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From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and Academy Award Winners….

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

Below is a deconstruction of a classic transformation that sticks rigidly to the Hero’s Journey.

Top Gun (1986); basic deconstruction

FADE IN:

Context: narrative: when Top Gun was established.

Context: aircraft on a carrier; taking off; the music “Danger Zone”

Meeting the Hero: Ordinary World: inside the aircraft carrier.

Status of Hero and Sidekick: Maverick and Goose! Great!

Meeting Hero and Sidekick: Mav and Goose in their aircraft; their relationship.

Hero’s Capabilities: Mav scares the migs away.

Hero’s True Nature: Mav sacrifices himself to save Cooger.

Magical Gift: the picture of the mig.

Hero’s Nature: you lost your license twice; you’re a hell of an instinctive fighter.

Herald: the commander.

Hero’s Inner Challenge: your family name is not the hottest.

Pushed out of the Ordinary World: you’re going to Top Gun.

Interdiction: you mess up and you’ll be flying rubber ducks out of Hong Kong.

Entrance into a New World / First threshold: on the bike.

Threshold Guardian: Jester.

Meeting the Mentor and his assistant: Viper and Jester.

Rules: in each combat sequence you are going to meet a different challenge.

Elixir: name on the Top Gun plaque.

Foreshadow of the Shape Shifter: seeing Ice.

Developing Characters and Relationships: ah you kill me…

Meeting the Shape Shifter: Ice; figured it out yet.

Developing Characters and Relationships: meeting the boys in the bar.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Mav sings the song in the bar.

Polarization: Charlie blows off Mav.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Mav visits Charlie in the bar.

Decreasing Polarization / Developing the Romantic Challenge: Mav tells the Mig story; you’re the one.

Charlie chases Mav; she wants to hear about the Mig.

Developing Shape Shifter: who was covering Kruger?

Forced to the Belly of the Whale: rush to get in the air.

Physical Separation: Mav defeats Jester.

Celebration: the flyby.

Trial and Transformation 1:

Developing Characters and Relationships: in the locker room; you’re dangerous; confrontation with Ice.

Called to see Viper for the illegal flyby.

Reprimanded in Viper’s office.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Goose and Maverick outside Viper’s office.

Viper and Jester discussing Mav; flew with his Old Man; if you went into battle would you want him with you; winning over Viper.

Reference the Inner Challenge: referencing Mav’s father.

Maverick agrees not to let Goose down.

Trial and Transformation 2:

Charlie gives Mav her number.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Slider you stink; the volleyball game.

Mav in Charlie’s house; not allowed a shower.

Referencing the Inner Challenge: Mav talks about his father; allowed a shower.

Charlies and Mav in the lift.

Developing the Sidekick: Goose meets his wife and kid.

Trial and Transformation 3: Charlie puts down Mav in the lesson.

Charlie pursues Mav – he gets on the bike

Charlie pursues Mav in her car.

Charlie tells Mav that she’s fallen for him.

The note from Mav in bed.

Regression:

Developing Characters and Relationships: I feel the need for speed.

Jester successfully targets Mav mid air.

Developing Characters and Relationships: in the steam room; Ice tells Mav that no one trusts him.

Inner Challenge: the photo.

Meeting the Oracle: Goose’s girlfriend tells Charlie he’s fallen for her.

Seizing the Sword: take me to bed.

Night Sea Journey: back in the air; I’m in.

Near Death Experience: Goose dies.

Mentor’s Guidance: keep going; there will be more death; got to let it go.

Introspection: maybe it was my fault.

Reward: in the car with Charlie; I’ll be here if you need me.

Reward: Goose’s wife forgives him; he loved flying with you.

Reward: the panel clears Mav of wrongdoing.

Atonement with the Father: Mav flies again but doesn’t engage; I’ll fire when I’m good and ready.

Shape Shifter Revealed: Ice says he’s sorry about Goose.

Apotheosis: Mav quits.

Denial / Refusal: Charlie tries to convince him no to quit.

Magic Flight: she’s got that job in Washington.

Inner Challenge conquered: Mav visits viper who tells him the truth about his father.

Rescue from Without: the graduation; call to active duty – the crisis situation.

Goodbye to the Mentor: give me a call, I’ll fly with you.

Crossing the Return Threshold: back on the aircraft carrier; given their orders.

Resistance to the Final Conflict: Ice doesn’t want Mav as backup.

Preparing the Final Conflict: Mav gets into the fighter.

Final Conflict: Mav called up.

Time Pressure: this thing will be over in two minutes.

Final Antagonism: Mav disengages and reengages after thinking about Goose.

Master of Two Worlds: Mav destroys the migs.

Celebration: the crew celebrate.

Return to the Old / New Self: requesting fly by.

