If You Can't Answer These 6 Questions You Don't Have A Story - Glenn Gers
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- čas přidán 21. 06. 2021
- The 6 Essential Questions For Screenwriting - • Storytelling: 6 Essent...
(More on this topic over on Glenn's CZcams channel)
Glenn Gers has been a full-time professional writer of movies and television for 25 years. His credits include theatrical features, no-budget indies, TV staff and episodes, original movies for cable and streaming, such as BROTHER'S KEEPER (2002), FRACTURE (2007), MAD MONEY (2008) and many more. He has won multiple festival prizes and an Emmy. He provides tips for writing on his CZcams channel Writing For Screens and offers script-consulting via his website Writingforscreens.com.
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The 6 Essential Questions For Screenwriting - czcams.com/video/F7i3w6XW_2Q/video.html
(More on this topic over on Glenn's CZcams channel)
Illlo
Llez3.
Yes, do it... but also remain aware of self doing it. That extra ingredient will help you bypass at least some of the "trial and error." Remaining focused outward on the work, but never paying attention to the one doing the work, will create missed opportunities.
czcams.com/video/-bKwlnn4I70/video.html
Courage
PSA: Writing "styles" in the realm of psychology is known as "motivational styles" I think there's 5 of them. Knowing yours will tell you how to write.
writing is quite possibly the most under-appreciated art form. It's so invisible in it's difficulty. It takes so much time. Artists have the luxury of having immediate visual appreciation. Musicians have the luxury of immediate auditory appreciation. Writers are hidden among complexity and millions upon millions of stories to choose from and no real central genres for the lessons of the books, just the over arching themes like fantasy, scifi, romance, etc. It tells you NOTHING about the LESSONS of the story! What the hell is that all about? no wonder no one reads, its a needle in a hay stack.
Me, who has never written or thought of writing and just clicked on a recommended video: "Interesting"
LMAO- Same here. I usually hate the CZcams algorithm, but sometimes, there's a gem. 👍
That's how it starts...
I’m not a writer. Sometimes in school we would have a topic or choose our topic on what to write and I honestly really enjoyed that. The whole “fill the whole page with just one topic.” It really ignites your imagination. Though there’s two ways it usually went. Either the topic was so interesting to me one page wasn’t enough or the topic was so uninteresting that it was a slog to fill the whole page with it. I basically had to bluff it when that happened.
On the topic of writing stories though, there was one time we had to write our own mini story. I don’t remember the exact instructions but I remember I wrote a story about a superhero because that’s what I’ve always loved. I remember my friend sitting to the left of me read my paper and pointed out the plot holes in it which we both found humorous. I might love to do it again sometimes. I’m still trying to find my way around the world. In recent years I’ve focused on art though but I’ve been considering trying writing for a change. It just seems like an arduous task when I watch movies and shows and see how a great story unfolds. Then again those are writers at their best and following the 6-question-rule from this video could help. Literally last night I was thinking about how when I was little I used to journal sometimes. From time to time I still do it but I’m not consistent with it. Anyway that’s all I wanted to say.
Not sure why I wrote this here now that I think about it. I guess since the video goes into depth I wanted to do the same and give my thoughts as someone who doesn’t practice writing.
Same XD
SAME
David Cornwall, aka John le Carré simply stated:
"'A Cat sat on a Mat' is not a story. 'A Cat sat on the Dogs Mat' is a story."
Yes, conflict
@@TunaFreeDolphinMeat Kishotenketsu tells us that conflict is not necessary to write a story, though.
That's a great quote! From a magnificent writer. Thanks!!
@@Posby95 Excellent - thank you for referring to it, I agree: different cultures and moments-in-time have very different concepts of the shape and purpose of a story! The more of them you know, as an artist, the better-off you are. Everything is a choice, every choice has a price. And every artist must make their own path.
"The Dog saw a Cat sitting on HIS Mat" is a better story.
Every character thinks they are the main character ... this was definitely a lightbulb moment for me! Thanks for sharing your tips and knowledge :)
Yep, you need to think of their personalities too, some times its good to think of traits of people you have encountered.
They all are. Even in real life you are an extra to everyone else. And you are only the star of your mind.
@@y_ffordd it's better when the characters drives the story instead of the other way around. my strategy is to built an intresting character and then I think about what story I can tell with him.
I tend to develop all my characters so much, sometimes the main character's story becomes irrelevant.
@@romyec Oh I feel that. That is why I usually try to stick what I am already telling about them in the story (+a tiny bit extra, if they are mean because of a reason). I also like to go back to side characters that only appear once in 100 pages or smth like that. They don't have to remember each other but this way I can make a small city or a local shop feel more like a small town or a local shop.
His excitement for writing is radiating off him, it’s really inspiring because although writing is difficult it’s the most rewarding experience
It can be difficult, but the right environment is key.
he has a youtube channel and does regular livestreams on writing. great guy
He is very engaging and down to earth. Makes me feel like I can do it, too.
100%
I found the narrator too boring and uninspiring to watch this video till the end, but I’ve got the idea and I think his method lead to a very average writing
The 6 essential questions
1. Who is it about?
2. What did they want?
3. Why can't they get it?
4. What did they do about it?
5. Why doesn't that work?
6. How does it end?
What about "what happens if they don't get it? or if they do get it? "
the stakes are missing ?
@@niroz6579 I think these are just the main headings. I mean, the answer to Q1 isn't just "Steve" but entails many follow-on questions, such as: "Where do they live?" "How old are they?" "What do they do for a living?" etc. Questions about the stakes would come under Q2, I reckon.
@@niroz6579 I think wanting something IS (are?) the stakes. "What happens if they don't (do) get it?" is an EXCELLENT question but I didn't want to overload the list and it feels like a need for urgency is implied. As I say in the video: if they don't want it a LOT, they'll just let it go.
Thank you!
@@m.j.mahoney8905 Yes, that's how I look at it!
I tried writing a novel on a computer for years. Last year I bought a typewriter, and the 80k word manuscript came out in 4 months. Cannot stress enough that your process is your process. Write on a jungle gym, upside down, on a yellow legal notepad with a crayon. Just get it out.
Yeah. For me, that process was dictation. It took a while to get used to it, but it totally clears my background editor out of the first draft process. And that alone is a big help. I can't go back and edit what I can't see. And, it allows me to get up and walk around the room while I'm writing, so that's good
Amazing and helpful story, thank you for sharing it!
