Categories

Archives

The Mist – story structure breakdown

By alexandrasokoloff, on January 24th, 2011

I haven’t done a film breakdown here in a long time and I am on a roll with them because I’m teaching a story structure class this semester, the first time I’ve taught a whole semester-long class.

If you’re writing anything takes place in a limited, even one-set location, The Mist is an excellent example of [...]

January 24th, 2011 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Writing | Comments are closed

Contests? No contest.

By Bev Vincent, on November 17th, 2010

Some of my best successes in submitting short fiction have been by winning no-fee [...]

November 17th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Category: advice, authors, awards, conferences, story, submissions | 2 comments

Auto Draft

By alexandrasokoloff, on September 24th, 2010

by Alexandra Sokoloff

When I teach story structure – especially when I have to teach it in a short workshop – I will of course hit the highlights of the Three-Act structure, and the Three-Act, Eight Sequence structure,  but I also try to get across to students that the BEST thing that you can do to [...]

September 24th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , | Category: Uncategorized | 2 comments

Auto Draft

By alexandrasokoloff, on August 24th, 2010

by Alexandra Sokoloff

A friend of mine did a workshop at the RWA National Conference a couple of weeks ago on the High Concept Premise.   We ended up talking before the workshop about high concept in books and movies, and also about the even more elusive concept of the Big Book.

I was interested [...]

August 24th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Uncategorized | 3 comments

How to start a novel

By alexandrasokoloff, on February 24th, 2010

I got a great – if slightly overwhelming – question recently about writing process.  I’m sure a lot of you will be able to relate to Stuart Hughes’ honesty.  As I look to my next project (that would be after the two I’m currently finishing) I feel exactly the same way:

“What process do you follow [...]

February 24th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Uncategorized | 6 comments

Make a list

By alexandrasokoloff, on December 24th, 2009

by Alexandra Sokoloff

I’m sure everyone’s out running around for last minute gifts today (umm, or snowed in…)  so I’ll keep this short.

But since it’s the season of lists (shopping lists, resolution lists…) – I thought I’d talk about another kind of list.

In my writing workshops and blog, I stress over and over and over again [...]

December 24th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Uncategorized | One comment

First, you need an idea

By alexandrasokoloff, on October 24th, 2009

by Alexandra Sokoloff

When people ask authors, “Where do you get your ideas?”, authors tend to clam up or worse, get sarcastic – because the only real answer to that is, “Where DON’T I get ideas?” or even more to the point, “How do I turn these ideas OFF?”

The thing is, “Where do you get your [...]

October 24th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: authors, Writing | One comment