Celebration / Shape Shifter Challenge conquered: you can be my wing man anytime.

Outer Challenge conquered: Mav follows the Mentor’s advice and lets go.

New Self: Mav will become an instructor at Top Gun.

Romantic Challenge conquered: Charlie comes back for Mav.

FADE OUT: credits

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/.

WHY DO WE DO THIS? Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca

A major “character” in Mark Salzman’s first autobiography is his father. Sometimes his father paints. But his father hates painting. He likes it when his painting is done. He likes having painted. But the act of painting itself is, in his opinion, a big pain in the backside.

Nobody reading this approaches writing like that, do they? I know I don’t. Of all my experiences as an author, whacking those words down onto the paper is the best of the best. Always has been, always will be. Even though I cut most of them. I like creating.

I’ve quoted Hemingway before. Long periods of thinking, short periods of writing. These days, my thinking takes longer and my periods of writing are getting less frequent, but both still happen, and I still love creating something from nothing.

If it weren’t for me, you would never read the words you’re reading right now. Nobody else would ever write them. And they contain my thoughts. Through time and space, better than telepathy, you hear what I’m saying.

So, there’s one reason to write, isn’t it? The biggie, if you ask me. I write what I do because I can’t NOT write it. I may be clarifying my thoughts in my own head. But, most certainly, I’m just so moved by those thoughts that I must put them on paper. They’re in me and they have to get out, kinda like those critters in the ALIEN movies.

Is this the only reason to write? Because I want to zap my thoughts into your heads? I don’t know. But let me change the question. Is this a reason to publish? Why not write your books and stick them in a filing cabinet like Sean Connery did in the film FINDING FORRESTER? Write it, express it, file it away. Why publish it?

(It’s okay if you haven’t seen this obscure little gem. I will explain all.)

In fact, there are writers who do exactly that. Some fear rejection or criticism. We hear about them whenever we pop into a writing workshop. But, I don’t think there are very many of them. I have trouble picturing someone who can spend months (years?) doing something as essentially egotistical as writing a novel, but who is fundamentally lacking in any sort of self-confidence. Naw, they’re thinking posterity but lack the stones to admit it.

At times I’ve got an inferiority complex I wouldn’t dream of whacking onto your shoulders, but it was absent when I wrote my books. During the act of writing itself, you think, “My words are better than your words.” You do. You feel that you must record your thoughts because they’re that much better than most. That’s what writing is. So, I would say that by definition the author isn’t ALWAYS plagued by self-doubt.

In FINDING FORRESTER, the Sean Connery character won the Pulitzer with his first book, saw that every reviewer misunderstood him, and decided they could all get stuffed. This is a movie, a work of fiction, but I understand the attitude. I once wrote a true story, where the main character was Michael LaRocca, only to have a critic slam the main character as “unbelievable.” Apparently I don’t act like real people.

I could never shove all my writing in a filing cabinet, unpub- lished, and tell the establishment to get stuffed. But yep, there are stupid people in the world, and some of them review books.

So, we’ve identified two groups who won’t be seeking publication. Hopelessly insecure and hopelessly arrogant. But, like Aristotle, I prefer moderation. You still may be wondering why I seek publi- cation. So do I. Let my exploration of this question continue.

I’ve hit best-seller status for two different e-publishers with three different books. Minor thrills at the time, but there’s no way I could call them enough of a reward for what I put into writing.

You’re an author. You know what I’m talking about. We all but kill ourselves to make our books. So, let’s be blunt here. Unless you’re going to throw Rowling/King/Clancy/Grisham money at me — and you’re NOT — money isn’t sufficient reason to publish.

Publishing isn’t just a case of sending it to a publisher, signing a contract, and being done.

Next up is editing, which is a blast. Not at the time, perhaps. Any editor worth a damn will beat you over the head with every bad word choice you ever made. And you made hundreds! But at the end of that gauntlet, you know you are da bomb.

Seeing my cover art is almost always awesome. Yes, I did say “almost.” One bad experience among seven. It happens. But, if you’ve worked with a publisher, you know what I mean. You log onto the Internet one morning, not fully conscious, amazed that you poured that first cup of coffee without burning off your naughty bits. You pop open an email and see cover art that almost makes your head explode. You get this big rush, thinking, “Someone understands my writing!” What you don’t realize, naive little author, is that some artists don’t even read the books they do the art for. But still. The art rocks your world. Feel that. I always enjoy clicking those email attachments and seeing MY book covers.

But, then comes marketing. Biggest pain in the… Well, let’s just say it makes me want to not publish sometimes. So, why publish?

I’ve entered the EPPIES three times, and been a finalist three times. The second time one of my books was an EPPIE finalist, I made some wisecrack in an author’s egroup about how “finalist” is a synonym for “loser” and was raked over the coals.

