by paulneuhaus | Sep 9, 2018 | Writing
Too much is made in writing how-to literature of the main character’s Want, the motivator which propels him through his story. In describing this force in terms of a desire, would-be writing gurus are doing their readers a disservice. Most heroes, I would argue, are...
by paulneuhaus | Sep 6, 2018 | Writing
I’ve written three essays on plot, all of which can be found on this website. In the first installment, I gave my definition of the term “premise”, and it goes a little something like this: “…it is the springboard or gist upon which a plot can be built. It’s the true...
by paulneuhaus | Sep 3, 2018 | Writing
There’s an old axiom: “drama is conflict”. Without conflict, you have two guys in an empty room with nothing interesting to say or do. If you want a story, you need to get the two guys mad at one another. Allow me to clarify with a charmingly folksy definition of...
by paulneuhaus | Aug 27, 2018 | Writing
I’ve concluded that plotting for plot’s sake is a mathematical exercise doomed to yield soulless results. Starting with plot and ending with plot isn’t storytelling, it’s puzzle-making. There is now and always has been a market for these sorts of puzzles — the Mystery...
by paulneuhaus | Aug 26, 2018 | Writing
I have a mental/emotional block when it comes to hashing out plot. I take some comfort in knowing I’m not alone in this, but Ive decided that it’s time to address the problem directly. Heres a window into my longstanding M.O.: I create a character and follow him...
by paulneuhaus | Aug 24, 2018 | Writing
Listen up. This is important. There’s a test people apply to movies and television called the Bechdel Test. Here’s the gist from Wikipedia: “The Bechdel test asks whether a work of fiction features at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a...
