You've summarized in this sentence: 'The good news for the rest of us is that the more lazy writers rely on AI, the more stories written without AI will shine and stand out.' The reality of AI that none see. Creativity is an exercise; you lose it if you don't use it. Kudos!
Exactly! You lose it if you don't use it, well put. There's so much understandable worry and concern regarding AI in creative worlds. I think it's helpful to take a beat and remember that. Writers should just stay the course and constantly improve. It will be okay in the end. Creatively speaking, the exercised human mind will always be superior.
I use ChatGPT to bounce off ideas I have. It's like having a 2nd person around who can provide elements you wouldn't think of. ... However, ChatGPT is terribly generic and often too abstract. It works ok for some genres (like sci-fi), but sucks at others (like horror). I'm wondering how many current stories are relying on A.I..
“The story you write will either be terrible, or Indistinguishable from all the rest of the stories on the shelves these days-most of which are terrible.” Thank you for this honesty. So many folks who do this are AIMING to show writers HOW to do exactly this.
I've seen thousands of lectures from professional authors on pacing, and yet none have been able to explain and articulate it as well as you have. I feel like I have just learned something invaluable, thank you.
Have you watched Sanderson's BYU lecture series? It sucks. Once you start listening to these people you quickly realize they have no idea how they do what they do. They just follow their instincts. If you want to be great, you have to do the same thing.
@@MaximilianReyCartwright ummm, I actually really like Sanderson's lectures. But I don't see how that has anything to do with this video. Keep your rude comment to yourself, please.
That's so great to hear! I'm so glad I could help in some way to break through the awful, dreaded Writer's Block. Good luck with your writing! And thank you for watching!
This video is essentially an unpacking of Dwight Swain's book Techniques of the Selling Writer, the single best writer's guide ever published. Do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven't. You can find a free digital copy online.
I'm new to this writing thing, but i have this feeling the more i try to look at those 3 act structures, heroe's journey guidelines, i find myself all the more lost in my storytelling. It doesn't feel organic anymore and the story loses its soul. I think this channel is the one I have been looking for. Thank you for this!
That's the biggest danger with all those formulas, in my opinion: the loss of soul. I hope this video helps as you get started on your journey. Hopefully my future videos will also be helpful! Thanks for watching and happy writing!
You better hope you have good instincts though cuz I’ve read so many early writers with just the worst writing in the world with no structure and I’m pretty certain they all followed their instincts too. I think a bad writer w structure is better than a bad writer w/o structure. And good artists don’t really need it but honestly when you look at the most famous, widely spread movies books etc, they typically fall into three acts, even if not planned that way.
I find it makes sense to study the structure models, then throw them away and make my plots. Then if I find any issues, like I have a sense that something is off, analyzing the structure can really help. Like, realizing that "oh, if I flip these scenes like this, I hit the right beats" or "the reason this scene isn't working is because it's supposed to functionally do A, but I'm doing Z."
I thoroughly went through every story plotting formula, 3 act, 4 act, 8 part story circle, even found a thorough breakdown of the 3 act structure made into 29 chapters/steps. In the end, I went with my gut and wrote something wholly unique. I took inspiration from some of my favorite shows, books, games, etc, and formed a plot piece by piece with two seperate main POVs that intertwine towards each other by the middle. Currently on the 2nd round of revisions, and I'm in love with the characters and world I've crafted. Trust yourself, and look inward for the answers while drawing inspiration from your favorite arcs or moments elsewhere if you need it. Good luck, and great video! 👍
The rules of writing are like music theory: they're strategies and concepts conceived by observers trying to make sense of genius creatives. They're attempts at mapping the trails blazed by the greats. If you want to stand out, you have to blaze new trails, not walk the same ones millions already have before you.
@@MaximilianReyCartwright This is so true, I've been playing piano for over 25 years and you reach a point where you need to break the "rules" in order to get something very beautiful and unique. The rules are there for beginners so they can get started but once you reach certain level you just need to ignore them in order to improve.
You're definitely not wrong. I enjoy the process, too! But I do still have days when I feel like all I'm doing is banging my head on the keyboard... Thanks for watching!
I follow Brandon Sanderson's advice. Map out the general structure of your story, outline the important events, set up sheets for your characters (longer and shorter depending on their importance) and then begin writing. This way you have clear story points A through Z but aren't basically writing the same thing twice. The journey between the points is still unknown to you and you have the freedom to change whatever you want as your story progresses. You don't fall into the George Martin trap of not knowing how to finish a story and you also get the benefit of a naturally flowing sequence of events. All that's left is to practice this.
Of all of the writing advice videos that I've watched (which is a lot) this is the first time I ever heard something like this and it makes sense! I have to say, this is the best writing advice I've received because it's not just general advice, like "5 Ways To Make A Good Magic Item." It's actual, actionable advice that can be executed and to actually help me get words to paper. A huge thank you.
This video is essentially an unpacking of Dwight Swain's book Techniques of the Selling Writer, the single greatest writer's guide ever published. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You can find a free digital copy online.
Only 9 minutes in but this is genius! I always end up writing my own structure to fit the story I want for every single book because the typical structures cause so many limitations and issues with flow. I've never heard pacing talked about in this way. You're really onto something.
This is literally the best writing advice I have ever heard. Thank you so much. This gives me so much more direction and understanding and makes storytelling so much less overwhelming
Thank you! I actively pursue anything that can make the writing process less overwhelming... I'm glad this video could help you so much! Thank you for watching, and good luck with your writing!
I've been a writer for years, and this is probably the most helpful video I've ever watched on the topic of pacing and how to create "mini arcs" within the scope of the larger story arc. You've explained it so clearly with great examples. Please - PLEASE - do make more of these videos!! I'm watching.
This makes so much sense. I'm a beginner writer and plotting stifles me. And I find discovery writing leads me to waffle. And I believe this is the missing piece for me. Would love more in depth videos on story techniques.
Plotting was really tricky for me for a long time, too. I always felt like I was groping in the dark and if I got it right it was just because I got lucky. Learning things like this helped me so much, I hope it can help you, too. I do want to make a lot more videos on plotting and more in-depth videos on building stories. Thank you so much for watching, and good luck with your writing!
This is a great video. Writing advice tends to be super abstract and attack the structure of a story at a very broad level, or hyperfocused on the style of a single scene. This hits the middle of these extremes in a way i rarely see, and really appreciate!
I think this is my first TH-cam comment. I've watched over 200 hours of different author's giving their perspective as I try to finish my first novel in 2025. After all of that content, this video felt like a revelation. I kept trying to force my novel's structure into 3 act and then into the 7 point framework. Neither felt natural. Your video and channel are highly underrated. Thank you for freeing me from the shackles of too many frameworks!
This comment was so wonderful to read, thank you! I'm so glad that my video was so helpful. It seems like it found you at just the right time, too. Good luck with your novel! And thank you again!
This is one of the best videos on storytelling (and creating in general) I've ever watched! I feel so lucky to have this recommended to me today! I've been writing on/off for about two years now because I was always trying to fit myself into these plot structures, and it has really robbed me of having fun and finishing anything. But no longer! Your take on pacing makes so much sense, and I feel excited to create again! Thank you for this, and do make more!
This is perfect. Thanks. I often felt that my creative urge was being suppressed by trying to study and fit into one or more plot models. This video makes me feel like a weight has been lifted. Don't beat yourself up; write your creative story out of a bunch of mini-stories. I am a retired computer engineer. Every significant hardware problem or computer program is broken down into smaller, easy to handle pieces, and the complex result follows. Writing, painting, and sculpting benefit from the same breakdown. We just have to be aware of that. Thanks!!
Thank you! I'm glad this video could help so much! As an engineer you probably understand structure even better than I do! But that's my approach, too. Everything can be broken down into smaller pieces. Even conversations almost always have their own mini-arcs. Working with the smaller pieces is so much less overwhelming than trying to tackle the whole thing in one go. Thank you for watching!
This was crystal clear and very helpful. I have been getting stuck and lost while planning my story, you showed me what to focus on and I don't feel so helpless anymore. Thanks a lot ! I hope the algorithm recognize your merits !