@@1monki That's EXCELLENT!
I write first drafts on paper, with doodles in the margins, and subsequent drafts on computer.
@@commandercaptain4664 Some very admirable and good writer-friends of mine do exactly the same!
This cured my writer's block, wow. I applied it to every character in my story, making all of them protagonists of their own journeys, and I found it to be much easier for me to develop both character, plot AND theme all at once, rather than the atomized way I used to do. Thank you so much for the advice and the video.
I'm so thrilled to hear this - thank YOU for this comment!
Don’t forget to consider each character’s internal journey. This is what will truly make your readers subconsciously relate to and be invested in ur story. Good luck writing
When I was a teen and began writing, in order to improve my stories, my mom, who was a superb writer herself, told me I needed to create a backstory for each of the other characters. This not only helped the current work, but gave me a whole new direction for new stories.
@@sherrillsturm7240 Don't be so technical and controlling about it, that's the solution. Let the story write itself and don't care what anyone thinks about it except yourself. If you get stuck, use stream-of-consciousness. If it still doesn't work for you, it could well be because you're not a writer. Only a few people are and it isn't something you can learn how to become. In fact, you're more likely to become a writer if you don't care about being one. Try instead only to care about actually writing and saying what you truly want to say. It needs to come from your heart, not from some professor's analytical brain.
"The writing process is answering a series of questions?" It's wild to me how such a simple concept can totally dispel the mystery of writing creatively. I've struggled for years trying to find a way to pull ideas out of my head into something coherent, but I never could seem to develop a way of approaching the process that worked for me. Thanks for this video, it's already helped me a ton.
Love to hear that! This video helped inspire a recent upload you also might find helpful - czcams.com/video/2-g1xYsgJ9s/video.html and if you ever need questions, here's a video that is nothing but questions - czcams.com/video/VHzDsoliZiY/video.html
"Would the reader be excited to read the next chapter?" Is my best writing question.
but a bit of the flaw is it might make your story feels "predictable" as your reader might feel that you baiting them for the next stuff..unless you know how to play your card right then maybe focusing on the story would be better
That's definitely how you make a thriller. Maybe not a gooden rule for other genres tho
I forget where I heard it, but some of my favorite advice that I've heard is kind of the opposite of this. It goes, "Write the book that YOU want to read"
Yes. I always try to make chapters end well.
Ok but what if you’re so scared of jinxing things with confidence that you just say “I don’t know”? 😅
I think Hollywood only asks one question now: "how do I piss off as many fans as possible?"
...while still making as much money as possible. 😁
How about "How can we destroy a franchise?" They've gotten REALLY good at that. 😒
Well that's easy.
Or they ask so many irrelevant tangential questions (such as how to tick this or that "successful woke movie" box) that the questions that matter get muddled.
@Heinrich Himmler Why stop at 8?
The "every character is their own main character" idea is very insightful! I've always had trouble making side characters interesting in my writing and now I know it's because I wrote them as tools and not people with their own intentions and conflicts.
"Writing is a series of questions." I like that process. Asking questions about your character's goal, origins, mentality, action, non-action, social-climate, and so on. A great way to establish strong character writing for every moment & scene. 🤩
I often follow the four David Mamet questions from the memo:
1) What does your hero want? (GOALS)
2) Who/What Stands in their Way? (OBSTACLES)
3) What happens if they don't get it? (STAKES)
4) Why Now? (TIME/SITUATION)
You gotta think before you write
This sounds like something a character would be chanting in a meta-narrative where they complain to the author.
"What do we want?" "Obstacles!"
"When do we want them?" "NOW!"
Well... Kinda obvious that you gotta think to write something
@@artlover9261 one would assume so, but it's not so obvious to whoever wrote starwars 7,8,9.
Not necessarily before you write, just at some point early on.
A lot of good things can star as just punching some BS on a page provided you do come around and flesh it out.
@@animorph17
"What do we want?" "Good Content!"
"What kind of content do we want?" ".... (mass arguing)"
I wrote half of a novel while sitting in my car during breaks at work. It was surprisingly efficient--no one to distract me, music if I chose, and a limited amount of time to get as much written as possible before I had to clock back in.
That's GREAT!
That’s funny, I do the same thing. It works.
I literally do the same thing except I make a script
Introvert?
I want to but unfortunately I work in a open space and my screens are the first thing you see when you enter the room.
Don’t have my “privacy”
His point about everyone finding their own process is SPOT ON. The thing I liked least about my creative writing courses in college (it was my major, so I had many) was that every instructor seemed to assert that THEIR process was THE process, and everything else was bound to fail. (Even Stephen King falls into this trap when he insists that writers should never outline a story. I love King's work, but even some of his novels would have benefitted from a bit more preplanning.) Learning your OWN process is the only way to go.
I agree with your premise, but, at the same time, I'm _so_ glad King is a maniac writer and says never to work with outlines.
Every outline of a story I've ever written in my life, I've lost interest in and just kind of put down after a day. It just becomes a small short story in my notes rather than a big one I need to work on.
Getting an inital catchy paragraph, or maybe a short, clunky chapter draft that gets me engaged, and suddenly I won't be able to put it down for weeks.
I did that a couple of months ago, and I just sat down after finally crossing the 80k goal that had seemed almost impossible to meet at the time.
@@NearlyH3adlessNick My point exactly. You need to work in the way that best serves your creative needs. For you an outline is a hindrance. For me, it's what keeps me interested.
It's comforting to hear that this literally describes the plot structure I intend to write for my animated series.
The part after 1:12 just gave me a major perspective shift on approaching writing characters inside a world.
_"Every character thinks THEY'RE the main character."_
What a way to put it.
More importantly, most villains think they're the hero. Because that's how it is in real life. Hitler thought he was restoring the rightful Germanic heritage from an invading alien influence. The 9-11 hijackers thought they were striking a righteous blow against Allah's enemies and doing holy work. In real life it's hard to find a "Skeletor", someone who openly considers themselves to being one of "the bad guys" and fighting "the good guys". So it stands to reason a character in a work of fiction ought to be much the same way. And by the same way I mean not the same way as skeletor. The opposite of skeletor. Your villains should be anti-skeletors.
You know you are a main character when you have plot armor.
