Story Structure

Showing 641 - 650 of 1516 results

Posing an Initial Question

June 27, 2018

Every story poses an initial question that can be answered with a yes or no. This initial question is defined by the hero’s emotional dream....

Make Sure the Villain Gets Defeated

June 24, 2018

A story must be complete. That means every villain is defeated in some way. That doesn’t mean the villain necessarily has to die, but that...

The Story Structure of Novels vs. Screenplays

June 22, 2018

Watch any movie based on a novel and chances are good the movie either changes part of the novel or dumps part of the novel....

Multiple Character Changes

June 18, 2018

The worst stories occur when nobody changes. In mediocre stories, the hero may change but nobody else changes. In great stories, every main character changes...

Make Your Story Complete

June 15, 2018

There’s a disturbing trend among many movies and books these days where they focus more on setting up possible sequels rather than telling a complete...

Common People in Uncommon Situations (and Vice Versa)

June 12, 2018

Take a story about an ordinary person. That’s generally boring, so to make the story more interesting, put that ordinary person in extraordinary situations. These...

Everything Seems Straightforward (Until It Isn’t)

June 9, 2018

There are two skills needed in screenwriting. First, you need to tell an interesting story. Second, you need to tell it in an interesting way....

Start with a Single Idea (and Stick With It)

June 6, 2018

Many people think the way to write a story is to keep throwing multiple villains and obstacles at the hero. That’s true, but each villain...

What Makes “Solo” a Mediocre Movie

June 3, 2018

The latest “Solo” Star Wars movie is flopping at the theater and there are lots of reasons why. Beyond the fact that “Solo” appeared so...

Reflecting the Genre in Every Scene

May 31, 2018

It’s easy to see in horror films but when a movie picks a genre, it needs to reflect that genre in every scene. In horror...

About Wallace Wang

First place winner in Scriptapalooza’s 2023 screenwriting competition for the supernatural horror screenplay titled “Nightmares From a Past Life”. Author of “The 15 Minute Movie Method”, “Story Starter”, and “Writing Scenes for Screenplays” in addition to over 50 computer books. Writer of “Three of a Kind”, a situation comedy produced by San Diego State University’s film class that won a student Emmy award. Designer of the board game “Orbit War”, published by Steve Jackson Games, that simulates satellite warfare in the near future.