That's so wonderful to hear! I'm so happy I was able to help and I hope the writing goes smoothly now. Thank you very much for your supportive words, I really appreciate it. Happy writing!
This video is INSANELY informative and helpful with actual practical advice that anyone can follow. I really hope your channel starts to take off because I am already loving the content here!
I just noticed that this is actually a quite small and new channel. I loved the advice given. I have been struggling a lot personallly because I wish I could create art and I have a rather warped and difficult relationship towards producing art. Long story. Anyway, I tried to get into writing a few months ago in order to work on my self-worth and the related issues and found myself giving up in frustration after a few tries. Writing and art in general always felt like this mystical skill that some people just seem to be innately born with but your explanation beautifully lifted this mist that was clouding me the whole time trying to write. It really motivated me to give it another try. If I hadn't found this video I probably would have given up for good.
I'm really glad you didn't give up. Writing can be wonderfully therapeutic and also very rewarding. I firmly believe that anyone can learn how to do anything. I struggled a lot when I was younger with largely esoteric or vague and abstract writing classes. I would love to be able to show people that writing is a skill you can learn. A skill anyone can learn. Thank you very much for watching!
That was a clear, understandable statement. So many forms/techs, but this clarifies structure and scene for me in a way I've been trying to extract from other presentations. Much appreciated!!
LOVED this. Your logic describes how I've been writing in my last two books, wondering all the while, "Do I know what I'm doing?" I feel much more confident now and feel empowered to continue with mini-arc focus in telling my current story, which leads I know not where.
Imagine being an architect and saying "I won't need physics or engineering" that's what being an author and saying "I don't need a story structure" is like... 🙄
A technique I have used (at least once) with success is essentially what you suggest here. I summarized my story in three sentences. Then I turned each sentence into a five-sentence paragraph. Then I turned each of those sentences into a five sentence paragraph. Those paragraphs became scenes that were like your mini-arcs.
22:00 Saw the South Park writers talk about this once. I didn’t fully get it at first, but I think the longer explanation given in this video helped me understand it.
I am not even through the whole video yet and I am already convinced that I will learn something valuable. By minute 4 you already outlined all my thoughts and problems. I'm going to watch the rest now, you have my full attention.
You have breathed new life into my writing. Every time I've tried to work on a big project I've gotten mired in structures and archetypes and all that jazz and it never fails to stall me completely. I have much to think about. Thank you!
I'm really glad I could help! Sometimes all your really need is to see the process from a different perspective. Thank you for watching! Good luck with your writing!
What I love most about this advice is that it’s applicable regardless of whether you’re a plotter or a pantser or anything in between. That’s what’s bugged me about a lot of the formulas; they’re only really useful if you’re planning out a story. Whereas your advice can still be used by a pantser without pushing them towards a writing style that doesn’t work for them.
John wick was not only sad for the death of his doggy but also because his puppy was a gift from his deceased wife making the dogs death heavier for his character.
I've been devouring videos on BookTube looking for advice, guidance, tips, tricks, inspiration, knowledge...there are a lot of very useful & helpful folks out there. But I've been drawn back to this video multiple times since I found it two months ago. You so succinctly convey the importance of mini-arcs & put into words something I think I've unconsciously known, but could never name. Thank you. Truly. I've gotten myself unstuck from the rut I was in with my story. ❤
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment. I'm really glad that my video could be such a big help to you in your writing. I know what you mean about unconsciously knowing something. Sometimes it just takes hearing it phrased or described a certain way for it to finally click. Good luck with your writing! And thank you so much for your support!
This is why I find most of Netflix Originals boring. Unless written by an actual writer-creator, it is mostly algorithm written. Not Ai necessarily, but algorithm driven in terms of plot points, elements, music, actors, direcror choices, etc., and the pacing is always stretched more than it has to be
I found this video extremely helpful, and I hope you break down more fundamental principles in the future like you did here. I was able to understand everything, especially with all of the great examples and graphics that you used. Subbed. -someone who has never written anything, but has a cool idea (he thinks) P.S. That keyboard looks loud asf "KLAK KLAK KLAK" lol
I'm so glad it was helpful (and understandable! it's hard to know if I'm getting my idea across or not). Thank you for watching! (p.s. It used to be but it's not anymore! I customized it, it's very buttery. Otherwise I'd wake half the neighborhood at one in the morning with my thunderous turbo-typing)
This was THE most articulate video on storytelling I have ever watched. All of a sudden, I can think of hundreds of examples of beats in stories I have consumed because of your explanation. Thank you SO much for this. Your ability to explain and create is nothing short of amazing. I’ll definitely be showing this to all of my writer friends ❤
Thank you! I'm so glad it clicked with you! Once I started seeing these mini-arcs it was like a veil had been drawn back and I was finally understanding how story structure actually worked. I'm really glad my explanation was clear enough that I could impart that same sensation! Thank you very much for watching and for your support!
Thank you for this! I have written several novels, but any time I tried to plot stories with formulaic story structures, the stories felt boring and uninspired. This mini-arc approach is something I've done instinctively, but having it vocalized had helped me understand why the times I strayed from this caused my books to fall apart.
Thank you for your valuable perspective on pacing. There’s so many things you need to get right to tell a compelling story, but your input shakes up the 3 act structure. I’d love to hear more of your insightful writing wisdom.
You are my goat. Ive been struggling even getting starded. it seemed too daunting of a task to plan out the whole story. The mini arc chart was a perfect visualization.
This is so wonderful to read! I'm so glad I was able to help you find a way to start. Getting over that first hurdle is big. Good luck going forward! Thanks for watching and happy writing!
Yes, please keep making more videos. If you can expound more on how mini-arcs can constitute an entire story in a satisfying way, that would help get this video's point across even more. I'm also curious about your take on character development/change and how it adds to a story.
Thank you for your support, it means a lot! I would like to make more videos in the future that go further into the concept of mini-arcs. There are a lot of interesting ways to use them. Character creation and development is a subject near and dear to my heart. In the future I intend to make quite a few videos on that topic. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
You described pacing beautifully. Pacing is now a progression of time which is relatively experienced and shared by characters and us not how much time has passed. It's not what we see but how we digest the scenes. Thank you for the insight.
You used my favorite movies that I've seen a million times, so I understood the mini arc plot plan. I'm going to look for it in the book I'm currently reading. I'm already remembering the "therefore's" from what I've read to this point. This will help me with my own novel moving forward. Thank you.
this just took so much weight off of me. i knew there had to be an easier way, and this is so fruitful, it makes everything else feel not only reachable, but utterly tangible and intuitive. thank you, yoy might have just saved my book series from never being completed. i'm so excited for the future of my writing. thank you, again
I'm so glad that my video could help you get excited about writing again! I really do think that training our minds to understand how story structure works, rather than relying on the pre-made structures of formulas, results not just in better storytelling and a more intuitive understanding of structure (as you said), but a more enjoyable writing experience. Good luck with your book series! And thank you so much for watching and for this wonderful comment!
This makes so much more sense to me than prescriptive plot structures, all of which invariably fail to match the story I'm trying to tell in some way (usually many ways)!
Probably the most eye opening video on storytelling I've come across. Thank you so much for this, it's as if there had been blindfolds over my eyes that i didn't know were there, and now i know, thanks to you removing them.
Dam, it's crazy that I've been doing this unconsciously. I am going to re-read my story for the 100 time and mark each mini arc. I am sure something interesting will come out of it.
I finally find out why my story pacing feels too fast! It's because I have multiple mini arcs going on at the same time. I can finally fix what I don't like, and whenever I want to create fast pacing, I now know how!
This genuinely might be the ONLY TH-cam video anyone needs to watch when learning to properly craft a story! You've proven my unsaid suspicions of story structures and showcased the importance of using basic principles to create something new. You're a bona fide genius!
I loved listening to you. You lay things out so logically and so convincingly. I glommed onto the word "pacing" because I've heard Grisham discuss it in his work as the indispensable and adjustable ingredient that makes his stories so readable, so compulsively readable. My story has languished. You've lit a fire under my butt by your well thought out ideas and your clear, concise explanations. I didn't know how to proceed but now I do -- I've got a map in my back pocket, thanks to you.
