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The Save the Cat story outline, originally a screenwriting structure developed by Blake Snyder, emphasizes the importance of creating a likable protagonist who goes through a series of ups and downs before ultimately achieving their goal.
Here is a general breakdown of each act:
Continue reading “Story Structure: Save the Cat”The Fichtean Curve, also known as the narrative arc or the dramatic arc, is a storytelling model that describes the structure of a story or narrative. While the term “Fichtean curve” is named after Johann Gottlieb Fichte, a German philosopher who was influential in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, it is not clear if Fichte himself originated the idea of the narrative arc (Writing Manuals for the Masses: The Rise of the Literary Advice Industry from Quill to Keyboard, ).
The Fichtean curve is often attributed to the German poet and playwright Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller, who was a contemporary of Fichte and a close friend. Schiller was interested in the structure of drama and wrote extensively on the subject, and it is likely that he was the one who popularized the narrative arc as a storytelling model.
Continue reading “Story structure: The Fichtean Curve”The Five-Act Structure is similar to the three-act structure but breaks the story into five main parts, with additional turning points in the middle. This structure is commonly used in Shakespearean plays.
A five-act story structure outline breaks a story into five main parts, with additional turning points in the middle. Here is a general breakdown of each act:
Continue reading “Five-act story structure”The three-act story structure is the most commonly used basic story structure in modern storytelling, and it consists of a setup, confrontation, and resolution. While the origins of the three-act structure are difficult to trace, it has been used in storytelling for centuries and is often attributed to Aristotle, who wrote about the importance of dramatic structure in Poetics.
The basic structure of each of the three acts follows:
“Pantsing” and “plotting” are two very different approaches to novel writing. The term “pantsing” comes from the phrase, “flying by the seat of your pants,” which means to improvise or make something up as you go along. The phrase was first used in the 1930s in reference to airplane pilots who navigated without the aid of instruments.
The term “pantsing” in the context of writing specifically refers to a technique where the author writes without a detailed plan or outline, instead relying on inspiration and improvisation to guide the story. This technique is also known as “discovery writing” or “organic writing.” It is unclear exactly when the term “pantsing” was first used in this context, but it is thought to have gained popularity in writing communities and workshops in the 1990s. It has since become a widely used term in the writing world, particularly in discussions about outlining and planning versus improvisation and discovery.
Continue reading “Pantsing vs Plotting: A case for the dreaded outline”At this point, you may be wondering if writing a novel is even something you can do, let alone writing a new one every year. Perhaps you have never taken a creative writing course or shared your writing with others. You may question whether you can even call yourself a writer without ever having written a complete work, whether it be a novel, an essay, or a poem. Maybe you believe you can’t possibly call yourself a writer until you have finished writing something. If that’s the case, you may wonder how you can justify the time you will spend writing a novel when you’re not even a “real” writer yet. These feelings of doubt are completely normal. Some would even say that this, too, is part of the writing process.
One struggle that many emerging writers battle is imposter syndrome. This is a common experience among writers and other creative professionals. It is the feeling that despite their accomplishments, skills, or expertise, they are not truly qualified or deserving of their success. There are several reasons why writers may experience imposter syndrome. For example, writers often have high standards for their work and may compare themselves unfavorably to other writers or to their own idealized vision of what their writing should be. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. Writing is also a subjective art form, and writers may receive rejection or criticism from publishers, editors, or readers. Even a single negative comment or rejection letter can trigger feelings of self-doubt and insecurity.
Continue reading “A writer? Who, you?”
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