Writing Tips From 24
I just discovered that the television program 24 is available on Amazon Prime. I loved that show and just might be tempted to do a little binge watching since it's been off the air for a while and I can't remember all the story lines.
During its original eight seasons, I picked up quite a few tips on compelling story telling.
The cliffhanger hooks were always exciting, leaving unanswered questions, the foreshadowing of an attack, or a love dilemma. If you've ever had trouble formulating a hook to close a chapter, 24 just might inspire you!
As writers, in any story we look for goal, motivation and conflict. In 24, the main GMC was as follows:
Motivation: The safety of the American people
Conflict: The terrorists want to terrorize, the federal agents want to stop them
But look for the GMC in the characters, as well:
- Who has to work with whom, and why is this a problem?
- Who has something to prove and why?
- Who has lost something significant and how does this affect his/her job performance?
- What is the conflict within the terrorist organization that will keep it from performing effectively?
- What conflict keeps the government in pursuit of the wrong lead?
- How detrimental will a past love be to a high ranking government official?
You can't have a good story without conflict, and 24 delivers! Were you a fan of 24? Also, do you have a favorite television show that's inspired your writing technique?
Thanks for visiting and have a great week!
1 comment:
Oh, I miss Jack Bauer.
Post a Comment