Thank you for this comment! It really means a lot that my videos can help people find the joy in writing again, and also find a map to put in their back pockets. Thank you for watching, and for your support! Happy writing!
I greatly appreciate how articulate flexible and concise you are in describing these principles. It's almost a relief. Tempo, Rhythm, logical progression of plot. Very very helpful and insightful thank you :)
The tip towards the end to use the "Therefore..." to connect mini-arcs - that was the eye-opener for me. Therefore, I'm going to pace my stories better from now on ;-)
Im a college student who wants to on make children’s literature on the side and I just want to say THANK YOU! Schools these days teach young children these formulas which then gets engrained into our Brians. You help me find a fun way to write again. Thank you
I agree! I think it's so important to learn structure instead of formulas. Being able to build our own story structures is such an important skill for us writers! I'm so glad I could help you make writing fun and enjoyable. Thank you so much for watching!
I just watched another video that pointed out that a story id not "one thing happening AFTER another" as you assert at 20:46, but rather one thing happening BECAUSE of another, and so on.
I’ve always wanted to write a fantasy novel. I’ve just started researching for the best way to go about it or how I should be thinking towards accomplishing this goal. The format discussed here is how I will be going about this. Thank you.
I thought this was a really good explanation. There are endless 'explanations' of story structure on TH-cam, that often last 2 1/2 hours and it's all theoretical. You explain it succinctly "and bring receipts" as the latest fashionable phrase has it. ( Nothing dates a film more than the inclusion of a once trendy phrase that someone thought looked good in the script + Of course, I've done the same thing here, but let's overlook that!). A story is organic, a by-numbers approach leads to mechanical storytelling, and yes, each scene must be dynamic in itself or else what's the point? But I also think that you must attend to the step by step progress of the story, the planning, so to speak. It's hard work bur actually more important, in my opinion, than a clever line or lovingly crafted prose. A story must _WORK_ or you shortchange the reader. You're taking them on a journey and you have to deliver satisfaction. Or else, they're thinking "What was the point of that?" I'm working on graphic novels, so visuals also carry narrative weight, not just words, but the outcome must still satisfy the reader. Thanks for a great explication!
Thank you for watching! And thank you for your comment. I couldn't agree more. While I love good prose as much as the next reader, nothing is more important than the story. Nothing! If a writer learns nothing else, it must be how to tell a story well. Thanks again, and happy writing!
GIRRRRLLLLLLL this video is EVERYTHING! thank you!!!! currently on a WIP for a paranormal fiction trilogy and this was better than every video I've watched on the 3 act structure and hero's journey!!!
So, over the past 6 years, I've watched hundreds of TH-cam videos about how to write. I have written four historical fiction books during this time.You're video is the first Of MANY I will watch this year. You are the FIRST person to help me understand how to write a story. Ny respect for you grows with every word and concept. My appreciation for your patience, wisdom and honorable concern for helping is unlimited. Sincerely, thank you.
Thank you very much! And I really hope my videos can continue to be such a help to you, it means a lot to me that they have been! Thank you very much for your support!
Your insight harmonizes with Alan Watt, who's said you don't learn to write a story by studying deconstructed story elements. Also makes me think of stock trading indicators, which all look at past results and cannot predict the future.
That's an excellent way to put it, and I completely agree. Your stock trading analogy is also apt. Analysis is one thing. But building something from scratch is different. And building something from scratch really is a lot like predicting the future, because you have to try to guess how it's all going to fit together and play out. Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you for this video. Ive been stuck working on the same script for over a year now. And ive read books, listened to writers on yt trying to solve the problems i couldnt articulate with it. And you summarized it and gave me the solution in 20 minutes. This was really helpful 😅
Congratulations. I now dub this approach the mini-arc formula disguised as not being a formula. LOL. 😂 Just practicing my plot twist chops. 🙄 Haha this was really good, though, thank you!
I have watched the whole video without skipping, the things u said, the advice u gave were making sense, your video pacing Was so engaging, this proves that u are a great story teller and a great teacher, thank you mam
Me too! And funnily enough, I've been trying to understand the three act structure in order to adapt my story to it and it's been really confusing for me. This video is so helpful because I understood it!
I've been really struggling with moving my plot forward because the structures that everyone is teaching don't work for me and I'm so glad I found your channel! Thank you so much for this insight.
Wow, thanks. I found this very useful. I wonder, however, if you could break this down even further, examining perhaps, how many arcs to use, or how many scenes to include in an arc, or how to intersperse subplots, etc. Obviously, this would change according to the speed of pacing you're after, your genre, or other stylistic goals one has. But I would really like to see an analysis of a short-ish novel--say 70,000 to 80,000 words. I know this is something you suggest that we do ourselves,😊but it would be really helpful to see a demonstration.
I'm so glad my video could help you! I have considered breaking this down even further. This video was originally twice as long. I've thought that perhaps, if there was some interest, in the future I could make a video that was a more advanced examination of this idea. How multiple arcs can be used to structure long, tense scenes (like the opening scene in Inglorious Basterds, which was at least eight arcs), or how arcs can outline conversations and dialogue. A person could use many short arcs to break up a long scene with a lot of exposition (like the opening lunch party in War & Peace). I had originally thought to include in this video a rather lengthy example of how to make the arcs of one story's three timelines overlap thematically. I'd be concerned that mapping out a whole novel would make for a too-long video (a few hours, I'm sure)? Which I'd be happy to do if it would be helpful. But would any of these other factors be the type of examination you might find helpful in the meantime? Thanks for watching, by the way!
This adds context to the Oppenheimer video. Some scenes in that movie didn't even really have a climax, so it felt like an entire scene was just rising action merely suggesting that something interesting might break the equilibrium the scene kept reinforcing, only so that no central piece of information could be taken away by the audience to go into the next scene. This not only meant that some scenes felt either pointless or redundant, but that the audience is left unsure as to which information is important, which forces them to pay an extreme amount of attention to every piece of information just in case it might be relevant later. Such inept revelation of information to the audience screwed up the pacing by forcing the transition between achronological scenes to be based on the most arbitrary things, like characters discussing some chemical compound that has an almost negligible connection to the plot and characters (that's literally an example one of the movie's editors mentioned in an interview, and I feel bad for the torture they endured trying to make that movie coherent).
Yes, completely! A story that is essentially a collection of first halves of sentences makes the audience feel like they're constantly holding their breath, waiting for the reveal, the turn, the moment when everything aligns neatly. But it never came. And the constant lack of rhythm was very straining to the audience's attention. Like you said, a person either has to focus way too hard, or their focus constantly drifts because the storyteller isn't guiding them even in the tiniest way. I can't imagine trying to edit such a thing coherently; it certainly helps to explain why the thing was so, so, so long.
@@winterhaydn The root problem with Oppenheimer is that it lacks focus, and that cascades into further issues. I could genuinely write several pages of criticism towards the movie, but for the sake of brevity, I'll recommend watching the first video on this channel, which tears the movie apart comprehensively.
I already commented on this when I first saw it, but it seems to have disappeared. However, I keep thinking about this video and feel it's worth coming back to comment again. My degree is in screenwriting, and I've studied a LOT about story structure (in addition to all the videos I watch), and this was such a refreshing take. Too many supposed gurus present writing like it's a paint-by-numbers project. And that's perfectly fine for hobbyists or anyone who wants/needs to churn out a high volume of content. But I personally find it incredibly stifling creatively. I've been writing for almost 30 years now, and trying to force my stories into a rigid structure almost made me hate something I have loved for so long. I really appreciate this video. Not only was it crafted like someone who has been doing this for a long time, all your points were well thought out, logical, and presented in an understandable, relatable way. Instead of trying to shoehorn examples into a particular narrative, you showed exactly how what you are saying works. It really made me feel like yes, *this* is what I connect with. And as someone who writes primarily in short form, I also feel like this is something I can not only implement but actually embrace. Thank you. Instant follow with the bell. Hope you'll continue to make more. :)
That was exactly my sense as well, that it was all very creatively stifling. Even if I was excited about a story I was working on, when I sat down to plot it out according to "the rules," I would lose all enthusiasm. It became a chore, one I was loathe to finish. And if I did manage to finish, the resulting story was dull and lifeless. Thank you for this comment (twice! though I never saw your first, it really must've been swallowed), and for your support. All the support I've received on this video is tremendously encouraging. I am, as I type, working on my next video. I love making them (even if they do take some time), so I'll keep making them until everyone loses interest. Thank you again!
can you please make video on scene structure like writer Brandon McNulty told that there are two types of scene action scene and reaction scene so can you also make a video on scene structure please
This video is helpful towards me as a writer. While a Formula can help with plotting something, it can make a story be more unoriginal and loses what makes it unique from other stories because the write follow others instead of what they want. For Mini-Arcs, It makes sense. A story is comprised out of several moments that could be interpreted as stories themselves. And they all have a beginning, middle, and end. And by making all these arcs connected to each other, it can make the story coherently sound and logical with its continuity. So again, I'm grateful for this video. Thank you for making this!