Oops!

(Maybe I annoyed entrants who weren’t finalists. I’d always wondered if they existed…)

So, let’s say I’m not publishing for money or awards. They sing a siren song to new authors which this jaded old bastard quit hearing long ago. I got all that out of my system in the previous millenium. So, why do I still publish? What are my rewards? Let me mention a few.

A psychologist turned English teacher formed a women’s reading group at the university where we once worked together in China. Her concept was women readers, women writers. But the first book the group ever discussed was my very own RISING FROM THE ASHES, which is about Mom. My only foray into “women’s literature.” I couldn’t attend the reading group, since I’m a guy, but my wife was there. What I learned about my book is priceless, as is knowing what those young students discussed because of my writing. Issues of such depth that I’d be proud to inspire any student, in any country, in any language, to tackle them.

I used to work on North Carolina hog farms. I enjoyed the company of some damn fine people at every one of them. Hog farming is hard work. This isn’t the backyard family farm, folks, this is 13 people with 98 boars, 3500 sows, and all the babies they can make. One of my toughest coworkers was a lesbian who could break Xena in half, and my one foray into writing horror gave her nightmares.

I don’t consider myself a poet, and I believe most of the reading world agrees with me. But, I have published 6 poems. There is one that a hog farm coworker insists will be read at his funeral. Don’t ask me why he was planning his funeral during our lunch break because I have no idea. But, well, I guess I’m invited, in a manner of speaking.

Master Pizza, 30th Street, Tampa, Florida. A bunch of drunken Italian relatives reading one of my less-than-serious poems ALOUD between pitchers of beer. It was like a Joe Dolce moment.

I was working as a security guard in a particularly unpleasant place. This was 20 years ago, I think. A fellow guard read one of my short stories. It is, by far, the most allegorical thing I’ve ever written. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought about throwing it out. But then, I remember Bob’s words. “This is me. This is my life.” Me too, old pal, and I don’t care if you and I are the only two readers to have any idea what I’m talking about. {Scapegoat Bob!}

I’ve written some pretty heady volumes, but I’ve also written quite a few short works. I’ve heard from numerous students here in China that, “This is the first book in English I’ve ever finished reading.” When I write, I certainly never set out to help anyone learn English. (Some of my editors may claim I never learned the language.) And, students will LIE to teachers. But I’ve decided that at least one was telling the truth.

When I left the US, I embarked on several journeys. Learning to live in China. Learning to love again. Taking another shot at the writer dream. And, eventually, teaching. After all that, I tried my hand at writing humor for the first time. Every time I hear my wife laugh at something I’ve written, I file it away as a reason to keep writing.

I’ve written one play in my life. I was young, and quite hooked on the album (pre-CD days) JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. So, you guessed it, I tackled JC. I wrote something that nobody can read without having a powerful reaction. Readers love it or they hate it. I’m proud of that. And hey, it’s only one act long. I have a short attention span.

I loaned Clint “Two Dawgs” Hill my very first book. My cousin. He took it to Durham (North Carolina) and loaned it to a bunch of hippie buddies. He asked for another, because the first one fell apart from overuse. That’s why we publish. People all but fighting for the chance to read my words. And heck, the book wasn’t even good yet. It’s 20 years older now.

I mention all this for the jaded old bastards who have a few novels and bit of minor success under their belts. Nobody else is reading this anymore, are they?

So, maybe this is why we don’t just stop when the book is written, stick it in a drawer, and uncork the champagne. Although I do hope you uncorked the champagne. This planet contains far too many people who “want to be authors” but who haven’t written a book. Never have, never will. Meanwhile, you and I are sitting here knowing we had no choice. We had to write.

Why publish? Heck, why not?

Some things just go better together than others. A thick, juicy, porterhouse steak with a glass of merlot floats my boat. Creamy peanut butter and homemade raspberry jam on toast with a tall glass of ice cold milk is another turn-on. But, what really excites me is a packet of yellow legal pads and a thick rubber-grip, ballpoint pen. It is difficult to imagine one without the other, like Lucy and Desi or Bogart and Bacall.

Writing has been my passion for years. All through high school and well into college, teachers and professors wanted me to pursue a writing career. At the same time working with horses was, and continues to be, another passion, definitely on equal par with writing. It has all evolved into an eclectic mix of interests. I pondered for the longest time, wondering how and why these two particular areas of my life, writing and horses took such a hold on me and never let go.

I’ve decided to ride Silver Lining this morning. After tacking her up and leading her outside, I proceed to get on her. As we head for the fence line, I see a herd of deer standing motionless, camouflaged among the trees in the woods.

