Writing Tips From 24

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:

Goal: To keep the country safe from terrorism

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!     

Writing Tips From 24

The television series 24 has returned for one season, and once again I have a reason to look forward to Mondays, since it airs at 9 p.m. that night.

If you haven't already guessed, I'm a huge fan of 24!  During its original eight seasons, I picked up quite a few tips on compelling story telling, and the limited one season run doesn't disappoint!

The cliffhanger hooks are 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 is as follows:

Goal: To keep the country safe from terrorism

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! Are 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!