Use St. Patrick as Inspiration for Your Hero’s Actions

Dear Friends,

Aspiring screenwriters must accustom themselves to looking everywhere for inspiration when it comes to developing a believable story arc for their hero. What are the qualities that make a hero heroic, and how can you create a persona that takes on a life of its own beyond the story itself?

The yearly over-the-top observation of St. Patrick’s Day shows what can happen with strong hero development. Even though St. Patrick himself lived about 1600 years ago, his story still resonates with followers and believers to this very day. The basics of his story, from his birth in Britain to wealthy parents, his kidnapping at the age of 16 by Irish raiders, his personal conversion to Christianity, and his eventual devotion to the Irish people, are all well-known. But what was it about his story that transcends time and culture, fostering world-wide love and adoration?

The answer is that he touched peoples’ hearts, and that is what the successful screenwriter must also accomplish with his hero. My book, The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, provides insights on how to construct an emotional experience that leads readers to discover for themselves the real merit of our unspoken, subtextual themes. In order to be effective, all stories must impart emotion.

The most crucial job when beginning a story is to introduce the lead in a way that fosters immediate character sympathy. An actual recipe exists, a list of nine ingredients that elicit sympathetic responses when connecting readers to your lead.  The more of these nine character attributes you include, the more emotionally effective your story becomes:

1. Courage
2. Unfair Injury
3. Skill
4. Funny
5. Nice
6. In Danger
7. Loved
8. Hard-Working
9. Obsessed

How many of these attributes were exhibited by St. Patrick, and how many are shown in the characters you are developing? If your character has less than six of these attributes, your story may be in danger. There are other qualities of character that can help create a hero an audience will want to root for, but these are the never-to-be-ignored basic nine. Use them liberally.

To help you understand more about creating heroic characters, I invite you to download a sample chapter from my book or visit Amazon.com for a look inside at some of the chapters and initial pages. The “23 Steps All Great Heroes Must Take” is an easy to understand paradigm that supportswriters and filmmakers with the interconnecting, powerful storytelling elements they need. Use my revolutionary Hero Goal Sequences blueprint for writing blockbuster movies.

Here are some videos that will help you avoid writer’s block.

• Toni Morrison talks about her motivation for writing
• Get Results!The best motivation compilation video of 2013
• Motivational quotes from the GREATS on preparation
• Will Smith shares his secrets of success

Thanks for your support of the book, god luck and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Eric Edson and Staff


About The Story Solution:  The Story Solution was written by accomplished screenwriter Eric Edson. It reveals the 23 actions used to create dynamic, three dimensional heroes and link all parts of a captivating screenplay. He also covers screenwriting tips, screenwriting resources, and screenwriting books. Visit the website and Facebook page for more screenwriting tips and resources.

How To Get Free Publicity – Danek Kaus Reveals Secrets

So let’s say that you followed all of the advice in my book, The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, and have actually written the great American screenplay. Now how do you go about getting the attention of producers, agents and investors who can help transform that screenplay into a big screen success?

One skill I recommend that every screenwriter should know about is how to market effectively. In his book You Can Be Famous! Insider Secrets to Getting Free Publicity, author Danek Kaus reveals all the secrets you need to know. Dan is an author, journalist, publicist, copywriter and ghostwriter. He has published hundreds of articles in about 75 newspapers and magazines, and dozens of websites. His publicity clients have been featured in such media outlets as USA Today, CNN, The New York Times and hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV shows. He is the co-author of Power Persuasion: Using Hypnotic Influence to Win in Life, Love, and Business. If you want to advance your career as a screenwriter, this book will help create the name recognition that can make things happen.

Just suppose you could appear on a national television talk show to discuss your screenplay. What would that mean to you? Or imagine a great article on you in the local paper. Do you think that would help attract the attention of those in the business? You Can Be Famous reveals:

• The benefits and types of fame
• The 10-second rule
• How to attract the media’s attention and become a media darling
• How to talk to journalists
• What you should (almost) never say to a journalist
• The kinds of stories the media want most
• How to do a national publicity tour without leaving home
• How to get on TV talk shows
• TV interview tips form the Seinfeld TV show dialogue coach

There are even Question and Answer sessions with journalists who tell you how to get them interested, and what approaches turn them off. Visit Amazon.com to view the Table of Contents and first few pages so you can see for yourself how getting free publicity might be able to help jumpstart your screenwriting career.