I completely agree. Formulas might seem helpful, but you pay for that with lack of originality and lack of a personal element. I'm glad my video could help you as you a writer. Good luck with your writing, and thank you for watching!
As a playwright who is transitioning to screenwriting, this segment has been important to me. It has given me rhythm and simplified everything in my transition journey. Thanks. From Kenya
Written but not published (we'll see what the future holds...) Most books that I consider "good" have very successful pacing. It just disappears into the backgroud because it's executed well enough to never call attention to itself. But if I could pluck two in particular off my shelf, I'd say Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne and The Fisherman by John Langan. Michael Strogoff is written in a very straightforward manner but the rhythm of the story is flawless. It's simple and uncomplicated, so you can really see the mini-arc format and also see how well it works. A lot of classic novels are like this. I like recommending The Fisherman because Langan's plot format is unusual, but the pacing is so perfectly maintained that the strange flow of the story never feels off in any way. It's a great example of how using this method allows a writer to tell any story any way. These are just two examples, but I hope they're helpful. Thanks so much for watching!
Fantastic breakdown and example. This helped solidify a concept that I've known about but never quite had a useful grasp on. I hope to see more content from you in the future.
The secret to every well told story is that they have something to say and every scene proves the statement. That’s what is meant by “move the story forward”. Moving the story forward is just proving the statement you want the story to make.
You came along at the perfect time this is the most digestible set of techniques that I’ve found so far really helped me in my story ive recently started writing
Thank you so so much for this! I have been studying structure, and for the life of me, I absolutely could not get a good story full of life out of following the three acts. I was beginning to feel like I was just no good at this, but this video has given me so much hope. I can definitely study this and apply this. Seriously, thank you!!
After years of learning, and watching TH-cam videos on this subject, I decided to just write on my own and ignore all the 'Top 10' advice from TH-camrs, because it felt like they were encouraging me to write their way (and in some cases, their own novels stink). Instead, I wrote and wrote until it clicked for me, and the story itself directed me on the pacing, structure, and all that. It just feels right. I don't disregard all advice. Some of it is good in a way that makes me think about things differently, which opens up more ideas.
One of the most direct and informative video on the importance of good pacing. Thank you for reminding us that formulas do not work! More videos please!
I really enjoyed this video. You're a good teacher and that is important. It's one thing to know something, it's something entirely different to be able to transfer that knowledge to another person. You did a great job. I appreciate your delivery style. I appreciate you taking the time to create this video. Thank you. Great job!
Thanks ma'am for affirming my sentiment that stories can't be borrowed or built from a template, the conventional writing advices would never allow someone to produce something beyond the inspiration or would lead to something transformative or ground breaking. I think great stories in times like ours when so many casts have already been moulded, can only be born by observing the world through one's own senses and mind and then manufactured from a first principled understanding of the world and its processes, its strifes and beauty, its reasonings and lack there of, premonitions and causality. Everything shall be questioned and answered in the writer's own unimpressioned thoughts. Thanks for opening our eyes!
This helped me greatly. Because I'm trying to write my first book and I did get stuck. I have the beginning and the ending but how to get there has been the struggle so I thank you for this truly. This is also the first video of this kind that I've come across so keep making these!
I'm so glad it could help you! I hope my videos can keep helping. I'll keep making them as long as people want to watch them. Thank you for your support!
Your description of this principle really sparked the motivation pilot. I appreciate the comprehensive way you walked us through the relatable mistakes that every aspiring storyteller or wishful thinker (aka me) experience. It makes it feel like I can attempt this as well, despite my experience. Thank you for sharing this insight! I look forward to more of your videos! 🙌
Another thing I’d like to add about Therefore…if you’re writing particular plots (such as slice of life stories where the actions of the scene/mini arc previous don’t always affect what happens in the next one) you don’t always need to use Therefore. You can have the characters reflecting on the arc or using the boon/affected by the complication to thread the proverbial needle but it’s not always necessary. You can always figure out how to tie things together in revisions and redrafts, you just need to keep going.
I’m definitely following your channel, you’re explaining everything so well and take the pressure out of writing which most content and advice these days results in. Also love that you give examples, i’m not comprehending anything if do not have an example.
i'm beyond grateful for this godsend of a video to reach my eyes. i've been stuck on how to write two stories for a good while, and learning about pacing helped me significantly. i always learn better with examples, so i really do appreciate the way you explain everything! i hope to see more videos like this!
So... I'm not a plotter, but if I do ever plot instead of sort of "pantsing" my books, I think this is the way I'd do it. Just plan out each mini arc to get the overall arc accomplished. I almost despise actual outlining, (I know this is similar) but I feel like this would be different somehow. Thank you, ma'am 😊 By the way, i was shocked to see you only have 2 videos! You seemed so well-acquainted with speaking to a camera and so knowledgeable! Great job!
I can’t express this enough, your message and delivery is so clear and concise. I’m immediately subscribed. I cannot wait to see more content from you. Absolutely incredible video
You've summarized in this sentence: 'The good news for the rest of us is that the more lazy writers rely on AI, the more stories written without AI will shine and stand out.' The reality of AI that none see. Creativity is an exercise; you lose it if you don't use it. Kudos!
Exactly! You lose it if you don't use it, well put. There's so much understandable worry and concern regarding AI in creative worlds. I think it's helpful to take a beat and remember that. Writers should just stay the course and constantly improve. It will be okay in the end. Creatively speaking, the exercised human mind will always be superior.
correct ..
I use ChatGPT to bounce off ideas I have. It's like having a 2nd person around who can provide elements you wouldn't think of. ... However, ChatGPT is terribly generic and often too abstract.
It works ok for some genres (like sci-fi), but sucks at others (like horror).
I'm wondering how many current stories are relying on A.I..
The problem is that is diffcult even for AI to reach the abyss of modern writers.
It is ok to let Ai Rate you story and tell you about the weaknesses of the story so that you can fix it.
“The story you write will either be terrible, or Indistinguishable from all the rest of the stories on the shelves these days-most of which are terrible.”
Thank you for this honesty. So many folks who do this are AIMING to show writers HOW to do exactly this.
I've seen thousands of lectures from professional authors on pacing, and yet none have been able to explain and articulate it as well as you have. I feel like I have just learned something invaluable, thank you.
Have you watched Sanderson's BYU lecture series? It sucks. Once you start listening to these people you quickly realize they have no idea how they do what they do. They just follow their instincts. If you want to be great, you have to do the same thing.
@@MaximilianReyCartwright ummm, I actually really like Sanderson's lectures. But I don't see how that has anything to do with this video. Keep your rude comment to yourself, please.
@@solfolgarait3745 Saying a lecture series sucks is rude, but telling someone to shut up isn't? Get off your high horse, you ninny.
This is exactly what she said, she said there's no formula @@MaximilianReyCartwright
Hi! Do you have any you’d recommend? 😊
The mini arc break down was what I needed to hear and has blasted the writers block I’ve been suffering Tysm
That's so great to hear! I'm so glad I could help in some way to break through the awful, dreaded Writer's Block. Good luck with your writing! And thank you for watching!
