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Invisible Ink: A Practical Guide to Building Stories That Resonate
Acclaimed by successful screenwriters and authors, Invisible Ink is a helpful, accessible guide to the essential elements of the best storytelling. Brian McDonald, an award winning screenwriter who has taught his craft at several major studios, supplies writers with tools to make their work more effective and provides readers and audiences a deeper understanding of the storyteller's art. When people think of a screenplay, they usually think about dialogue-the "visible ink" that is readily accessible to the listener, reader, or viewer. But a successful screenplay needs Invisible Ink as well, the craft below the surface of words. Invisible Ink lays out the essential elements of screenplay structure, using vivid examples from famous moments in popular movies as well as from one of his own popular scripts. You will learn techniques for building a compelling story around a theme, making your writing engage audiences, creating appealing characters, and much more. Praise for Invisible "...If I manage to reach the summit of my next story it will be in no small part due to having read Invisible Ink." -Andrew Stanton (cowriter Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc., and cowriter/director Finding Nemo and WALL-E) "...Brian McDonald uses his deep understanding of story and character to pass on essential truths about dramatic writing. Ignore him at your peril." -Jim Taylor (Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Sideways and Election) "... I recommend this fine handbook on craft to any writer, apprentice or professional, working in any genre or form." -Dr. Charles Johnson (National Book Award-winning author of Middle Passage) "If you want to write scripts, listen to Brian. The guy knows what he's talking about." -Paul Feig (creator of NBC's Freaks and Geeks, co-executive producer The Office) "With Invisible Ink Brian McDonald has written us a book to keep and heed forever because through the simple, graceful, graspable, original wisdom of it, we might just save our screenwriting lives." -Stewart Stern (Screenwriter of Rebel Without a Cause)
153 pages, Paperback
First published January 11, 2010
198 people are currently reading
2485 people want to read
About the author
Brian McDonald
24 books80 followersBrian McDonald has taught his story seminar at PIXAR, DISNEY FEATURE ANIMATIION and George Lucas' ILM. His award-winning short film WHITE FACE has run on HBO and Cinemax and is used in corporations nation-wide as a diversity-training tool.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 168 reviews
August 24, 2017
From the audiobook: "Invisible ink is the writing below the surface of the words. Most people will never see or notice it, but they will feel it. If you learn to use it, your work will feel polished, professional, and it will have a profound impact on your audience... This invisible ink keeps the audience's brain active.
[Armature is the underlying structure]
[Superior position is when the audience knows something the characters do not know]
Always tell the truth [of the experience]. [truth in fiction; not about the facts per se; audience learns through experience]
Writers with the least experience and skill think that the more complicated something is, the better... If you want to come off like a mature writer, be precise.
Some of the best dialogue is quiet and subtle and reveals things about plot, theme or character with the precision of a surgeon. Sometimes that means it's not quotable, but quotable dialogue is not the primary job of a storyteller."
[Armature is the underlying structure]
[Superior position is when the audience knows something the characters do not know]
Always tell the truth [of the experience]. [truth in fiction; not about the facts per se; audience learns through experience]
Writers with the least experience and skill think that the more complicated something is, the better... If you want to come off like a mature writer, be precise.
Some of the best dialogue is quiet and subtle and reveals things about plot, theme or character with the precision of a surgeon. Sometimes that means it's not quotable, but quotable dialogue is not the primary job of a storyteller."
June 10, 2020
2.5*
This is a tough one to review. On the one hand, I've read a decent number of books on writing, especially lately, and I still found myself jumping to my notes app to copy down particularly poignant quotes as I listened to the audiobook. On the other hand, this is hardly a "practical guide." Its blatant lack of organization makes it feel more like a stream of consciousness from the author about writing, which is troubling when he spends so much time on the importance of structure. Plus, there's so little concrete advice that a novice (who I assume is the intended audience, since most of what the book covers is pretty basic and widespread) would have trouble converting what's discussed into practice in any meaningful way. There are few, if any, explicit writing exercises, and very little in the way of explaining HOW to carry out the advice presented.
McDonald includes several general reminders that, while not unique, might end up on post-it notes to be placed within my line of sight while writing: "Writing is about making discoveries [about your story] rather than decisions" or "Worry about the craft, and the art will take care of itself" or "Once your readers are thinking about you, you've lost them." I appreciate his emphasis on truth in storytelling, as well as his short treatise on the nonexistence of genre, and overall I didn't disagree with much of the book's substance.
That being said, McDonald presents some of his ideas in ways I found pretty strange. He seems to be a stickler for semantics—though I can hardly knock him for that, being the same way myself. And I don't mind his choice to refer to subplots as "supporting plots" if it helps him remember to keep them tethered to the main story. But several of the linguistic choices he makes feel out of place and just generally unnecessary. For example, he spends two chapters explaining the merits of employing what he likes to call "clones." These are characters who are similar to the protagonist, but who handle identical situations differently or create contrast in some other way, ultimately providing more insight into the story's main character. A brilliant idea, to be sure—but why not just refer to them as "foils" like the rest of us have been doing since high school? The re-branding has absolutely no purpose, and could honestly confuse a beginner who might want to use this book as a starting point into writing as a discipline.
