H R D'Costa – Smarter Story Structure
Tell me the truth.
The writing bug—it’s got you, hasn’t it?
It’s got you bad.
This isn’t the first time, either.
It was there years ago.
A long time ago, you attempted to write a novel.
It was even published.
Sending out queries letters and all.
And was rejected.
Your writing dream didn’t go anywhere, then.
You gave up. You can put it down.
The rejections are not the reason.
Perseverance isn’t just a word in the dictionary. It’s a way of life. At least to you.
And no gatekeeper is going to get in the way of you and your dream to share your stories with the world—to have other people lose themselves in your words.
No, you set your dream aside because it wasn’t just about you anymore. Your dream was put aside because you had family to support.
Your youngest had to be dressed in brand new baby clothes.).
Had to get new tires for the pickup truck…and eventually a new truck.
And then…
…there was the mortgage.
You needed to spend your time on actions that would pay those bills. That would help you fulfill your responsibilities.
So you set your writing dream aside.
The writing bug was ignored.
But now… it’s back.
With a vengeance.
And this time, this time, it won’t let you go.
It’s your right to indulge.
For one thing, you’re not getting any younger. You’ve got to give voice to the stories inside of you. You can’t bottle them up. You can’t.
However, while sharing your stories with the world is a big part of your dream, it’s not the only part.
You’re a practical person.
You’re not just in it for the love.
You’re in it for love and money.
There are now more options than ever when you tried to write your first novel.
You’ve heard that other writers—people like yourself with no degrees in creative writing, people who get impatient with all the grammar rules—have been making money self-Publishing their novels. Some of them have gone on to be published. “Kindle millionaires.”
Netflix and other companies are desperate for content. They’re on the prowl for original IP (intellectual property). Wouldn’t it be cool if they chose yours?
Truthfully, however, a seven-year-old is a good size.-figure income would be nice, while it would be amazing to see your story developed into a movie…you’d be happy just with some serious side income.
Enough to go out to dinner (and pay the babysitter) even when it’s not a special occasion.
There is enough to pay the bills, without worrying about your bank accounts.
Enough to create a financial cushion in the event of another mind-At work, a numbingly absurd rule is implemented. You can survive this with a smile if you have a financial cushion. You might even be able to survive another change of regime.
It’s thrilling to think that writing a story—that playing an extensive round of make-believe—could get you there.
At the same time, being a practical person, you recognize that your story isn’t a special snowflake.
It’s a product.
Sure, it has the power to inspire and transform, so it’s more magical than, let’s say, a blender (although those green-Some smoothie lovers might disagree.).
Your story, despite its transformative power is still a product.
Since you’ve been blessed with a double dish of common sense, you know that to make serious side income selling a product, you have to do at least two things:
(1) A high level of quality must be achieved-High quality products that satisfy your customers (or in this instance, readers). All the marketing tricks in the world can’t compensate for a dull plot.
(2) You must produce additional products, also of high quality like the original. It’s basic math. It’s simple math. The more captivating novels you sell, the more options there are for readers who will give you their money.
These two items will give you a solid foundation for success, depending on your thinking.
I know you’re not afraid of hard work.
To make your novel entertaining, you can work long hours. And, to achieve your dream, you’re willing to invest the time to do it again…and again…and again.
But…
Given the choice, you’d prefer to work smarter, not harder.
That’s why you’re interested in mastering story structure.
That’s why you’re thinking about taking this course.
You’ve realized that it could help you get where you want to be (writing addictively entertaining stories; writing them faster).
Smarter Story Structure This book provides a solid foundation but offers many suggestions. “tricks” It can raise a WIP a level or two. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and will continue to refer to it while I finish my current WIP.
Rupert Colley, Author
Rupert Colley (author of The Woman on the Train) and founder of the best-selling History in an Hour series (published in HarperCollins).
Get ed now!
How do you write a compelling screenplay or novel?
Not a degree in French lit, that’s for sure.
You don’t need to know all the ins and outs of grammar or use $10 words, either.
Your grandpappy could captivate you—anyone, really—with his tall tales, and he didn’t even graduate from high school.
