

1. Close your eyes, relax and allow an image to form in your mind. If nothing comes right away, think of a favorite line from a song, and imagine what the lyrics “look like.” Once you get an image, write it down. For example, when I just tried this, I got a mental image of standing in line to buy ice cream cones at the beach.
2. You’re going to use this image as both the beginning and the end of the story you’re telling. Now imagine your main character in this line. Who are they with? Why are they there? How do they feel about getting ice cream? Happy, guilty worried about their weight?
Answering this question allows you to know your character’s story arc which then allows you to answer the 4 Magic Questions of Screenwriting. For example, suppose the person online was a self-conscious guy afraid to chat with the girl standing in front of him? At the end of the film, he confidently offers to buy her the ice cream and easily converses with her and gets a dinner invitation? You can easily imagine a story here. With this level of visual connection and understanding of your characters basic want, the 4MQS will lead you to a strong story shape. His dream is to ask the girl out, the nightmare is that he never will, and he would do anything to get the skills and confidence to approach, and the resolution of the dream is Act 3 is that he succeeds.
Look for invites to up and coming free webinars soon!
I’m excited to share that Episode #24 will be available soon. We had over 10,000 views on jokeonastickfans! Check it out, free subscriptions, lots of laughs!

How to Create New Stories About Coping With the Pandemic
Part 5
Thursday, June 18, 2020
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm EST
via ZOOM
In the 5th section of this interactive webinar, you’ll learn how to use the Mythic Journey Map® to create a foolproof “soft” outline and scenes! Then, we’ll use the 4 Magic Questions of Screenwriting to create an authentic story arc for your main character. If you want to join please send me an email, and we’ll send you a link. Even if you’re joining for the first time, you can have fun and learn a lot. Join us!
Please email me at marilyn@marilynhorowitz.com if you’d like to attend.
Here’s to your successful writing,
Professor Marilyn Horowitz