Education
entertainment
Art
Film
Psychology
Storytelling
Creativity
Human Connection
Plot development
In 2011, Pixar employee Emma Coats shared its “22 Rules of Storytelling.”
They’re a masterclass in story, psychology, and human connection.
Here are 10 gems:
They’re a masterclass in story, psychology, and human connection.
Here are 10 gems:
1. Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.
The right ending serves as a target to keep your story on the most concise and effective path.
It’s like a magnet pulling your story forward.
The right ending serves as a target to keep your story on the most concise and effective path.
It’s like a magnet pulling your story forward.
2. Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hop over detours. You'll feel like you're losing valuable stuff but it sets you free.
When time and space is limited, you’re forced to be more creative and ambitious through character and plot without relying on other gimmicks.
When time and space is limited, you’re forced to be more creative and ambitious through character and plot without relying on other gimmicks.
3. Finish your story, even if it's not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on and do better next time.
I’m a firm believer there’s one way to get good at anything:
1. Get started
2. Get consistent
3. Get good
Storytelling is no different.
I’m a firm believer there’s one way to get good at anything:
1. Get started
2. Get consistent
3. Get good
Storytelling is no different.
4. Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you. You've got to recognize it before you can use it.
Your favorite book is The Martian? Study what Andy Weir does – his cadence, his hook, his closing, his word choice.
Your favorite book is The Martian? Study what Andy Weir does – his cadence, his hook, his closing, his word choice.
5. Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, just an idea, you'll never share it with anyone.
Writing and editing are different processes.
Your first draft will be bad. Edit it to make it better.
Writing and editing are different processes.
Your first draft will be bad. Edit it to make it better.
6. Discount the first thing that comes to mind. And the second, third... get the obvious ones out of the way. Then surprise yourself.
Ed Sheeran likens his songwriting process to a dirty faucet. Turn it on, flows dirty. Leave it on, clean water starts to flow.
Same idea.
Ed Sheeran likens his songwriting process to a dirty faucet. Turn it on, flows dirty. Leave it on, clean water starts to flow.
Same idea.
7. Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great. Coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
Make everything as hard as possible for your characters.
That may mean some unfair situations. But it does not mean lucky situations.
Make everything as hard as possible for your characters.
That may mean some unfair situations. But it does not mean lucky situations.
8. Take the building blocks of a movie you dislike. How do you rearrange them into what you do like?
Do this with any story medium – speech, pitch deck, landing page, etc.
Focus on:
• Characters – did you care about them?
• Arc – what changed?
• Emotion – what did you feel?
Do this with any story medium – speech, pitch deck, landing page, etc.
Focus on:
• Characters – did you care about them?
• Arc – what changed?
• Emotion – what did you feel?
9. Keep in mind what's interesting to you as an audience, not what's fun to do as a writer.
Steven Pressfield:
“The skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs – the ability to switch in your imagination from your point of view to the POV of your audience.”
Steven Pressfield:
“The skill that is indispensable to all artists and entrepreneurs – the ability to switch in your imagination from your point of view to the POV of your audience.”
10. The story spine: Once upon a time there was __. Every day, __. One day __. Because of that, __. Because of that, __. Until finally __.
Humans gravitate to structure.
See this story structure once, you see it everywhere.
Humans gravitate to structure.
See this story structure once, you see it everywhere.
As I write, these are the 10 from Pixar I refer to most often.
I hope they help you, too.
Follow @nathanbaugh27 for more on story, craft, and creativity.
I hope they help you, too.
Follow @nathanbaugh27 for more on story, craft, and creativity.
Storytelling is the most important skill you can learn.
Become a better storyteller with my free weekly newsletter: worldbuilders.ai
Become a better storyteller with my free weekly newsletter: worldbuilders.ai
Emma originally posted these to her Tumblr.
You can read the post here courtesy of web . archive (h/t @rsms): web.archive.org
You can read the post here courtesy of web . archive (h/t @rsms): web.archive.org
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