For Writers

Pixar's 22 Rules to Phenomenal Storytelling

[1]
You admire a character more for trying than for their
successes

[2]
Keep in mind what's interesting to an audience not what's fun to do as a writer. They can be very different.

[3]
Trying to theme is important, but you won't see what the story is actually about until you're at the end of it. Now rewrite.

[4]
Once upon a time there was _________. Every day, _______. One day ________. Because of that, ________. Because of that, _________.  Until finally _______.

[5]
Simplify. Focus. Combine characters. Hope over detours. You'll feel like your losing valuable stuff but it sets your free.

[6]
What is your character good at, comfortable with? Throw the polar opposite at them. Challenge them.
How do they deal?

[7]
Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are HARD, get your working up front.

[8]
Finish your story,
let go even if it's not perfect.
In a ideal world you have both, but move on. DO BETTER next time.

[9]
When you're stuck, make a list of what wouldn't happen next. . .
Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up.

[10]
Pull ａｐａｒｔ the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you've got to recognize it before you can use it.

[11]
Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it.
If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you'll never share it with anyone.

[12]
Discount the 1st thing that comes to mind. And the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th – get the obvious ou of the way. Surprise yourself.

[13]
Give your characters opinions. Passive/malleable might seem likable to you as you write, but it's poison to the audience.

[14]
Why must you tell this story?
What's the burning belief within you that your story feeds off of? That's the heart of it.

[15]
If you were your character, in this situation, how would you feel?
Honesty lends in credibility to unbelievable situations.

[16]
What are the stakes?
Give us a reason to root for the character. What happens if they don't succeed? Stack the odds against.

[17]
No work is ever wasted. If it's not working, let go and move on – it'll come back around to be useful later.

[18]
You have to know yourself: the difference between doing your best & fussing. Story is testing, not refining.

[19]
Coincidences to get the characters into trouble are great.
Coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.

[20]
Exercise: take the building blocks of a movies you dislike. How d'you rearrange them into what you do like?

[21]
You have to identify with your situation and characters, can't just write 'cool'. What would make YOU act that way?

[22]
What's the essence of your story? Most economical telling of it?
If you know that, you can build out from the.