Writing is re-writing first of all. Revise and revise again. It’s not like you’re going to write a screenplay or book and then bam, it’s going to be sold and shot and win all the awards. It’s work and writing is rewriting. That’s not to say your idea or concept isn’t an award winning bestseller one. It’s just that it’s hard work to get your story out there but I think writing is so fun. I see it as more play than work, even the rewriting part.
I’m speaking at the Screenwriter and Filmmaker’s Expo on March 28th in Napa. Come up! I’ve had many people ask me how to write their story so here goes. I wrote a post about starting with a mind-map first. It’s a great way to get your fabulous idea on paper and to find your story. You may have a great idea but it still needs to end up on the page and into the hands of others.
What’s the story?
We all have a story. Sometimes it’s the story of your life. Sometimes it’s a story you witnessed on the bus ride home. Sometimes it’s a true story and sometimes it came to you in a dream or just popped into your head while you were pulling weeds. Whatever the story – what is it? Can you tell the story over dinner? What about during the car ride to the store? What about in the elevator? That’s where the 2 min elevator pitch term comes from. You need to be able to sum up the story. By summing it up, it actually helps you focus on what your story is too and not run off on too many tangents.
- For example with my doc Searching for Angela Shelton the story is: My name is Angela Shelton and I drove around the country to meet all the other Angela Sheltons who would talk to me to survey women in America. There are many more details to the story but that sums it up. That hooks them. Then you give them the rest.
Who’s Your Hero?
Every story has a hero. Who is your hero? You can be writing about a group of people but there is probably one main hero or shero in there. According to dictionary.com the definition of hero is:
he⋅ro
/ˈhɪər
oʊ/ 
Show Spelled Pronunciation [heer-oh] Show IPA
–noun, plural -roes; for 5 also -ros.
| 1. | a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. |
| 2. | a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal: He was a local hero when he saved the drowning child. |
| 3. | the principal male character in a story, play, film, etc. |
| 4. | Classical Mythology.
|
| 5. | hero sandwich. |
| 6. | the bread or roll used in making a hero sandwich |
Men men men, gimme some heroine. Katharyn Bigelow received the feature award from the Director’s Guild of America!
her⋅o⋅ine
/ˈhɛroʊɪn/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [her-oh-in] Show IPA
–noun
| 1. | a woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for her brave deeds and noble qualities. |
| 2. | the principal female character in a story, play, film, etc |
Notice how the female version is shorter than the male’s and doesn’t include a sandwich or the drug heroine. Interesting. There’s a story – write about that! What do we gather from these definitions? That you can write a story about a sandwich! Actually, you can. Your hero can be a sandwich or heroine, sure it can! Think outside the box. Start writing.
Nowadays you don’t have to wait until a publisher reads your work and decides if you’re fit to be read – you can start a blog. You can put your movie online for everyone to see. You can share your story right here right now as you write it.
Joseph Campbell’s explanation of the hero’s (or shero’s or heroine’s) journey in The Hero with a Thousand Faces
Writing with the hero’s journey as an outline is a great way to roll out the main crust of your story and then fill in the goodies.
Campbell describes a number of stages or steps along this journey. Departure (sometimes called Separation), Initiation and Return. “Departure” deals with the hero venturing forth on the quest, “Initiation” deals with the hero’s various adventures along the way, and “Return” deals with the hero’s return home with knowledge and powers acquired on the journey. (via Wikipedia)
-
Act I
The hero is in the ordinary world – just a plain ole sandwich in a plain sandwich shop.
The hero receives a call to enter an unusual world – a call to adventure – the sandwich dreams of being a foot-long.
The hero doesn’t want to do it, then takes the first step – the sandwich squeezes itself into a foot long designer bag.
The hero steps into a strange new world and must face tasks and trials - the sandwich enters the city.
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Act II
Mentors, friends, adversaries show up – the cook loves the sandwich, his old bagel buddies are proud, the rats try to eat him.
The hero must survive a challenge (many times with help from friends) - the sandwich falls down the trash shoot and is taken away by the rats.
The hero wins the battle (or dies) – the sandwich has to fend of the rats, loosing half his top.
-
Act III
The hero achieves a great goal or gains the elixir (many times causing create change within the hero) - Miraculously the sandwich inches by the rats while their sleeping and jumps into the lunch-pail of a passing worker.
The hero returns to the ordinary world (many times facing challenges on the way) - the worker brings the sandwich into the sandwich shop, bigger, longer and wiser.
If the hero is successful, the elixir may be used to improve the world - the sandwich becomes the most sought after miracle sandwich which inspires many condiments.
Now, you can gobble that sandwich up and replace it with just about anything. Watch movies now and see where the hero’s journey falls into play. It’s in most every story. There’s a huge hero’s journey in my next film Hawk Dances.
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Thanks for reading! Please comment on my blog and let me know how I can help you, inspire you or just make you laugh. I'm listening. Feel free to email me at angela@angelashelton.com and let me know what you like (or don't like). To keep in touch, connect with me @ Facebook | Twitter