By the time we reach the end of the fence line, the deer have scattered, the underside of their white tails visible as they bound across the dry leaves of the woodland floor. At this point I ask my horse for a hand gallop through the old hay field. It keeps her mind off the departing deer and focused on me. She snorts in glee for almost a mile. It feels as though I am suspended in time, in another world. I feel a sense of freedom that I have never been able to capture doing anything else.

I enjoy a sense of child-like wonder as I observe the surrealistic beauty of my surroundings. It is as though I am looking at a French impressionist painting, becoming immersed in the visual experience, totally unaware of the time, and then getting lost in the Artist’s masterpiece. Off in the distance I can now smell apple wood coming from a wood-burning fireplace. The crackling leaves underfoot make my horse spook a little, bringing me back to the present moment.

Slowing down to a walk, my horse and I continue to enjoy our ride together. We pick up a canter going up and down hills, and at one point, are both startled by a gaggle of geese overhead that “honk” their way toward the lake. After the geese disappear through the now gray cloud cover, Silver and I meander back to the barn, where I un-tack the horse, put her blanket on, and turn her out with her two “girlfriends”.

Walking back down to the house, I think about my ride, my relationship with my horse, and my writing. I can’t wait until I pick up that yellow legal pad, and rubber-grip, ball- point pen. The sights, sounds, and smells of the day have transformed me from rider to writer.

After an invigorating ride across open fields on my energetic, gray thoroughbred mare, it becomes obvious that riding helps me to write. It clears my head. Writing cleanses my soul. Sometimes the process is reversed. Writing clears my head, while riding cleanses my soul. There is a true spiritual connection between my horses and me, my writing and me, and my horses and my writing.

Writing about my sensory experiences as I relate to the horses, enables me to share with others the connection that makes me want to jump out of bed at 5:30 in the morning, and seize the day. It’s a cleansing process for me and hopefully educates and inspires those who read what I write.

When I go into sensory overload, I have a need to write what I see, feel, and smell to make room for more ideas. Writing energizes me. The writing process and its inherent rituals, helps me to organize my thoughts and get in touch with my feelings on much deeper levels. I become more cognizant and sensitive to both my surroundings and other people.

Writers get their inspiration from many sources. Hemmingway loved the sea. Shakespeare was inspired by the absurdity of life. J.K. Rowlings is a single Mom who enjoys the magic of children. Emeril Lagasse is turned on by food and cooking. I love horses and the environment. All writers have a connection to something about which they are passionate. We all have a connection to one another.

Even the subject matter authors write about, such as the sea, life with all its twists and turns, the magic of a child’s world, preparing and cooking food, and horses and the environment; are all interconnected in a spiritual way. My inspiration is gleaned from many areas of life, including the writers mentioned here.

But, the things that go better together than anything else is my trusty rubber-grip, ballpoint pen and yellow legal pad; preceded by an invigorating gallop across the countryside. That is my spiritual connection.

Copyright © 2005 by Pamela Beers. All rights reserved.

Professional Writers are generally not liking the new online article submission site venues these days, but rather than working with them, a few professional (I use that term loosely) writers have aggressively attacked the new trend in online article author exploits.

But I must ask as a wee little amateur with little man syndrome coming from outside such an intimidating writer’s industry; If professional writers are so good, then they need not worry about a bunch of amateurs who write articles on online submission websites. Indeed it makes sense for the professional writers who feel threatened (and believe me they should right about now) to improve their work and set the bar higher, additionally get back with reality of the market place and short attention span of the modern readers. Think on that aspect too.

You see, if professional writers really want to make it in life, well then they need to learn to adapt to this new online article submission site venue and use it to their advantage by writing short articles that lead readers to their work or website or to Amazon.com where their books are for sale you see. They should do this rather than attacking the humble and nice online article amateur authors like me?

Why, well because someday I and many other amateurs will no longer be amateurs and well, we will probably kick your ass in the market place that’s why. Consider this in 2006; I already have and now have a strategy in place if I get anymore loud mouth professional writers out there talking smack! Get it? How do you like me now?

Every day, I have to contemplate my lengthening career as a writer. I used to also be an artist, back before I became physically disabled in 1998, and regularly drew pictures in pen and ink. I was thinking of transferring over to some computer pad-style drawing technology so I could create graphics and artwork on the computer directly. But since becoming what they call “physically challenged,” I have a hard time with drawing. It’s easier just to type, edit or otherwise work with a keyboard. And I have an over twenty year long career as a writer and editor to draw from as I continue to write every day.

It fascinates me as a ghost writer and an editor the many subject areas that my clients are willing to create books about. One will want to write his or her life story, such as the author who approached me recently regarding his life story as a transgenderal person. He changed from female to male, and he is now married and a father of two children, not his own, as the surgery doesn’t yet allow transgenderal persons to procreate. Another will want to write a children’s fantasy chapter book, an adult science fiction dark fantasy warehouse party series of books, a how to book on beauty and fashion, a book about the Nazis and a Jewish uprising against them, a book by a former Nazi who wants to tell us about what it was like being forced into the party…etc., etc., etc. There is no limit to the types of subjects my authors, many of whom are putting out their very first books, will want to write about.