He could still hold everyone spellbound.
They’d be so enthralled, they’d almost forget to breathe.
And that’s the secret to telling a great story: delivering the ups and downs—the roller-coaster ride—that keeps readers glued to your pages.
As Chris Vogler explains in The Writer’s Journey:
The structure of a story is like a pump for increasing the involvement of the reader. Good structure works by alternately lowering and raising the hero’s fortunes and, with them, the audience’s emotions.
Vogler is Disney’s guy who helped to develop The Lion King. We all know the outcome. Jackpot!)
Now…you understand what Vogler is getting at.
The principle?
You have it.
On the other hand, it is practiced?
This was a more difficult task than you anticipated.
Yes, Cussler and Grisham could be impressed by some of your recent draft scenes.
But, on the whole, your plot doesn’t hit the mark. It doesn’t meet your stards.
It’s missing something.
It doesn’t have that up-and-It has a rhythm that captures the attention of readers. It doesn’t contain that roller-Readers are made to say it on a rollercoaster ride “please take my money” The next time they see you (same as with Grisham).
You’re close. You’re not totally clueless. You’re somewhere in the vicinity of delivering that experience to readers, but you’re not quite there yet.
Equally aggravating, you have the nagging sensation that you’re not doing justice to your mind-A brilliant story idea. It could be a huge breakout success…if only your plot were less awkward—if it were less like a colt the first time on its feet.
You can also create a story structure.
With three-act structure (and the essential plot points it encompasses), you have a reliable framework to organize your plot in a way that’ll strike a chord with your readers.
With it, you can easily diagnose what’s not working and minimize the chances that audiences will get bored. (But, at the same time, you’ll avoid overwhelming them with too much action.)
With it, you’ll be able to your story in the right place—and keep readers hooked to your pages, ensuring that they’ll still be around to enjoy the grand finale you have in store for them.
A strong structure will help you showcase your story idea to maximum effect.
Because your readers won’t be distracted by sluggish pacing, they’ll be able to appreciate your hero (you know, the one who’s cooler than James Bond and Jack Reacher put together).
When asked what makes a great story, Steve DeSouza (the guy who wrote the script for Die Hard), basically said you need two things: surprises—and structure. To quote: “I’m a firm believer in the three-act structure and all the Aristotelian techniques that are a part of a good story.”
Three are the words of Aristotle.-Before his heyday, act structure was used. (That’s more than 2,000 years ago!)
And it’s still being used today.
Why is it so resilient?
Because it works.
This course will show you how to make the most of it.
Module 2 gave me a great tip that changed my life. It makes a huge difference to how I approach the middle of a story – it’s now far less overwhelming. I’ve been working on my current WIP while going through the course and applied this insight in real-time.
I also like the format of the course. It’s like you’re there in the room with me explaining things. Very engaging.
Ellen Jacobson – Cozy Mystery Author
Ellen Jacobson, author Murder at the Marina (Book #1 of the Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mysteries).
Learn how to deliver a roll-coaster ride that’ll keep readers glued to your pages.
Are you desperate to get the most out your writing time
Your writing time isn’t like your phone plan.
It’s not unlimited.
You’ve got to squeeze it in between work, driving to work, and the occasional workout.
Plus, you’re committed to being there, in the present moment, with your kids.
With all of this on your plate, you don’t have much free time leftover for writing.
You’ve got to make the most of what you’ve got, which is why you’re so keen to increase your productivity during your writing sessions.
Story Structure can be helpful.
To explain how, first let me ask you a question. Technically, there are a number of them.
What’s it like to figure out the plot of your story as you go along?
It is a waste of time.
Why?
Because—instead of writing—you spend half of your time staring at a blank screen, while wondering, What happens next?
Your story could be a breeze. You’re cruising along—and then, 50 pages in, you just stall out.
You don’t know where your story is heading.
You’ve got nada. Zilch. Nothing.
There is nothing more beautiful than a wall of blank sheets.
A disheartening prospect, certainly—but with story structure, the picture gets rosier.
You can increase your output by using story structure. This will help you avoid the frustration of writing too much.
