Notes 1

Week 1 Notes: Openers

How does storytelling fits into the “big picture” of FMS?
- It gives us an Idea on how to start off.
- Fail to plan and you plan to fail

Proper Writing Format
- Present tense
- 3^rd person
- Visual voice (readers are able to visualize the scene easily)

The 3^rd Person/Present Tense
- The Character is “narrating” the story as it happening
Example: “Mark picks up the gun and holds it in his hand.It begins to tremble, as if alive
- It presents a more immediate and urgent feel to the material
- Commonly Used in:
- Screenplays
The story/Film is unfolding as we read it.
Fosters a more urgent and immediate feel to the story
- Thriller and Suspense Genres

Passive vs. Active voice

Passive Voice
- Uses weak verbs
- tells what’s happening in the character’s head
- distances the reader from the story.
Example: The sky was blue with a lot of clouds
 Mark was angry with Jane for tricking him into helping her

Active voice
- Uses strong action verbs
- shows the action
- uses an immediate sentence structure
- conveys the story in a lively manner
Example: Fluffy white clouds drift like cotton in the ocean blue sky
 Mark slams the door and stalks across the chamber. He shouts “Bitch!”

 TIPS FOR WRITING
- everyone will not have problem coming up with a list of excuses for procrastination
- the biggest problem is getting started
- If you have a work in progress, NEVER stop for the night if you are stuck
- Always solve the problem and keep going until you are safer water. A good night sleep is important.
- If you can’t get started on a project, start writing anyway. To do this, you need to have some work to type
- It doesn’t matter what you write, you’ll soon begin to think and move in your own rhythm/pace