THE ORIGINAL IDEA:The Heart of Your Story

RWR article

This presentation is brought by former Green Beret and NY Times bestselling author of Factual Fiction...

Bob MayerFor more Information:

Please contact Bob Mayer at bobmayer@coolgus.com or Jen Talty at jentalty@coolgus.com

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Who Dares Wins Publishing is now

Wednesday, June 19, 13

“An invaluable resource for beginning and seasoned writers alike. Don’t miss out.” Terry Brooks. #1 NYT Bestseller.

“Bob Mayer is a gifted writer and generous teacher.” Susan Wiggs. #1 NYT Bestseller.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Do You Actually Need One Sentence?

•Your creative process makes a difference.

•A front-loading writer vs. a back-loading writer.

• Is it clear from the start or do you have to discover it?

•Genre makes a difference.

•Thrillers, mysteries, suspense, science fiction, fantasy. YES

•Romance, literary writing. MaybeWednesday, June 19, 13

What Is Your Original Idea?

•Good news is you had one.

•Bad news is you probably forgot it.

•It is usually the first thought you had (the spark of inspiration).

•It is the foundation of your book, the seed.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

•A character.

•A plot.

•A setting or scene.

•An intent.

•A “What If”.

Original Ideas Can be Anything.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Original Ideas Can Be Anything.

• Character: “A housewife and female assassin must uncover the truth of the men in their lives in order to uncover their destiny.” BODYGUARD OF LIES

• Plot: “What if a Federal agent investigating a murder, finds out it’s connected to an illegal CIA operation?” CHASING THE GHOST

• Setting or scene: “An international treaty bans weapons in Antarctica: What if the US put nuclear weapons there and lost track of them?” ETERNITY BASE

• Intent/Theme: “Connection leads to a full life.” DON’T LOOK DOWN.

• “What If”: “What if people going into the Witness Protection Program really disappear?” CUT OUT

Wednesday, June 19, 13

The Importance of Your Original Idea

•It starts your creative process.

•Remembering it keeps you focused.

•It is often the core of the pitch to sell the book.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Original Idea and The Pitch

•Sometimes they are the same.

•Sometimes they aren’t.

•But they should be very close.

•The Original Idea is your tool for your writing.

•The Pitch is your tool to sell your writing to someone else.

•Log Lines are more movie oriented.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

The Kernel Idea: The Alpha and The Omega

•The Idea starts the creative process

•The Idea is the start point for your book (Alpha)

• It is also the end point for your book (Omega)

•Everything in your book must drive toward that Kernel Idea

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Why Is This A Good

•Why is this idea important?

•What makes it necessary for you to write it?

•“If you do not tell the truth about yourself, you cannot tell it about other people.” Virginia Woolf.

•What makes a reader want to read it?

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Focusing Your Idea

•When you write your one sentence down, check to see what the subject of the sentence is:

•Character? Protagonist, antagonist?

•Plot?

•Check to see what the verb is.

•Positive or negative?

•Action or re-action verb?

Wednesday, June 19, 13

What If?•Start your sentence with “What if . . .”

•Each word must mean something to the reader.

•Don’t be a secret keeper.

•“What if Judas was still alive and the only one who knew the truth about the apparent impending Apocalypse?” I, JUDAS: THE 5TH GOSPEL

•“What if mankind didn’t originate the way we thought?” AREA 51

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Intent•The why behind the what.

•What do you feel?

•Why did you write this book?

•What do you want readers to feel?

•You always have an intent.

•Positive versus negative.

•Beware of lecturing.

•Resolution= the payoff to the reader.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Situational and/or Character Ideas

•A situation idea is outward oriented.

•A situation idea focuses on plot and problem.

•A character idea is inward oriented.

•A character idea focuses on character and intent.

•Best case scenario: both should be strong in your book.

Wednesday, June 19, 13

Idea Is Not Story

•Every idea has been done.

•Story is:

•Who (characters)

•What (plot)

•Where & When (setting)

•Why? (intent)

• Idea can’t change, story can. (Dragon-Sim 13)

•So, how are you going to do it differently?

Wednesday, June 19, 13

For More Information go to

bobmayer.org coolgus.comWednesday, June 19, 13