Learn More About Screenwriting: I’m sharing my screenwriting secrets with members of the Palm Springs Writers Guild at their monthly meeting on Saturday, April 5, 2014. In a presentation entitled, “Cracking Screen Story Structure,” I’ll discuss my original concept of a “Hero Goal Sequences” story paradigm that can be used to build dynamic screen stories and keep producers and audiences glued to their chairs.

About The Story Solution:  The Story Solution was written by accomplished screenwriter Eric Edson. It reveals the 23 actions used to create dynamic, three dimensional heroes and link all parts of a captivating screenplay. He also covers screenwriting tips, screenwriting resources, and screenwriting books. Visit the website and Facebook page for more information.

5 Actions Screenwriters Can Take To Get A Jump Start On The New Year

I wish all of our loyal fans a Happy Holiday Season, and hope that you find great inspiration for developing an exciting screenplay in 2014. A career in screenwriting can be a difficult path to take. Some screenwriters have ideas that just pop out of their heads, but have trouble honing them into a workable script. Others manage the finer points of scriptwriting, but can’t find the spark that makes their characters come to life. Bringing all of these writing skills together can be a challenge, but there are some steps you can take to give yourself the edge. Here are my five suggestions for actions you can take now that will help build your skills and get you started on the path to bringing your screenplay to life in 2014:

1. Be Observant: Some of the greatest characters on screen seem so realistic because of some unique personality quirk or heroic trait the screenwriter has given them. As you go about your daily life, be observant of the people around you, take note of their personality traits, and write down those characteristics which you think could help you develop the story line in your screenplay.
2. Learn The Basics: Since very few of us are born with the art of screenwriting inside our brain most of us need a little help to nurture our skills and build our creativity. Be aware of opportunities to build your skills, like those available through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. They offer online and onsite writing courses, master classes, screenwriting resources, and a Writers Studio.
3. Learn The Industry: Learn from those who have already achieved success in the industry you hope to pursue. There are TV writing consultants, screenplay consultants, and romantic comedy screenwriters who can all serve as a source of knowledge.
4. Use Your Resources: Many websites offer a list of screenwriting resources you can use to find additional information.
5. Read More: My book, The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, provides many insights aspiring screenwriters can use to hone their craft. I’ve provided the tools necessary for any writer to construct a forceful emotional ride in his or her storytelling.

As my holiday gift to you, download a chapter from my book, The Story Solution, so you can learn more about the HERO GOAL SEQUENCES that make compelling characters come to life. While at my website, also be sure to sign up for my newsletter which provides tips, resources, insider info, and news you can use.

Happy Holidays and here’s to your writing success in 2014!

About The Story Solution:  The Story Solution was written by accomplished screenwriter Eric Edson. It reveals the 23 actions used to create dynamic, three dimensional heroes and link all parts of a captivating screenplay. Eric covers screenwriting tips, screenwriting resources, and screenwriting books. Visit the website and Facebook page.

Death threats and denial for woman who showed college athletes struggle to read

(CNN) -- The death threats, Mary Willingham expected.

More shocking is that the University of North Carolina is now disavowing her research as a whistle-blower -- research that showed between 8% and 10% of the school's football and basketball players are reading below a third-grade level.

UNC issued a statement Wednesday night saying it did not believeWillingham's account of a basketball player who could not read or write.

It went on: "University officials can't comment on the other statistical claims mentioned in the story because they have not seen that data. University officials have asked for that data, but those requests have not been met."

As well as questioning UNC many times about the story before publication, CNN has also detailed Willingham's research.

And purported e-mail exchanges obtained by CNN since August show that Willingham did share her findings at least twice -- once with Executive Vice Provost James W. Dean Jr., and once with a member of a university committee on academics and athletics.

In addition, Willingham says her research on the students in the athletics programs that make money for the university was done based on screenings that the university itself paid for. And, she says, she has gotten permission from the university several times since 2008 to access those findings to continue her research.

"It's already available to them," Willingham said. "It's in their system. ... They have all the data and more. It belongs to them, and they paid a lot of money for it."

Last year, when CNN asked UNC for comment on Willingham's research, officials initially denied knowing about it, and said: "Such analysis is not part of her job duties at the university."

Then, after being shown the e-mails, a spokesperson admitted that Willingham did share her findings and did have permission from the university to do the research in the first place, and said a meeting with Willingham was being scheduled.

Apart from Wednesday's statement, UNC has not responded to CNN's request for an explanation.

In the meantime, Willingham said she has heard from one branch of the university -- the Department of Public Safety.

