Beating the Story by Robin D. Laws

Prologue

Six Essential Tips

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

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

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

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

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

If you still will be a writer, then write.

Making This Book Work For You

Take this method with a grain of salt - use only what works for you, don't force your work to conform to the method. Remember the Vilppu Rule.

Style Notes

reader(s), viewer(s), audience - these are the same people, just depending on medium.

Does This Sound Eerily Familiar?

Robin's previous book, "Hamlet's Hit Points" uses this beat analysis, applied to TTRPGs.