THE STORY SPOT

Always a source of great writing advice and inspiration, screenwriting coach Michael Hauge offers us this short nugget of wisdom on his site (www.screenplaymastery.com) that I’m sharing with you here.

EVERYTHING I KNOW IN 100 WORDS OR LESS

Q: Can you describe some of the things writers need to think about in writing a salable story?

A: Since my entire career has been built on answering this question for writers and filmmakers, it’s pretty hard to reduce it to a single answer. But the best advice that comes to mind to cover all situations is to suggest that writers ask themselves three questions about every screenplay they write:

1. What is each character desperate to achieve?

2. What makes that goal seem impossible?

3. What terrifies each character?

Writers willing to dig deep enough to answer these questions are well on their way to a commercial screenplay. For much, much more, refer to my book Writing Screenplays That Sell or my CDs Screenwriting for Hollywood or The Hero’s 2 Journeys.

These seem like simple questions but I challenge each of you–new and experienced writers alike–to come up with solid, easily communicated answers for your current projects. If you can, consider yourself well on your way to creating a clear and compelling story. If you have some work to do, well, what are you waiting for?

Coaching veteran Michael Hauge, author of Writing Screenplays That Sell and Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds, has offered readers of THE STORY SPOT these words on crafting the introductory pages of your screenplay. This piece, along with others by Michael, can be found on his website at www.screenplaymastery.com.

THE PROLOGUE OPENING
by Michael Hauge

The first 10% of your screenplay is what I term the SETUP, during which you must transport the reader from the real world into the world you’ve created, as well as get them emotionally involved with the setting and characters before your main story line begins. While many films open with the hero living his or her everyday life, you may want to consider preceding your hero introduction with a PROLOGUE. Here you begin with some outside time, location or character, in order to draw the reader into the story more quickly or powerfully, and to create anticipation of what is to come.This Prologue can take the form of a FLASHBACK, BOOKEND, MID-STORY PEAK MOMENT, or NEMESIS INTRODUCTION:

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Our friend Jim Cirile over at Coverage Ink: The Screenwriter’s Advantage and Writers on the Storm posts a chock-full-o’-goodies newsletter to his subscribers-only list. But lucky you! We’re reposting an excerpt here for you.

Jim’s February, 2009 installment included this useful reminder: “The 5 Best Ways to *Lose* an Agent.” Witty, insightful, and oh so true, here is Jim’s article, posted with permission, for THE STORY SPOT readers to enjoy.

“Got agent? Good. Now can you hold onto them? Hmm…”
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Our very special guest, Blake Snyder, author of the bestselling (and indispensable) Save The Cat! series of books on screenwriting, offers THE STORY SPOT’s readers guidance on that notoriously difficult pillar of any story: The Midpoint. (We’ve added the product links below to help you find your way.)

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