Have a pile of notes and can’t quite see the story? Or maybe you’ve written 200 pages of a rough draft that’s sprawling out of control. You know there’s something there, you just can’t get your arms around it.
In this episode, I’ll walk you through exactly how to look at your scattered material and find the story that’s already trying to emerge.
You’ll learn four simple questions to help you see patterns, and identify what your story is actually about. You’ll learn an intuitive way to recognize the story you’re already writing.
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Episode at a glance:
[02:47] What Keeps Repeating?
Look for patterns across your material. What images show up multiple times? What situations? What relationships? Is there a metaphor you keep coming back to? Repetition is signal your subconscious is circling back to what matters.
[04:30] What Excites You?
Maybe a character still intrigues you. Or there’s a scene you can’t wait to write. Or a moment of conflict or tension pulls you forward. Your excitement is signal. It tells you what you’re compelled to write about. What you’re genuinely compelled to write, not just what you think you should be writing.
[06:12] Where Are You Moved Emotionally?
Which paragraphs, lines of dialogue, or moments make you feel something when you read them? Those moments of genuine emotion tell you what this story is really about underneath the words. These are the moments you’re writing toward or writing from.
[07:58] What Questions Are You Still Probing?
What are you yearning to know or understand through exploring this material? Not craft questions like, should I use first person or third, but story questions. These questions reveal what you’re personally curious about, what you’re probing about life and about human nature through this material. Curiosity is the fuel that gets you through a draft.
Links Mentioned In This Episode:
Reasons To Live by Amy Hempel
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