David Baboulene
Let’s talk about Harry Potter and Star Wars. Go on then, let’s talk about Lord of the Rings as well. Traditionally, we have looked for the source of the magic of story in popular classics. We analyse the arrangement of information in Harry Potter and Star Wars to try to find the common story structures that are possibly why a …
I quite often work with writers who are uncertain which character is driving the story. Several have compelling arcs. How do we decide whose story we are telling? Protagonist or antagonist? In simple terms, the protagonist is the entity whose story is being told and the antagonist is the entity who is blocking the progress of the protagonist towards achieving …
What is the difference between a story and a narrative? When is a story not a narrative? The key difference between a narrative and a story is simple enough: A story is only ever in mind. Information or knowledge? Narrative occurs continuously all over the cosmos. Wherever there is change over time that is a narrative. Somewhere a cheetah is …
“Oh, my God! She’s such a -!” You completed that sentence, didn’t you?! I left a gap, and you filled it with knowledge from your own experience of life and people. SUBTEXT – WHAT LIES BENEATH. That, right there, is the secret to subtext: Writers leave gaps in knowledge. Readers project knowledge into those gaps. Subtext is the knowledge that …
Have you noticed that a lot of the most successful people seem self-centred? A little arrogant, perhaps? Obnoxious, even. Is there something we humble, peaceful, generous, gentle arty types can learn from this..? ‘I know how to write!’ When I meet successful writers, they often seem to have an unshakeable belief that they are right. ‘Here’s my art,’ they say. …
Serious writers write every day. They make it a priority and force it in to their day. The general rule for professionals is 2000 words a day, every day. You might feel that is not possible because you have work, a family and commitments and so forth. Fair enough, but how are you addressing this issue? For many writers I …
From Little Red Riding Hood to Breaking Bad, the finest stories ever written have a moral argument at their roots. Understanding the morality in your story will help you: Create relevant, well-motivated characters. Define the core conflicts. Unify your story around a clear theme. Define the subtext that gives your story its ultimate meaning and storification. What is morality? For …
The Shape of Water (directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor) won the Oscar for Best Picture, but not Best Screenplay. What went on there, then?! In story theory terms, let’s look at what it did well, and then see what might have been improved. Firstly, then the main story dynamics that make the …