The start.
Novels, films, television shows, and even gossip between friends have a simple, foolproof structure.
I don’t reinvent the wheel.
The outline.
You’ve heard of beginning, middle, end.
Master storytellers can expand or manipulate that structure.
That’s where I start.
Figuring out that map.
Big picture.
I imagine the big picture before I get into the details.
It can—and certainly will—change later.
For example, often, I’m in the middle of a story, make a discovery, and pivot.
Sometimes it’s a major plot point. Sometimes it’s changing a character’s name. Sometimes it’s finding the title.
In A Star Is Bored, I came up with the title when I was almost finished the first draft, so I went back and elevated the bits about the movie star’s boredom to make the theme pop.
Coming up.
How to write an outline. And where you can reach out to me to ask any questions.