Worse, McDonald spends a significant chunk of time talking about balancing "the masculine and feminine" of storytelling, when all he means is that a good story requires focus on both internal emotions ("the feminine") and external action ("the masculine"). For some reason he insists on using the gendered terminology, despite his need to add constant disclaimers about how these concepts are completely unrelated to someone's actual gender, and that really it's just about the internal and external. So...why bother using the gendered language at all? Like, for a non-threatening book about storytelling, this guy sure loves biological essentialism. At one point he discusses violent rites of passage/initiations into adulthood, theorizing that the presence of the phenomenon in societies throughout the world and throughout history suggests the existence of some innate biological trait in humans, but that women have less need for "ritual pain" because periods and the loss of virginity and childbirth are painful enough already. He also says that "male brains and female brains are as different from one another as a ton of bricks is from a ton of feathers: equal, but not the same." What is this book supposed to be about, again?
There are a few gems that I think make it worth a read, but—especially if you're less familiar with the craft of writing—don't expect to walk away with much you can actually use.
This is a tough one to review. On the one hand, I've read a decent number of books on writing, especially lately, and I still found myself jumping to my notes app to copy down particularly poignant quotes as I listened to the audiobook. On the other hand, this is hardly a "practical guide." Its blatant lack of organization makes it feel more like a stream of consciousness from the author about writing, which is troubling when he spends so much time on the importance of structure. Plus, there's so little concrete advice that a novice (who I assume is the intended audience, since most of what the book covers is pretty basic and widespread) would have trouble converting what's discussed into practice in any meaningful way. There are few, if any, explicit writing exercises, and very little in the way of explaining HOW to carry out the advice presented.
McDonald includes several general reminders that, while not unique, might end up on post-it notes to be placed within my line of sight while writing: "Writing is about making discoveries [about your story] rather than decisions" or "Worry about the craft, and the art will take care of itself" or "Once your readers are thinking about you, you've lost them." I appreciate his emphasis on truth in storytelling, as well as his short treatise on the nonexistence of genre, and overall I didn't disagree with much of the book's substance.
That being said, McDonald presents some of his ideas in ways I found pretty strange. He seems to be a stickler for semantics—though I can hardly knock him for that, being the same way myself. And I don't mind his choice to refer to subplots as "supporting plots" if it helps him remember to keep them tethered to the main story. But several of the linguistic choices he makes feel out of place and just generally unnecessary. For example, he spends two chapters explaining the merits of employing what he likes to call "clones." These are characters who are similar to the protagonist, but who handle identical situations differently or create contrast in some other way, ultimately providing more insight into the story's main character. A brilliant idea, to be sure—but why not just refer to them as "foils" like the rest of us have been doing since high school? The re-branding has absolutely no purpose, and could honestly confuse a beginner who might want to use this book as a starting point into writing as a discipline.
Worse, McDonald spends a significant chunk of time talking about balancing "the masculine and feminine" of storytelling, when all he means is that a good story requires focus on both internal emotions ("the feminine") and external action ("the masculine"). For some reason he insists on using the gendered terminology, despite his need to add constant disclaimers about how these concepts are completely unrelated to someone's actual gender, and that really it's just about the internal and external. So...why bother using the gendered language at all? Like, for a non-threatening book about storytelling, this guy sure loves biological essentialism. At one point he discusses violent rites of passage/initiations into adulthood, theorizing that the presence of the phenomenon in societies throughout the world and throughout history suggests the existence of some innate biological trait in humans, but that women have less need for "ritual pain" because periods and the loss of virginity and childbirth are painful enough already. He also says that "male brains and female brains are as different from one another as a ton of bricks is from a ton of feathers: equal, but not the same." What is this book supposed to be about, again?
There are a few gems that I think make it worth a read, but—especially if you're less familiar with the craft of writing—don't expect to walk away with much you can actually use.
May 15, 2019
I suppose this book might be useful if you know absolutely nothing about storytelling, but if you do then it comes across as very superficial.
Also, a big yikes re: the whole masculine/feminine thing. No thanks.
Also, a big yikes re: the whole masculine/feminine thing. No thanks.
February 18, 2014
I recently read Brian McDonald's "Golden Theme". It was helpful, but dealt with storytelling at the broadest level. "Invisible Ink" is a great corollary to that book, and dives into more specific and readily-applicable tools for creating compelling stories. McDonald's insights are simple yet profound, and their seeming obviousness is only clear in retrospect. This is a quick and easy read, and one I'd certainly return to any time I'm working on a story. It will also color the way I view films, books and other media.
