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!     

Goal, Motivation and Conflict

Today, you can catch me over at Romantic Friday Writers guest posting on some of the most important tips for indie writers. Please visit and leave a comment!

The first tip I mention is to write a great story, and one of the best tools available to help you achieve this is Debra Dixon's outstanding book, Goal, Motivation and Conflict.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to attend her GMC workshop! I was absolutely blown away, it was so amazing!

If you're not familiar with this book or would like to own it, order it here for 19.95 from Gryphon Books For Writers.

If you're indie published, what's the most important thing you've learned about independent publishing? If you're a reader, what annoys you most about indie published book?

Thanks for visiting and have a great week!