Since CNN's report, Willingham said she's gotten four death threats, and more than 30 other alarming messages.

"Not people who disagree, people who put in the subject or body (of the e-mail) straight-up hate speech," she said.

But there have also been notes of support from several other academic advisers around the country, Willingham says, and they make it worth the trouble.

"I've been getting more and more nice notes from high school teachers and literacy specialists across the country saying 'Thank you.'"

A formal incident report hasn't been made yet, but university police said: "We are looking into it and making effort to reach out and investigate the nature of the threats."

"It's really OK," Willingham said of the threats, "because I'm telling the truth."

Source: CNN.com

Pre-Oscar Smack Down Session – Will You Be Ringside?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Los Angeles, CA January 20th, 2013 - Screenwriter and university professor Eric Edson will be joining the authors of Michael Wiese Productions for the annual Pre-Oscar Panel at the Writer’s Store in Burbank, CA on March 1st, 2014 1:00PM to 2:30PM.

In this lively discussion moderated by Matt R. Lohr, MWP authors will discuss top picks for Oscars in all major categories.  On the panel with Eric Edson for the March 1st festivities will be Steve Kaplan (The Hidden Tools of Comedy), JM Evenson (Shakespeare for Screenwriters) and Carole Kirschner (Hollywood Game Plan).  

Michael Wiese Productions is the number one publisher in the world for books on indie filmmaking and screenwriting. The MWP Facebook page announces new releases, contests, and workshops every day, LIKE the MWP page for updates.

The Writers Store is located at 3510 W. Magnolia Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505.  Join the fun and make your predictions for FREE at The Writers Store on March 1, 2014.

ABOUT ERIC EDSON: Eric Edson has written seventeen feature screenplays on assignment for companies including Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney, CBS, and Showtime, as well as writing for episodic television.  He is author of the book “THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take,” and Director of the Graduate Program in Screenwriting at California State University, Northridge.  Follow Eric Edson on Facebook for screenwriting tips and resources.

Top 10 Reasons Screenwriters Love The Story Solution

 

The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, by experienced screenwriter Eric Edson, is acclaimed as one of the best books on screenwriting available. Through his focus on heroes, actions and developing a story, Edson helps aspiring screenplay writers take their craft to the next level. Here are the top 10 reasons why screenwriters love The Story Solution: 

1. Innovation: Eric Edson uses The Story Solution to deliver a completely new approach to writing a screenplay that keeps producers, agents and audiences glued to their seats.
2. Education: Edson uses his many years of teaching experience to explain the basics of writing a movie script in clear, compelling language. He is Professor of Screenwriting and Director of the Master of Fine Arts Program in Screenwriting at California State University, Northridge.
3. Experience: Edson doesn’t just teach screenplay writing; he has real-life experience, having written seventeen feature screenplays on assignment for such companies as Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney, 20th Fox, ABC Motion Pictures, Lifetime, Showtime, NBC, and TNT.
4. Free Chapter: Subscribe to the informative newsletter and download a free sample chapter from one of the best screenwriting books on the market.
5. Actionable Insights: Edson reveals the 23 actions used in writing screenplays to create dynamic, three-dimensional heroes who link together all parts of an engaging screenplay from first page to last.
6. Ongoing Support: The art of scriptwriting can’t be simply picked up from one book, no matter how good it is. Edson stays engaged with upcoming screenwriters through his blog updates and Facebook postings. He is constantly providing tips and insider insights every young screenplay writer can use to achieve success.
7. Networking Opportunities:  Join any of these message boards and talk with other screenwriters about story lines and Eric’s Hero Goal Sequences concept.
8. Humor: The Story Solution is clear and fun to read, yet still brings to light an innovative way to insure effective plotlines for both screenplays and novels.
9. Motivation: Edson offers motivation to get started and get going again when new screenwriters are met by the challenge of writer’s block or other impediments that can stifle them or keep them from writing. In fact, one piece of advice he often offers scriptwriting students it to “Write Badly With Pride,” as long as you are writing. The rest will fall into place, but you have to make a start.
10. The Art of Storytelling: Screenwriting and creating heroes that an audience can engage with are true art forms. Edson knows that it may not be an easy path in life, but he helps writers understand why they feel the need to bring these characters to life, and Eric provides encouragement for the task of creation.

