tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post4910190197021530803..comments2024-03-28T11:52:29.432-04:00Comments on Cockeyed Caravan: The Great Guru Showdown, Part 9: Jule SelboMatt Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-81676143513518226782011-11-21T19:54:33.835-05:002011-11-21T19:54:33.835-05:00Okay, I've read Selbo's book now and I'...Okay, I've read Selbo's book now and I'm kind of blown away by what I take to be her one big idea.<br /><br />She's got a similar take to yours on the inherent problem-solving structure of all stories. And her 11 steps correspond roughly to the stages of conflict in most screen stories. But the big new-to-me idea was that not every protagonist or story or genre spends the same amount of screen-time in any given stage.<br /><br />I've heard different writers before talk about doing outlines for both the interior and exterior beats of a story, but I've never heard anyone assert that these beats may not have a strict one-to-one correspondence.<br /><br />Selbo uses UNFORGIVEN as an example of a story that spends most of its time in her stage 8: All Falls Apart. She also noted that certain genres tend to spend most of their screen-time here, like disaster and horror films, which was where the light bulb went off above my head as I'm currently working on a horror story.<br /><br />This is not the same as saying Selbo believes movies shouldn't have a clear set-up, rising action, complication, crisis, climax and resolution. Or even recognizable act breaks. Just that the emotional journey of the protagonist need not reflect this structure so rigidly.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks for recommending this fantastic book I wouldn't have heard of otherwise. And if you ever go back to writing more about structure, I'd definitely be interested in reading more about these ideas.j.s.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-27009291414190432802011-10-06T00:46:55.085-04:002011-10-06T00:46:55.085-04:00I haven't read any of those! I've got to ...I haven't read any of those! I've got to track them down...<br /><br />Certainly this isn't a complete list of the screenwriting books I like, just the ones that offered a unique structure of their own. <br /><br />I could go on to discuss another ten gurus, from McKee on down, but I limited myself to these for now, which is good because it's exhausting re-reading (or re-skimming) a whole book for every day's entry!Matt Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319984238456281734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13294573.post-1515665082293936662011-10-05T22:32:11.943-04:002011-10-05T22:32:11.943-04:00Excellent series. I'm definitely going to che...Excellent series. I'm definitely going to check out Selbo's work. <br /><br />Some other useful books about writing that aren't about structure: <br /><br />Steven Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART, the finest description of and bulwark against procrastination.<br /><br />Brian McDonald's INVISIBLE INK, a great consideration of theme as not some ethereal by-product of the story but its very spine.<br /><br />Alexander Mackendrick's ON FILMMAKING, a practical no-nonsense approach to telling stories based on Mackendrick's own experience holding an audience's attention.<br /><br />Stephen Koch's THE MODERN LIBRARY WRITER'S WORKSHOP, which is not about screenwriting but still maybe the best all-around book on writing I've yet come across.j.s.noreply@blogger.com