Some are the type of book which may or may not sell all that well, while others are almost a guaranteed best seller, having a crowd of buyers ready to purchase the books. I almost prefer working with the first group of authors, even though their books don’t pay as much money as my more lucrative authors’ books do. It warms my soul to support first timers who have an interesting and valuable story to put out before the reading public. I usually only charge $5000 for people like these to ghost write their books for them. But when it comes to a potentially lucrative book, I charge a percentage of what the author makes over time from the book sales. These types of books are the “coffee table” type you have heard of, such as a book by the gentleman who took the nude photos of the “other woman” in an infamous murder case. They sell well, but the material in them is often only timely or flashy, and immaterial over time as earnest literature. I much prefer working for people who have books in their souls that contain stories worth the telling, more so than the stories worth money to a flashy author with a coffee table book.

I make enough money at my regular writing projects to support my habit of preferring to work with the first time author crowd. Some of those people’s books do sell well over time, and it’s worth it to me to put the time and effort into ghost writing or editing them that it takes to really polish their work to a gleaming shine and make it productive and meaningful as timeless literature or educational material. This means more to me than a large check paid for the type of book I truly hate to see my name associated with, and I feel very proud to have more of the first timers’ works on my record than those. I guess in the end it’s a tradeoff: timeless creation of worthy literature versus timely production of flashy, self-gratifying stuff that may not make me feel good to write it. Not that I don’t regularly take on that kind of project. I need those books to get by and make money. But it always gladdens me when I can write something that really makes the author feel like he or she has produced a very fine book, and which is something that will truly lend credit and greater credence to my professional name and career as a writer.

I think it lends the greatest justice to my lengthening writing and editing career to help people get out the work that holds the most promise over time, not the most best selling work that is only timely and lucrative and which will soon gather only dust somewhere. Writing is an art form, not a mass market for producing coffee table books that sell.

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Hear no evil

Have you ever stood in a line and heard, “Oh, I love me a light-skinneded man.” Or you’re watching your favorite television program and the actor says, “Irregardless of what my father says, I’m going out.” And the classic, “Yo shorty, when is you gonna to give me ya number so we can conversate?”

I know I’m not the only person to hear or read these things and I can’t continue to ignore this growing problem. Jeffery Copeland, Head of the English Department at University of North Iowa says that people should “lighten up and be more tolerant” of the way other people communicate. I’m trying but I can’t do it. So I insist on addressing some common mistakes that I continue to hear and read.

Wrong -”Oh, I love me a light-skinneded man.”

Correct- “Oh, I love light-skinned men.” Light-skinneded is not a real word.

Wrong – “Irregardless of what my father says, I’m going out.”

Correct- “Regardless of what my father says, I’m going out.”

Nothing irritates me more than hearing someone say irregardless. It makes no sense. The suffix -less already makes the word negative so there is no need to place the prefix ir- before it.

Wrong- “Yo shorty, when is you gonna give me ya number so we can conversate?”

Correct- “Yo shorty, when are you going to give me your number so we can converse.”

I’m going to say that this word exists because people always try to make verbs out of nouns. The noun is conversation and the verb form is converse, not conversate.

I used to think the purpose of the dictionary was to list real words and their correct definition. Dictionaries, unfortunately, are a business like everything else and if they kept the same words and their meaning, you’d have no reason to buy a new dictionary every so often. So, the purpose of most dictionaries nowadays is to keep a record of popular words and their usage, whether it’s grammatically correct or not. This practice began back in 1895 when Funk and Wagnalls, who wrote the Standard dictionary, defined words according to their then current usage rather than the historical meaning.

Yes, I understand that the language has to change and evolve. But some words are changing just because they sound a like and now mean the same thing e.g., aggravate and irritate. This is all starting to remind me of new speak in the book 1984 by George Orwell. If you haven’t read the book I suggest you pick it up. But I digress.

Aggravate means to make worse. Irritate means to annoy.

Wrong- “He is aggravating me.”

Correct- “He is irritating me.”

Wrong- “The thought of his dumb butt working for Bob irritates my high blood pressure.”

Correct- “The thought of his dumb butt working for Bob aggravates my high blood pressure.”

See no evil

Not every mistake is made in speech. Copeland said he came across a sentence that read: “If your children won’t eat their vegetables, feed them to the dogs.” In this sentence is the writer suggesting the veggies be fed to the dogs or the children be fed to the dogs? Martha Barnette, co-host of the popular KPBS public radio show, “A Way with Words” offers the following example:

“[C]heck out what a comma can do for you. Supposedly an author once dedicated his book this way: “To my parents, the Pope and Mother Teresa.”

