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Some Frequently Asked Questions About The Novel and Script First Draft Course About Novel & Script Course Dates & Prices Testimonials About Online
Answer: The whole point of structure is to take a character on an emotional and spiritual journey of change in an entertaining and dramatic way. In essence, character and structure are the same thing. Structure is about creating the most dramatic, entertaining and powerful journey for your character. As Stephen Barnes says, "Story and character are two sides of the same coin ... a story exists to reveal the character." By being
guided and coached, the possibilities and quality of your
stories will expand dramatically.
Answer: No, not at all. Finding and clarifying your story is the first step in the process of The Novel and Script First Draft Course. (If you already have a story you'll clarify and expand it.) We spend a full Saturday session and a full weekend going through a process designed to help you find the story you want to write, one that resonates with your psyche and has a sound dramatic logic. You will come up with a ten-step outline that will guide the writing of your first draft, bearing in mind it will evolve during the process. This means
by the time you start writing your first draft, you can be
confident that you have a story you want to write - one that
has a solid structure that will work, if you put the effort
into writing it.
Answer: You spend a full Saturday class from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and a full weekend finding your story. You then come in once a month for a full Saturday for eight months, during which time you work through your first draft. During these classes you will: Work through the 29 story steps, four at a time, learn about structure and apply the steps to your story. At home you will: Write your scenes using the unique interactive online component to guide you.
Answer: Everyone is amazed how their fellow writers in the course keep them on track, accountable and inspired. In fact, the
29-step structure, the step-by-step process, the targeted
exercises, the planning tools and the guidance and coaching
from Roland all contribute to pushing your story way beyond
what you could do on your own.
Answer: One of the most frequently asked questions at The Writers' Studio since Roland started running writing courses in 1992 is, "Who has the talent to be a writer?" Roland's experience, working with thousands of writers, is that everyone who has the desire to write has the talent. The only thing that stops most people is a lack of persistence, discipline and self-belief. As James A Garfield said, "If hard work isn't talent, it is the best substitute for it." Deep down, we all know that we have something worthwhile to communicate - a creative force that resides in us all. To begin with, it's just a matter of overcoming what is stopping us, blocking us. Then you have to set about learning to craft the outpourings of your imagination into a form that resonates with readers. As Henry Miller said, "Every day we slaughter our finest impulses. That is why we get a heart-ache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognise them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled because we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty. Every man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source. There is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, only to discover what is already there." And
Stephen Barnes, "Everything you want in life is on
the other side of fear and discipline."
Answer: We recommend that before writing your screenplay in scene format, you need to find your story first in a prose format. That is the most important thing. This is what writing a first draft is all about. Then, once you've found your story, you can put it into screenplay scene format. We've found there's a real benefit in writing the first draft in prose form because it allows you to connect with the emotional truth of your characters, create images and subtext at a much deeper level than if you write it in strict scene format from the outset. The first
draft becomes like an extended treatment where you explore
the deeper themes and dramatic possibilities. Once you've
nailed your story down in prose, you can put it into script
format.
Answer: The courses are actually set up so that people can write their novel or script and work in a full time job. The time commitment for classes for The Novel and Script First Draft Course is one full Saturday a month and a full intensive weekend. In the weeks in between, you need to spend from thirty minutes to up to an hour a day, four to five days a week, planning and writing your scenes. Once you
start your story, it tends to write itself, provided you
have the discipline and commitment to write regularly. And
if you do need to miss a Saturday workshop, all of the
material is online.
Answer: Yes. The classic structure is present in all genres. We've had people write literary novels, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, character driven screenplays, adventure stories, children's stories, love stories, comedies and detective novels. It is just a
question of using the structure and working with your tutor
to draw out the particular archetypal dynamics of your
genre.
Answer:
In a couple of words, it doesn't. A first draft is not
the time for research. A first draft is designed to find
your story. If you have to, imagine the details, make them
up. Research at the first draft stage is like wearing a
straightjacket and can be a great excuse to not write at
all. There is a place for research, but only in later
drafts.
Answer:
The Novel and Script First Draft Course is totally
practical. We do use examples of novels and films to
illustrate points, but there is no in depth university-style
analysis. We have a recommended reading and film list on our
website of classic stories. We do suggest you take advantage
of these to study and learn from some of the greats as you
are writing your first draft.
Answer: The Novel and Script First Draft Course is designed to guide you in telling a story. It is obviously essential for fiction, but not so for non-fiction. However, if you want to write narrative non-fiction, story structure is extremely important, and the best non-fiction utilises structure. However, the challenge for the non-fiction writer, particularly if it is autobiography, is that one tends to be too close to the facts and too attached to "exactly what happened." This can get in the way in the First Draft process. For the
purpose of telling a story, you want to focus on the facts
that serve the story, not have the facts dictate the story.
For those attached to the facts this can be very
challenging. But for those who are open to the process it
can be a very worthwhile experience.
1) If you book before the start of the Unlocking Creativity Course of your choice, you will receive the Unlocking Creativity Course ($425) for free and the Novel and Script First Draft Course for $2995. That is a saving of $825. 2) If you book for the Novel and Script Course during your Unlocking Creativity class, course fee will be $2995. Save $400 3) If you
book for the Novel and Script Course after your Unlocking
Creativity Course the course fee is standard $3395
About the Courses About Novel & Script Course Dates & Prices Testimonials Useful
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interview with Robert
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