When ten-thousand bullets fly
And the character doesn't die
They're a main character, that's why.
I dunno, I'm pretty sure Krillin knows he ain't the main character, know what I'm sayin
good one-sentence-description. When writing dialogues I always try to remember, that the person the protagonist is talking to is NOT there for his story. Those characters are not enablers, not assets, not stones specifically put in his way. the world actually doesnt revolve around him. they have their own goals and stories and that should shine through the dialogue.
@@Merumya The best villains are the ones who explain why they want to wipe out a billion people and the writer knows half the audience is thinking "hmmm, he makes a good point. I might vote for him."
For me, stories are all about watching characters solving interesting problems.
The best part of writing is when I create characters whose motivations and traits are strong enough for the characters to make their own decisions without my direct input. A well-written character should have its own "artificial intelligence" that guides how it will respond to challenges you throw his or her way. When you've programmed this AI into your character, then the writing gets easy, fast and fun!
in a way you are correct as that considered as a main core to a story ...
@@damc8415 yeah..that is what you called "personality"..and each character backstory and attitude influence their personality by a lot so having a solid vision of the character's past and habit could born a very believable character instead of empty and husky,goody-two shoes character
@@Finaggle It's not an analogy; it's an experience. So, if you're an author who has never had one of your characters rise off the page and seize control of his or her own story, then I pity you. But I pity your audience even more.
@@Finaggle It's not an analogy; it's an experience. So, if you're an author who has never had one of your characters rise off the page and seize control of his or her own story, then I pity you. But I pity your audience even more.
He's absolutely right - it is a series of "aha!" moments, not a single one. There is always something missing that we didn't know about.
One of the things I realized recently about what I think makes a great author is if they understand people. Authors who can make stories that feel real and authors who don’t struggle. I never could really put my finger on why before, but this video really crystallized that thought for me. Thank you!
Nice to hear!
I always loved the simple play-writing advice of:
Act 1: Get a character up a tree.
Act 2: Throw rocks at them.
Act 3: Get them down gracefully.
What if they don’t get down gracefully?
What if they fall and hit every branch on the way, only to find, despite being out of the tree, rocks are still hitting them?
What kind of story would that be?
@@pjdougherty6442 Potentially bleak and unfulfilling. Depends on the skill of the writer. Some stories just don't end with rainbows.
nah, act 3 is too cookie cutter garbage. Chop down the tree and a hole opens up swallowing it all, along with the dumb human hiding in a tree
This guy, managed to do in 10 minutes, what Sanderson struggled to do in a dozen hour long lectures.
@@CircumcisionIsChildAbuse i dont understand,can u please explain it to me?
I feel better about my skills as a writer since the story I'm writing does answer all six questions. Yay me!!
Yay you indeed!!
Same!
@@hexalynn9434 Same Yay!
Good luck on your story
same! now I just gotta finish it, LOL
something a lot of people don't realize is that this is extremely good advice for storytelling in CZcams videos as well.
I find music to be an excellent catalyst for developing a character and sequence of events. Sometimes, if there's a song I've been listening to a lot recently, I try to imagine it as a soundtrack for a scene or situation my characters are in. When I do that, the story really does develop a mind of it's own, and I feel like I'm just sitting there watching it in my head, like a movie.
It's an excellent way to help flesh out your story elements, while envisioning some new situations that your characters have to deal with.
So many of my characters and their personalities were created by feeling and seeing them in the music
I literally have songs that are essentially 'Battle anthems' that have inspired the flow and direction certain action scenes in my stories. Some even are character themes and ones that are background music world changing events in the plot. Music is certainly a wellspring of inspiration.
I never thought of writing a front desk clerk as someone that thinks they are the main character, but we see these people written all the time as though they only exist to serve the needs of the customer.
Easy way to remember to give each character some depth & life: imagine sitting on the set for hours next to the actor who has to play that "bit part."
Hollywood, take copious notes.
Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam.
I'm actually thinking of the conversations I have had at the front desk of a hotel or at the airport. It isnt just, "Flight 887, Gate 8D... Next!"
It's the same way only rude people make or take phone calls on TV and in movies. Do you answer a phone with "Yeah?!" and not say "Good bye" or "Have a nice day" or "Thanks for calling" when you end a call? You do not, because you are not a character in a script.
My book series protagonist is someone who one of their key internal struggles is that they flatly believe they are not the main character in their own story.
Ooh that sounds like me lmao.
That's a cool concept
@@turtlecosmic thanks! Next book in the series is out August 17th, so I guess people must like it a little.
@@DannyBellTheAuthor May i ask what the book series is? It sounds like a fun read
Pls tell da name
1. Who is it about? 2. What does he/she want? 3. Why can't he/she get it? 4. What does he/she do about that? 5. Why doesn't that work? 6. How does it end?
What he said about being able to write a story with multiple characters reminded me of Sense8.
That series made me feel invested and attached with all of their protagonists and supporting characters as well as despise its villains. Not only was it a testament of great writing, but it’s also about how it was directed and how the actors and actresses were so good at portraying their characters.
Yes. That's one of my favorite shows of all time and underrated. I introduced it to some of my friends. The story I'm writing centers around two main characters, but I'm considering going into the heads of a few more to give the audience insight, but having the actual characters not know about the others. I'm just not sure if that'll work compared to just having it centered around the two I have already and having the audience experience what they are when they are. It's a gamble, a difficult decision to make. But I'm at over thirty thousand words already, so I think I'll power through this draft. I'll make the important decisions during my second draft (pacing, grammar, consistent personality traits, show not tell, first vs third person, etc)
That's how I run NPCs when I GM. That Innkeep has PLANS for this evening. Her plans do not involve any of the player characters.
And the one time you slack off on backstory for a meaningless NPC, your players want to learn everything about them 😅
@@danielmikhalchuk3490 It forces me to do it on the spot! That part is MY fun.
EDIT: Also, once your players learn that all your NPCs are "people," they realize that story/plot arcs/quest hooks can come from ANYONE THEY INTERACT WITH.
Ditto, fellow GM! But it helps to have pregame templates, names, stats, etc, to easily plug and play.
do you GM online or irl? i've been trying to get into RP for some time but I can't seem to find anyone who plays online lol
What is npcs what is gm.. i keep hearing this everywhere and i don't understand it at all. Seems like a good game to learn character building?? I want to play.