The book contains numerous examples from popular films and television, and McDonald manages to point out a number of plot foibles and triumphs that I immediately agree with but am embarrassed to say I'd never noticed before.
Some of the main insights include the importance of armature (an underlying structural theme that tells an important lesson about humanity and is supported by each element of the story), the elements of story that your audience expects to see, the importance of telling the truth, the use of clones to show the consequences for your character, and why you are the slave of your story and not its master. All of these points underscore the central lesson of using invisible ink: elements that are unseen by the majority of your audience, but help tell the story in a deeper way than dialog and visuals alone can convey.
The book contains numerous examples from popular films and television, and McDonald manages to point out a number of plot foibles and triumphs that I immediately agree with but am embarrassed to say I'd never noticed before.
Some of the main insights include the importance of armature (an underlying structural theme that tells an important lesson about humanity and is supported by each element of the story), the elements of story that your audience expects to see, the importance of telling the truth, the use of clones to show the consequences for your character, and why you are the slave of your story and not its master. All of these points underscore the central lesson of using invisible ink: elements that are unseen by the majority of your audience, but help tell the story in a deeper way than dialog and visuals alone can convey.
April 28, 2021
“Invisible Ink: A Practical Guide to Building Stories That Resonate” (2010) é um livro prático, como diz o próprio subtítulo, por isso não se espere aqui grande estrutura, nem aprofundamento de conceitos, menos ainda densidade ou explicações detalhadas. Apesar disso, este trabalho de Brian McDonald acaba sendo bastante recompensador para quem decidir dedicar-lhe um par de horas, já que em tão poucas páginas de texto condensa um conjunto de ideias fundamentais para escrita de histórias para qualquer suporte. O autor está centrado no cinema, e utiliza imensos casos práticos, com particular destaque para Steven Spielberg, mas o que nos conta e explana é aplicável a qualquer meio narrativo. Nas linhas que se seguem deixo uma síntese do que me parece ser o mais relevante do livro.
continua no blog: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...
continua no blog: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com...
August 5, 2016
I got this book after hearing huge, extreme, impressive worshipful endorsements from the folks at ChrisOatley.com and the Paper Wings podcast-- and also I had read his other book Golden Theme and greatly, greatly enjoyed it.
Here's the summary of why this book is significant, which I'm restating as a mixture of what I remember reading and what I remember hearing from those endorsements: the backbone of fiction is theme. Understanding this, you can use it to make the work of writing meaningful fiction easier. And also, perhaps even more significant, you start to see how fiction in our pop culture: movies, tv series, comics and even games use this principle, sometimes clumsily, sometimes quite obviously (obvious, at least, once you've read Invisible Ink) in order to inject a deep message worthy of communicating through the system of Story.
This is, at least, what I've gotten out of it. Since reading this, it seems like every time I watch fictional TV series, I'm seeing the Invisible Ink: the actual message that they're trying to tell you, the moral of the story, through the guise of fiction. Example: I'm re-watching Battlestar Galactica, and by God if I never noticed it the first time, but that show is seriously bashing you over the head with the message "you have to take responsibility for your mistakes", sometimes devoting whole episodes and huge numbers of characters to the task of only this: illustrating how important it is to take responsibility for your mistakes. Honestly, it seems like a more badly-written show now that I see this; like I can see the writers in the board room making this artificial decision and then agreeing to make all the story arcs revolve around it.
As for my own work, I think it's turned out valuable to have encountered this, and I'm not sorry I had it recommended to me (the only part I dislike is his chapter about gender, in which he makes cheap analogies in every paragraph with really outmoded models of both genders; that chapter really detracts from the whole book and it subtracted a star from my rating of it) however, as with all advice-books about writing (and I try, these days, not to read too many of those) I take it with a grain of salt. I feel like, after having read a great many writing-advice-books, I've gotten something out of most of them but it doesn't seem like a good idea to follow any of them whole-portion, this one included. As with my Battlestar Galactica example above, I think if one relies on the principle of Theme to totally carry a story, to be reliable beyond fault and to make an otherwise pointless story meaningful, you're going to wind up with something missing, something that looks hackneyed when looked on by one that knows this trick. To me, the most interesting thing about this book was it seems that all of Hollywood is following it (or at least to some degree, I am instantly able to recognize this technique in many shows) but just because all of Hollywood is following something doesn't make it fullproof, it doesn't even make it a guarantee of quality. It's just another recipe.
