Writer's Toolkit

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Feb 20, 2024

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Joy Johnson Adam Michael Wright ENG 510 16 November 2023 Final Project: Writer’s Toolkit Storytelling Elements A writer's toolkit is essential for any aspiring author, and two key elements I've chosen to include are character and dialogue. These storytelling elements are crucial for expressing the writer's goals and connecting with the intended audience. Characterization plays a crucial role in storytelling, as it helps to bring the narrative to life and engage readers. As Clark (2008) discusses in his book, character development involves creating and portraying individuals within a literary work. By providing readers with well-defined and multifaceted characters, writers can elicit emotional responses and create a deeper connection between the readers and the story. Clark argues that effective characterization requires attention to various aspects, including physical appearance, personality traits, and motivations. By carefully crafting these elements, writers can create relatable and believable characters, thus enhancing the overall quality of the narrative. Additionally, Clark suggests that character development should extend beyond the main protagonists, as secondary and characters can contribute to the narrative's intricacy and richness. Through their interactions with the main characters, these secondary characters contribute to the plot's overall development and help create a rich and immersive literary experience. Developing well-rounded and relatable characters is crucial in storytelling as it enhances the readers' engagement and emotional connection to the narrative. The presence of sympathetic characters in a narrative increases readers' emotional investment, enabling them to empathize with the characters' challenges, motives, and personal development throughout the story. Authors

Johnson 2 can explore complex themes and issues more effectively by developing well-rounded characters. These characters serve as vessels through which the author can convey their ideas, beliefs, and values, making the story more thought-provoking and impactful for the readers. Furthermore, well-rounded and relatable characters add depth and authenticity to the narrative, making it more immersive. Through their unique traits, experiences, and challenges, these characters bring the story to life and create a sense of realism that resonates with readers. Overall, the importance of developing well-rounded and relatable characters lies in their ability to captivate readers, evoke emotions, convey meaningful messages, and create an immersive and memorable storytelling experience. Dialogue helps express the writer's goals and effectively reaches the target audience. Dialogue in storytelling refers to the conversation between characters within a narrative, serving as a crucial element that contributes to the development of the plot, characterization, and overall engagement of the readers. As Pässilä, Oikarinen, and Kallio (2013) noted, dialogue plays a pivotal role in enhancing learning experiences, particularly in workplace settings. Through dialogue, characters can express their thoughts, feelings, and motivations, allowing readers to gain deeper insights into their personalities. Moreover, dialogue serves as a means of advancing the plot by conveying information, introducing conflict, and driving the narrative forward. It also helps to establish a natural flow and rhythm within the story, creating a sense of authenticity and enabling readers to immerse themselves in the narrative. Furthermore, dialogue allows for the exploration of different perspectives and ideas, fostering a sense of empathy and understanding among readers. By enabling characters to engage in meaningful conversations, dialogue facilitates the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and viewpoints, enriching the storytelling experience for both the characters and the readers. Overall, dialogue is an essential component of

Johnson 3 storytelling, as it not only adds depth and complexity to the narrative but also provides a platform for exploration, reflection, and connection between the readers and the characters being portrayed. (Pässilä, Oikarinen, & Kallio, 2013). Gandalf hauls a small figure into the room...SAM GAMGEE sprawls across the floor! He looks up in terror as Gandalf looms over him. GANDALF (CONT'D) (angry) Confound it all! Samwise Gamgee, have you been eavesdropping? SAM I ain't been dropping no eaves, sir! Honest. I was just cutting the grass under the window there, if you follow me... GANDALF It's a little late for trimming the hedges, don't you think? SAM I heard raised voices... GANDALF What did you hear? Speak! SAM (panicked)

Johnson 4 Nothing important...that is, I heard a good deal about a ring...and a Dark Lord. And something about the end of the world, but...Please, Mr. Gandalf, sir, don't hurt me! Don't turn me into anything unnatural! The above excerpt comes from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) . In this scene, Gandalf had just begun to get Frodo ready for his journey to leave the Shire and take the ring of power somewhere safe. However, before Gandalf can send Frodo on his mission, he discovers that Frodo’s friend Sam had overheard their plans. This is a great example of character and dialogue because we see who Gandalf and Sam are at this moment. Sam is flustered, just trying to ensure he isn’t met with magical consequences, and Gandalf is angry that an outsider has heard his secret plans for Frodo. This scene shows the middle earth way of speaking, with no contemporary slang. And Sam’s line of “I ain’t been dropping no eaves sir!” has always been hilarious. It shows Sam isn’t as proper as Gandalf and Frodo, but it also shows his fear in that moment. As a writer, I will adapt these storytelling styles and techniques to serve my own goals by carefully shaping dialogue to fit the tone, themes, and characters of my future works. By doing so, I can ensure that my stories resonate with my intended audience and deliver a compelling narrative. I will craft characters with intricate backgrounds, distinct personalities, and arcs that evolved throughout the story. Their dialogue will affect their unique traits, beliefs, and motivations and I’ll focus on creating authentic and relatable characters by giving them flaws, strengths, and layers that resonate with readers. I'll strive to strike a balance between natural conversation and purposeful communication. Each conversation will drive the story forward, reveal character traits, or contribute to the thematic exploration without feeling forced.

Johnson 5 INT. BEDROOM - MORNING Isaac opens his eyes and stretches in bed. He reaches for Maggie's side of the bed and sees she's sitting up. He slides closer to her and sees that she's on her laptop looking up one-way flights to Hawaii. He pulls her close and closes the laptop. ISAAC I thought we were taking time to think? MAGGIE We are. Isaac hugs Maggie close to him, panic setting into his eyes. The above excerpt is from a script I’ve been working on since 2020, Difficult Leaving . The story follows a married couple, Maggie and Isaac Martin after Maggie has been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. Throughout the script, Isaac experiences several stages of grief as he struggles to not only accept Maggie’s mortality but also come to terms with her desire to die in Hawaii. I chose the above excerpt because it shows Maggie’s determination to die the way she wants and shows the love and fear Isaac has of losing her. While Maggie has moved on to the next stage of her life, Isaac still needs time to think if he can live without Maggie. Literary Conventions To effectively express my goals as a writer and connect with my target audience, I will incorporate the literary conventions of "a hero's journey" and "good versus evil" into my toolkit. The transformative arc of protagonists, as explored in the hero's journey, allows for a deep

Johnson 6 exploration of character development and personal growth. On the other hand, the portrayal of morality and conflict through the lens of good and evil adds complexity and depth to narratives, captivating readers and evoking emotional responses. By adapting these conventions to suit my own writing style and objectives, I aim to create compelling narratives that resonate with readers and convey my personal vision as a writer. The concept of a hero's journey has been widely explored in literature and film, as it allows for the exploration of a protagonist's transformative arc. According to Rogers et al. (2023), the hero's journey is characterized by a series of stages that the protagonist goes through, starting with a call to adventure, followed by various challenges and trials, and ultimately leading to a resolution and transformation. This transformative arc is essential for the development of the protagonist's character and the overall narrative structure. Throughout the hero's journey, the protagonist encounters various obstacles and undergoes personal growth, which not only shapes their character but also resonates with the audience. The hero's journey provides a framework for storytelling that allows for a profound exploration of the human experience and the complexities of personal transformation. As the protagonist navigates through the stages of the hero's journey, they face internal and external conflicts, confront their fears, gain new skills, and ultimately become a changed individual. This transformative arc is not only satisfying for the audience but also serves as a source of inspiration and empowerment, as it demonstrates the potential for personal growth and overcoming challenges. FRODO IS SMILING. FRODO Remember what Bilbo used to say...it's a dangerous business...

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