No matter how small a character is, they are still a unique piece of the puzzle ( the whole story) so treat them with the same respect as the MC
Chekhov's Gun
That's going to waste a lot of time and energy. Why do so many people have such a problem with just treating extras like extras?
@@mattpace1026 Because every character being treated as an agent rather than a prop adds to the believability of whatever story you're trying to tell
@@mattpace1026 Extras and characters are two different things, I think.
@@carlosdiaz9998 aren't extras the waiter in restoran who accidentally drops the platter and breaks the atmosphere between two characters that were on dinner.
I'm writing my first novel, and this is a godsend. Thank you so much. He is a wonderful speaker, fantastic teacher.
Send me its name after writing
I will buy your book if it's done
@@vishaldubey7196 you guys are too sweet! It's still a long ways away but I will update you :)
@@aiscookie7572 you guys are too sweet! It's still a long ways away but I will update you :)
I like how well this applies to most creative outlets. With basically just a madlibs level of exchanging key words, this could apply to drawing, acting (more specifically being able to learn characters and immerse yourself in them), music, 3D modelling (in certain ways), animation, anything.
Agreed!
Short bursts is how I am with composing music, especially when I'm coming up with a thematic element. If I work at a piece too long in one sitting I getting frustrated with it.
Can’t wait for Netflix original series Train Station, coming this fall.
A year later I learn new things - this time it was about the space or time alloted for writing. That was helpful with not writing over good material because we were exhuasted or emotionally drained when it didn't match our writing process. Great bit!
I love the way he simplifies down to these basics that provide both the framework and the motion of the story. Such a nice break from the old style rules that demand obedience to someone else's process.
He is SO right about paying attention to yourself, and figuring out if you work better in short bursts or long bursts. I've "written over" dozens of great stories because I pushed myself to write so long that the whole story started to look dull or poorly written when it wasn't. You really have to pace yourself. Great channel, love these vids!
Did u publish it anywhere?
hope youre still at it, and I suggest you to plan more. you sound like a creative, on-the-spot writer. that is helpful and can be good, but believe me, planning out some stuff helps tremedously at scrapping less, getting a proper length for the whole story etc.
You dont have to abandon your ways. just write a rough plan and write on the go as you used to do. plan in chapters (you should know how much fits in a chapter you usually write and how long they will be) and plan to a proper length with wiggle room upwards. that works for me.
I'm not a serious writer but I am a software engineer. So I design and write code. But the same is advice really applies. I can get super focused and have like a burst of 2-3 hours of high quality work. But if I try to keep going as I fade I end up making crappy work that I have to fix later when I have more energy. Being observant of yourself and how you thrive can be really impactful
I actually like to play solitaire before I write. I used to always see my grandma play it when I was little, and one day I just downloaded a regular solitaire app. This may sound weird, but it has actually helped me tremedously! I don't know exactly how it happens, but playing for 10-20 minutes actually makes it easier to organize my thoughts and ideas.
I think there are 2 reasons.
1. You're training your brain to focus & think logically, to sort data & organize it in a progressive manner to achieve an outcome. Like writing a story.
2. While your upper consciousness is occupied with the cards, your subconscious is doing the sorting & organizing of data into a progressive format.
My dad was chief project manager of internationally funded & sourced hydro power projects in Africa. Among other things, he had to deal with complicated contracts between countries, not just companies, & the claims made against them. Before writing something, instead of consciously going over all the different aspects he had to consider, he played several hands of solitaire & trusted his brain to organize his thoughts in the background.
Those are just my personal thoughts on it.
Hi Panda, I do almost the same thing, I play solitaire before I start writing but also during the act of writing. If I get stuck or if I come to the end of a scene before reading over and editing or if I'm just tired etc.. I find that Greenfelt Klondike is the best, it's online and you play against a planet wide field of players.
When I was editing a book manuscript for final revisions and edits, I would play Frogger before and in between...I guess it's part of the mind that is more about movement than writing, to get the brain distracted...your solitaire story reminds me of that.
There was some research about Tetris and how it has a similar effect.
A lot of learning and thinking actually happens when you're not focusing on it, funny enough. It's called "diffused thought." This is why breaks and new inspirations are so important.
My problem is that I’m waiting for a fully formed story idea to hit me like a bolt out of the blue! I’ve got a handful of half formed ideas but none that I feel confident enough to run with….yet.
Great video, have subscribed!
Yes I can relate totally :)
A quilt has many patches. A blanket has many threads.
It won't hit you all at once. Patch it together piece by piece.
Yup, shoebox full of song lyrics here...
Totally relatable
That was me. I started thinking about my story several times a day. My characters just started doing and saying things on their own so fast I could hardly keep up.
I'm writing a graphic novel about war, tragedy, heartbreak, emptiness, and finding your will to live. I'm also writing a dnd story about mystery, exploration, and solving things. This is helping me out a lot.
i remember in school we were learning about journalism i think, it was atleast English class, and i remember the teacher saying "you need 6 things for a story: who what where when why how" and its always stayed with me even though i dont do stories.
It's always good to ask questions, even just in life!
That's Kipling's poem "I Keep Six Honest Serving Men"!
I find that the process before writing is the most important. I have recently tried method writing and I let my characters lead and tell their story. I kinda become the passenger in the story telling and sometimes my characters do things I didn’t plan or expect. It’s the most exhausting process in terms of emotion regulation, especially for certain characters. It takes a long time too and some days I can’t get into character, which means I can’t write
This is super interesting! I’ve never thought of this before; I may try it :)
this is inspiring and intriguing wow, but i can imagine it can be also soooo exhausting too.
I get this. I work with an oddball with neurological differences. They're unmedicated but want control over certain things and can't get it; it's just a pain in the ass because they jump from one location to another even though they're not there, and it's just...ugh.
Sometimes the homeless boy dumps a can of la-croix on the politician lady's expensive dress and you gotta let it happen.
I heard a remedy for this is to have an idea about how you want the ending to look.
After sitting at home doing nothing for 3 weeks and I was watching that 70s show. It moved me emotionally and a story just hit me. I opened word and started writing just like that. I’ve written my first chapter of about 2600 words staying up half the night.
I haven’t written anything since high school which for me was 10 years ago. I have no idea where this came from.
I made a simple search on yt and found this video. Thank you. I really feel what he’s talking about. This was great!