It's good, I think, for a writer to consider what the drive and message of their story is, and I think this book can help one work on that. And this book may also serve as a good training tool for creating material that really leaves the reader with something valuable to walk away with, I think-- but don't expect this to be the magic cure-all that solves all your story problems, makes you sophisticated and gives you something to say. That said, I'd recommend this work-- perhaps as much to those who love film, as to those seeking to write. It will make the cracks in the cement visible, which I think isn't necessarily a bad thing. My dawning realization that Battlestar Galactica isn't as quality as I once thought, will I think in the end make me better at making stories that do have the level of quality I'd like to serve. Writing awesomely is such a big topic, and so many people have so many thoughts on it and so many people want so badly to write and are frustrated, this is one of the gems amongst that material.
I just don't care for the gender-obsessed chapter, I'd suggest skipping that one :)
Here's the summary of why this book is significant, which I'm restating as a mixture of what I remember reading and what I remember hearing from those endorsements: the backbone of fiction is theme. Understanding this, you can use it to make the work of writing meaningful fiction easier. And also, perhaps even more significant, you start to see how fiction in our pop culture: movies, tv series, comics and even games use this principle, sometimes clumsily, sometimes quite obviously (obvious, at least, once you've read Invisible Ink) in order to inject a deep message worthy of communicating through the system of Story.
This is, at least, what I've gotten out of it. Since reading this, it seems like every time I watch fictional TV series, I'm seeing the Invisible Ink: the actual message that they're trying to tell you, the moral of the story, through the guise of fiction. Example: I'm re-watching Battlestar Galactica, and by God if I never noticed it the first time, but that show is seriously bashing you over the head with the message "you have to take responsibility for your mistakes", sometimes devoting whole episodes and huge numbers of characters to the task of only this: illustrating how important it is to take responsibility for your mistakes. Honestly, it seems like a more badly-written show now that I see this; like I can see the writers in the board room making this artificial decision and then agreeing to make all the story arcs revolve around it.
As for my own work, I think it's turned out valuable to have encountered this, and I'm not sorry I had it recommended to me (the only part I dislike is his chapter about gender, in which he makes cheap analogies in every paragraph with really outmoded models of both genders; that chapter really detracts from the whole book and it subtracted a star from my rating of it) however, as with all advice-books about writing (and I try, these days, not to read too many of those) I take it with a grain of salt. I feel like, after having read a great many writing-advice-books, I've gotten something out of most of them but it doesn't seem like a good idea to follow any of them whole-portion, this one included. As with my Battlestar Galactica example above, I think if one relies on the principle of Theme to totally carry a story, to be reliable beyond fault and to make an otherwise pointless story meaningful, you're going to wind up with something missing, something that looks hackneyed when looked on by one that knows this trick. To me, the most interesting thing about this book was it seems that all of Hollywood is following it (or at least to some degree, I am instantly able to recognize this technique in many shows) but just because all of Hollywood is following something doesn't make it fullproof, it doesn't even make it a guarantee of quality. It's just another recipe.
It's good, I think, for a writer to consider what the drive and message of their story is, and I think this book can help one work on that. And this book may also serve as a good training tool for creating material that really leaves the reader with something valuable to walk away with, I think-- but don't expect this to be the magic cure-all that solves all your story problems, makes you sophisticated and gives you something to say. That said, I'd recommend this work-- perhaps as much to those who love film, as to those seeking to write. It will make the cracks in the cement visible, which I think isn't necessarily a bad thing. My dawning realization that Battlestar Galactica isn't as quality as I once thought, will I think in the end make me better at making stories that do have the level of quality I'd like to serve. Writing awesomely is such a big topic, and so many people have so many thoughts on it and so many people want so badly to write and are frustrated, this is one of the gems amongst that material.
I just don't care for the gender-obsessed chapter, I'd suggest skipping that one :)
May 9, 2011
This is probably the most informative book on screenwriting to date bar none. I bought it twice after I loaned out the first one. I have read the following books on screenwriting:
Save The Cat, Save The Cat Strikes Back and Save The Cat Goes To The Movies: Snyder
Creating Unforgettable Characters: Linda Seger
Inside Story: Dara Marks
The Anatomy of Story: John Truby
The Foundation of Screenwriting: Syd Field
Story: Robert McKey
Writing for Emotional Impact: Karl Iglesias
The list goes on. These are only a fraction of the books I have on the subject. I have produced the film Blue Hill Avenue starring Allen Payne, William Forsythe and Clarence Williams III. I am currently a student at UCLA taking a screenwriting course with Victoria Wisdom (former agent for Christopher McQuarrie writer of The Usual Suspects) Brian gives a very in-dept view of the building blocks of story that most aspiring screenwriters have missed. He gives you an excellent tool set. As a writer he doesn't waste words, which was impressive in itself. He leads by example. Before you put pen to paper read this book and you'll have more than a shot. He should teach an online class. If you're out there hit me up at pytadmiration at yahoo dot com. I'll attend. If you're consulting we should talk. Keep up the good work.