How?
Story Structure provides markers that you can use to guide your writing.
These markers, as mentioned above, will assist you in creating a gripping roll.-A rollercoaster ride through a story.
But they can achieve more.
That’s because these markers can function like streetlights on a long road. You won’t be flailing in the dark, not when these markers will light up your path ahead.
There is no need to wonder: Where am I going?
You’ll know.
And with these markers there to guide you, you should spend less time staring at a blank screen—and more time actually writing.
You’ll be able to hit your target word count—easily.
It is also worth noting that there are empty stretches in between the markers. This allows you to discover new things as you go. You can gain productivity by only planning some areas of your plot beforehand. You don’t have to map out all of it.
(To be clear, if you want to be an efficiency ninja, then you probably need to go into greater detail, and make more of a compromise between freedom and efficiency…but that’s not the topic of this course.)
So far, we’ve only been talking about saving time while writing a first draft. But story structure can also help you save time when the first draft is done and it’s time to revise your baby.
Why is this?
Structure is important.-Tickets, big-Picture item
When it’s broken, you can’t fix it with a polish.
Nope.
You will need to completely overhaul the house in order to fix it.
And that takes a couple of weeks—probably more.
Correcting any weaknesses in the story structure could delay completion of your goal date by several months.
You might find that your story is not telling the whole truth, even though you tried your hardest.
The final draft, after all the details you had reworked to get it to work, can feel more like Frankenstein than a compelling, well-written piece.-woven tale.
If you plan the structure of your story ahead of time, you can avoid spending weeks (or even months) revising. This can be avoided.
Then, when you’ve finished with your first draft, you won’t be looking at a complete structural overhaul. Instead, you’ll just have to punch up your descriptions and polish up your dialogue.
Even better?
Your structure is solid and your plot flows well, so readers will appreciate it. (And by it, I mean your stunning descriptions and Lee Child–esque dialogue).
These benefits continue to accrue.
The time you save, both by editing more and writing less, could allow you to increase production, possibly doubling or tripling it.
There are many other options.
You can learn to navigate the murky waters that are social media without being annoying
You can enjoy some time with your spouse or sip margaritas out on the deck.
You could even play outside with your children.
You have the freedom to choose.
You don’t need to cut into your family time for writing.
I’ve been writing novels since 2002 and while I’m largely self-I have taught and read many craft books. The way you frame the same challenges in your books is inspiring. Smarter Story Structure It is easier to understand for some reason.
I’ve already worked my way through Module 1 and have had several epiphanies. Looking forward to finishing!
Author Bill Cokas
Bill Cokas author of the comic mystery Ring of Fire
What are you going to get with this course?
30-nonsense, fluff-Free lessons
15 bites-Videos in small sizes (All videos are under 10 minutes, so you can work on your writing skills while still keeping your busy schedule intact.
3 audio-Not only lessons but several high-quality visuals—100+ images, 12 infographics, and 5 slide decks (I like to think there’s something there for you, regardless of your learning style.)
Three bonus tips from my writing book Sparkling Story Drafts (Think of them like the ornamental fountain in front of mansion; they’ll make whatever structure you have even more impressive.)
3 cheat sheets
One makes it great-It’s easy to tell your story in the right way.
One will help you to overcome a storytelling problem that only the best writers can solve.
One helps you to deploy a ninja-level tactic that’ll reinforce the impression that you are a crazy-Good storyteller.
3 PDF workbooks created exclusively for this course
The Three-Act Structure Workbook will help you apply what you’ve learned—without getting overwhelmed.
The Audio Companion Workbook helps you test how much info you’ve retained from the audio-Only lessons.
The Story Structure Organizer will help you build a sturdy structure for your next writing project—step by step.
Freedom to choose the time you wish to complete each lesson.
the convenience of being able to access each lesson from the comfort of your home—and perhaps, in the comfort of sweatpants (It’ll be like getting all the takeaways from a weekend seminar without the hassle of traveling to—and from—the seminar venue.)