If my book is successful (finished and printed) I will add this video to the credits as he has dropped some serious gems in such a short space of time. This break down has actually spurred me into starting my story all over but with a renewed vigor and focus...thank you 🙏🏽
did you finish your book
@@hotpocketbagel No I got distracted again lol...thanks for commenting now ive been reminded I'll watch the video again and probably write another sentence 🤦🏾😆
Did you finish it really??!?!
@@sanwan7105 I haven't even wrote another sentence yet lol
@@vids290 Okay. All the best. You will sure write something good 😊
Listening to this interview made me feel REALLY good about my own writing process. I always felt like I wasn't doing it right because I wasn't doing it like everyone else.
Coming away from this with a bit more self-confidence!
could you please detail your process here or in my DM's, I am curious to learn new way of doing
can i connect with you, i am also a documentary writer and i need more insight
I just finished my first short story thats been in my head for over 10 years, im so happy to actually complete the first draft. Its rough but im so happy :) Its such a massive weight lifted. Having jumbled up thoughts of millions of variables, multiple characters, influential environments, infinite amount of moods, and concepts that would not stop growing, tidied up into a manageable form. Im not a writer, i prefer visual story telling, senses and body language. I was only able to finish this book when i stopped fussing over dialogue and just focused on what i enjoy. The language of subtle gestures.
Im late for a year but congrats! I know thts a huge accomplishment to finish a story tht has been in your head for a decade, bcs im in your boat as well. Except, i havent finished it lol.
I’m glad to here this . How did you push yourself to get it done ? we’re you thinking about time and when you would finish it this time around and what would be some helpful tips to get down and create something ?
Update us when you publish it! Would love to see your work :)
@@NewThingOldThings Write what you would want to read as a reader. Write the book you would have gone crazy over if you had read it in the past.
Also, making the theme of the story about something that you would want to share with everyone in the world really helps generate self motivation.
@@GodsMindDreaming I'll keep that in mind. I'm only worried about it possibly being similar to other works or not having enough of the elements that most people like.
The short story, “My Kinman, Major Molineaux” by Nathaniel Hawthorne illustrates this idea perfectly. A rogue, a temptress, a drunken crowd, an angry crowd, and a mentor all weigh in on the protagonist Robin’s coming-of-age and the surprising outcome.
I love this, especially when he says "everyone's process will be different." I remember a few years ago reading some article that said it was so much better for everyone to write in the morning and get it done, and I was younger and foolish so I tried that. It worked for maybe two days, but I am NOT a morning person let alone a morning writer. I used to call myself a "writing vampire" because I'm just far more creative at night. Some people are better during the day. I can write for hours as long as my energy holds but I usually try to go 1000+ words a session and end either on a dialogue question or in the midst of something happening so I'll have a jumping off point.
"Do whatever that is comfortable for you and makes you write better"
Me : dances in middle of the writing process
I wish my process was this fun lol
Are you an aquarius? :D
Definitely me
I have a slinky. Hahaha. I play with it when I'm trying to break things down. It is a great distraction but not one so big that I never go back to completing the scene I'm figuring out.
@@drazenuskokovic1674 I Died after that
The scaffolding of your good writing is your crap writing. Have passion for an idea, blunder through with whatever you've got. You can hone the point to a fine edge of brilliance later. No one but you, your editors, and your Mama sees the sausage making. The world only sees the masterpiece. Don't worry about the crap, use it!
I used to do this in middle school, but then someone in my class who claimed to be my friend stole some of the papers I had written on and they made fun of me for it and in the end, I felt humiliated.. I haven't shared my writing much since.. even after improving..
@@starjones1 Sorry to hear that. I'll tell you this though, my Dad has never liked one thing I've ever written, even stuff that's been praised and published, Mom yes, him no. I have gotten enough rejection letters to fill several fat binders. I still do it because the stories won't leave me alone. I bet everyone here can share a time they were mocked, cheated out of a contest win, rejected by agents, publishers. It hurts, but you're not alone. And it certainly doesn't mean you have no talent! You should seriously consider trying again when you're ready. Good luck!
@@JamesRDavenportNot me lol. Absolutely no one has the right to look at my google docs file where I keep my stories unless I say so.
Yup
I’ve removed two books from my final copy
Loads of crap
But fun to do
Maybe. Everyone writes differently.
There is no right or wrong way! Please understand that!
This was probably the most helpful video for writing stories I've seen.
It made me realize that the integral part that was stopping me from being able to realize my book into written form was the fact that I wasn't asking enough questions and tried to brute force it.
Also, the fact that every character is their own main character really made me think. I had this semi-figured out before, but having it spoken aloud gave me the necessary push to become completely aware of it.
This is great. I'm writing a book and got stuck. I finally just wrote a chapter heading and below it: this is where the character... then I moved on to other parts of the story. I'm sure glad to hear someone else does this too. It worked really well because when I circled back around to the chapter I was in a much better position to write it and weave in why the chapter matters to the story.
There are many more of us just-write-down-something-types than anyone knows :)
This is exactly how Voltaire structured his chapters in Candide, except he kept the headings.
Nice, mate
That’s one of the unfortunately neglected truths of all art: the process of making something beautiful doesn’t itself have to be beautiful lol
Sorry for the interruption, I know this has nothing to do with the video but it's for you, to whoever is reading this, and it's urgent.
One day millions of people will vanish, the rapture is near! Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior! And Live a Faithful Holy Life! He doesn’t want anyone to be left behind! time is short
Call me a crazy person if you want to, I expect a lot of you will bash me, make fun of me for sharing, you may say you don’t care, but your soul is looking for it and what I’m saying is the truth and you don’t know and realize, that you need Jesus! You don’t know Him, because you don’t go to Him! He is your only Hope!
Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, that He died for you and all of our sins, and He rose again 3 days later, then acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you need Him, repent and ask forgiveness,(because sin is what separates you from God) and believe and have faith that He is real, For He is the only way to Heaven!
Now once you accept Him, you will receive the Holy Spirit, then while you are alive, read your bible, follow God, and live for Him, God Bless!
I understand that this is out of nowhere, I am sharing the gospel "in season or out of season" ( 2 timothy 4:2) and this is your chance for salvation and eternal life, I know a lot of you won't understand it, let alone believe an accept it, but in time you will
@@CobiVonSchweetz What did Jesus say about slavery? If he came to earth to help why not invent something simple like soap? And why the middle east? And what did Jesus say about the Rapture? Not Paul, not the Psalms, what did Jesus specifically say about it? And if God loves us, why is the rapture a thing? It seems obscenely cruel for someone who professes to love us.