This video is essentially an unpacking of Dwight Swain's book Techniques of the Selling Writer, the single best writer's guide ever published. Do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven't. You can find a free digital copy online.
Nice! Keep going, you can do it 💪
I'm new to this writing thing, but i have this feeling the more i try to look at those 3 act structures, heroe's journey guidelines, i find myself all the more lost in my storytelling. It doesn't feel organic anymore and the story loses its soul. I think this channel is the one I have been looking for. Thank you for this!
That's the biggest danger with all those formulas, in my opinion: the loss of soul. I hope this video helps as you get started on your journey. Hopefully my future videos will also be helpful! Thanks for watching and happy writing!
Yes, trust your writing instincts.
Agreed
You better hope you have good instincts though cuz I’ve read so many early writers with just the worst writing in the world with no structure and I’m pretty certain they all followed their instincts too. I think a bad writer w structure is better than a bad writer w/o structure. And good artists don’t really need it but honestly when you look at the most famous, widely spread movies books etc, they typically fall into three acts, even if not planned that way.
I find it makes sense to study the structure models, then throw them away and make my plots. Then if I find any issues, like I have a sense that something is off, analyzing the structure can really help. Like, realizing that "oh, if I flip these scenes like this, I hit the right beats" or "the reason this scene isn't working is because it's supposed to functionally do A, but I'm doing Z."
I thoroughly went through every story plotting formula, 3 act, 4 act, 8 part story circle, even found a thorough breakdown of the 3 act structure made into 29 chapters/steps. In the end, I went with my gut and wrote something wholly unique. I took inspiration from some of my favorite shows, books, games, etc, and formed a plot piece by piece with two seperate main POVs that intertwine towards each other by the middle. Currently on the 2nd round of revisions, and I'm in love with the characters and world I've crafted. Trust yourself, and look inward for the answers while drawing inspiration from your favorite arcs or moments elsewhere if you need it. Good luck, and great video! 👍
My story has 5 Acts I didn't choose it it just happened.😂
LET US READ IT
The rules of writing are like music theory: they're strategies and concepts conceived by observers trying to make sense of genius creatives. They're attempts at mapping the trails blazed by the greats. If you want to stand out, you have to blaze new trails, not walk the same ones millions already have before you.
@@MaximilianReyCartwright This is so true, I've been playing piano for over 25 years and you reach a point where you need to break the "rules" in order to get something very beautiful and unique. The rules are there for
beginners so they can get started but once you reach certain level you just need to ignore them in order to improve.
@@DavidMorales-s8dtotally agree! You need to know the rules to play the game and then you realize how and when break them to create something dynamic.
Where have you been???? It’s like I’ve had the body of storytelling but not the heart to pump the blood. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS GOLD!
I hope now you can pump all the blood you need! Thank you for watching and for your comment! I wish you the best of luck with your storytelling!
what an incredible metaphor! Can't wait to read what you write!
@@celisewillis Neither can I!..... What kind of stuff do YOU write?
You had me at “there are no formulas.” But … endless thankless hard work? Personally, I’m having a blast.
You're definitely not wrong. I enjoy the process, too! But I do still have days when I feel like all I'm doing is banging my head on the keyboard... Thanks for watching!
i think this just broke through a wall in my head between myself and figuring out the finer plot details of my current project - thank you!
That's wonderful! I hope the plotting and planning continues to go smoothly for you now. And thank you for watching! Happy writing!
for all the writting gurus on this app, she is the only one who actually gives structured advice and not only random pointers
I follow Brandon Sanderson's advice. Map out the general structure of your story, outline the important events, set up sheets for your characters (longer and shorter depending on their importance) and then begin writing.
This way you have clear story points A through Z but aren't basically writing the same thing twice. The journey between the points is still unknown to you and you have the freedom to change whatever you want as your story progresses.
You don't fall into the George Martin trap of not knowing how to finish a story and you also get the benefit of a naturally flowing sequence of events.
All that's left is to practice this.
this!!!!!
@vesuvius3333 Thank you
Of all of the writing advice videos that I've watched (which is a lot) this is the first time I ever heard something like this and it makes sense! I have to say, this is the best writing advice I've received because it's not just general advice, like "5 Ways To Make A Good Magic Item." It's actual, actionable advice that can be executed and to actually help me get words to paper. A huge thank you.
This video is essentially an unpacking of Dwight Swain's book Techniques of the Selling Writer, the single greatest writer's guide ever published. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You can find a free digital copy online.
Only 9 minutes in but this is genius! I always end up writing my own structure to fit the story I want for every single book because the typical structures cause so many limitations and issues with flow. I've never heard pacing talked about in this way. You're really onto something.
This is literally the best writing advice I have ever heard. Thank you so much. This gives me so much more direction and understanding and makes storytelling so much less overwhelming
Thank you! I actively pursue anything that can make the writing process less overwhelming... I'm glad this video could help you so much! Thank you for watching, and good luck with your writing!
I've been a writer for years, and this is probably the most helpful video I've ever watched on the topic of pacing and how to create "mini arcs" within the scope of the larger story arc. You've explained it so clearly with great examples. Please - PLEASE - do make more of these videos!! I'm watching.
This makes so much sense. I'm a beginner writer and plotting stifles me. And I find discovery writing leads me to waffle. And I believe this is the missing piece for me. Would love more in depth videos on story techniques.
Plotting was really tricky for me for a long time, too. I always felt like I was groping in the dark and if I got it right it was just because I got lucky. Learning things like this helped me so much, I hope it can help you, too. I do want to make a lot more videos on plotting and more in-depth videos on building stories. Thank you so much for watching, and good luck with your writing!
This is a great video. Writing advice tends to be super abstract and attack the structure of a story at a very broad level, or hyperfocused on the style of a single scene. This hits the middle of these extremes in a way i rarely see, and really appreciate!
I think this is my first TH-cam comment. I've watched over 200 hours of different author's giving their perspective as I try to finish my first novel in 2025. After all of that content, this video felt like a revelation. I kept trying to force my novel's structure into 3 act and then into the 7 point framework. Neither felt natural. Your video and channel are highly underrated. Thank you for freeing me from the shackles of too many frameworks!
This comment was so wonderful to read, thank you! I'm so glad that my video was so helpful. It seems like it found you at just the right time, too. Good luck with your novel! And thank you again!
This is one of the best videos on storytelling (and creating in general) I've ever watched! I feel so lucky to have this recommended to me today! I've been writing on/off for about two years now because I was always trying to fit myself into these plot structures, and it has really robbed me of having fun and finishing anything. But no longer! Your take on pacing makes so much sense, and I feel excited to create again! Thank you for this, and do make more!
Writing can be fun. Don't let that get around, or everyone will want to do it!
This is perfect. Thanks. I often felt that my creative urge was being suppressed by trying to study and fit into one or more plot models. This video makes me feel like a weight has been lifted. Don't beat yourself up; write your creative story out of a bunch of mini-stories. I am a retired computer engineer. Every significant hardware problem or computer program is broken down into smaller, easy to handle pieces, and the complex result follows. Writing, painting, and sculpting benefit from the same breakdown. We just have to be aware of that. Thanks!!
Thank you! I'm glad this video could help so much! As an engineer you probably understand structure even better than I do! But that's my approach, too. Everything can be broken down into smaller pieces. Even conversations almost always have their own mini-arcs. Working with the smaller pieces is so much less overwhelming than trying to tackle the whole thing in one go.
Thank you for watching!
This was crystal clear and very helpful. I have been getting stuck and lost while planning my story, you showed me what to focus on and I don't feel so helpless anymore.
Thanks a lot ! I hope the algorithm recognize your merits !
That's so wonderful to hear! I'm so happy I was able to help and I hope the writing goes smoothly now. Thank you very much for your supportive words, I really appreciate it. Happy writing!
@@The-Second-Story Thanks ! 🌼
This video is INSANELY informative and helpful with actual practical advice that anyone can follow. I really hope your channel starts to take off because I am already loving the content here!