Save The Cat, Save The Cat Strikes Back and Save The Cat Goes To The Movies: Snyder
Creating Unforgettable Characters: Linda Seger
Inside Story: Dara Marks
The Anatomy of Story: John Truby
The Foundation of Screenwriting: Syd Field
Story: Robert McKey
Writing for Emotional Impact: Karl Iglesias
The list goes on. These are only a fraction of the books I have on the subject. I have produced the film Blue Hill Avenue starring Allen Payne, William Forsythe and Clarence Williams III. I am currently a student at UCLA taking a screenwriting course with Victoria Wisdom (former agent for Christopher McQuarrie writer of The Usual Suspects) Brian gives a very in-dept view of the building blocks of story that most aspiring screenwriters have missed. He gives you an excellent tool set. As a writer he doesn't waste words, which was impressive in itself. He leads by example. Before you put pen to paper read this book and you'll have more than a shot. He should teach an online class. If you're out there hit me up at pytadmiration at yahoo dot com. I'll attend. If you're consulting we should talk. Keep up the good work.
June 5, 2010
I feel compelled to tell you about this book. It was recommended to me by a friend of mine (Matthew Haley) who is a film director, and it’s wonderful.
Maybe it hit me at just the right point in my “writerly” development, or maybe it’s just an amazing book.
It’s short and simple. It gets right to the point. It talks about the theme of your story, and how important it is to have one. It then goes into how to support your theme, with very clear explanation and good examples.
It has quite a few awful typos in one particular section, and I dunno what that’s about. It’s almost as if some of the text was cut and pasted into the wrong area. You’ll see what I mean. I suspect the layout person had a cat who walked on the keyboard while the person was in the loo.
Despite this somewhat shocking messiness in the one section, I am finding this book very helpful. I have known for awhile that I need to focus more on the forest and less on the trees in my writing, and this book addresses that. I’ve just finished a new story, and I already feel like my skills have improved noticeably. Just because I used the techniques he writes about in his book.
I love this book.
Maybe it hit me at just the right point in my “writerly” development, or maybe it’s just an amazing book.
It’s short and simple. It gets right to the point. It talks about the theme of your story, and how important it is to have one. It then goes into how to support your theme, with very clear explanation and good examples.
It has quite a few awful typos in one particular section, and I dunno what that’s about. It’s almost as if some of the text was cut and pasted into the wrong area. You’ll see what I mean. I suspect the layout person had a cat who walked on the keyboard while the person was in the loo.
Despite this somewhat shocking messiness in the one section, I am finding this book very helpful. I have known for awhile that I need to focus more on the forest and less on the trees in my writing, and this book addresses that. I’ve just finished a new story, and I already feel like my skills have improved noticeably. Just because I used the techniques he writes about in his book.
I love this book.
March 31, 2011
This is one of those rare screen writing books that not only make a lot of sense but hold your attention. I found this book almost un-put-down-able!
And, yes, its a must read for a writer of any kind, not just film.
And, yes, its a must read for a writer of any kind, not just film.
March 7, 2021
Phenomenal. I dropped out of college and learned things in a trial-by-error way throughout the course of writing and performing for a living this past decade. On a positive note, I read this happy that I wasn’t COMPLETELY failing at everything, as Brian’s book gave language to much of what I have learned but communicated differently (or not quite known how to communicate at all). On the flip side, I am aware of all kinds of “darlings” that I have not allowed to die in my own work because of the ways I’ve wanted to control rather than submit to my own stories. I’ve had a growing longing in me to “know the rules” instead of just breaking them. I feel more prepared (let alone inspired) to enter into my own creative process with clearer direction and understanding about how to accomplish what I’ve set out to do.
June 15, 2021
I’m not usually a fan of creative writing manuals but I found this one really useful. It’s written in clear, accessible language and uses familiar, pop culture references to illustrate its points (Spielberg movies etc). It’s slim enough to read in a few hours but packed with practical ideas. Highly recommended for anyone struggling to plot out a story, novel, script etc.
February 12, 2013
This is not being a step-by-step how-to guide to screenwriting, but it offers fundamental insight into the purpose itself of writing stories. It's a way to analyze the main spine of everything that should form your story, and make sure one doesn't go off track.
Incredible easy to read, short and sweet, yet the message lingers for a long while. I'd say this plus Save The Cat would be an ideal way to start for anyone getting into screenwriting; one offers delineated structure, the other the commitment and passion.
Incredible easy to read, short and sweet, yet the message lingers for a long while. I'd say this plus Save The Cat would be an ideal way to start for anyone getting into screenwriting; one offers delineated structure, the other the commitment and passion.
March 26, 2016
This was SO good and such a great reading/learning experience! Would recommend anyone wanting to go into visual storytelling and doing big projects. It's a must have for people that do!
When I start writing my own animations I will definitely keep going back to this to absorb all this goodness again and again, 5 stars well deserved!