About The Story Solution:  The Story Solution was written by accomplished screenwriter Eric Edson. It reveals the 23 actions used to create dynamic, three dimensional heroes and link all parts of a captivating screenplay. He also covers screenwriting tips, screenwriting resources, andscreenwriting books. Visit the website and Facebook page or call (818) 677-6608 for more information.

Tags: best books on screenwriting, best screenwriting books, creative screenwriting, screenplay writer, screenplay writers, screenplay writing, screenwriters, screenwriting tips, scriptwriting, writing a movie script, writing a screenplay,writing screenplays

Eric Edson

Visit My Website / View My Other Posts

Eric Edson has written seventeen feature screenplays on assignment for such companies as Sony, Warner Brothers, Disney, 20th Fox, ABC Motion Pictures, Lifetime, Showtime, NBC, and TNT. He has also written for episodic television. He is Professor of Screenwriting and Director of the Graduate Program in Screenwriting at California State University, Northridge, and lectures through the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, the largest screenwriter training center in the world. Eric holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Screenwriting and Film Directing from The American Film Institute, and a Master of Fine Arts in Playwriting from UCLA. He also earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English at UCLA. Eric has been a member of The Writers Guild of America since 1981. He lives in Calabasas, California. Eric can be reached at: eric@thestorysolution.com

Movie Review: ‘The Last Days on Mars’

The Last Days on Mars grabs you right at the beginning and doesn’t let go. It is a text book example of how to make a sci-fi thriller.

The hero is a senior systems engineer played by Liev Schreiber

Based on Sydney J Bounds’ 1975 short story,The Animators, the film focuses not on landing on Mars, but on the crew’s last day of a six-month mission. After six-months, a lot of things have begun to break, including the crew’s nerves. And that is what makes this movie special – its examination of the human psyche under pressure.

The hero of the story is senior systems engineer Vincent Campbell, played by Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan, Lee Daniels’ The Butler). Within the first few minutes of the film we realize that Campbell, whom the crew is dependent upon to keep things running, is suffering from a potentially debilitating psychological problem. His battle to overcome his inner daemons is paralleled in the crew’s battle against the daemons they discover on Mars.

Olivia Williams’ character alienates everyone

The screenplay by Clive Dawson (The Bunker,The Bill) is a tutorial for screenwriters. As I watched the film, I had mixed feeling at first. The plot is quite similar to Europa Reportwhich premiered at this year’s LA Film Festival and I kept being reminded of Alienand The Thing. What these films share in common is the uber-genre which screenwriting guru Blake Snyder (Save the Cat)identifies as “Monster in the House”.  In these films a small group of people are trapped in a confined space with something that wants to kill them. Dawson has mastered this genre.

Director Ruairí Robinson, this was his first feature, and editor Peter Lambert (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) also deserve credit for keeping the film tight and exciting. I watched the screener for this film on my PC, and I could see the tiny progress bar move across the bottom of the monitor as the film progressed. It showed me that the film was hitting the beats needed for a successful Hollywood-style film at exactly the right places (see professor Eric Edson’s The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take).

Besides Schreiber’s performance as the hero, the rest of the cast also deserves praise. The characters are sharply drawn and each personifies aspects of the human condition.

Schreiber and Garai examine the stricken Koteas

Romola Garai (Vanity Fair) plays the heroes’ mentor and love interest, a love which never gets beyond holding hands, but is real none-the-less. As everything begins to deteriorate around her, she personifies strength and is the only one who tries to hold everything together.

Elias Koteas (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) plays the captain of the mission. His failing is that he has become too friendly with his crew, rather than remaining their leader, thereby enabling the weaknesses of the others to manifest themselves. Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense) plays one of the geologists tasked with finding life on Mars. She is the mirror of Koteas’ character, so focused on the mission that she alienates and loses the trust of the rest of the crew. Goran Kostic (Taken) plays the other geologist whose arrogance and deceit start the chain of events that lead to tragedy. Johnny Harris (Snow White and the Huntsman) plays the crew psychologist, personifying the powerlessness of modern psychology against real problems. Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey) and Yusra Warsama (Dracula, the TV series) also give impressive performances, being the youngest members of the crew and trying to deal with guilt and lack of confidence.

It is that interplay of tortured souls that makes this movie so good. Yes, it is a familiar sci-fi genre, some of the scenes seem somewhat derivative, but the story is really about the human spirit, its failings and its triumphs. It is both technically and emotionally an exciting journey.

The Last Days on Mars, an official selection of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival Director’s Fortnight, rated “R”, is available now on iTunes and on demand and opens in theaters December 6, 2013.