How to Expand an Idea into a Story (Writing Advice)

Summary

In this video, author Brandon McNully shares six tips on transforming a simple idea into a full-length story. He emphasizes the importance of excitement and creativity in identifying a good story idea and suggests combining ideas, connecting them to story elements, creating goals and conflicts, including meaningful subplots, conducting active and passive research, and knowing when to step back and revisit an idea later. McNully's insights offer a valuable guide for writers looking to expand their concepts into compelling narratives.

Takeaways

• 😀 The key to a good story idea is excitement and personal engagement with the concept.
• 🔍 Ideas can come from various sources, such as a character, a situation, a setting, or even a single image.
• 🤝 Tip 1: Combine two unrelated ideas to create a unique and engaging story concept.
• 🎬 Example: 'Titanic' combined a forbidden romance with a historical disaster for a compelling narrative.
• 📚 Tip 2: Connect your story idea to core story elements like character, plot, theme, and world-building.
• 🦕 Example: 'Jurassic Park' connected the concept of a dinosaur amusement park with characters and conflict.
• 🎯 Tip 3: Create goals for characters and obstacles that prevent them from achieving these goals to drive the story.
• 💡 Tip 4: Include meaningful subplots that connect to the central theme of the story to enrich the narrative.
• 🏆 Example: 'Rocky' used a romantic subplot to reinforce the theme of self-respect.
• 🔬 Tip 5: Conduct both active and passive research to gather information and inspiration for your story.
• 🔄 Tip 6: If struggling with a story idea, set it aside and return to it later when the time is right.
• 📖 Personal story: The author's experience with 'Entry Wounds' demonstrates the value of revisiting ideas.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video by Brandon McNully?

The main topic of the video is about how to take a simple idea and expand it into a full-length story, such as a novel, screenplay, or TV series.

Who is the author of 'Bad Parts' and 'Entry Wounds'?

Brandon McNully is the author of 'Bad Parts' and 'Entry Wounds'.

What is the first tip given by Brandon McNully for expanding an idea into a larger story?

The first tip is to combine ideas, taking one idea that inspires you and combining it with another unrelated idea to create a unique concept.

What is an example of combining two ideas to create a story, as mentioned in the video?

An example given is the movie 'Titanic', which was pitched as 'Romeo and Juliet aboard the Titanic', combining the idea of a forbidden romance with a tragic historical disaster.

What are the 10 core story elements discussed in a previous video by the same author?

The 10 core story elements include character, plot, theme, world-building, and other important pieces that appear in every story.

How does the author suggest connecting an idea to other story elements like character and plot?

The author suggests considering how the idea relates to the characters, how it pushes the plot forward, and how it connects to the theme of the story.

What is the importance of creating goals and conflict in a story?

Creating goals and conflict is important because it sets up a situation where characters want something and face obstacles that prevent them from achieving their desires, leading to struggles that fill out the story.

Why should meaningful subplots be included in a larger story?

Meaningful subplots should be included in a larger story to enrich the narrative, often connecting to the story's central theme and providing additional layers of depth and interest.

What is the difference between active and passive research as discussed in the video?

Active research involves deliberately seeking out information about the subject matter of the story, while passive research is letting life experiences and inspiration come naturally and influence the story.

What advice does the author give for dealing with a story idea that is not fully developed?

The author advises to push the idea aside and come back to it later, as sometimes the right time or additional inspiration is needed for the story to fully develop.

What personal experience did the author share about his book 'Entry Wounds'?

The author shared that he initially had a rough idea for 'Entry Wounds' but it lacked substance. He shelved it and came back to it later, inspired by the TV series 'Dexter', which led to the development of the haunted gun concept and the story's deeper plot.

What is the author's advice for writers who are struggling with developing their story ideas?

The author suggests that if a writer is in love with a story idea but is not quite ready for it, they can push it aside and keep it in mind until the time is right.

What question does the author ask the viewers at the end of the video?

The author asks viewers about the longest story they have written, either in terms of page count or word count.