Creative Writing For Screenplays

💬 What is the process of creating a narrative in games? 💬 Here is the pipeline I created and used when I was a Narrative Producer: 0) Logline — High-concept premise — Two or three sentences — Includes the protagonist, goal, and main conflict 1) Synopsis — Brief story overview (1-2 pages) — Follows a three-act structure — Outlines main plot points, key characters, and the overall story arc 2) Story Outline — Breakdown narrative into acts and major chapters — Highlight key events, character development, and plot twists — Roadmap for the entire story 2A) Worldbuilding — Create the game's setting — Focus on aspects that influence the story and characters 2B) Characters Passports — Backstory and motivation — Key character traits — Role in the plot — Description of appearance — References 2C) Speech Characteristics — Unique speech patterns for each character — Examples: old-fashioned or slang speech, stuttering, etc. — Sample of dialogue 3) Chapter Flowchart — Visual representation of story progression — Detail branching paths, scenes, player decisions, and possible outcomes — Indicates game mechanics used in scenes 3A) Art Description — Descriptions and references for the art team — Includes character designs, environments, items, and key scenes 3B) Narrative Features Description — Tools/features for narrative — Dialogue system, branching path mechanics — Interactive storytelling elements, etc. 4) Writing Dialogue — Create engaging dialogues fitting characters and advancing the story — Describe cut scenes and character actions 4A) Secondary Narrative — Environmental storytelling — Lore texts — Item descriptions — Barks & optional dialogues 5) Voice Acting & Motion Capture — Casting and recording voice actors — Motion capture to enhance character animations (if required) 6) Integration — Implement and configure created narrative content into the game build — Creating cutscenes 7) Testing and Iteration — Playtest, gather feedback, and iterate — Improve pacing, engagement, and coherence with gameplay 8) Localization — Translate and adapt the narrative for different languages and cultures — Ensure the main narrative is tested and approved

Average founders think their product is the moat. The best founders know it isn't. The story is... Because your product can be copied.  Someone with deeper pockets can build the same thing, and probably better. What they can't copy: - Your story - Your insight - Your audience who already trust you... That's where I think the real moat is in 2026 and beyond. I've launched 3 companies and each one was easier than the last. Not necessarily because the products I built got better. In my opinion, it was because of the audience I built. I had people follow along with my story, and they got involved with each new business. When I started Verb, I had nothing. Every client call started cold. By Searchable, founders showed up already sold on what we do. They'd watched hours of my content before we ever spoke. Narrative and storytelling are assets that compound over time. These 6 frameworks are some of the ones I've leaned on to build them: 1️⃣ Hero's Journey A common adventure arc that mirrors every great story. Useful for: Pitch decks, brand messaging, and customer case studies. 2️⃣ The Golden Circle Lead with why you exist rather than what you sell. Useful for: Investor pitches, team alignment and brand positioning. 3️⃣ What, So What, Now What Turn boring facts into a reason to act. What = The fact. So What = Why it matters. Now What = What to do about it. Useful for: All-hands meetings, investor updates and board meetings. 4️⃣ Freytag's Pyramid Narrative arc that shows struggle, breakthrough, and resolution. Useful for: Any content that wants to emphasise emotion. 5️⃣ The Origin Story Framework Every founder has a story.  Structure it like this: Before = The problem you faced. Turning Point = The moment everything changed. After = The mission you're now on. Useful for: Intros, investor pitches, and rallying your team. 6️⃣ Pixar's Story Framework Mirrors classic narrative arcs used in every Pixar film. Useful for: Any narrative that needs structure and flow. Ultimately, storytelling is how you turn attention into trust you can monetise. Leverage it for content, marketing, and beyond. It's worth it. ♻️ Repost to help founders in your network scale with stories. Follow me, Chris Donnelly, for more tips on building your business. -- I share useful frameworks like these in more depth in my newsletter, Step by Step. 📌 Join 250k+ founders and operators reading weekly here: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

Storytelling advice is failing designers. “Don’t use cookie-cutter portfolios.” “Tell a compelling story.” “Skip the double diamonds.” You hear this advice everywhere. But here’s what no one admits: Most designers don’t need more creativity. They need structure. Because without it, “storytelling” turns into: → Long intros that ramble → Screenshots without tension → Results with no link to actions → Lessons that feel tacked on And that’s not a story. That’s noise. So what’s the fix? Think like a screenwriter. Give your case study a narrative spine. I use something called the PEARL framework: → Problem → Epiphany → Action → Results → Learning Think of it like writing a Pixar short. Start with a hook (a real challenge you faced). Reveal a surprising insight (epiphany). Show how you acted on it (not just “I made wireframes”). Share results (tie it to real business/user value). Close with learning (what changed in you). Why does this work? Because it shifts the frame. You’re no longer showing your “design steps.” You’re showing your thinking. And that’s what gets you hired. Not the wireframes. Not the prototypes. Not the hi-fi polish. It’s the clarity in your arc. The confidence in your decisions. The growth in your reflection. Your story isn’t the process. Your story is the point of view you gained from it. So stop guessing what “good storytelling” means. Just PEARL it. P.S. If you found this helpful, visit the link in my profile to join my newsletter for daily career insights and get instant access to my top 50+ UX career guides. Structure or clarity — what’s harder to get right? Comment below 👇

