Sylvia's novel writing blog

My shiny new book trailer for my WIP

Check out my shiny new book trailer (a marketing tool) for my work-in-progress:

 

First, I used a Mac to make a Powerpoint presentation (sparse writing = good). After saving the PPT project, save the project "as pictures", so that each slide is saved as a jpg. Next, open iMovie, and insert each jpg into the story board. Once the jpgs (slides) are in place, choose a movie theme and adjust the length of each jpg (slide). Choose a song from iTunes (ask for permission from the musician first if you wish to broadcast it publicly) and lay it on the story board (this makes the background light up green). Finally, click on the Share tab to post it on YouTube. If you have a PC, you can use MovieMaker.

Write back. I'd like to hear about what other people are making.

My W-Storyboard for my novel

Here's a quick sketch of my W-storyboard I've been using, based on ideas I've gotten recently from screenwriter Michael Hague, writing teacher Mary Carroll Moore's W-storyboarding on YouTube, and MyFlik's (a superb screenwriting channel which could also help fiction writers) The Hero's Journey 15 plot points YouTube video. Hyperlink function isn't working well :(

Story structure is probably one of the most important elements in fiction writing a writer needs to study and understand in order to give his/her readers an enjoyable reading experience, and even more than that--RESONANCE. Did you know that George Lucas and JK Rowling, to name only two out of thousands of (screen)writers used the elements of the mythic hero's journey tale to tell their story? I've seen mythic hero journey sites that show step-by-step how each of  the Star Wars' characters resemble Harry Potters characters.

If this revelation makes you worried about your novel being too formulaic, don't fret. I've avoided learning story structure until recent months, and I've realized that we all have our own story to tell, our own characters and voice, and so on. You can make things feel fresh and yet leave your readers with a feeling that they've entered another world through your senses, and by using the mythic structure of your choice, help them feel as if they've touched the tip of eternity

Michael Hague: http://www.storymastery.com/articles/30-screenplay-structure

Mary Carroll Moore: Your Book Starts Here--Storyboarding for Writers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMhLvMJ_r0Y

MyFlik channel (a treasure box collection of insightful short videos on (screen)writing: How to Write a Script--Hero Journey Plot Points: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY_WYkbq7YM

Focus on the journey my butt

It's December and this past week I've been fermenting the last leg of my main character's self-discovery journey on the Camino to Santiago, and hover at 65%. I say "self-discovery" because I've realized that overall, that's the overarching theme in my novel. There are many books and films out on this topic, but none resemble my own (thank God).

I was just reading the reviews of Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert on Amazon.com, and it terrified me how some reviewers lambasted her. I hope she never reads some of the vicious remarks people have written. They were lambasting her for two reasons: 1) she received an advance from her publisher before taking off for a year on her journey toward self-discovery to Italy, India, and Indonesia, and 2) they say she is too narcissistic. I don't know, isn't the point of self-discovery for people to focus on themselves? I haven't read the book, so I''m withholding judgment for now. I sympathize with their concerns, but still, I wish people would show a little more tolerance towards others, even if they have been given a helping hand. And furthermore, it's not like she hadn't traveled a lot under spartan conditions before getting any help from her publishers.

I've researched other notable works on second chances and self-discovery, and I've come to realized how influenced I am by Herman Hesse's books Siddhartha and Steppenwolf which I read in my twenties. 

I'd like to deepen my understanding of a person's self-discovery by watching Woody Allen's paragon of reinvention, Shirley Valentine which is about a middle-aged woman who is dissatisfied with her marriage, travels to Greece alone and ends up finding herself again.

On a lighter note, there are the films Bread and Tulips (Pane e Tulipani), Under the Tuscan Sun and more recently, The Holiday, all of which I've seen over the years and enjoyed very much.

The Holiday

Shirley Valentine

Bread and Tulips

Under the Tuscan Sun (Full Screen Edition)