Introduction: Old school, new adrenaline -- Part one: Essential principles of plot. Drop the hammer. (Hamlet) -- Ask dramatic questions. (Finding Nemo) -- Explore all endings. (The Night Of) -- Connect with "therefore," not "and." (South Park, "Breast Cancer Show Ever") -- Escalate risk. (Pulp Fiction) -- Clash expectation with reality. (Breaking Bad, "Dead Freight") -- Max out the middle. (If Beale Street Could Talk) -- Begin the end with a critical decision. (Frankenstein) -- Confirm the decision. (The Godfather, Part II) -- Wrap up fast. (Late Spring) -- Part two: Essential principles of character. Make your hero active and decisive. (Red Dead Redemption) -- Provoke dilemma. ("The Best of Times, the Worst of Times") -- Layer conflict. (Ms. Marvel: No Normal) -- Peel the onion. ("Interpreter of Maladies") -- Write characters to the top of their intelligence. ("Stan") -- Mask everyone. (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) -- Earn transformations. (Fun Home) -- Motivate fierce antagonists. (The Piano Lesson) -- Confront evil. ("The Lottery") -- Part three. Essential principles of setting, dialogue, and theme. Link inextricably to your setting -- Exceed expectations. (30 Rock, "Jack-tor") -- Craft actionable dialogue. (Death of a Salesman) -- Hide meaning. (The Remains of the Day) -- Hunt big game. (Beloved) -- Amplify your theme. (Double Indemnity) -- Attack your theme. (The Brothers Karamazov) -- Transcend thought. (Fever Dream) -- Conclusion: The necessity of story.
Summary:
"A master class of 27 lessons, drawn from 27 diverse narratives, for novelists, storytellers, filmmakers, graphic designers, and more. Author Daniel Joshua Rubin unlocks the secrets of what makes a story work, and then shows how to understand and use these principles in your own writing. The result is "an invaluable resource" (Publishers Weekly, starred review), offering priceless advice like escalate risk, with an example from Pulp Fiction. Write characters to the top of their intelligence, from the Eminem song "Stan." Earn transformations, from Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. Attack your theme, from The Brothers Karamazov. Insightful, encouraging, filled with attitude, and, as Booklist puts it, "perfect for any writer looking to ensure their stories operate and resonate at the top of their potential," this book gives contemporary storytellers of all kinds a lifeline of inspiration and relatable instruction."-- book cover
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.