Desmond’s Drops: RESOURCES
By Desmond Hall | May 17, 2023 |
Welcome to a new edition of Desmond’s Drops!
This month, enjoy three drops focused on one topic–RESOURCES for writers that Des has found particularly helpful.
- NOVEL INCUBATOR
- SAVE THE CAT
- ROBERT MCKEE’S STORY
Email subscribers, please click directly to staging-writerunboxed.kinsta.cloud to view or visit all of Demond’s Drops on YouTube.
Look for more of Desmond’s Drops in July!
Have your own bit of wisdom to share? Drop it in comments.
Desmond Hall, author of YOUR CORNER DARK, was born in Jamaica, West Indies and then moved to Jamaica, Queens. His second novel, BETTER MUST COME, a fiercely evocative, action-packed YA thriller that examines that darker side of light-filled Jamaica, released in May, 2024. He’s worked as both a high school biology teacher and English teacher, counseled at-risk teens, and served as Spike Lee’s creative director at SpikeDDB. He’s also written and directed the HBO movie, A DAY IN BLACK AND WHITE, which was nominated for the Gordon Parks Award. He’s written and directed the theater play, STOCKHOLM, BROOKLYN, which won the audience award at the Downtown Theater Festival at the Cherry Lane Theater. He’s also served on the board of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, and was a judge for the Addys, and the Downtown Urban Arts Film Festival. Named one of Variety Magazine’s 50 creatives to watch.
Desmond, I see Save the Cat for Novels on Amazon by Jessica Brody, not Blake Snyder. Similar cover with hanging cat. Are you recommending the Jessica Brody book?
Hi Paula, Sorry for the delay. My daughter is getting ready to graduate.
So, I haven’t read Jessica Brody’s book. I’ve only read and reread and reread Snyder’s. I’ll check out Jessica’s tho. Thanks!
Hi Paula, Btw, the Jessica Brody book is based on Blake Snyder’s STC screenplay technique.
I enjoyed these little videos. I discovered “Save the Cat! Writes a Novel” by Jessica Brody a couple years ago. And though I write seat-of-the-pants, I found it enormously interesting and helpful to use as a look-back over what I’d already written. It was fascinating to learn that I was following the storytelling patterns without ever having planned that.
I’ve also found Robert McKee’s “Dialogue” to be a useful resource, especially because he distinguishes between the types of dialogue appropriate to screen, stage, and novel. What works in one venue doesn’t necessarily work in another.
Jessica Brody’s book is excellent as well, perhaps even better.
Hi Peter!
Haven’t read it. I’ll check it out. Thanks.
Hi Beth!
Great point on the appropriateness of dialogue!
Thanks for the drops, Desmond. Robert McKee has some very helpful YouTube shorts on his website too.
Hi Christine! Thanks!
I’m a pantser who does a rough outline after I’ve finished my 1st draft. I regularly reference Save The Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody and began her 9 hr course that delves into all the beats and story. I hadn’t heard of the last resource, Dialogue, but it’s interesting, and I’ll look that up. I have a novel debuting next month and another under contract for 2024, but one can always learn more and improve their writing.
Hi Mona!
Thanks for the advice and congrats on the awesome book deals!