Speak no evil

I realize my grammar may not always be perfect and I hope that people will correct me, when I’m wrong. When I hear or read something that is incorrect, I usually will correct the person. Some people accept the correction; others will claim that they heard so and so say it on TV so it must be right. And some will tell me that they will continue to use or pronounce a word incorrectly because they have been doing it for so long. There are some who get offended or annoyed but I think it is rude of me not to correct them or else they would go out into the world saying, “I was driving on the gravity,” when they really meant they were driving on the gravel. “We all grow up assuming we’ve been taught correctly – that a grammatical rule is true because Ms. Thistlebottom told us so when we were in seventh grade – so we tend to get bent out of shape if those assumptions are challenged,” says Barnette.

I know that this article will not cure the world of incorrect English grammar, but I just wanted to bring this to your attention. If you have fallen victim to any of the mistakes I mentioned above, get help. And one last tip: Microsoft Word’s grammar check is pure garbage. Don’t use it!

ChaChanna Simpson is the publisher and editor of Twentity.com, the free ezine for twentysomethings, featuring cheap and free events every Wednesday. Subscribe at http://www.twentity.com

Writing style reflects the personality of a writer. On any given subject two persons will write differently. If they are asked to use the same set of facts the result would still be different.

This difference is due to their different styles of writing. This writing style is responsible for versatility in the literature. Whenever you write it is this writing style that stamps your uniqueness on that writing.

As a human being each one of has capacity to feel and express. But due to difference in genetic makeup and upbringing patterns we become more efficient in some expressions than other. Some of us are more comic than others. Some are more dramatic. Some write suspense better.

How does it happen?

As I noted before it depends on genetic makeup and upbringing. Your genetic temperament is a major contribute to your style. So is your childhood exposures impression and experiences.

Both there is one factor that is modifiable and that is totally under our control is PRACTICE.

Each of us is capable of feeling each and every emotion that humans can feel though might not be that well endowed to express it.

But that can be learned and with practice mastered.

First step is to see what triggers your interest most. If you like something than mastering that becomes easier. Read in detail the subject you like or intend to write upon from the available literature. You will find that you like some authors better than others. They are the one who catch your fancy when you go through their works.

Study them in details and note down how they bring out the subject. See how they introduce to the topic? How do they approach any topic? How is their opening paragraph constructed and how do they follow the sequence of events which intends at providing information or finishing a story or whatever?

No! Do not imitate. This practice of reading was just to have an idea. The actual work starts now.

Now is the step two. You need simply to WRITE!

Take a topic, ponder over it and go. Write on anything you like. As you continue these practice sessions you are training your grey cells to establish connections that will speed up the functions necessary to the faculty of expressions. By and by it comes into your habit. Write & evaluate. Revise and revaluate. Repeat the cycle till you think cannot make it better.

Another essential aspect of faculty of expression is increase in your vocabulary.

If your vocabulary is limited you seriously limit your power of expression. Vocabulary is the essential tool for any writer. Vocabulary empowers you to bring the versatility in your style. It empowers you to put finesse in your work.

Vocabulary expansion comes from constant inculcation of the new word meanings.

Whenever you read or hear a new word, look for its meaning. Do not approximate the meaning when you do not know or are not sure of the way the word is being used. Instead note it down and look up for its meaning whenever you get the time.

As a writer it is very important to develop this habit. You have to know the word and its proper usage. Only then you can frame those meaningful, intriguing and impressive sentences. If done well this practice is very rewarding. To add fun to your learning you can do crosswords and other word games. Learn any way you want but learn it well.

As you continue writing and expand your vocabulary you will enjoy your capacity to express. Slowly and slowly you will develop your own unique writing style.

It involves hard work but it is very rewarding one.

In next article we will focus on writing for internet.
Till then.

© copyright Arun Pal Singh

Author is successful writer and internet marketer. You are invited to join his free article directory http://www.authorcontent.com and contribute your creative work.

Learning Through Others

A good critique helps two writers. Most of us, when we write, know what’s right about our work. We feel it; in that moment when everything just clicks and the words flow like oil from our fingers, we know. Presumably we don’t see the flaws, or we would have fixed them before sharing them with the world. Or we may know that flaws lurk in the thicket of phrases and paragraphs, but not know how to prune them without hacking the garden to pieces. So we throw up our hands and toss them out for review, hoping that someone else will spot the problems and offer a fresh idea. By reading with a more critical eye, and writing an in-depth critique of someone else’s story, we learn by practice to more easily spot the flaws in our own writing – ideally, before we commit them to paper or pixels.

Is It Better to Give or to Receive?

