The clues to a great story

I very much enjoyed film-maker Andrew Stanton‘s TED talk, “The Clues to a Great Story.”




Storytelling is joke telling. It’s knowing your punch line, your ending. It’s knowing that everything you say, from the first sentence to the last, is leading to a singular goal.


probably the greatest story commandment: “Make me care.”


Drama is anticipation mingled with uncertainty.



The 100-words-a-day plan to a great story

a great story idea


I have been writing every morning, in spite of all that is going on in my life right now. I only aim for 100 words. Heck! Who can’t write 100 words?


This simple goal has opened the treasure chest of storytelling. Each day, I write far more than 100 words before stopping (317, 512, 877, 319, 316, 739, 619 … ), but best of all it has me sparking all day and night with ideas. I’m thinking about these scenes all the time.


And it has made me so cheerful! Writing is a type of euphoria.


If you are in writing doldrums, I highly recommend the 100-words-a-day plan. It’s magic. You’ll see.



Please let me know what you think in the comment section below. Ask me anything! I love getting comments.


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Published on April 22, 2015 07:21
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message 1: by Sarah (new)

Sarah I was so inspired by this when I first saw your posting on it so I decided to try it last week. I only managed two days of it, but I'm going to try again! I'm kind of afraid that my 100 words will become 1000 words and I will be late to work every morning. (I have ALL the excuses not to write.)


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