You did in one video what over a year of watching writers explain writing couldn't. Mahalo
I just noticed that this is actually a quite small and new channel. I loved the advice given. I have been struggling a lot personallly because I wish I could create art and I have a rather warped and difficult relationship towards producing art. Long story. Anyway, I tried to get into writing a few months ago in order to work on my self-worth and the related issues and found myself giving up in frustration after a few tries. Writing and art in general always felt like this mystical skill that some people just seem to be innately born with but your explanation beautifully lifted this mist that was clouding me the whole time trying to write. It really motivated me to give it another try. If I hadn't found this video I probably would have given up for good.
I'm really glad you didn't give up. Writing can be wonderfully therapeutic and also very rewarding. I firmly believe that anyone can learn how to do anything. I struggled a lot when I was younger with largely esoteric or vague and abstract writing classes. I would love to be able to show people that writing is a skill you can learn. A skill anyone can learn.
Thank you very much for watching!
That was a clear, understandable statement. So many forms/techs, but this clarifies structure and scene for me in a way I've been trying to extract from other presentations. Much appreciated!!
LOVED this. Your logic describes how I've been writing in my last two books, wondering all the while, "Do I know what I'm doing?" I feel much more confident now and feel empowered to continue with mini-arc focus in telling my current story, which leads I know not where.
the architect analogy was so good 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼
Imagine being an architect and saying "I won't need physics or engineering" that's what being an author and saying "I don't need a story structure" is like... 🙄
@@blobymcblobfaceguys he didn’t say that “The Second Story” is saying it, no need to feed it.
A technique I have used (at least once) with success is essentially what you suggest here. I summarized my story in three sentences. Then I turned each sentence into a five-sentence paragraph. Then I turned each of those sentences into a five sentence paragraph. Those paragraphs became scenes that were like your mini-arcs.
22:00 Saw the South Park writers talk about this once. I didn’t fully get it at first, but I think the longer explanation given in this video helped me understand it.
I was gonna comment “someone watched the South Park cameo on that MTV show” lol
Great video - looking forward to seeing more!
I am not even through the whole video yet and I am already convinced that I will learn something valuable. By minute 4 you already outlined all my thoughts and problems. I'm going to watch the rest now, you have my full attention.
as soon as she said it's techniques not fomulas, i hit sub
I was enthralled by the halfway point when we've already encountered 4 mini arcs.
Agreed.
Two minutes in and I'm subscribed and thinking
"Oh, I'm saving this to listen to at work".
You have breathed new life into my writing. Every time I've tried to work on a big project I've gotten mired in structures and archetypes and all that jazz and it never fails to stall me completely.
I have much to think about. Thank you!
I'm really glad I could help! Sometimes all your really need is to see the process from a different perspective. Thank you for watching! Good luck with your writing!
How wonderfully thoughtful you are. This was a meaningful contribution--thank you!
What I love most about this advice is that it’s applicable regardless of whether you’re a plotter or a pantser or anything in between. That’s what’s bugged me about a lot of the formulas; they’re only really useful if you’re planning out a story. Whereas your advice can still be used by a pantser without pushing them towards a writing style that doesn’t work for them.
John wick was not only sad for the death of his doggy but also because his puppy was a gift from his deceased wife making the dogs death heavier for his character.
I've been devouring videos on BookTube looking for advice, guidance, tips, tricks, inspiration, knowledge...there are a lot of very useful & helpful folks out there.
But I've been drawn back to this video multiple times since I found it two months ago. You so succinctly convey the importance of mini-arcs & put into words something I think I've unconsciously known, but could never name.
Thank you. Truly. I've gotten myself unstuck from the rut I was in with my story. ❤
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this comment. I'm really glad that my video could be such a big help to you in your writing. I know what you mean about unconsciously knowing something. Sometimes it just takes hearing it phrased or described a certain way for it to finally click.
Good luck with your writing! And thank you so much for your support!
This is why I find most of Netflix Originals boring. Unless written by an actual writer-creator, it is mostly algorithm written. Not Ai necessarily, but algorithm driven in terms of plot points, elements, music, actors, direcror choices, etc., and the pacing is always stretched more than it has to be
Very true
I found this video extremely helpful, and I hope you break down more fundamental principles in the future like you did here. I was able to understand everything, especially with all of the great examples and graphics that you used. Subbed.
-someone who has never written anything, but has a cool idea (he thinks)
P.S. That keyboard looks loud asf "KLAK KLAK KLAK" lol
I'm so glad it was helpful (and understandable! it's hard to know if I'm getting my idea across or not). Thank you for watching!
(p.s. It used to be but it's not anymore! I customized it, it's very buttery. Otherwise I'd wake half the neighborhood at one in the morning with my thunderous turbo-typing)
This was THE most articulate video on storytelling I have ever watched. All of a sudden, I can think of hundreds of examples of beats in stories I have consumed because of your explanation. Thank you SO much for this. Your ability to explain and create is nothing short of amazing. I’ll definitely be showing this to all of my writer friends ❤
Thank you! I'm so glad it clicked with you! Once I started seeing these mini-arcs it was like a veil had been drawn back and I was finally understanding how story structure actually worked. I'm really glad my explanation was clear enough that I could impart that same sensation! Thank you very much for watching and for your support!
Thank you for this! I have written several novels, but any time I tried to plot stories with formulaic story structures, the stories felt boring and uninspired.
This mini-arc approach is something I've done instinctively, but having it vocalized had helped me understand why the times I strayed from this caused my books to fall apart.
Thank you for your valuable perspective on pacing. There’s so many things you need to get right to tell a compelling story, but your input shakes up the 3 act structure. I’d love to hear more of your insightful writing wisdom.
You are my goat. Ive been struggling even getting starded. it seemed too daunting of a task to plan out the whole story. The mini arc chart was a perfect visualization.
This is so wonderful to read! I'm so glad I was able to help you find a way to start. Getting over that first hurdle is big. Good luck going forward! Thanks for watching and happy writing!
This video is a masterpiece. So helpful, so clear, and without all the fluff other videos tend to have. A sincere thank you for the content.
Yes, please keep making more videos. If you can expound more on how mini-arcs can constitute an entire story in a satisfying way, that would help get this video's point across even more.
I'm also curious about your take on character development/change and how it adds to a story.
Thank you for your support, it means a lot! I would like to make more videos in the future that go further into the concept of mini-arcs. There are a lot of interesting ways to use them.
Character creation and development is a subject near and dear to my heart. In the future I intend to make quite a few videos on that topic. Thank you so much for the suggestion!
You described pacing beautifully. Pacing is now a progression of time which is relatively experienced and shared by characters and us not how much time has passed. It's not what we see but how we digest the scenes. Thank you for the insight.
You used my favorite movies that I've seen a million times, so I understood the mini arc plot plan. I'm going to look for it in the book I'm currently reading. I'm already remembering the "therefore's" from what I've read to this point. This will help me with my own novel moving forward. Thank you.
They are really, really good movies. I'm glad I was able to help you! Thank you for watching and happy writing!
this just took so much weight off of me. i knew there had to be an easier way, and this is so fruitful, it makes everything else feel not only reachable, but utterly tangible and intuitive.
thank you, yoy might have just saved my book series from never being completed. i'm so excited for the future of my writing. thank you, again
I'm so glad that my video could help you get excited about writing again! I really do think that training our minds to understand how story structure works, rather than relying on the pre-made structures of formulas, results not just in better storytelling and a more intuitive understanding of structure (as you said), but a more enjoyable writing experience. Good luck with your book series! And thank you so much for watching and for this wonderful comment!
This makes so much more sense to me than prescriptive plot structures, all of which invariably fail to match the story I'm trying to tell in some way (usually many ways)!
Probably the most eye opening video on storytelling I've come across. Thank you so much for this, it's as if there had been blindfolds over my eyes that i didn't know were there, and now i know, thanks to you removing them.
Dam, it's crazy that I've been doing this unconsciously. I am going to re-read my story for the 100 time and mark each mini arc. I am sure something interesting will come out of it.
I finally find out why my story pacing feels too fast! It's because I have multiple mini arcs going on at the same time.
I can finally fix what I don't like, and whenever I want to create fast pacing, I now know how!
