Tell Me A Story

Everybody knows what a story is until they sit down to write one
--Author Flannery O'Connor

​This included me.
​
​(Not actual photo, meant to symbolize the learning process)

---

How hard could it be? I thought. I've read lots of stories.

Bad news: It turns out, it's hard.
Good news: You can learn how to do it.
Bad news: There's a lot of advice, most of it terrible.
Bad news: After you learn, it's still hard. There's something called Resistance facing you, every day, trying to stop you. Example: I'll write today, but first I'll check my emails, then Facebook, then...well, it's almost lunch time...I'll write after lunch...

I've read or listened to hundreds of books, talks, podcasts over the last six years and have boiled down the following list for anyone interested in writing:

How to Write Best Selling Fiction, by James Scott Bell-this is available in audio, the best way to get it is through Audible, it's just one Credit. It's long, only listen if you're interested in really writing. Basic, kind of Novel 101. Introduces stuff like Three Act Structure, The Hero's Journey, The Inciting Incident. If you don't know what those things are---well you probably should find out before you sit down and type, "It was a dark and stormy night..."

The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield. Not that much on how to write, more on the discipline of the life, and Pressfield introduced the above mentioned concept of Resistance. Very readable and recommended to anyone, whether you're serious about writing or not. Pressfield is an interesting guy, I recommend all of his stuff. Start with The War of Art.

The Nutshell Technique, by Jill Chamberlain. You'll learn the difference between a Story and a Situation. Here's the deal: in a Story the Protagonist has a Want, which he knows, and a Need, which he doesn't know. If you don't start here, you've got no Story. There's a lot more, but if you don't have a Story, you've got a pile of words nobody will finish reading. Your friends and relatives may claim to have read the whole thing; they're lying. You wonder why you're not getting anywhere? No Story!

The Anatomy of Genres, by John Truby. If the first recommendation is Novel 101, this book is your Master's Degree. Advanced, don't read this first, I tried to read a previous book by Truby six years ago and wasn't ready for it. If you've written a book or two, and are now ready to write a good book, this is for you. Example: I was trying to fit all my stuff into The Hero's Journey format, but it didn't work. Truby says: The Hero's Journey (think Luke Skywalker in Star Wars) is only for the Male Myth, it doesn't work in other genres. He explains the structure of other formats. Like turning on the lightbulb for me! Lots more in this 700 page book.

I'm so smart now that my next book will make a lot of money and I'll buy a new vehicle:

​

Discussion Question One: which one of the two people has a worse hairdo?
​
Discussion Question Two: Would you wear a suit and tie to fly an experimental helicopter?

Note One: I have not been compensated in any way for the book recommendations above. However, if offered I would accept bribes--I haven't been offered.

Note Two: if you're trying get in touch with me, the comments section below doesn't work. Please email: [email protected]