When I start writing my own animations I will definitely keep going back to this to absorb all this goodness again and again, 5 stars well deserved!
June 7, 2019
One of my new favorite craft books! Highly recommend.
June 2, 2021
This book has articulated various key elements of story building including how should story be started, how to build pace and structure the body after the opening lines and eventually how story must come to an end.
The key elements has been explained through various reference of many movies .
“First, you must know where you are going or you will never get there. Then you must let the audience know where you are taking them. You show them the armature—the idea you want to build on. One way this is done is to have a character state out loud what you want to say with your story.
“Remember that your armature is the foundation that holds up your story. Everything hangs on top of it. Every decision you make should be based on the idea of dramatizing your armature idea”
“Dramatization is a way to get your intellectual ideas across to your audience emotionally.”
“THEME BEATS LOGIC
“Don’t give me logic, give me emotion.”
Use of clone
“A “clone” in story terms is a tool for showing, not telling. Clones are characters in your story that represent what could, should or might happen to the protagonist if they take a particular path”
“storyteller should know why every character in their story exists. They should not be there just to “flesh out the world,”
“Sacrifice is an important part of what makes a protagonist a hero. Few of us have much respect for someone who has had things too easily. We admire struggle and sacrifice”
“If you can have your protagonist make the ultimate sacrifice, that’s great. But make sure they finish their story first. What I mean is, if you kill the character in the middle of their journey, it isn’t satisfying”
“always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If you do this always, you will be a master storyteller. This is much harder than it sounds”
“our job as storytellers is to tell the truth. Your stories will have much more resonance if you do”
“You are a slave to your story, not a master. Your characters, places, scenes, and sequences must be built around the armature.”
“Respect your audience. It’s not their job to “get it”; it’s your job to communicate it to them.
The key elements has been explained through various reference of many movies .
“First, you must know where you are going or you will never get there. Then you must let the audience know where you are taking them. You show them the armature—the idea you want to build on. One way this is done is to have a character state out loud what you want to say with your story.
“Remember that your armature is the foundation that holds up your story. Everything hangs on top of it. Every decision you make should be based on the idea of dramatizing your armature idea”
“Dramatization is a way to get your intellectual ideas across to your audience emotionally.”
“THEME BEATS LOGIC
“Don’t give me logic, give me emotion.”
Use of clone
“A “clone” in story terms is a tool for showing, not telling. Clones are characters in your story that represent what could, should or might happen to the protagonist if they take a particular path”
“storyteller should know why every character in their story exists. They should not be there just to “flesh out the world,”
“Sacrifice is an important part of what makes a protagonist a hero. Few of us have much respect for someone who has had things too easily. We admire struggle and sacrifice”
“If you can have your protagonist make the ultimate sacrifice, that’s great. But make sure they finish their story first. What I mean is, if you kill the character in the middle of their journey, it isn’t satisfying”
“always tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. If you do this always, you will be a master storyteller. This is much harder than it sounds”
“our job as storytellers is to tell the truth. Your stories will have much more resonance if you do”
“You are a slave to your story, not a master. Your characters, places, scenes, and sequences must be built around the armature.”
“Respect your audience. It’s not their job to “get it”; it’s your job to communicate it to them.
January 18, 2025
Wow! This book was incredible! Brian McDonald 100% knows what he’s talking about. He gives clear guidance on story structure (armature, as he calls it), how to make your characters really work, and how to create a story that will resonate with readers, regardless of genre or style or medium.
Four stars because of his choices of examples from some rather mature movies. I didn’t really appreciate some of the mature themes/profanities used. But all in all, a fantastic book. Those who read it would be hard-pressed not to desire to write a beautiful story afterwards.
Four stars because of his choices of examples from some rather mature movies. I didn’t really appreciate some of the mature themes/profanities used. But all in all, a fantastic book. Those who read it would be hard-pressed not to desire to write a beautiful story afterwards.
June 15, 2014
In my ongoing quest to learn more about story structure and character design as I work on my own fiction writing, I chose this book as the next instructional reference, because it comes so highly recommended by many others. In particular, many who skewer another oft-recommended book, Save the Cat!, as being too simplistic, hold this up as being a much better reference. Having read this entire book in one day, I find it hard to defend that assertion.
I think that the author of the book, Brian McDonald, does a good job of explaining what he means by "invisible ink" -- it's all the parts of the book you don't see. The backstory the author wrote, but doesn't come out explicitly; the theme (which McDonald calls the "armature"), which is usually not openly stated; and the like. These elements are important, and McDonald certainly doesn't say anything that is untrue. However, most of these things are common knowledge and I have been aware of them since high school.
Some of the major points that McDonald claims are "invisible" to most people but key to developing a good story are:
Three act structure -- mentioned briefly but not really explained at all
An over-arching theme, such as "You are who you choose to be."
