Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#1

Post by fidgross » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 6:02 PM UTC

Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling
aerogrammestudio.com

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#2

Post by stephenhuey » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 6:51 PM UTC

Emma Coates originally shared this on her blog: http://storyshots.tumblr.com/post/25032057278/22-storybasics...

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#3

Post by triplesec » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 7:52 PM UTC

stephenhuey wrote: post #2

Emma Coates originally shared this on her blog: http://storyshots.tumblr.com/post/25032057278/22-storybasics...

Thank you grumble grumble blogs that don't link back to original content

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#4

Post by mcherm » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 7:52 PM UTC

The article had a link to a "related post" which had Neil Gaiman's 8 rules for writing: http://aerogrammestudio.com/2013/02/28/neil-gaimns-eight-rul...

I found those far more useful than the Pixar ones. (Although I admit that "when stuck, list everything that would NOT happen next" is a pretty good one.)

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#5

Post by tptacek » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 8:01 PM UTC

Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

Also a good way to write a product definition.

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#6

Post by ryanong » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 8:45 PM UTC

It is interesting how replacing character with object makes it a decent guide to figuring out problems or refactoring in programming.

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#7

Post by wiredfool » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 8:54 PM UTC

Bujold's method of plotting is to start with characters that her readers care for, and then ask: What's the worst thing that can happen to them?

And then do that.

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#8

Post by fidgross » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 9:07 PM UTC

stephenhuey wrote: post #2

Emma Coates originally shared this on her blog: http://storyshots.tumblr.com/post/25032057278/22-storybasics...

Thanks for pointing this out. Unfortunately, it seems to be too late to edit my original post. Interesting, though, as it seems someone (a mod?) edited my post's title. Perhaps they can change the link, also (I wouldn't mind).

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#9

Post by LukeShu » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 9:54 PM UTC

triplesec wrote: post #3

stephenhuey wrote: post #2

Emma Coates originally shared this on her blog: http://storyshots.tumblr.com/post/25032057278/22-storybasics...

Thank you grumble grumble blogs that don't link back to original content

To be fair, I don't think they realized that it was on her blog. Both her blog entry, and the linked article were aggregated from her Twitter.

Re: Pixar’s Rules of Storytelling

#10

Post by dferlemann » Thu, Mar 07, 2013, 10:38 PM UTC

"Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front." Mass Effect 3... 17 suck endings. That got to be a record somewhere.