The best television shows and movies have memorable scenes. In those scenes, characters are forced to make choices that move the story forward. This is the essence of screenwriting. And, according to ghostwriter Cristen Iris, it’s also the essence of great memoirs and fiction. In this episode we chat with Cristen about how the basic principles of screenwriting can be applied to fiction and memoirs so your reader will read from beginning to end.

Great Moments in the Episode

Basic elements of a scene: 2:22 – 3:37

How to think of scenes in terms of moving the story forward: 3:38 – 6:53

How to roughly calculate scenes in your novel to create movement: 6:55 – 9:23

How to create flow between scenes: 9:25 – 12:04

How to use narrative commentary throughout your scenes, without boring your reader: 12:05 – 14:18

How to create pacing in your book: 16:54 – 18:10

How to use action to develop your characters, including in memoirs: 18:20 – 21:01

The dangers and difficulty of dialogue, exposition, and backstory and tips for creating dialogue that moves the story along: 21:38 – 28:15

How to move beyond writing paralysis: 28:16 – 32:01

Words of the Episode

Nudnik (n): a person who is a bore or nuisance.

modus vivendi (n): an arrangement or agreement allowing conflicting parties to coexist peacefully, either indefinitely or until a final settlement is reached.

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