Beating the Story by Robin D. Laws - Revision history

Snapai: /* The Building Blocks of Narrative */

2021-02-01T04:33:45Z

The Building Blocks of Narrative

Snapai: /* Ups and Downs */

2021-02-01T03:59:17Z

Ups and Downs

Snapai: /* The Building Blocks of Narrative */

2021-02-01T00:03:13Z

The Building Blocks of Narrative

Snapai: /* Conceiving Your Story */

2021-01-30T19:55:02Z

Conceiving Your Story

Show changes

Snapai: /* Prologue */

2021-01-30T16:48:57Z

Prologue

Snapai: /* Beat Analysis */

2021-01-29T20:50:24Z

Beat Analysis

Snapai: /* Editing and Giving Notes */

2021-01-29T20:45:48Z

Editing and Giving Notes

Snapai: /* Revision */

2021-01-29T20:40:51Z

Revision

Snapai: /* First Draft */

2021-01-29T20:06:29Z

First Draft

Snapai: /* Mapping Your Story */

2021-01-29T17:54:21Z

Mapping Your Story

@@ Line 170: / Line 170: @@
 ==The Building Blocks of Narrative==
 ===Emotional Rhythm===
 ====Hope and Fear====
-====Ups and Downs====
+Story moment (beat) holds suspense between a positive and negative outcome.
 The exit category of any given story beat, whether the overall tension arc goes up or down.
-;Upbeat:lightens the mood, lowers the tension
+;Up note:lightens the mood, lowers the tension
 :[[File:Arrow up.png|128x128px]]
-;Downbeat:lowers the mood, raises the tension
+;Down note:lowers the mood, raises the tension
 :[[File:Arrow down.png|128x128px]]
-;Lateral:Doesn't affect hopes or fears, for mechanical reasons.
+;Lateral note:Doesn't affect hopes or fears, for mechanical reasons.
 :Should be rare - many means either an experimental script, or more likely, a dull one.
 :[[File:Arrow lateral.png|128x128px]]
-;Crossed Arrows:More interesting, mixed messages, viewers interests or expanded knowledge are at odds with the emotional tone of the scene
+;Counterpoint:More interesting, mixed messages, viewers interests or expanded knowledge are at odds with the emotional tone of the scene
 :[[File:Arrow crossed.png|128x128px]]
 ===Beats===
 ====Foundation Beats====
 ;Dramatic:one character pursuing a need for emotional reward from another

@@ Line 173: / Line 173: @@
 ====Hope and Fear====
 ====Ups and Downs====
 ;Upbeat:lightens the mood, lowers the tension
 :[[File:Arrow up.png|128x128px]]
@@ Line 182: / Line 183: @@
 ;Crossed Arrows:More interesting, mixed messages, viewers interests or expanded knowledge are at odds with the emotional tone of the scene
 :[[File:Arrow crossed.png|128x128px]]
 ===Beats===
 ====Foundation Beats====

@@ Line 173: / Line 173: @@
 ====Hope and Fear====
 ====Ups and Downs====
-====Laterals====
+;Upbeat:lightens the mood, lowers the tension
-====Crossed Arrows====
+:[[File:Arrow up.png|128x128px]]
 ===Beats===
 ====Foundation Beats====
-=====Dramatic=====
+;Dramatic:one character pursuing a need for emotional reward from another
-=====Procedural=====
+:[[File:Beat dramatic.png|128x128px]]
 =====Finding Your Mix=====
 ====Information Beats====
-=====Pipe=====
+Engage your readers by providing information needed to understand the story.
-=====Question=====
+;Pipe:Establish facts that come to matter later in the narrative
-=====Reveal=====
+:best embedded in a dramatic beat if it happens later, so you're not stopping the narrative for more info
 ====Flourish Beats====
-=====Commentary=====
+;Commentary:Pause to directly offer thoughts on the matter
-=====Anticipation=====
+:[[File:Beat commentary.png|128x128px]]
-=====Gratification=====
+;Anticipation:An emotional upbeat where the audience is given a sign of things to come
-=====Bringdown=====
+:[[File:Beat anticipation.png|128x128px]]
 ====Focus Characters====
 ====Between Procedural and Dramatic====
 ====Turning Commentary Beats into Foundation Beats====
 ===Transition Mapping===
 ====Momentum====
 ====Scenes and Blocks====
 ====Transition Types====
-=====Outgrowth=====
+;Outgrowth:Strongest momentum - New scene develops from a consequence of the immediately previous scene
-=====Continuation=====
+:[[File:Trans outgrowth.png|128x128px]]
-=====Turn=====
+;Continuation:Same character in pursuit of the same goal, but not events related to previous scene
-=====Break=====
+:[[File:Trans continuation.png|128x128px]]
-=====Viewpoint=====
+;Turn:3rd smoothest transition - Same viewpoint character, clearly different goals
-=====Rhyme=====
+:[[File:Trans turn.png|128x128px]]
-=====Meanwhile=====
+;Break:Costs momentum - Different time, different place, entirely different plot thread.
-=====Flashback=====
+:[[File:Trans break.png|128x128px]]
-=====Return=====
+;Viewpoint:Extra cost for picking up new character POV - Shift to a character's viewpoint for the first time.
-=====Flash Forward=====
+:[[File:Trans viewpoint.png|128x128px]]
 ==Laying the Groundwork==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Prologue==
 ===Six Essential Tips===
-====Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Write====
+;Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Write: All the schematics in the world won't help if you're not fluent with writing words, you need the practice, like any art.
-====Ideas are Worthless====
+;Ideas are Worthless:There are lots of cool ideas out there, many like yours - the thing that makes them work is the execution, not the concept, you have to do work to create a work
-====Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Read====
+;Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Read: The more works and styles you're familiar with, the more ingredients in your writer's cookbook, the better your style will taste.
-====Don't just Read Books, Read Life====
+;Don't just Read Books, Read Life: Real life serves as both an inspiration for authentic interaction, and a way to break uniquely from tropes. Study what people do/say as if you were trying to learn how they work so as to be a person.
-====If You Can See Yourself Doing Anything Else, Do That Instead====
+;If You Can See Yourself Doing Anything Else, Do That Instead: The societal rewards for writing are largely mythical, write because you are drawn to or have to do it, not for money, validation, lifestyle.
-====Seriously, Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Write====
+;Seriously, Sit Your Ass in the Chair and Write: If you still will be a writer, then write.
 ===Making This Book Work For You===
 ===Style Notes===
 ===Does This Sound Eerily Familiar?===
 ==Conceiving Your Story==

@@ Line 213: / Line 213: @@
 ===Classroom Use===
 ==Now, Over To You==
 ==Inspiration to Premise Worksheet==
 ==Beat Mapping Quick Reference==

@@ Line 198: / Line 198: @@
 ==Revision==
 ==Editing and Giving Notes==
 ==Beat Analysis==

@@ Line 122: / Line 122: @@
 ==Mapping Your Story==
 ==First Draft==
 ==Revision==