Your learning journey might look like this…
Point: Enrolling in Smarter Story Structure Completing the 30 lessons. End Point: Paying your bills using the power of imagination.
Use your imagination to pay your bills
Learn How To Overcome Common Reader Complaints…
As you go through the 5 modules in this course, you’ll learn practical tips for overcoming the plot problems that readers often gripe about.
Have a look at these…
Why do readers abandon novels, you ask?
This screenshot from a Goodreads infographic shows that 46.4% of readers have abandoned novels due to the story being too slow.
Infographic by Goodreads
This problem isn’t limited to novels, either. Some years ago, a studio read compiled all of the reasons why he granted a pass to a screenplay, instead of a recommend (or even a consider) in a report.
Of the 300 scripts that he had read, only 69 (or 23%) of them were too late. “failed to gain traction until after the halfway point.”
Infographic about script reader – slower
In Lesson 1.4 of this course (which comes with a deck of 35+ slides), you’ll learn how to position your inciting incident to solve the problem of sluggish pacing. In Lesson 2.2, you’ll learn how to detect—and fix—the “slow er” The studio reader discovered so many scripts that they were a problem.
These exercises can be used in conjunction with the writing exercises “Tick-Tock,” “Speed It Up,” “Analyzing Chef” From your Three-Act Structure Workbook, your next story should not be another tragic Goodreads/studio story-Reader statistics
What’s it like to be mentored by John Grisham?
I don’t know.
But Tony Vanderwarker does.
Vanderwarker was his mentor for two years. (The men are neighbours. Grisham revealed the secrets to success in popular fiction writing during his mentoring sessions.
One of these is a strong middle.
Vanderwarker elaborates:
He is good at coming up with the ending and opening. [John Grisham] says. It’s that 300-The page must be able to support itself and not run out of gas.
By the time you’ve finished Module 2 of this course, you should walk away with the confidence that you can write a middle that doesn’t “run out of gas.”
To get more specific, in Lesson 2.1, you’ll learn how to liven up the middle of any (a) plot involving a romance, buddy-Cop duo, or roadtrip or (b) story in action, thriller or mystery genres.
After that, in Lesson 2.2, you’ll learn about a midpoint fulcrum that’ll nip escalation problems in the bud—which increases the odds that your story idea will fulfill its blockbuster potential. (Psst: You’ll also get a cheat sheet that’ll make it easier for you to use this technique.)
In Lesson 2.4, you’ll learn about a neat trick (used in a Colleen Hoover new-Adult romance and Fast Five are two options to intensify the emotional intensity of the ending to your story.
Also, the writing exercise can be completed after you have finished it. “Gloves Off!” that follows Lesson 2.4, you’ll be less likely to yield to an instinct that can easily derail your quest to write a gripping story middle.
That’s not all. In Lesson 4.3, you’ll learn how to flesh out your story middle with variations of a special plot point. If you use this plot point correctly, it may feel as if the middle of your story is actually writing itself.
Could this have been the reason that a reviewer rated your book as a “pass”? Or why your script was given a pass rather than a consideration?
This excerpt is from an Amazon.com review of Crown of Embers, a YA fantasy novel.
My biggest complaint about the book is its ending. [that] This is why it didn’t get 5 stars. There was much buildup to the final chapter, just like the previous book. Elisa has to wait throughout the book to reach the end of her journey. Instead of waiting for the fireworks to happen, you get tiny sparklers. My epic fight! Epic!
This reader was disappointed because she wanted a dazzling finale (fireworks)…but got anticlimax (sparklers) instead.
If you want to leave readers begging for more, you can’t disappoint readers like this.
This is a problem I see a lot. Remember that studio reader I spoke of a while back? He also has.
35 scripts of 300 he examined had anticlimactic endings. (An additional 30 scripts were also analyzed. “off the rails” During the third act.
Informationgraphic from the script reader – Weak endings
Clearly, you don’t want to drown your readers in an ocean of anticlimax.
Fortunately, in Lesson 3.7 of this course, you’ll learn the secret sauce to creating “fireworks” Your readers. I’ll walk you through it, piece by piece.
