For stories to be compelling, we need to care about the characters. And the reason we care about characters is that something in their situation, resonates with us. This is the heart of the story. You can literally feel it in the center of your chest when the writer's done a good job of connecting with it.
If you want a story to be memorable, your audience must feel something. In other words, for a story to have legs, it has to have heart. We understand goals (love, treasure, power, forgiveness) and actions (car chases, love scenes, battles) but what is sometimes missing is motivation. Why did the hero take that path? And why should I care? And as a writer, what is the best way to show rather than tell?
You're telling this story for a reason. And generally that reason has emotional roots.The challenge is to create something that allows the audience to tap into that emotion as well. Clever plots and computer-generated effects can not compensate for characters that we don't care about.
With the right questions, you can create more compelling characters and a more complex emotional context. Whether you are a screenwriter desiring coverage, or a prose writer with a short-story or novel excerpt that needs tuning, consider enlisting Rebecca as your reader. Click here for fees.
"Rebecca Cooper's coverage of my script was insightful, intelligent and encouraging! I enjoyed working with her and the script is much better for it!" ~ S.K.D., Screenwriter
"The power of what Rebecca offers isn't only in the pearls of wisdom...it's in the story. There's an impact of information shared through storytelling that far outshines the standard 'here is some good advice' self-help book out there." Curt Rosengren, Author, from his endorsement of Beckoning: When Happiness Calls