Learning to give and receive honest, constructive criticism also toughens our hides. The writer as sensitive artiste, whose soul is easily bruised by a harsh word, has no place in the world of publishing. Writing is work; to many, it is a profession. A carpenter may make beautiful, original, unique furniture that can double as a treasured work of art, but if it falls apart when used, he’s not much of a carpenter.

Where Do I Get Off Critiquing Others?

There is a difference between a “rate and review” and a good, professional edit. Do you feel that your own skills are lacking, and so you have no right to point out flaws in someone else’s writing? Well, you’re right and you’re wrong. None of us are perfect; few of us are professional editors or English professors. However, when you read and critique someone else’s work, your role is primarily that of a reader, not a writer. And readers are the writer’s reason for being. To say “I write for my own pleasure and amusement” is like a great orator saying, “I live to talk to walls.” Writing is communication. Deep within the writer is a need to communicate, and that takes at least one other person. The reader. For a diarist, that reader may be his older, future self. But I digress. You don’t need to be an editor to rate and review someone else’s work. Your skills do not have to be flawless before you can express the thoughts and impressions a story left in your mind. And in the process of analyzing what works for you and doesn’t, as a reader, the writer within you learns.

Okay, So Where Do I Start?

First, read the story for pleasure. Take off your reviewer’s hat for a moment, and simply read. If you find yourself mentally fixing typos at the end of the second paragraph, stop! Start over. There is time enough for that on the second read.

Now, jot down your initial impressions without rereading the story. Did you enjoy it? Do you feel excited at the prospect of reading more of this author’s work? Would you recommend it to a friend? Was it of the quality, or nearly so, that you would expect to see in a magazine or printed book? Or did you have trouble following it? Perhaps it wasn’t quite your cup of tea. Maybe the ideas expressed offended you, so that your mind rebelled and refused to travel along. Maybe it just flat out bored you. Be honest, but not cruel. Your opinion, as a reader, has unarguable merit. Whether others honestly agree or disagree with you will determine whether this story has an audience or a market. There are many popular authors whose beautifully bound, hardcover editions grace the shelves at trendy bookstores – whose work bores me to tears. Where we got the idea that everyone had to agree on everything, I don’t know. But to say “I didn’t enjoy this story” is not to say “this story sucks eggs.” Be tactful, but be honest. And when you receive a “negative” comment like this, be gracious – remember, it’s a matter of taste that does not necessarily reflect on the quality of the work.

Before you dive in with what needs fixing, try to find at least one to three positive things about the story that stand out in your mind – what, if anything, is especially good about the story or the quality of the writing? Remember, though, that your job is to help the writer identify opportunities for improvement. For writers whose goal is publication, rejection is commonplace. Editors do not mollycoddle writers or offer empty praise and encouragement, so neither should you. If the writer knew about the flaws you are about to point out, he or she would have – should have – fixed them before posting the work for review.

Next, consider the following questions and jot down your answers. Phrase them tactfully but honestly; they will become your critique. Reread the story to answer them if necessary.

“Stunning Visual Effects!” Were you able to see the scene, the characters, and the action visually, in the back of your mind? If not, has the writer told too much and shown too little? Are there long passages of prose with too little dialogue and action? Is it because the writing is unclear or confusing, or because there aren’t enough details given to form a complete picture in your head?

We Laughed, We Cried, We…Fell Asleep? Did the story carry you along in its current or cast you adrift to founder on the rocks? Was there a plot or a point to be made? Did you “get it”? If it was a tale of suspense, did you slide to the edge of your seat while reading? If horror, were the tiny hairs at the back of your neck standing on end? Was it tightly organized or loose and rambling? If it was fantasy, did the writer manage to suspend your disbelief and convince you that this vision was, indeed, a possibility? Did the writing challenge your own beliefs and ideas in a way that made you consider alternatives, whether or not you agreed with them? Did the story make you think? Did it make you squirm? Did it entertain you? Or did you feel like you were always on the outside looking in, a detached and objective observer?

Off With Their (Talking) Heads! Did the characters ring true, and did the author endow each with its own unique voice? Or did all the characters appear to be puppets, manipulated by a barely-concealed hand? It’s tough to create and differentiate characters. All too often, a writer populates the world with a multitude of characters, yet they all end up sounding exactly like the writer and are indistinguishable from one another. Characters have to have their own unique personalities, or they are difficult to imagine and impossible to remember. Are all these actors really essential to the story?

Does dialogue come across as natural (for the character who is speaking)? Read it aloud. Does your tongue trip and sound awkward to your ears? Who gave the best performance? Whose acting was weak? Who do you think should get to stand in the unemployment line?

