Being a writer is a solitary job. No one disputes that. But, what most new writers don't know, is the successful authors of the world ask for feedback from other writers nearly every day.

Watch this lecture to see how you can potentially get feedback on your story from thousands of new and existing writers.

There is a belief that because a short story is short, its easier to write. Actually, it;s not and this lecture provides a few reasons why.

This lecture covers the scene test.

Does your story pass the scene test?

The scene test is one of the many secrets writers use to make sure they have a solid foundation to every scene. You must have every element I'm about to show you in every scene you write in order for your scene, to move the plot forward and not go flat.

So, lets look at the elements required.

SETUP – Presents the audience with some matters to initially consider (this is the current state of affairs). Describe everything the audience needs to know for that scene.

REVELATION – adds new information or activity into the mix (something else enters the scene, creating the potential for reaction).

CONFLICT – brings the opposing forces together (the potential becomes an interaction of actions or ideas).

AFTERMATH – describes the new balance which has been created (the scene has developed a new state or direction).

this video provides a high level overview of the storyline. It's designed to help you begin to become familiar with the story, so you can make the best of your creative decisions as you move through the course.

You'll have a choice near the end of this plot and outline to either creating a fulfilling ending or to keep the story going forward with a cliff hanger and to the next book in your series.

Watch this video to help make a decision to close the book at the end of this course, or move forward with a three part series.

Despite the obvious lack of character depth in short stories, it does not mean the author has not taken time to understand their own characters in depth to help them get a better understanding of how each character plays a part in the story.

This lecture is the introduction of what's to come with regard to understanding character traits and building characters for this story.

Do not pass this video up. It's important!

Okay in this lecture will provide you just a brief explanation of how were going to go about building our characters for the story.

Are you familiar with character traits in every story?

If not, watch this lecture. Understanding each character trait in a story will make or break your career!

The character trait worksheet the student should print out and keep for review. Also provide the layout of the worksheet.

Description of a protagonist

Protagonist

Archetype dyn.pr. Antagonist ↔ Protagonist

An Archetypal Character who represents the qualities of Pursuit and Consider

An Overall Story Character charged with the responsibility of pursuing a solution to the story's Overall (Objective) problem. An Overall (Objective) problem does not mean it can't be personal. Rather, it means that all of the dramatically functioning characters in the story are concerned about the outcome. The true Archetypal Protagonist pursues the solution against the Antagonist. In other stories a close cousin of the Protagonist shares all the same elements except he tries to avoid the Antagonist's plan. For the Pursuing Protagonist the goal is to cause something. For the Avoiding "Protagonist" the goal is to prevent something.

description of an antaognist

Antagonist

Archetype dyn.pr. Protagonist ↔ Antagonist

An archetypal character who is in every way opposed to the Protagonist

Antagonist and Protagonist are diametrically opposed. What the Protagonist pursues, the Antagonist seeks to avoid or prevent. Together, Antagonist and Protagonist form a Dynamic Pair centered around the story's Goal. In order for one to succeed the other MUST fail.

description of a guardian

Guardian

Archetype dyn.pr. Contagonist ↔ Guardian

an archetype that represents the motivations of Conscience and Help

This Archetypal character acts as teacher/helper to the Protagonist. As Conscience, he provides the audience with the story's assessment of what is good and bad in the world it describes. In his Dynamic Pair relationship, the Guardian counterbalances the efforts of the Contagonist to hinder progress and tempt the Protagonist from the proper path. Since, according to Archetypal convention, the Protagonist must ultimately face the Antagonist without assistance, both the Guardian and Contagonist must be dramatically nullified before the climax of the story so that they cannot interfere. This often occurs as a separate confrontation between them, just prior to the Protagonist meeting the Antagonist, or it may occur concurrently, but concludes before the actual climax of the story is reached.

description side characters and why their needed.

Sidekick

Archetype dyn.pr. Skeptic ↔ Sidekick

an Archetypal Character who represents the qualities of Faith and Support

The Sidekick is the absolutely faithful and supportive member of the Archetypal character set. Although frequently attached to the Protagonist, the Sidekick is identified by what his qualities are, not by who he is working for. In fact, the Sidekick might be attached to the Antagonist or not attached at all. His function is to represent the qualities of faith and support, not specifically to be in service of any other character. However, if the Sidekick is bound to the Protagonist, he can be effectively used to mirror the Author's feelings about the conduct of the Protagonist. Moving scenes can be created by a misguided Protagonist actually alienating the faithful, supportive Sidekick. Although the Sidekick would never turn against the Protagonist, he can turn away from him, leaving rather than being a party to something he finds immoral or disappointing.The

This video will provide you a high level overview of scene 1 in it's entirety. Please watch this lecture to see how the story will unfold.

Protagonist is introduced.

Okay this is one of my favorite parts of the book and that is introducing the love interest of the story. This is the revelation portion of the first scene so don't forget that we have not moved from the very first scene. Everything up until this point has probably been something around 8 to 10 paragraphs of the story and were moving quickly having already established the protagonist as the main character with a little bit of their background and are moving quickly into the love interest introduction.

So the love interest introduction let's look at it in a few different examples.

Using the paralegal as the example last we had the paralegal perhaps leaving an office with a stack of papers under their arms may be just above their head with maybe some other attorneys can a smirking or laughing and the paralegal is walking to another attorney's office to gather more paperwork. The paralegal could be about to enter the second attorney's office to gather more paperwork when they are stopped by perhaps a another paralegal this would be a insignificant character who forewarned them that they are about to walk into the office and come upon this love interest. the purpose of giving the protagonist a heads up about the love interest is to give the reader as much background on the love interest as you can without just coming out and saying it. It builds anticipation for the reader if you can introduce the love interest in kind of a glamorous way.

So for example the paralegal is stopped by this insignificant character who forewarned them that they are about to walk in to this attorney's office and come across the most handsome man They have ever laid there a lot eyes on. This insignificant character can provide within just a few sentences a high-level overview of this most handsome man.

Now that you have the standard set for the reader and the protagonist the protagonist enters the attorney's office. Now this is where you would want to provide the physical attributes of the love interest. So just like the insignificant character stated that this love interest is very handsome or maybe this love interest is not very handsome maybe this love interest in your book is incredibly ugly or has some other kind of physical feature that stands out this is where the protagonist is going to let the reader know what they see.

So provide from the protagonist to what the love interests physical attributes are. Provide some basic background on the love interest either from the protagonist own memory having knowing about the love interest or have some other character fill in the protagonist on the love interest.

From here, we're going to move into the next part of the revelation for scene 1 and that is where the protagonist and the love interest are introduced and that lecture starts now.

Memorable moment created here.

Love Interest offers Protagonist one in a lifetime offer or reason to meet in the near future.