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Title: A Story Is a Promise: Good Things to Know Before You Write That Screenplay, Novel, or Play by Bill Johnson ISBN: 0-936085-61-4 Publisher: Blue Heron Pub Pub. Date: September, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 5 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Go comfortably into screenplay-writing.
Comment: This was my first introduction to how I could take my idea and turn it into a screenplay--I was psychically comfortable for the entire trip, which meant that I remembered a lot of what I'd read and used it again and again. Bill Johnson (no relation) tells you what you already know about stories you've enjoyed all your life. Then he applies these ideas to the other end of the process:
actually creating a story, fulfilling a promise you make to your audience. I'm about to start my fourth screenplay; Bill's book was instrumental in getting me going with gladness and enjoyment.
Rating: 5
Summary: Create compelling stories!
Comment: Recently I wrote a short story for a friend and it amused her to no end, yet she said the ending was somewhat surprising to her. I wondered if I had in fact left something out of the story, which would have otherwise prepared her for such a harsh ending.
I had never written a story before, let alone developed a plot. I had also never thought about how emotionally fulfilling a story would need to be, so I was a great candidate for reading this excellent guide. I simply sat down and wrote the story one night on a whim. I saw the story playing in my head and simply wrote down what I saw. It was fascinating since I had never experienced anything like that before. I mostly write recipes and this was new territory for me.
Since I review popular novels and movies, I have noticed a deeper truth running through them. After watching "The Big Country" I noticed a theme of "pride" running through the entire movie. Everything in the movie revolved around the fight between two very selfish men. Most books which also capture my attention have a definite theme running through them.
Since I read "A Story is a Promise," I realized how true it really is. When reading "Kitchen" by Banana Yoshimoto, I felt cheated by the ending. Something was missing......"Had I really spent that much time reading, only to feel a sense of anger at the ending?" While I was addicted to reading the entire book, nothing prepared me for the ending, which seemed to drift off into nothing. Had the promise been broken?
That is the problem with many stories written without an underlying purpose. Bill Johnson explores this in depth. This is the best book I have read on understanding the most difficult of all arts: writing! To create a dramatic engaging story takes and understanding of the underlying principles. Authors of the most popular works have tapped into this deeper understanding. They have fulfilled the promise to the reader.
Bill Johnson knows why human's need stories. That is something many of us have most likely never really considered. Why do we love a great story? Is there something within us that wants to escape? Or do stories help us survive when we can't think of any other way to explain our lives? Do the stories we tell ourselves give us a sense of belonging?
"Take away a person's sense of place in the world, and you'll have an unhappy person." -Bill Johnson
This book is a highly intellectual look at how to fulfill the promise to your readers. It is written in a more conversational style. Bill took his nagging feeling that there was more to a story than just the plot and turned his quest for answers into a book which can help you write that next novel or screenplay.
You will discover how a story function like a promise, learn to develop dynamic characters and be more aware of the role of ideas in a story line. The role of conflict in storytelling, writing that first dramatic sentence and developing a plot are all discussed. By reading this book you will in fact be taking a fascinating journey to the heart of storytelling. This book will fulfill the promise of making you a better writer! :)
Rating: 5
Summary: Best of the best on the subject of storytelling
Comment: Alas, I have studied many of the popular books on the craft of writing. Bill Johnson's stands at the very top of my recommended list.
Why? Well, most books teach specific techniques and/or discuss structured approaches to storytelling. This is fine, but they somehow skirt the issue of what really separates the good stories from the bad. Bill gets to the bottom of this most critical issue (it is curious that so many of the other books have overlooked the essence of these most important points). I found that the principles Bill outlines are a great complement to the "hero's journey" approach taught in many popular books on the craft.
Bill's book is NOT about teaching specific techniques as much as it is about understanding the essence of what will make your story compelling. As Bill will teach you, there are some specific things you need to do . . . and if you don't . . . well, you will struggle more than you need to. If you are serious about writing, don't go without studying this wonderful book.
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Title: Stealing Fire from the Gods: A Dynamic New Story Model for Writers and Filmmakers by James Bonnet, James Bonnet ISBN: 0941188655 Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions Pub. Date: October, 1999 List Price(USD): $26.95 |
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Title: A Story is a Promise by Bill Johnson ISBN: 0967393205 Publisher: Bill Johnson Publishing Pub. Date: June, 1997 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman ISBN: 068485743X Publisher: Fireside Pub. Date: 20 January, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: You Can Write a Movie (You Can) by Pamela Wallace ISBN: 0898799740 Publisher: Writers Digest Books Pub. Date: August, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.99 |
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Title: The Story Factor: Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion Through the Art of Storytelling by Annette Simmons ISBN: 0738206717 Publisher: Perseus Publishing Pub. Date: 04 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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