"Story Line - Finding Gold In Your Life Story," by Jen Grisanti, is an oldie but a goodie (published in 2011). It crossed my path in its own time, in its own way. And yes, it is all about how to approach writing scripts. I am not a scriptwriter (yet), but I do believe that the information Grisanti shares is applicable to the genres I do write in - flash fiction and cozy mysteries.
Grisanti has stellar credentials - she was mentored for twelve years by Aaron Spelling, was Vice President of Current Programs at CBS/Paramount, and served as a mentor in the CBS Diversity Program. In 2008 she launched her own company, Jen Grisanti Consultancy Inc., and was hired as the Writing Instructor for NBC's Writers In The Verge.
The foundation of this book is to help writers connect with their audience on a strong emotional level. This is done by writers going deep within themselves and using their personal experiences to add depth and authenticity to their writing.
The book is organized into the following categories: Setup (where the story starts), Dilemma (dilemma as used to clearly establish the character's goals), Action (the actions taken to achieve a goal, coming from the writer's own experiences), and Goal (the character's life after their goal is accomplished).
I am a pantser - I do not write out more than a bare-bones guide for my stories. What I found in reading this book is that when I use my own experiences, I write from a stronger place. I am more confident in my work, and my stories pull together easier.
Grisanti encourages the reader to take a deep dive into themselves. To look at themselves, to work with what they know. Each of us will take away something different from this book, but each of us as writers, will be better people for it.
(c) October 2022 Bonnie Cehovet
Reproduction is prohibited without written permission from the author.
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