Most people are drawn to writing memoirs because they have gone through a profound life experience and want to share it with the world.
Maya Angelou said: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
This article is designed to help you unlock and realise the dramatic potential of your life’s narrative.
Writing a successful novel or screenplay that resonates with readers doesn’t happen by accident.
As John Tullius, author and founder of the Maui Writers’ Conference, said, “I don’t care how talented you are. It’s not about contacting your muse. Success comes from taking the time to learn the craft.”
There are many different elements that go into the process of completing a story. Broadly speaking, they are planning, writing, rewriting and editing.
The act of writing fiction is a complex and deeply personal endeavour. For many authors, the importance of process in fiction writing cannot be overstated. It is through the writing process that ideas transform into stories, and intentions evolve into art. In the words of Anais Nin, “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
Emotion is the lifeblood of fiction, the beating heart that gives narratives their vitality and resonance. It is the driving force that captivates readers, creates empathetic connections, and leaves a lasting impact.
As the celebrated novelist Joseph Conrad once wrote, “To make you see, to make you hear, to make you feel. That is all, and that is everything.”
At the end of last year, an award-winning Australian film director told me that people often asked him how to best learn to become a filmmaker. His response – study Breaking Bad created by Vince Gilligan.
Like many of the ground-breaking cable television series, Breaking Bad unfolds like a good novel. David Simon, who created The Wire, another great series, pitched the crime writer, George Pelecanos, to join the writing team with the concept that The Wire was like a novel for television.
John Truby is a Hollywood screenwriting teacher and story consultant who shares many of the beliefs we hold about the process of storytelling and structure.
One of the key lessons we took away from this interview with him is that a good story and good writing comes as a result of sound structure and a well thought out, step-by-step process. You cannot really judge your work until you’ve completed the process.
We recently got the chance to chat with the lovely and talented Krew Boylan.
Krew has been taking writing courses with us for several years and is currently starring in the TV drama Wild Boys. Here’s what she has to say about her own creative journey.