Shop Talk. Next, scan the story again for “mechanical errors,” or mistakes in spelling, punctuation, and grammar. If these are not your strong suits, then don’t mention them unless they are so obvious as to indicate careless or sloppy work. As with food, beautiful presentation makes a story more appetizing. Does the writer use a little white space between paragraphs, or indent the first line of each paragraph, to make the story more readable on the screen? If you have a good grasp of the mechanics, point out the errors that appear to be habitual – “there” for “their,” improper use of punctuation outside quotation marks, etc. If the errors are the sort that would be picked up by more careful proofreading, you can simply say that.

Finally, look at the word choices, phrasing, and the rhythm of the sentence structure. Do any of the sentences just stand out like a sore thumb, awkward and a little painful to see? Point it out! Does the writer use overly lofty or contrived words – or too many words! – when simpler, stronger, more common words would do better? Give examples if you can. Does the writer choose safe, mundane words when more vivid and imaginative language would serve the story better? Does the writer use simile, metaphor, or symbolism to good effect – or at all? Is there something hinted at that you wish the writer had explored more deeply? Could you summarize the story and/or its moral (if applicable) in a sentence?

Can you think of anything else? There is no ideal length for a review. It may be brief, touching only on one or two points that stick in your mind as you read. It may be longer and more detailed. Just remember to be honest and tactful; avoid stating your opinions as irrefutable facts, and don’t be offended if the writer chooses to ignore everything you’ve said.

Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

I want to close with a few words on how to graciously accept a reader’s review. When you get a review, remember that it takes far more time and effort to critique a story than it does to offer a few words of praise. Someone has actually bothered to take precious minutes of their life to really think about and offer suggestions that they think will help you in your writing. So say “thank you,” even if it seems a bitter pill to swallow.

Do not bother making excuses. It seems like every time I point out multiple spelling and grammar errors, I get long emails explaining how the piece I’d just reviewed was only a rough draft, or how the author is not really a professional writer but is just doing this for fun and personal enjoyment, or whatever. Basically, that’s telling me I just wasted my time and effort. If you’re going to post a rough draft in a rate and review environment, then have the courtesy to clearly mark it – up front – as such. In any case, don’t tell me I’ve wasted my time. Say “thanks” and let me bask in ignorance, thinking I’ve helped.

Don’t argue. My daughter studies violin. I’ve spent lesson time and money teaching her to say “thank you” when she receives a compliment, rather than bursting into tears and yelling “no, I sucked!” Take the good and the bad, consider what you can use and what you can’t, and say “thank you.” Toss the garbage in the trash and let it go – don’t stew over negative comments, and don’t let gushing praise go to your head. In the end, it’s just one review – a valid opinion from a reader, but certainly not the only opinion out there.

Holly Jahangiri is a professional writer who claims, tongue-in-cheek, to channel the spirits of Edgar Allan Poe, Erma Bombeck, and O’Henry. Holly is an author on Writing.Com ( http://www.Writing.Com/ ), and you can buy her books at Lulu ( http://www.lulu.com/hjahangiri ).

I got this tip many years ago from speaker Paul Radde. After shooting one of my first major videos, I noticed that my tie was crooked for most of the video. It looked bad in person, but it looked TERRIBLE on video.

Here is the tip:

After you have put on your tie, run the skinny part of the tie through the loop in the back of the main part of the tie. Take a tie clip, or you could use a large paper clip or safety pin and clip the skinny part of the tie to your shirt. Put the tie clip or pin on the skinny part of your tie below the loop. This holds the main part of your tie perfectly in the center for even the most animated presenter and hides the clip.

Thanks Paul. This tip has made my tie look good for the last seven years . . . Can you come up with a tip that will help my face look better? hahahahaha

Copyright © 1998 – 2005 Advanced Public Speaking Institute

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book “Wake ‘em Up Business Presentations” and “Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing.” It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his clients’ needs. http://www.antion.com

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The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the cast majority of successful screenplays are built upon. Films as diverse as Gladiator (2000), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Raging Bull (1980) and Scarface (1983) were all constructed around the Hero’s Journey Template.

There is an argument that the flawed hero is the perfect hero. That to make the hero three dimensional, human ailments and weaknesses must be present.

The fact it that this is just one of those myths. It all depends on your story.

There are various types of hero: a) the good, willing hero (Star Wars, 1977), b) the good, unwilling hero (Shawshank Redemption, 1994), c) the anti-hero (Raging Bull, 1980), d) the villain (Goodfellas, 1990) etc.

All of the above are simply some of the possible hero archetypes: you choose which one is relevant for your story.

The thing to remember is not whether the hero is flawed or not, but that s/he has an outer, inner and romantic challenge. For example, in Star Wars (1977), Luke gets to destroy the Death Star (outer challenge), learn the ways of the force (inner challenge) and win over Leia (romantic challenge).

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/.