Archive for the ‘The STORY’ Category

The Hero and the Villain

Tuesday, January 1st, 2008

(part two of The Story)

Any story has a Hero. Batman - Jason Bourne - Jack Sparrow - Elizabeth Swann - MJ ?

What defines a Hero?

Somehow good stories always draw us in to the hero?s story. We hope with him. We laugh with him. We cry with him.? If that doesn?t happen spontaneously, he?s not the hero ? he?s just one of the other characters.

The hero has a mission - a goal to conquer ? a mountain to cry ? a girl to save ? a problem to overcome. (More about that on another day)

An interesting thought about the Hero is that we are usually totally fine with imperfect Hero?s.? Our hero?s often have personal struggles.? They often have bad habits.? They often do things that are harmful to themselves.? But somehow we have sympathy for these hero?s.

Because we understand.

Because I?m like that too.

And if this hero can climb this mountain, maybe so can I?

There?s a time when we lose our heart for the hero. Not when he fails ? or when he does something stupid. Or makes a wrong choice.

It?s when he sees himself as better than others.

And once the hero loses our support the story works him out.? It has to.? It just happens as the story unfolds.? Because a hero that conquers without audience support is actually? a villain.? And that makes for a bad story.

We play the lead role in our stories. Some of us make BAD hero?s. Not because we sometimes fail. But because our prideful hearts don?t make for good viewing!

When looking at ourselves, or shall I say ?viewing? ourselves ? we need to do some introspection. It?s okay for the Hero to be ?human? ? but is this human the hero or the villain in my story?

Give some comments or perspective: I?ve just opened up the subject ? I?m still pondering.

Posted in New Thoughts, The STORY | 2 Comments »

The Story - prologue

Sunday, December 9th, 2007

Nobody trained me to write ? which is why my first works probably suck. But every new show I write, I learn from my experience during my previous work. Then I also read how the masters do it, so as to learn from them ? and I?ll be quoting Robert Mc Gee as I journey with my thoughts ? And then one of the things that help me most in writing is understanding that stories are just like life itself.

What would the rejected lover say when he catches his girl cheating in him? He might freak out or he might just turn around and walk away. It depends on him. And a story unfolds in the same way life does. And characters are real, and they respond to triggers ? individually, as do we all.

When I understood this, writing became so much easier. Of course it?s more complicated! And a story has to be planned and developed, and there are plots and sub-plots that have to be developed and?and? and? But when all of that is done and the characters become alive, the writer has to keep them REAL. And allow them to be.

So in my next series of blogs I intend to draw some parallels between The STORY and my life ? or YOURS.

I haven?t figured this out. And much of my thoughts will unfold as I tussle with them - as does a story develop when the writer wrestles with it, and as the characters integrate with each other. I?m simply journeying and inviting you to join.

I invite you to reflect on The Story ? and to reflect on Your Story. To think ? to contemplate ? to consider? To chew over what I say and what others may contribute. To chew over what God, the author of life, is creating in your life.

And allow him to hold the pen.

As I embark on this journey I want to credit Don Miller for opening these thoughts in my mind.

Posted in The STORY | No Comments »