This genuinely might be the ONLY TH-cam video anyone needs to watch when learning to properly craft a story! You've proven my unsaid suspicions of story structures and showcased the importance of using basic principles to create something new. You're a bona fide genius!
I’ve never thought of this. Now the plotting of The Hangover makes sense. Each piece of the puzzle as to where Doug is is a mini-arc.
I loved listening to you. You lay things out so logically and so convincingly. I glommed onto the word "pacing" because I've heard Grisham discuss it in his work as the indispensable and adjustable ingredient that makes his stories so readable, so compulsively readable. My story has languished. You've lit a fire under my butt by your well thought out ideas and your clear, concise explanations. I didn't know how to proceed but now I do -- I've got a map in my back pocket, thanks to you.
Thank you for this comment! It really means a lot that my videos can help people find the joy in writing again, and also find a map to put in their back pockets. Thank you for watching, and for your support! Happy writing!
IMMEDIATE sub. This is amazing writing advice. You give favorite english teacher vibes. Thank you
I greatly appreciate how articulate flexible and concise you are in describing these principles. It's almost a relief. Tempo, Rhythm, logical progression of plot. Very very helpful and insightful thank you :)
The tip towards the end to use the "Therefore..." to connect mini-arcs - that was the eye-opener for me. Therefore, I'm going to pace my stories better from now on ;-)
Im a college student who wants to on make children’s literature on the side and I just want to say THANK YOU! Schools these days teach young children these formulas which then gets engrained into our Brians. You help me find a fun way to write again. Thank you
I agree! I think it's so important to learn structure instead of formulas. Being able to build our own story structures is such an important skill for us writers! I'm so glad I could help you make writing fun and enjoyable. Thank you so much for watching!
I just watched another video that pointed out that a story id not "one thing happening AFTER another" as you assert at 20:46, but rather one thing happening BECAUSE of another, and so on.
I’ve always wanted to write a fantasy novel. I’ve just started researching for the best way to go about it or how I should be thinking towards accomplishing this goal. The format discussed here is how I will be going about this. Thank you.
I'm glad my video could help! Good luck on your fantasy novel, I love that genre so much! And thank you for watching!
I thought this was a really good explanation.
There are endless 'explanations' of story structure on TH-cam, that often last 2 1/2 hours and it's all theoretical.
You explain it succinctly "and bring receipts" as the latest fashionable phrase has it. ( Nothing dates a film more than the inclusion of a once trendy phrase that someone thought looked good in the script + Of course, I've done the same thing here, but let's overlook that!).
A story is organic, a by-numbers approach leads to mechanical storytelling, and yes, each scene must be dynamic in itself or else what's the point? But I also think that you must attend to the step by step progress of the story, the planning, so to speak. It's hard work bur actually more important, in my opinion, than a clever line or lovingly crafted prose. A story must _WORK_ or you shortchange the reader. You're taking them on a journey and you have to deliver satisfaction. Or else, they're thinking "What was the point of that?"
I'm working on graphic novels, so visuals also carry narrative weight, not just words, but the outcome must still satisfy the reader.
Thanks for a great explication!
Thank you for watching! And thank you for your comment. I couldn't agree more. While I love good prose as much as the next reader, nothing is more important than the story. Nothing! If a writer learns nothing else, it must be how to tell a story well. Thanks again, and happy writing!
GIRRRRLLLLLLL this video is EVERYTHING! thank you!!!! currently on a WIP for a paranormal fiction trilogy and this was better than every video I've watched on the 3 act structure and hero's journey!!!
this was the most helpful video on writing I've watched so far! thank you, and I would love to see more advice from you!
I'm so glad it was helpful! I'm already working on more videos, so I hope they can prove helpful, too. Thanks so much for watching!
@@The-Second-Story great to hear! I'm sure they'll be just as helpful.
So, over the past 6 years, I've watched hundreds of TH-cam videos about how to write. I have written four historical fiction books during this time.You're video is the first Of MANY I will watch this year. You are the FIRST person to help me understand how to write a story. Ny respect for you grows with every word and concept. My appreciation for your patience, wisdom and honorable concern for helping is unlimited. Sincerely, thank you.
Thank you very much! And I really hope my videos can continue to be such a help to you, it means a lot to me that they have been! Thank you very much for your support!
Your insight harmonizes with Alan Watt, who's said you don't learn to write a story by studying deconstructed story elements. Also makes me think of stock trading indicators, which all look at past results and cannot predict the future.
That's an excellent way to put it, and I completely agree. Your stock trading analogy is also apt. Analysis is one thing. But building something from scratch is different. And building something from scratch really is a lot like predicting the future, because you have to try to guess how it's all going to fit together and play out. Thanks so much for watching!
Thank you for this video. Ive been stuck working on the same script for over a year now. And ive read books, listened to writers on yt trying to solve the problems i couldnt articulate with it. And you summarized it and gave me the solution in 20 minutes. This was really helpful 😅
Congratulations. I now dub this approach the mini-arc formula disguised as not being a formula. LOL. 😂 Just practicing my plot twist chops. 🙄 Haha this was really good, though, thank you!
I have watched the whole video without skipping, the things u said, the advice u gave were making sense, your video pacing
Was so engaging, this proves that u are a great story teller and a great teacher, thank you mam
This came just in time for me to write my first full length novel!
Me too! And funnily enough, I've been trying to understand the three act structure in order to adapt my story to it and it's been really confusing for me. This video is so helpful because I understood it!
No one has ever explained a subject to me so perfectly as this lady
Yes!!! Mini-Arcs are so good!
I've been really struggling with moving my plot forward because the structures that everyone is teaching don't work for me and I'm so glad I found your channel! Thank you so much for this insight.
Wow, thanks. I found this very useful.
I wonder, however, if you could break this down even further, examining perhaps, how many arcs to use, or how many scenes to include in an arc, or how to intersperse subplots, etc. Obviously, this would change according to the speed of pacing you're after, your genre, or other stylistic goals one has. But I would really like to see an analysis of a short-ish novel--say 70,000 to 80,000 words. I know this is something you suggest that we do ourselves,😊but it would be really helpful to see a demonstration.
I'm so glad my video could help you! I have considered breaking this down even further. This video was originally twice as long. I've thought that perhaps, if there was some interest, in the future I could make a video that was a more advanced examination of this idea. How multiple arcs can be used to structure long, tense scenes (like the opening scene in Inglorious Basterds, which was at least eight arcs), or how arcs can outline conversations and dialogue. A person could use many short arcs to break up a long scene with a lot of exposition (like the opening lunch party in War & Peace). I had originally thought to include in this video a rather lengthy example of how to make the arcs of one story's three timelines overlap thematically. I'd be concerned that mapping out a whole novel would make for a too-long video (a few hours, I'm sure)? Which I'd be happy to do if it would be helpful. But would any of these other factors be the type of examination you might find helpful in the meantime? Thanks for watching, by the way!
@@The-Second-Story All of that sounds super interesting!
You just explained the pacing and the arcs in way that made it so easy to pick up and learn! Truly, thank you 🙏
Thank you! I'm really glad it was clear, and I hope it can help you with your own storytelling! Thank you for watching!
Screw it, I'll write a second comment. This needs to be taught in schools.
The way you think and structure your thoughts is like water for my soul. Thank you so much.
This adds context to the Oppenheimer video.
Some scenes in that movie didn't even really have a climax, so it felt like an entire scene was just rising action merely suggesting that something interesting might break the equilibrium the scene kept reinforcing, only so that no central piece of information could be taken away by the audience to go into the next scene. This not only meant that some scenes felt either pointless or redundant, but that the audience is left unsure as to which information is important, which forces them to pay an extreme amount of attention to every piece of information just in case it might be relevant later.
Such inept revelation of information to the audience screwed up the pacing by forcing the transition between achronological scenes to be based on the most arbitrary things, like characters discussing some chemical compound that has an almost negligible connection to the plot and characters (that's literally an example one of the movie's editors mentioned in an interview, and I feel bad for the torture they endured trying to make that movie coherent).
