What kind of driver? Nine iron? What kind of golf club? "Fore!", originally an Australian interjection, is used to warn anyone standing or moving in the flight of a golf ball.
What kind of story structure are you going to use to drive your story? There are so many camps of screenwriters that will literally shun groups who use story structures like “Save The Cat” and “Heroes Journey” an so on. When will they quit! Who knows right? Well, I am not here to draw lines in the sand. I am here to assist screenwriters who want to get their careers off the ground.
Character-driver:
This unique style of writing can indeed focus on the inner conflict of the main character and If you pick this writing style, you may spend much of your writing time contemplating about the characters, mental attitudes, personal conflicts, and major decisions the character needs to take on their journey. This changes shape in the story. This is more of an inner change that occurs. The audience looks for the internal transformation.
This is a major creative force behind the character and what proverbial stepping stones, or plot points your character may evidently take. Then you can throw what ever crap you want their way. It doesn't matter because the inner goals and outer goals are what really matter.
People toot their own horn and get a hard on over the “Character-driven” terminology as if it was a magic bullet to your story. Guess what? It tastes like chicken! That is my way of saying it is nothing new under the sun. Everyone has this “story box” that they follow. Some methods and ideologies that can fit into your script that you learned from the latest screenplay book. This story box is the story concept that you pick and apply to your script. I want to leave you with this - Good screenplays make you think. Great screenplays make you feel.
Sound familiar? I can agree with that!
Plot-driver:
The plot driver here comes from the character being thrown into situations that force them to make tough decisions. The other characters could easily take second fiddle in the story. I have my own taste but I will share them at another time. I take my work very seriously, yet I can have fun writing on a daily basis.
This style of writing is the stepping stones approach. Each stepping stone the character reaches creates interesting plot points that occur. What happens leads your character through a journey that creates the characters new inner decisions from the events or situations presented.
Selling the Big One:
I want to further add on a side note that if you picked this writing career to “sell the big one.” I feel you are neglecting one word that is important and that is “Career.” You could focus on the selling the big one and you could do well. I won’t take that away from you. I prefer to build my career on a day to day basis. I prefer to build a career on multiple pieces of work.
I leave you with this… Think big, and also take big actions. Then use small actions for momentum. Never quit! If you want this then you need to go hard or go home. You can do it. I know you can!
Don’t be discouraged. Sell all of them. Not just the big one! Write as many scripts as you can, it is somewhat of a numbers game. Sell them all. One of them could be the big one!
One more thing! Next time you play golf let the guy pass through he may have a shot gun!
See you next week! Until then find me on Twitter @screenwriterml
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