – I’m a completely new person
• I’d rather have a root canal than have to sit through this
again – and I think you should pay for it
• I got something (a lot, a little) out of this talk, but if the
instructor does this next year, he should:
– Do more of….
– Do less of….
– Go faster….
– Go slower….
– ????
94. New this year – second book
of the Rick Holden Thriller
Series - from
Braveship Books
Free Kindle download on
Amazon all-day Sunday,
October 28, 2018
95. Slides and Resources Posted:
http://www.georgegaldorisi.com/
For 2018 La Jolla Writer’s Conference Attendees
Contact me via this website for:
Treatment and Narrative Outline for Out of the Ashes
Treatment and Narrative Outline for Into the Fire