I constantly find myself watching a movie and wondering how it might have been written in the script and then how I would have written it. I think that's a cool self-exercise.
That makes me want to write movies in a different genre!!
I started a choose your own adventure book where the reader at certain points can switch between 3 different genres!!
The story might change slightly in the way they talk or their environment or weapons, but its like 3 versions of the same story.. also with 3 different endings depending on which genre you end at!!
@@Doubleaa500that sounds really cool!
I really appreciate Glenn's genuine knowledge and also his willingness to be so open. The whole 'many seasons passed of an 'aha moment' is very true regarding all experience to everything. I have constantly given myself a hard time for not always being able to execute my work, and taking breaks always made me feel guilty. Other's perspective and outlook is so helpful in that we don't feel so alone in the world. I'm starting a mindful journaling club for 4-6th graders this semester and really look forward to giving them a non-judgmental space for creativity and expression. Thank you for this!
He is amazing. He must understand people pretty well. Just the main character depiction explains humanity’s approach of an individual life.
"Why should we care?" ~The audience. End of the world is easy: "Hey, that's my planet!" Romance is harder, because you have to make the reader/audience care about these people.
Romance is where you try to write a leading lady, and then she never does what you (the author) expects. She writes herself, and if you're not frustrated with losing control over your own story, that's what makes her so exciting.
I only wrote one novel, never finished the 2nd draft, but I'm certain I got that part right.
@@VegetoStevieD Kinda? I mean, "Romance" is fairly subjective, if you avoid the cliches like "Long walks on the beach, and watching the sunset..." That's just as predictable, but I'm demisexual. So, I can't really get into a sex scene without some foreplay, to get to know the characters. That's why I'm one of those "Why should I care?" readers. A lot of erotica is reduced to stats, so the first thing you learn about her is her bra size, and then, she's delighted to find out how many inches he has. That's about as sexy as a phone book. At least then, I could read her name before her numbers.
@@Psiberzerker Uff da. I thought this conversation was about romance, not erotica.
@@VegetoStevieD Okay? You do realize that while sex, and love aren't the same thing, they do overlap, and can even be better if you have both together. Right? So, we can include the possibility of the characters having a sex scene, after the long walk on the beach, and watching the sun set together... Eventually, one leads to the other, in a lot of these stories.
I wanted to talk about Depth of Character, but if the possibility of them having sex is that much of a turnoff, I'm sure you can find the back button. Should be right around the top left corner of your browser...
I think Lord of the Rings is a great example of telling a story about multiple characters. Sure, Frodo and Sam are at the heart of it. The main conflict always comes back to them somehow, but there's still the smaller side stories with Merry and Pippin, or Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf which are still done very well.
I was just thinking the same thing listening to this.
I was thinking of Lost. A few main characters, side characters with a story and then the minor incidental ones who come and go.
I was thinking of Narnia, multiple main characters in every book. You have 5-6 in The Last Battle alone and even more minor characters.
I was thinking of twilight and good fellas.
what a complete bore, talking about the mega-bore that is Lord of the rings. That's all people seem able to do these days.There is no true imagination left.
I really appreciate these videos and this channel. I am trying to learn about writing to write my own graphic novel or comics. What is so great about these videos beside the amazing information is the presentation. The interviewer has a very nice, calm voice and asks compelling questions and then lets the guest speak thoroughly. There is no snazzy annoying background music so I am able to listen to these while I draw and they don't distract me. And also I'm able to absorb a lot of wisdom as I'm drawing and my brain just soaks it up. Thanks so much!
"I keep six honest serving men, They taught me all I knew; Their names are What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who" The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling [1902]
I love you Film Courage. Excellent content as always. Really appreciate this one.
Thanks! We think this one is top notch. Glad you found it.
Thank you so much!
They should do a whole series on HOW NOT TO BE LIKE J J ABRAMS. A WHOLE SERIES. IT WILL SAVE HOLLYWOOD.
@@filmcourage Wish this video had each question on the screen & time stamps available in description box of each question topic in the video. 😓📖🔏
#3 is the hard one. I did a lot of slush pile reading for a small journal. I read thousands of short stories over the years. Most people have #1 and #2 figured out. But they fall short at #3. If you can figure out a believable obstacle, I find that #4-6 often fall into place.
Ik.
Very late and maybe you already know this. But usually, the 3rd one is a fear of theirs. Yes, it does need action and a reason on the outside, but it could be very simple (or very complex with huge character development and stuff holding them back, etc).
1. "I am Tom, blah blah blah character writing stuff", 2. "I want to be an engineer" 3. "I am so scared of failing that I procrastinated, got bad grades, and now I can't get it" 4. "He gets a job trying to get money and starts asking friends to give him money for it, which they do" 5. "It works and he goes to college but now he's bone deep in debt that it's not enjoyable anymore and he has to work double as hard to get his stuff back" 6. "After years of hard work, a job he doesn't enjoy anymore, and his life falling apart, he finally pays off the debt. He starts saving and after a long time he has enough money to quit his job, find a better one, and lives happily ever after (or the despair corrupts him to the point of him just quitting his life instead, depending on if you want a happy or a bad ending)".
This is just an example I literally came up with as I was writing (so it's not that amazing or even believable). Imagine what a week or a month of planning can do with a "What does my character want" & "What does my character fear which stops them from pursuing their want" plan.
It's interesting hearing this articulated. Because a lot of these principles are things that I've used intuitively before just because it makes a good story. This feels like a good mantra to remember the base structure you will need.
Because for instance the idea of asking questions and presenting conflicts even in the most mundane of ways became a way to spice up my writing. By making a boring situation more intense on the individual it's more compelling.
The tip of writing other character as though they are main characters is actually a very good tip. It's something I've noticed in well written comics, where background characters or one off characters feel like they have a whole life outside of what we the reader get to see.
Love hearing from the professionals. Very inspiring. Thank you!
The way you write sounds like what I’ve been missing. I have a lot of free time right now so I’ve been trying to force the manuscript onto the page. I need to work with my mind’s flow, not against it. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, you’ve taught me something I might’ve never realized on my own. Now I can go back and fix the pacing issues of my last few chapters…at a pace I can deal with!
