The answer to many, many writing questions comes down to a straightforward concept: story structure.

How do you know where to start your story?

Structure.

How do you know how long your first act should be?

Structure.

How do you figure out what types of things should happen in the first act?

Structure.

What is the secret weapon Disney and Pixar writers use to create characters and stories that bring in billions of dollars in ticket sales every year?

Structure.

Whether it’s Campbell’s monomyth, Vogler’s hero’s journey, the Hollywood three-act structure, Freytag’s Pyramid, the Elizabethan five-act structure, Dan Harmon’s order/disorder circular model, Cathy Yardley’s GMC approach, James Scott Bell’s LOCK format, or the Larry Brooks circus tent method . . . literary scholars, writing instructors, and successful authors all agree story structure matters.

The opening act of the animated film, Moana, for example, is a structural masterpiece.

That’s why I am so excited to be exploring Moana’s Act One scene-by-scene in an upcoming live event: It Calls to Me – An Act One Seminar.

If you want to learn how master storytellers use structure to craft opening acts that draw readers in and keep them turning pages, you’ll want to be there.

Click the image below to get registered now!

At the seminar, we are going to cover how Moana’s opening act:

• utilizes archetypes to quickly establish characters to encourage viewer identification
• aligns its story beats perfectly with Joseph Campbell’s monomyth and Christopher Vogler’s Hero’s Journey to ensure maximum story impact
• continually and effortlessly raises the stakes before the real adventure has even begun
• serves as a perfect example of Shawn Coyne’s five commandments of storytelling
• elegantly establishes its world-building (without info-dumping)
• and much more!

Not a Disney fan?

That’s alright, we will also review examples from the first act of other fan favorite films, including:

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone
• The Matrix
• Star Wars: A New Hope
• The Wizard of Oz   

This is a live online seminar, so there will be lots of time for questions and interactions, and you’ll leave the seminar ready to apply these massively important storytelling concepts to the first act of your novel or screenplay. 

But the learning doesn’t end there.

After the seminar, you will be invited to share with me the first act of your manuscript (up to 20,000 words). I will review your first act personally, and then provide you with a one-page analysis filled with tips, suggestions, and recommendations for improvement so that you can kick your book off with the best opening possible.

Get registered to attend the seminar now!

I’ll see you there.

Your pal in writing,

 

Kevin T. Johns, writing coach

P.S. Got question? I've got answers. Hit reply and let me know how I can help you out.