Yes, completely! A story that is essentially a collection of first halves of sentences makes the audience feel like they're constantly holding their breath, waiting for the reveal, the turn, the moment when everything aligns neatly. But it never came. And the constant lack of rhythm was very straining to the audience's attention. Like you said, a person either has to focus way too hard, or their focus constantly drifts because the storyteller isn't guiding them even in the tiniest way. I can't imagine trying to edit such a thing coherently; it certainly helps to explain why the thing was so, so, so long.
Are you saying the writing was bad? I haven't seen the movie. But wading through so much trivia to get to a real story sounds terrible.
@@winterhaydn The root problem with Oppenheimer is that it lacks focus, and that cascades into further issues. I could genuinely write several pages of criticism towards the movie, but for the sake of brevity, I'll recommend watching the first video on this channel, which tears the movie apart comprehensively.
I already commented on this when I first saw it, but it seems to have disappeared. However, I keep thinking about this video and feel it's worth coming back to comment again.
My degree is in screenwriting, and I've studied a LOT about story structure (in addition to all the videos I watch), and this was such a refreshing take. Too many supposed gurus present writing like it's a paint-by-numbers project. And that's perfectly fine for hobbyists or anyone who wants/needs to churn out a high volume of content. But I personally find it incredibly stifling creatively.
I've been writing for almost 30 years now, and trying to force my stories into a rigid structure almost made me hate something I have loved for so long.
I really appreciate this video. Not only was it crafted like someone who has been doing this for a long time, all your points were well thought out, logical, and presented in an understandable, relatable way. Instead of trying to shoehorn examples into a particular narrative, you showed exactly how what you are saying works. It really made me feel like yes, *this* is what I connect with. And as someone who writes primarily in short form, I also feel like this is something I can not only implement but actually embrace.
Thank you. Instant follow with the bell. Hope you'll continue to make more. :)
That was exactly my sense as well, that it was all very creatively stifling. Even if I was excited about a story I was working on, when I sat down to plot it out according to "the rules," I would lose all enthusiasm. It became a chore, one I was loathe to finish. And if I did manage to finish, the resulting story was dull and lifeless.
Thank you for this comment (twice! though I never saw your first, it really must've been swallowed), and for your support. All the support I've received on this video is tremendously encouraging. I am, as I type, working on my next video. I love making them (even if they do take some time), so I'll keep making them until everyone loses interest. Thank you again!
can you please make video on scene structure like writer Brandon McNulty told that there are two types of scene action scene and reaction scene so can you also make a video on scene structure please
I'm working on it! Thanks for your support!
This video is helpful towards me as a writer. While a Formula can help with plotting something, it can make a story be more unoriginal and loses what makes it unique from other stories because the write follow others instead of what they want.
For Mini-Arcs, It makes sense. A story is comprised out of several moments that could be interpreted as stories themselves. And they all have a beginning, middle, and end. And by making all these arcs connected to each other, it can make the story coherently sound and logical with its continuity.
So again, I'm grateful for this video. Thank you for making this!
I completely agree. Formulas might seem helpful, but you pay for that with lack of originality and lack of a personal element. I'm glad my video could help you as you a writer. Good luck with your writing, and thank you for watching!
Very helpful thank you
As a playwright who is transitioning to screenwriting, this segment has been important to me. It has given me rhythm and simplified everything in my transition journey. Thanks. From Kenya
Have you written any novels? Or which one would you recommend with good pacing?
Written but not published (we'll see what the future holds...) Most books that I consider "good" have very successful pacing. It just disappears into the backgroud because it's executed well enough to never call attention to itself. But if I could pluck two in particular off my shelf, I'd say Michael Strogoff by Jules Verne and The Fisherman by John Langan. Michael Strogoff is written in a very straightforward manner but the rhythm of the story is flawless. It's simple and uncomplicated, so you can really see the mini-arc format and also see how well it works. A lot of classic novels are like this. I like recommending The Fisherman because Langan's plot format is unusual, but the pacing is so perfectly maintained that the strange flow of the story never feels off in any way. It's a great example of how using this method allows a writer to tell any story any way. These are just two examples, but I hope they're helpful. Thanks so much for watching!
Fantastic breakdown and example. This helped solidify a concept that I've known about but never quite had a useful grasp on. I hope to see more content from you in the future.
The secret to every well told story is that they have something to say and every scene proves the statement. That’s what is meant by “move the story forward”. Moving the story forward is just proving the statement you want the story to make.
You came along at the perfect time this is the most digestible set of techniques that I’ve found so far really helped me in my story ive recently started writing
Thank you so so much for this! I have been studying structure, and for the life of me, I absolutely could not get a good story full of life out of following the three acts. I was beginning to feel like I was just no good at this, but this video has given me so much hope. I can definitely study this and apply this. Seriously, thank you!!
After years of learning, and watching TH-cam videos on this subject, I decided to just write on my own and ignore all the 'Top 10' advice from TH-camrs, because it felt like they were encouraging me to write their way (and in some cases, their own novels stink).
Instead, I wrote and wrote until it clicked for me, and the story itself directed me on the pacing, structure, and all that. It just feels right.
I don't disregard all advice. Some of it is good in a way that makes me think about things differently, which opens up more ideas.
One of the most direct and informative video on the importance of good pacing. Thank you for reminding us that formulas do not work! More videos please!
this was awesome - explained something that I couldn't put a finger on in such a clean and digestible way - thank you!
I really enjoyed this video. You're a good teacher and that is important. It's one thing to know something, it's something entirely different to be able to transfer that knowledge to another person. You did a great job. I appreciate your delivery style. I appreciate you taking the time to create this video. Thank you. Great job!
Thanks ma'am for affirming my sentiment that stories can't be borrowed or built from a template, the conventional writing advices would never allow someone to produce something beyond the inspiration or would lead to something transformative or ground breaking. I think great stories in times like ours when so many casts have already been moulded, can only be born by observing the world through one's own senses and mind and then manufactured from a first principled understanding of the world and its processes, its strifes and beauty, its reasonings and lack there of, premonitions and causality. Everything shall be questioned and answered in the writer's own unimpressioned thoughts. Thanks for opening our eyes!
This helped me greatly. Because I'm trying to write my first book and I did get stuck. I have the beginning and the ending but how to get there has been the struggle so I thank you for this truly. This is also the first video of this kind that I've come across so keep making these!
I'm so glad it could help you! I hope my videos can keep helping. I'll keep making them as long as people want to watch them. Thank you for your support!
Your description of this principle really sparked the motivation pilot. I appreciate the comprehensive way you walked us through the relatable mistakes that every aspiring storyteller or wishful thinker (aka me) experience. It makes it feel like I can attempt this as well, despite my experience. Thank you for sharing this insight! I look forward to more of your videos! 🙌
Another thing I’d like to add about Therefore…if you’re writing particular plots (such as slice of life stories where the actions of the scene/mini arc previous don’t always affect what happens in the next one) you don’t always need to use Therefore. You can have the characters reflecting on the arc or using the boon/affected by the complication to thread the proverbial needle but it’s not always necessary.
You can always figure out how to tie things together in revisions and redrafts, you just need to keep going.
Whoa. This is wildly useful. Ive never seen it explained so clearly!
I’m definitely following your channel, you’re explaining everything so well and take the pressure out of writing which most content and advice these days results in. Also love that you give examples, i’m not comprehending anything if do not have an example.
i'm beyond grateful for this godsend of a video to reach my eyes. i've been stuck on how to write two stories for a good while, and learning about pacing helped me significantly. i always learn better with examples, so i really do appreciate the way you explain everything! i hope to see more videos like this!
So... I'm not a plotter, but if I do ever plot instead of sort of "pantsing" my books, I think this is the way I'd do it. Just plan out each mini arc to get the overall arc accomplished. I almost despise actual outlining, (I know this is similar) but I feel like this would be different somehow. Thank you, ma'am 😊
By the way, i was shocked to see you only have 2 videos! You seemed so well-acquainted with speaking to a camera and so knowledgeable! Great job!
I can’t express this enough, your message and delivery is so clear and concise. I’m immediately subscribed. I cannot wait to see more content from you. Absolutely incredible video
This is going to make my writing so so much better thank you!!!