(Glenn gers here) I'm so glad it's helpful to you! Best of luck!
You know, I find myself on the opposite end of your struggle. Your process is interesting in that sense. For someone who often flows, but never constructs the river for the flow to travel, this is insightful.
Good interview! I really like the idea of every character being the main character in that person's own mind. So have no throwaway characters because each person is motivated, even if the role is small.
My writing question...
Would anyone pay $20 to see this on screen (including me)?
Useful question!
The fact 20$ is norm now for a movie ticket blows my mind.
Now that you mention this (every character being the main character in their mind), I think it's another thing that was great about The Big Lebowski. None of its characters were throwaway. Think about all the smaller roles in that; Maude, the carpet pisser, the cowboy narrator, Jackie Treehorn, etc. Though they had little screen-time, they were all really filled-out characters. They all had real motivations and seemed like real people. It made the Dude's adventure seem more relatable; got the viewers into his headspace.
@@tfleming92 I very strongly agree! The Coens are MASTERS at giving every character their own life.
Need more information
This is incredibly encouraging to me as an aspiring writer (I only have 2 short stories under my belt) I struggle a lot with discovering my process like Glenn discussed I feel short burst writing is best for me. For the longest time I've always pushed and forced myself to try and write in a way that is for lack of a better word "expected" or how "actual" writers do it. I've spent such a majority of my twenties feeling or being discouraged from myself because I wasn't writing in a certain way. Now that I'm 29 I've finally truly decided to pursue my passion of storytelling and make it my primary goal, purpose, and career. While I'm obviously not making any money at the moment from it I do freelance work mostly DoorDash to pay bills. This way I can focus on my writing. Thank you Film Courage for this great video. I look forward to applying the topics discussed here in my future writing endeavors.
Best video on storytelling I have ever seen. It could not be any clearer on capturing the essence and definitive answer on what a story is and how to make it compelling so the listener connects. Thank you very much for this. Your work and creative courage is highly appreciated.
I'm not a screenplay writer by any means but these tips are encouraging me to write again despite my quarantine burn out. Thank you for posting this!
Every character is the main character in their own POV. Defying this rule will ruin the immersion of story writing.
I know in writing it is typically that we have a eureka moment and suddenly change as a character, but I prefer the two-one approach (two steps forward, one step back). Letting my characters fail at something they have accomplished after their initial eureka moment just feels better to me than making it some sort of secret power up they earned for discovering something.
For example, someone gets bullied all of the time. So one day they have had enough and stick up for themselves. They end up taking down the bully in this triumphant eureka moment of "if I overcome my fear of fighting back, then I will realize my own strength." The next day, the bully confronts them again. "Well," thinks the MC, "I already beat them once, so now I know I can." But this time the bully is expecting the MC to fight back, so they do not get caught off guard this time. After a strong show of strength on both sides, the MC still gets the sense knocked out of them. This causes the MC to doubt if they are really strong at all, or if they just got lucky. Also, they question if fighting back is even a good idea because it did not solve the problem. This causes them to take that step backwards where they are hesitant to fight once again, and this hesitation makes them do worse in future conflicts. Then they realize they feel worse mentally from living in fear than they felt physically from fighting back and getting hurt in the process, so they decide enough is enough. They will fight back even if they get hurt worse for it. This renewed confidence causes them to beat the bully at their best (who already knows MC fighting back is a possibility). Well, the first time the bully only thought it was a fluke, same as MC did after losing the second time, but now the bully knows the MC really is not someone they want to mess with, so they back off. Having seen fighting back *can* work if they stick to it, the MC now has that extra boost of confidence and their character truly "sticks the landing" in their character development arc.
This journey, IMO, has a lot more emotional depth than if the MC simply learns to stand up for themselves and everything works out, the end. Even if that is not the only eureka moment they need to complete their overall journey, there is often less gain from rushing them through the eureka process than there would be from allowing them to fall short after seeing what they need to reach the finish line. I say often because the final eureka moment of a story can absolutely, and probably should be a single defining eureka moment that ends with a triumphant victory and "roll credits." The many micro eurekas along the way, I feel, are better served as a process learned, failed or abandoned, remembered and refined over the course of the story.
Wise advice that covers just about every task one might find themselves faced with in life. I'm glad you posted this.
I love Glenn's conversational style; he really knows his stuff and this also makes me glad that thinking a process through is vital even before writing (if that's your style).
Thank you!! ( I personally can't stand to watch myself, but really who can - so it is great to know it's communicating to you!)
@@writingforscreens You're welcome! I totally understand, lol. Your delivery is down to earth and advice I can utilize to build stories. I'll get to explore your channel now 🙂 thank you!
@@AnyDayNow360 See ya there! Please feel free to keep up the dialouge through comments or if you get a chance I'm trying to work live most weekdays at 3pm PST!
@@writingforscreens Thank you, will do and will be sure to provide feedback! Have a great day! 😁🤙
Don't forget to keep "and then" out of your story beats and "but, therefore" in their place.
Nice way to put it!
Buts, sos, and meanwhiles.
And instead of describing how someone says something like they exclaimed etc. Instead it's easier and keeps the flow of the reader more often to just say they SAID.
I heard this from Stephen King I believe
South Park taught me that.
@@Darksky1001able Yup! That's where I learned it too.
This was a very helpful video and interview. It gave me a great deal of insight into why my writing has always stalled. I listened to too many people telling me how I should write, ignoring how I would best write. It's something to keep in mind as I get back on the writing bandwagon after many years of procrastination. Thank you!
OH MY GOD I love this man...
Finally someone that says you can have more than ONE main character... Thank you Sweet Jesus... I have written a Play for stage... but also it could be for a movie or better yet a TV Mini Series .
A person that read my manuscript said, "You don't have a main character... it seems that all the characters have a story to tell..." ... and was told that would never work, although everyone loves the story... The "Town" is the main character...
This video is so refreshing... Thank YOU so much for sharing this great video.
As an aspiring novelist myself, thank you for the video.
Stay well out there everybody, and God bless you friends. :)
Best of luck with your writing Nathan!
two of the most helpful tips I've recieved for writing flow that I think could help others are about not interrupting yourself and your process; similar to what he said, when you don't know what the rest of the scene is, or what happens in between this paragraph and six later, or want to write something that happens right after the first bit, write what's supposed to happen. I do it like this:
Text text text text, text text text. Blah blah blah. [He asks for his father to pass the salt, the table goes quiet, his mother glances at him sideways. The father stands up.] Text text text.
