From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story
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Example: All stories make a point
From the course: Writing: The Craft of Story
Example: All stories make a point
- A mistake many aspiring writers make is that they only focus on the most visible part of the story, the plot. So they tell us a whole bunch of general things that happen, but it doesn't add up to anything. A summary of their overall story often goes something like this. - [Writer] My novel is about a guy who's been genetically engineered to have an amazing memory. Ever since he was a child, he was groomed to become a CIA operative, so he's never had a normal life. Now he's part of an elite group of spies that goes all over the world solving the toughest intelligence problems, but no one knows he's been genetically altered. It all goes well until he falls for a woman he's sent to spy on. - Which leaves me wondering, and so what's the point? Clearly, this example doesn't focus in on our three essential elements, the theme, the internal issue and the plot. Let's see if we can help the writer dig deep and improve her summary. First, theme.…
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