This blog introduces you to my special brand of BIKE. I show you how to find your Best self, access your Inner strength, tune in to your Killer instincts, and use your Expressive voice. It's inspiring, spiritual, quirky, and it's all in your head. It's about ATTITUDE, not exercise, though that might be a side benefit.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Thought for the day--on Robert McKee's STORY

In 1997, Robert McKee published a landmark book aimed at screenwriters on screenwriting. It's since been adopted by writers of all genres and also entertaining public speakers as a teaching tool. Why? Because in this book, STORY, he shares with the reader how to create quality.

An impressive book, almost 500 pages long, it covers the challenges a screenwriter will experience, what must be included in the story/screenplay he wants to sell, how to design it, and what it looks like to write the product from start to finish. It was McKee who taught me about the use of index cards as a means to organize thoughts. But I never fully took advantage of his lesson, and that's why I've returned to his book -- to reacquaint myself with the process and reinvigorate my own work.

He also writes something that I overlooked before. This time it caused me to stop and reflect. I thought you might get something from the few lines as well. In them, McKee's referencing the question of why we go to the movies, but I think there's more to his comment than that.
We do not wish to escape life but to find life, to use our minds in fresh and experimental ways, to flex our emotions, to enjoy, to learn, to add depth to our days.
What do you think?

2 comments:

Anjuli said...

I live by index cards in writing! :)...paid my way through college w/ three jobs- and one of them was teaching other students how to use index cards for their research papers. :) (then I'd type the paper for them- that was what got me paid...and those were the days before personal computers)

Loved his quote- funny coz I was thinking about that...about what going to a movie is all about- I like what he had to say.

Unknown said...

Me, too, Anjuli. I love that comment. It stays with you. I remember using index cards in high school and college. I remember teachers taught us how to do it. Doesn't that happen any more? I would have never been able to organize my thoughts without them back then. I remember thinking back then that a research report was such a HUGE monumental requirement.