Show don't tell
Use supporting characters to show "might have been"
The main character should change as a result of the climax
Balance externalized action with internal/emotional content
This is all good basic advice, but it's the same advice you will get from any writing book or any writing class. There is nothing really new here.
Furthermore, telling us that we should do these things doesn't provide a whole lot of help. Most of these ideas can be dispensed with in a few short pages (and, indeed, they are, by McDonald). The question I always have is, "OK, knowing about these things, how do I implement them in my own writing?" For example, how does one come up with a theme? What sorts of themes resonate? How do you know when you have a good one? McDonald's book is completely mute on this point.
For those who claim that this book is better than Snyder's Save the Cat!, I would point out that Snyder does a much better job with theme than McDonald does with "armature" (which is the same thing under a different name -- another annoying habit of McDonald's is coming up with new names for old concepts). For example, Snyder points out that many writers don't sit down and say, "I want to write a story about the theme 'you are who you choose to be,'" but rather, as they are writing the story, the theme can often evolve out of it. Snyder tells us that either way is fine -- setting the theme first and then writing the story, or writing the story and letting the them arise almost as an "emergent property." McDonald, in Invisible Ink, says nothing about either process. Where does the theme come from in a story? He doesn't provide any clue at all.
The same is true for most of the rest of McDonald's advice: it is extremely vague and general. It's easy to wave your hand and say "Balance the external and internal action." But how does one do this? Surely there are techniques -- tried-and-true methods that help one take an internal struggle and externally dramatize it. Certainly, MacDonald provides lots of examples from his favorite movies like Jaws and E.T. But telling me that Jaws is an example of an internal struggle that has been externalized does not explain the process by which one would go about doing the same in one's own story.
In the end, this book was extremely superficial and had very little meat on its bones. Out of all the books on writing I have read (and it's been a good half-dozen by now), this one has the smallest quantity of helpful advice. For all the razzing Snyder takes, I credit him with at least providing the aspiring writer a bunch of techniques (bulletin boards divided into acts with a certain number of index cards per act... suggestions on how many pages to have per section of the script... etc) to accomplish the advice he is giving you. With Invisible Ink, if you don't know how to come up with a 3-act structure, McDonald's book won't help you. And if you don't know how to come up with a theme, it won't help you do that either. All it'll tell you is that "you need one!"
Overall, I found this book to be extremely general and simplistic. I read this book in a day, not because it was so good I couldn't put it down, but because it was such pablum that I was able to blow through it. A good book on writing should see me making highlights and notes all over it. I highlighted TWO sentences in this book and made not one note.
If you know anything at all about things such as theme and character development, this book is probably too basic for you. If you've never heard of theme or don't know anything about dramatization, then perhaps this book is worth a look.
A final word... I read the eBook version of this on my Nook. It was horrible. Other than periods and commas, nearly all forms of punctuation are absent, including apostrophes and colons. In many cases these characters weren't even replaced by spaces... they are simply deleted. This has the effect of running words together. This is not the author's fault, but someone screwed up turning this into an eBook. I'd suggest getting the paperback or hardcover of this book instead. Definitely do not buy it for the Nook.
I think that the author of the book, Brian McDonald, does a good job of explaining what he means by "invisible ink" -- it's all the parts of the book you don't see. The backstory the author wrote, but doesn't come out explicitly; the theme (which McDonald calls the "armature"), which is usually not openly stated; and the like. These elements are important, and McDonald certainly doesn't say anything that is untrue. However, most of these things are common knowledge and I have been aware of them since high school.
Some of the major points that McDonald claims are "invisible" to most people but key to developing a good story are:
Three act structure -- mentioned briefly but not really explained at all
An over-arching theme, such as "You are who you choose to be."
Show don't tell
Use supporting characters to show "might have been"
The main character should change as a result of the climax
Balance externalized action with internal/emotional content
This is all good basic advice, but it's the same advice you will get from any writing book or any writing class. There is nothing really new here.
Furthermore, telling us that we should do these things doesn't provide a whole lot of help. Most of these ideas can be dispensed with in a few short pages (and, indeed, they are, by McDonald). The question I always have is, "OK, knowing about these things, how do I implement them in my own writing?" For example, how does one come up with a theme? What sorts of themes resonate? How do you know when you have a good one? McDonald's book is completely mute on this point.
For those who claim that this book is better than Snyder's Save the Cat!, I would point out that Snyder does a much better job with theme than McDonald does with "armature" (which is the same thing under a different name -- another annoying habit of McDonald's is coming up with new names for old concepts). For example, Snyder points out that many writers don't sit down and say, "I want to write a story about the theme 'you are who you choose to be,'" but rather, as they are writing the story, the theme can often evolve out of it. Snyder tells us that either way is fine -- setting the theme first and then writing the story, or writing the story and letting the them arise almost as an "emergent property." McDonald, in Invisible Ink, says nothing about either process. Where does the theme come from in a story? He doesn't provide any clue at all.