Now, once you create these fireworks, your climax won’t be wimpy. You’ll already be way ahead of other writers who fizzle out by the end of their stories.
But if you want to crystallize a reader’s impression that you’re a crazy-Gimme, good-All-The-If you are a storyteller, you need to go even further. Cap audiences’ experience with an extra thrill. In Lesson 3.9, I’ll give you a cheat sheet that will help you do just that.
And then after that—’cause your muse is on a roll here—you could try to use the special payoff trick that’s included as one of your Sparkling bonus tips. Because this trick will increase the emotional resonance of your resolution, it’s a great one to have in your back pocket.
PS: The Module 3 lessons (on endings of stories) are my favourite. I think you’ll get a lot out of ’em!
Readers succumb to this money maker—yet grumble about it. Here’s one fix…
Visit any reader-centric hangout, and you’d be hard-You will be hard pressed to not feel disgust for cliffhanger endings.
The cliffhanger end can still be a powerful marketing tool.
So if you’d like to steer clear of the controversy—but still enjoy steady sales—what should you do?
Well, in Lesson 4.2, I’ll share with you a simple technique you can use to entice readers to buy the next book in your series—without resorting to the cliffhanger.
This isn’t as bad as the blank page (but it comes pretty close).
Have you ever bought lemonade at a grocery store?
It is similar to freshly squeezed lemonade.-White color
It’s clouded by the same lemony pulp.
It has the same taste profile as sweet, but tart.
But bottled lemonade sure doesn’t taste the same as fresh.
In the same vein…
…there’s a difference between pages filled with words—and pages filled with words worth reading.
(And this worthiness, by the way, is determined by the average Joe just looking to escape reality for a few hours—not by some snooty literary critic.)
Let’s not beat around the bush.
You can have pages filled with action, dialogue, and description…but they don’t go anywhere.
They invite abandonment, to be honest.
You know what I’m talking about. Because there’s a difference between pages filled with…
Authorial equivalent of throat clearing
Scenes that are repetitive or feel monotonous
Ends that don’t work
…and pages that are so gripping, they keep readers up all night.
While blank pages are the worst, pages filled with words that do NOT add up to a story…well, that’s almost as bad.
That’s because, to succeed—to make serious side income with your writing—your story can’t just look like a great read.
It must be one.
James Scott Bell, author (and instructor in writing), put it this:
All that raw material can be turned into something useful [for a story]…isn’t simply a matter of putting it into words on a page or screen. You have to “translate” It into something that readers can relate too. That’s what structure does.
Translating their words is a difficult task for many writers. “into a form that readers can relate to.”
This course will teach you how to tackle this problem. This is why the audio content of Lesson 5.5.5 is so helpful. It explains 6 of the three ways you can use it.-Act structure can increase the chances that your screenplay, novel, or screenplay will be read well (and not just the right length).
Plus, at the very end of Module 5, you’ll find the Story Structure Organizer: a 70+ page workbook that will help you build—step by step—a sturdy structural foundation for your next novel or screenplay.
This is just a sampling of what you’ll learn in this course…
It’s just a small taste. If you’d like to get a fuller picture, scroll down to the bottom of this page. There, you’ll get a full list of all 30 lessons.
Also, I’ve made 3 lessons available for immediate . These lessons will give you an instant feel for the course.
This course was a great choice. It was well-constructed and makes perfect sense to me.
Module 3 taught me a lot about the climax, resolution and how to use them. I understand them both in a way that I didn’t understand before I took Smarter Story Structure. I have gained confidence in my ability to write stories that will engage my readers/readers as a result of this course.
Janet Z
Learn how to leave readers begging for more (while you’re on your lunch break!)
Still have questions?
Is this the right course?
You’re the best judge of that. To help you make a decision, I’ve made 3 lessons available for .
Scroll down and go through them. Then, make your choice.
If you buy this course and then decide later on that it isn’t for you, no worries. Request a refund within 30 days of purchase—and you’ll get it, without any hassle.
I’ve read Sizzling Story Outlines: This is where you will cover the story structure in depth. Do I still have the potential to benefit from this course
You’re right. Part
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