Five Tips to Make You a Better Writer

TIP 4

Focus Your Thoughts 

Whenever I teach an advanced screenwriting or novel writing class (for those with works already in progress) the first exercise I give my students is to summarize their idea in 25 words or less.  The groans and complaints are silenced when I tell them I'll do ALL 6 Star Wars movies in 21 words.  Here goes....

"Long, ago, in a galaxy far, far away, the forces of good overcame terrible obstacles to conquer the forces of evil."

No Luke Skywalker.  No Darth Vader.  No Empire and no Alliance.  Hans Solo didn't make the cut and neither did Yoda or R2D2.  They are elements of the story but they are not important when defining the focus and direction of the plot.  

In Hollywood they take this idea a step further; it's called a high concept.  Give me your idea in 5 words or less.  An example would be the recent Vin Diesel movie, "The Pacifer".

The concept: A rough-hewn Navy Seal is assigned to protect a group of pampered suburban kids and both sides learn to appreciate the other's world. 

The high concept:  Rambo becomes Mr. Mom  

The concept for The Charon Family Adventures: A dark comedy about a dysfunctional family of four of the  world's best assassins. 

The High Concept for The Fourth Awakening: Science-based spiritual fiction. or, Dan Brown meets Rod Serling.

If you can't distill your idea into 25 words then it is unlikely anyone will pay you for your creation.