Fig.1 Steven Pressfield’s ‘Foolscap Method’ to write a novel
I’ve read Steven Pressfield, though not necessarily taken his advice, for over 12 years. I keep a copy of his “The War of Art’ by my side like a bible. I give copies away.
How to get over that first ‘hump’ and turn yourself into a published author
How to break the back of a story before you write treatments or anything else.
He’s quite right about this. I’ve been told it many times before that you have to know your ending. I can remind myself here and see how it works for a number of writing projects.
I apply the ‘Creative Brief’ to all professional work: addressing a creative problem on a single sheet of paper, so why not apply something similar to an entire, lengthier writing project? Keep it simple. Keep it short.
Fig.2 Close up on Steven Pressfield’s ‘Foolscap Method’ used to write his first novel
Steven Pressfield’s Foolscap Method : From his blog.
A bit more on the Foolscap Method from his blog.
The Foolscap Method – Video 1
The Foolscap Method – Video 2
My notes:
ONE
Break it into three parts:
Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 – Beginning, Middle and End. As simple as that.
Break your story down into something so simple that you feel you have a handle on it.
TWO
How do you tell the story? What is the narrative device? Who tells the story?
THREE
Theme. What is the story about? This will tell you climax and the antagonist and everything in between …
FOUR
The inciting incident and the climax.
Mind Bursts 