[Sister pulls youngest child away from the table just in time for the casserole dish to hit the wall behind the high chair. It tumbles slowly, then all at once onto the ground. The two hide, she comforts the youngest. Screaming in the background. "You've never cared before, why now?" "I never had to before, I didn't have to _do_ it for them!"]
Text text text. Blah blah blah, etc..
If I'm writing a specific line and I don't need any big bits, but there's a specific word I'm looking for and I can't focus on the next words because I need that one, in stories and essays, I use [ELEPHANT] in place of it so I can keep going. It's sufficiently uncommon in most uses, so I don't need to worry it'll be redundant, I have a standard to look for in each piece once I've finished it, and it's easily replaceable at the end.
I like your idea of using elephant, i usually leave a space or write ????.
@@animerlon I've been doing it for a couple of years now and I've found it really helpful for maintain flow. I use to do [ELEPHANT] in square brackets, but now I just do the word because I can just double click it and replace it. I'm sure you know, since you do smth similar, but now that I'm in the habit, I never forget to double check for ELEPHANTs before I share smth. I hope it helps you like it does me!
@@kaamn1829 You just can't write a story about elephants. 😆
What
As someone starting this process, was great to listen to Glen. Solid and unpretentious advice. Thank you!
What a great interview. I love his calm, articulate style. It's such a nice change from people shouting even when they're wearing a microphone.
"If you have good characters, you can forget about the story." - Howard Hawks.
This rarely works. You need something as a glue / branch or else you can end up doing (let's say) 4 character shortfilms with no meaning to each other. There is no argument for those 4 character shortfilms to be assembled together.
Nah. The characters can be the best thing since Sliced Bread but if the story is crap I'm not going to like the movie.
Complete crap. Characters are...useful but a good world, an interesting place, or compelling stakes can overcome average, even mediocre, characters. The opposite is never true outside of self indulgent art house garbage.
As is is with all things it's a matter of perspective. I do understant what Howard Hawks is referring to and that might actually be a subject of dicussion. What can be considered "story"?
Pay close attention to what has been said in the video above. Lets bring that matter down to a simple formula: a plotline is not a story but good characters can make a simple plotline entertaining. Don't believe that: whatch any old serial. But you can also see Howard Hawks make it happen as well -> czcams.com/video/eAiTvtGIJ-0/video.html
I can remember only 1 movie without such a connection to the story, and that’s a “Big Lebowski”.
So true about grinding away!!! I, too, work best in short bursts and all that time in between, the ideas brew and mix, so when I sit down to write for 30 minutes, it's exactly what I want it to be. But if I try to keep going past that burst, it becomes messy and, well, I just waste time.
Same
How can some explain everything so perfectly? This guy said everything the way it should be... thanks man i am so impressed and very helpful.
The interviewers in every Film Courage video I watch do a terrific job of listening and following up with relevant questions. That's a lost art... listening. Thanks again!
Not gonna lie, this is a lot harder than I thought.
"The only obstacle is in there *points to his head* but it's real!"
I really appreciate him saying that. Things might be in the mind, but it's still very real.
Hearing him describe the short burst thing was a wow moment for me. This is totally me. I chalked it up to being lazy, but I always say that when I go for that walk or go drink something or snack or whatever, my mind is actually still working. When I get back and sit down, all the sudden I pump out more.
"Every character thinks they are the main character." Brilliant phrasing. Wow. Thank you so much for this whole video!!
Surprisingly, I feel I can honestly answer all 6 questions for my main novel and it really made me feel better about my writing
as someone who's trying to write a story and doesn't really have much faith in myself, this really helped! it was reassuring to know that i can answer all of the questions, definitely gonna take this advice on board. thank you :)
Did you start writing your story yet! Keep going! 🌻
“put a little bit down to give your creativity something to hang onto” …for me that is a piece of gold there, because I’m finding that, not just in writing, but in other creative work too.
Every time I make something or write something it gives me the fuel to get through the week, without the pressure of my creativity making me agitated and uncomfortable.
This is video has been in my watch later for months.. finally watched it after a couple others from your channel.. Great videos. Thanks for making your content available. Got my subscription. 👍🏽
Wow ! Just wow .
The way he dissected the process made it so simple.
Amazing video, I'll be listening it again n again for sure
"It's about a plumber. Where is he from?"
Me, instantly: "Italy."
His energy level is contagious. Love it! Incredible tips that were explained phenomenally well. Thank you kindly!
Glad you enjoyed it Srini!
Thank you so much!!
This was a master class. He’s wonderful. 🥰
That was a treasure! The six questions was somehow effective than the 4 elements- settings, characters, conflict and resolution!
Even though they’re on same lines . The questions were more humanizing!❤
The Star Wars writers at the last trilogy skipped a key semester...
Well, they have flaws but there's still good stuff in the last trilogy. I'd rather see failed art than no art :)
@@writingforscreens Yes, the art department always good in Hollywood, but the film is not just visual. Lots of people mixing the art with film. Films main point is story telling not "tech-beauty" on the screen. There are art form for that: Visual demo.
I'm with you Hamilton. No hairs to split, here. In fact, I would say that the writers didn't just skip a semester but chose the wrong major. Social justice vs movie production.
when you write a trilogy it’s better if you know where your story is headed to. Just sayin
@@writingforscreens lol "art"
I love this (and this channel!). I create all kinds of spreadsheets to help me with process/development. My favourite at the moment is a cross-reference of what each character thinks of all the other characters/situations - suggests all kind of interesting options. Plus for each scene I consider the day/week each character has had, what baggage they're dragging into this scene.
Brainstorming on spreadsheets - cool!! Any process that makes you more productive and creative are good!
That’s dope 👊😎
7:48 - wow this is exactly my issue. Great to hear it articulated so well
After watching this video all the way through, this video actually helped me in multiple ways, even personally. As an aspiring play writer, this video helped me mentally figure out scenes for multiple pieces of my work so thank you for that. This video also personally opened my eyes to figure out, after 20 years, what my story and purpose is so I'm being sincere when I say thank you Film Courage! Keep doing what you're doing!