A new post from Alex concerning the three act structure, on which she has based her lessons.
Personally, I thought this bit of explanation obvious, but then I'm one who has trod the boards in front of the footlights. Only semi-professional or for local amateur groups, but it means I have read my fair share of scripts to know the structure.
It also means I have a love for theatre, and have paid for a ticket to be an audience member for more than a few plays in my time.
But Alex alerts us to the three act structure and why we should use it for our own writing. And she is correct.
The form is one we all need to harness and perfect. I'm a student of history and find learning from the past a great thing. In this latest lesson, Alex combines the past history of story telling with the modern version you are trying to master to give comprhensive reasons as to why you should be looking to excel in the three act structure.
Combine this with all the other lessons offered so far, and you'll have to go a long way to find a more comprehensive set of instructions on how to write a good story.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
New Lessons
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good lessons to be learned.
ReplyDeleteSome writers tend to forget the lessons of theater. A play has nowhere to hide when the story drags on...
ReplyDeleteGreat point Aaron.
ReplyDeleteThe things Alex is pointing out through this "online course" are somewhat straight forward - once they've been pointed out. I guess if we all knew these things beforehand, we'd all be happily published with major book deals tucked away.
But practice and familiarity make close to perfect. Keep reading, watching movies, going to plays - and seriously thinking about what you just experienced and why you enjoyed/disliked it can only make you a better writer.
Taking a proven formula like the script, and inserting your own imagination into it can only be a good thing.
I agree wholeheartedly, Jamie - good lessons to be learned.