The same is true for most of the rest of McDonald's advice: it is extremely vague and general. It's easy to wave your hand and say "Balance the external and internal action." But how does one do this? Surely there are techniques -- tried-and-true methods that help one take an internal struggle and externally dramatize it. Certainly, MacDonald provides lots of examples from his favorite movies like Jaws and E.T. But telling me that Jaws is an example of an internal struggle that has been externalized does not explain the process by which one would go about doing the same in one's own story.
In the end, this book was extremely superficial and had very little meat on its bones. Out of all the books on writing I have read (and it's been a good half-dozen by now), this one has the smallest quantity of helpful advice. For all the razzing Snyder takes, I credit him with at least providing the aspiring writer a bunch of techniques (bulletin boards divided into acts with a certain number of index cards per act... suggestions on how many pages to have per section of the script... etc) to accomplish the advice he is giving you. With Invisible Ink, if you don't know how to come up with a 3-act structure, McDonald's book won't help you. And if you don't know how to come up with a theme, it won't help you do that either. All it'll tell you is that "you need one!"
Overall, I found this book to be extremely general and simplistic. I read this book in a day, not because it was so good I couldn't put it down, but because it was such pablum that I was able to blow through it. A good book on writing should see me making highlights and notes all over it. I highlighted TWO sentences in this book and made not one note.
If you know anything at all about things such as theme and character development, this book is probably too basic for you. If you've never heard of theme or don't know anything about dramatization, then perhaps this book is worth a look.
A final word... I read the eBook version of this on my Nook. It was horrible. Other than periods and commas, nearly all forms of punctuation are absent, including apostrophes and colons. In many cases these characters weren't even replaced by spaces... they are simply deleted. This has the effect of running words together. This is not the author's fault, but someone screwed up turning this into an eBook. I'd suggest getting the paperback or hardcover of this book instead. Definitely do not buy it for the Nook.
August 22, 2020
I haven't read any other books on fiction writing and this one seems to cover a lot, yet is short enough to read quickly. I can't say how it compares to other similar books. I found it useful.
I'm removing one star because the author chose to rationalize an unnecessarily gendered concept with a junk science book. 90% of that chapter can be tossed out, and the book would be better for it.
I'm removing one star because the author chose to rationalize an unnecessarily gendered concept with a junk science book. 90% of that chapter can be tossed out, and the book would be better for it.
August 9, 2022
Most of this book was review for me, and I tend to prefer books that are a bit more systematic in its exploration of storytelling. But it was still a good book with plenty of solid tips! And I did learn a few things from it. Especially if more systematic approaches like Weiland's aren't your cup of tea, you may prefer MacDonald's approach.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
October 17, 2022
Nothing was wrong in this book, it was just a very rudimentary how-to for writing stories and scripts. So basic that I didn’t even note anything down (lessons like, have both emotion and action in your stories (which he kept calling the feminine and the masculine.) Yes. I know.)
February 24, 2024
read for school! short and easy read with interesting stories dissecting popular films and books. the masculine/feminine story aspect section is definitely odd but I get the author’s point
October 11, 2017
Things for me to remember: It is an equal balance of physical and emotional stimulus to the pace of the story that creates a wholistic story. Your job is to tell the truth, everything else is cliche. Your armature is key, it's what holds the entire story in place.
July 23, 2016
This little book showed me the secret to great writing so profound I cried. Many years ago a friend gave me this book as a gift. I shelved it. Later, when moving, I sold it to a secondhand bookstore without reading it. And now I have stumbled on it again, on a suggestion of a reader. The time was right. I knew I must read it. I did. And I wept. I am blind no longer. Every writer, READ THIS BOOK. It will make your writing better in ways you can't imagine.
February 5, 2016
One of the best books on how to write. I review this book every year to gleam more from it. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to become a writer of stories. Everyone should read this book first before trying to write so they can avoid the common flaws of beginners. You should also listen to a podcast called "writing excuses".
July 27, 2011
Brian McDonald is a genius. His insights into what makes storytelling work are invaluable. I will have this close to me on my bookshelf at all times.
December 4, 2011
This is quite possibly the best book on story structure that I have ever read. Clear, consise, and chock full of information for anyone interested in telling stories no matter what the medium.
May 29, 2012
Some good tips for structure. I like his notion that the best stories balance external (action) and internal (emotion).
September 19, 2012
If you want to write any kind of story from picture books, novels, or screen plays, you NEED to read this book. I learned so much about how to write a good story. AWESOMENESS!!
July 28, 2012
Read it all in one (and a half) sitting. Riveting, and a great resource.
August 8, 2012
This book is pretty fantastic, and very accessible. I read it online for free, but will absolutely be purchasing it. It is well worth the money.
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