Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take

This a very good book that breaks down screenplays into "23 Hero Goal Sequences" which, without, will leave your movie wandering or boring - or even more likely, with a writer who simply runs out of story a couple thirds through the script. (That has certainly happened to me.)Is it "formulaic"? Yes, and no. Edson is very clear, and correct, that the human brain has evolved over millennia to engage in stories in which occur in a certain sequence of events which, when put in the right order, will be emotionally compelling. We're hard-wired for tales of heroes overcoming obstacles and growing, or confronting obstacles and failing to grow. But they need to do particular things in particular orders to grab the audience.Nothing about this structure design he lays out prohibits creativity or talent, or will save a lack of it. I've read a good dozen of story structure books and taken a couple of good classes on the subject, and nothing is this clear and specific. It really helped me analyze my story from an objective point of view and discover its weaknesses.I really appreciate his admonishment to fully structure your story using the 23 sequences, before beginning to sit down and write a scene, because, once written it's very hard to "kill your darlings."Great book!

Never before have I read a book about story structure that is THIS BRILLIANT.I've read books that encourage authors to write down a character's likes and dislikes, behavioural nuances, as well as other such hogwash. These books fail to realise that a character liking the colour blue and who flicks their hair when they're nervous DOES NOT make for a compelling character. Advice like this has lead to an abundance of hair-flicking Mary Sue characters who passively wade through their story until they accidentally stumble across The End.Eric distills characters down to their most important function. Reality is, stories shouldn't happen DESPITE the characters- stories should happen BECAUSE of the characters. Eric shows us how to do things right."23 Actions"... although this book does detail these 23 actions in the latter part of the book, everything before this is also gold. I could never figure out why my dialogue was always so weak. Now I know.If you've ever suffered from a plot that flounders and sags half-way through, or had trouble bringing stories to a proper resolution, or had difficulty writing characters who make things happen, or if you've even suffered from writer's block, I recommend reading this book.The only writers I WOULDN'T recommend this book for are those who 1) are half-way through a book already (because reading this book will make you want to scrap everything and start over again, or 2) are greatly opposed to the idea of planning out your story in advance.This book still leaves the hard work up to the writer. But Eric sets the writer on the correct path.Needless to say, I've applied Eric's advice to my own work, and it's already 100 times stronger for it. I can't believe that following the advice of one book has had such a dramatic effect on the quality of my storytelling.

great book

With STORY SOLUTION, Eric Edson gives 20-23 (no less than, no greater than) steps that your protagonist must make to have a clear, tight, meaningful story. Don't worry, there's plenty of room for creativity; just check any of your favorite movies---they ALL follow these steps in one way or another.***FOR BEGINNING SCREENWRITERS: Please don't make the same mistake as me in buying over a dozen books on screenwriting. To be honest, there's more than OVER a dozen good books on screenwriting. But, as happened with me, it's easy to get into READING about writing instead of doing what writers do…….write. For this reason, to save you time and money, I strongly recommend purchasing this book AND Inside Story: The Power of The Transformational Arc (by Dara Marks). The two books give you the BIGGEST advantage in avoiding two of the biggest pitfalls: Weak structure (Story Solution) and deep, emotional story that hooks us from the beginning with CHARACTERS that we care about (Inside Story).I don't mean to recommend the additional book as a knock on SS; I just really find that SS does an EXCELLENT job on structure. Inside Story does an EXCELLENT job on THEME, which Marks blends AMAZINGINGLY into story.But, to return to SS: Over 80% of the screenplays that have issues, poor structure and bland protagonists fill that pile. Make it to the next round of that famous screenwriting contest and purchase this book.Once again, a thoroughly enjoyable [email protected]

For anyone into writing, it's a great acquisition.

Nothing profoundly new here, but the author does a good job of making a case for his screenplay paradigm which he's trademarked. It boils down to the classic rising action dramatized through a series of reversals that build to a climax. Worth reading but a bit schematic for the beginning writer who might see this as paint by numbers method. It isn't and the author isn't making that case. Best read if you are completely familiar with the numerous film examples he uses, having read the screenplays and not merely watched the films. If you are that screenplay literate then this book will be a good refresher before trying to break your story.

The KISS rule (Keep It Simple Stupid") applies to this excellent bookabout film/novel writing. I knew a lot of this stuff but it wasn't inthe front of my brain when my head was into actual creation.It makes your remember, and educates. In the short and long runit is all about us.  The Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must TakeThe Story Solution: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take

I like a writer who gives strong opinions on who things should be done. Eric certainly does that here. I like that he has the gumption to say "this is exactly how it should be done". I can think of no one else who's had that courage, because it sets an author up for criticism.He gives valuable views on character types, plot points (which he calls "stunning surprises") but most of all in laying out the 20+ sequences he feels describes every major Hollywood success. I personally don't agree with his main point, and others also don't for example believe that there is a meaningful character arc in say, Silence of the Lambs.On the other hand, his formula describes The Matrix to the T. And I am happy to have this blueprint just to consider when I don't follow it. I credit the author for going out on the limb and making a bold statement even if it's not always right. It's helpful to have paradigms.

I'm using this book to fix and improve my scripts. From Professor Edson's information I can also pick out the story beats in the shows and films I watch, seeing the underlying structure gives me a new appreciation for the art of storytelling.If you have not seen some of Professor Edson's interviews and classes on YouTube, do yourself a kindness and watch them. He's entertaining and informative, he knows what he's talking about and speaks to you as if you're his friend.