Developing story ideas

About This Book

Developing Story Ideas offers students and other young artists a spectrum of resources and a structure of writing practice so that anyone can quickly and reliably generate a wide variety of stories in a broad range of forms. It first shows you how to observe life around you -- its characters, locations, objects, situations, acts, and themes -- and use these observations as the basis for story-telling. Exercises and projects help you draw an artistic self-profile to summarize what you most need to investigate in your creative work. Developing Story Ideas imparts the principles of dramatic analysis. Each project assignment is illustrated by examples from young writers, along with in-depth discussions. Dramatic language, principles, and critical method emerge in their working context. This book is unique because it not only demystifies the artistic process, but also shows you how you can form a picture of your own artistic identity. By analyzing your resonances, by identifying the themes in the work you produce, you will see your own underlying quest in life emerge. This quest and the preoccupations that come with it are the source of your writing "voice," your authenticity as an artist, and your energy to create. The last chapters contain hints for expanding an outline into a full-length literary piece, screenplay, or stage play. Teacher's notes are provided for anyone wanting to use this book in a classroom or self-help writers' group. - Back cover.