If You Can't Answer These 6 Questions You Don't Have A Story - Glenn Gers

Summary

In this insightful interview, screenwriter Glenn Gers delves into the core of storytelling, emphasizing the importance of character-driven narratives and the dynamic interplay between characters and their obstacles. He outlines a fundamental process for writing, centered around asking key questions to develop scenes and characters, and encourages finding a personal writing process that resonates with the individual's natural rhythm and life circumstances. Gers also shares his personal journey of discovering his preferred writing style and the significance of embracing the iterative nature of the creative process.

Takeaways

• 📚 A story is about characters trying to accomplish something and encountering obstacles along the way.
• 🎭 The narrative can involve multiple characters, each with their own storylines, but it requires significant effort to manage.
• 🌟 Every character in a story believes they are the main character, influencing how they interact with others.
• 🔄 The concept of dramatic action is central to storytelling, where characters interact with others to achieve their goals.
• 🧳 The story becomes more interesting when there are obstacles, whether external or internal, that the character must overcome.
• ❓ Writing is a process of asking questions that guide the development of the story, characters, and plot.
• 🔑 Six essential questions can help structure any story: Who is it about? What do they want? Why can't they get it? What do they do about it? Why doesn't that work? How does it end?
• 🌈 There is no one-size-fits-all writing process; it's personal and should be discovered through experimentation and self-awareness.
• 🚀 Embracing one's unique writing process can lead to increased productivity and satisfaction with the work produced.
• 💡 Feeling good about the writing process is underrated, and it's important to find a process that feels good and is enjoyable.
• 📝 Writing involves creating a system that allows you to focus solely on the content, without worrying about the structure or format.

Q & A

What is Glenn Gers' definition of a story according to the script?

Glenn Gers defines a story as following a character or characters who are trying to accomplish something and encountering obstacles, including other characters who may help or harm their intentions.

Can a story be told from the perspective of multiple main characters?

Yes, according to Glenn, it's entirely possible to tell a story with multiple main characters, although it requires more work to follow each character's story throughout the narrative.

How does Glenn Gers compare character development to Isaac Newton's theory of billiard balls?

Glenn compares characters to billiard balls in motion, where they move in a certain direction until they hit something or something hits them, causing a change in direction. This illustrates how characters are driven by their intentions until they encounter obstacles.

What does Glenn mean when he says every character thinks they're the main character?

Glenn means that in any story, every character, no matter how minor, believes they are the central figure of their own narrative, which influences their interactions with other characters.

What is the basic building block of a story according to Glenn Gers?

The basic building block of a story is dramatic action, which involves a character trying to accomplish something and interacting with other characters or obstacles in their path.

How does Glenn describe the process of writing as it relates to storytelling?

Glenn describes the writing process as a series of questions, starting with a central idea or theme and then asking questions about the story's characters, their desires, obstacles, and actions.

What are the 6 Essential Questions that Glenn Gers suggests for writing a story?

The 6 Essential Questions Glenn suggests are: Who is the story about? What do they want? Why can't they get it? What do they do about it? Why doesn't that work? How does it end?

What advice does Glenn give for finding an enjoyable writing process?

Glenn advises recognizing that there is no right or wrong way to write. One should pay attention to their own preferences and realities, try different approaches, and be honest about what works best for them.

How does Glenn describe the importance of feeling good during the writing process?

Glenn emphasizes that feeling good is underrated in the writing process. He suggests that having a process that feels good and is enjoyable can significantly impact the quality of the work produced.

What is Glenn's personal writing setup, and why is it important?

Glenn's personal writing setup includes having separate documents for an outline, notes, the text itself, and an overview. This setup is important because it allows him to focus on the content of the work without getting bogged down by the structure or format.

How does Glenn suggest dealing with writer's block or anxiety during writing?

Glenn suggests recognizing that there may not be a decisive 'aha' moment to overcome writer's block or anxiety. Instead, it's a process of trial and error, moving forward and backward, and finding what works best for the individual writer.