If you ever have to give a big talk without notes, here’s a trick that might help: the Memory Palace. Here's how it works: 1. Conjure up a highly visual mental space like a palace or mansion. It doesn't have to be a place you know - it just has to be vivid and easy to navigate in your mind. I almost always use the same fake mansion in my talks because it's familiar to me. 2. Turn the key points of your talk into super bizarre, memorable images happening inside the mansion. The weirder and more specific, the better. Your brain remembers the unexpected. A few weeks ago I gave a 40 minute talk on the history of storytelling and misinformation. No teleprompter or confidence monitor. I needed to remember everything from Aboriginal Dreamtime stories to Octavian's propaganda war against Marc Antony to the 1835 Great Moon Hoax. So I created a mental landscape filled with images like: 🐍 A snake slithering through the living room (Aboriginal Dreamtime stories - oral histories depicting actual events from 10,000 years ago) ⚔️ A giant sword on the wall (reminder that Octavian didn't fight Marc Antony with weapons, he fought with ancient fake news) 🌘 A terrible illustration of the moon (the 1835 Great Moon Hoax) Each image anchored a major section of my talk. So when I got to that image in my mental walk-through, it triggered everything I needed to say about that era or concept. And then during the talk, I just followed the visual path. I've included a picture here of the ground floor of my recent Memory Palace so you can see how ridiculous it might look. It feels conversational and natural to me as the speaker because I'm not trying to remember words or bullet points. I'm just describing what I "see." Most of us don't have access to professional speaking setups. But we still need to deliver. Board presentations. Keynotes. All-hands meetings where you need to project confidence, not read slides. And in my experience, the Memory Palace technique gives you that freedom. You're not memorizing a script word-for-word (which sounds robotic anyway). You're creating a mental structure that lets you speak naturally while hitting every point. A few tips if you try this: → Always ask conference organizers about AV setup beforehand. Know what you're working with. → Your mental space doesn't need to be real. Make it as surreal as you want - that actually helps! → Make your images visceral, specific, and tied directly to your content. Generic images or words alone won't work. → Practice walking through it several times. → This works best for structured talks with clear narrative arcs. For Q&A or panels, you'll need a different approach. It's not magic. It's just how memory works - we're v spatial creatures who remember stories and images better than abstract concepts. Try it for your next talk. Your brain is more capable than you think!

If you've read a book or watched a movie, then you've witnessed a story arc. In screenwriting (and novels), a story arc is the emotional and narrative journey a character undertakes over the course of the whole film. It doesn't just show what happens; it shows how your character changes BECAUSE of what happens. A strong story arc answers one simple question: Who is the character at the beginning of the story, and who are they at the end? Simply put, how do they change? Every story is different, but effective scripts throughout history have used this basic arc structure (similar to a 3-act structure): The Setup: This is where we meet the character in their "normal world." We learn about their flaws/wounds/needs. The Inciting Incident: The "normal world" is disrupted, forcing the character to act. The Rising Conflict: Challenges escalate. Old ways and old thinking no longer work. The Low Point/The Crisis: A moment of the greatest loss or doubt. The character must confront themselves and dig deep. The Resolution: The character has a new understanding, showing growth/change. In a darker tale, perhaps the character loses what they had because they did not change, or maybe they changed for the worse. (For a better understanding, I encourage you to look at classic fairytale story arcs, like Cinderella.) But why do these moments matter in a story arc? The answer is, because people don't invest in plot twists, they invest in other people, even if they're made up. High-octane action and set pieces are only a part of the spectacle. The story arc is where the true meaning is found. Films feel hollow when arcs are weak, even with high production value. When arcs are strong, even the smallest, most intimate stories can feel powerful. A useful question to ask yourself going forward is, "If I removed my plot, would my character still undergo a meaningful change?" If you answer no, then you may need to strengthen your arc. If you say yes, then you're doing just fine! Story arcs are what turn stories into experiences. They turn scenes into something people carry with them, and they turn the grandest characters into people you and I can understand and even relate to. Have fun with your arcs, and as always, happy writing, everyone! #WritingWednesday #WritingTips #StoryArcs #RandallWallace

Considering Coppola's methodology in the Louis restaurant scene in The Godfather, here are 10 Ways to Deepen Your Scenes 1. Identify the "Core": Every scene must have a single emotional objective. If you can't name it in one word, the scene is probably extraneous. 2. Anticipate Pitfalls: Before writing a scene, list three ways it could become a cliché. Then, write it to avoid those three things. 3. The Historical "Times": Research a specific law or custom from your setting. Use it as a minor conflict in a scene to add texture and realism. 4. Sensory Sound Design: Don't just write dialogue. Write the "screech of the train" or the "clink of the glasses" to build atmospheric tension. 5. Body Language over Dialogue: Test your scene by removing all words. Can the audience still understand the relationship through gestures? 6. The "Stylized" Opening: Don't be afraid of a "bizarre" introduction. If it captures the character's ethos, it's worth the risk. 7. Revisionist Dialogue: If you're writing in an established genre, try using a contemporary voice for your characters to make them feel fresh. 8. The "Unreliable" POV: Use a first-person viewpoint to hide information from the reader, creating a deeper sense of mystery. 9. Contained Tension: If your high-concept script is getting too big, try moving a scene to a singular, claustrophobic location. 10. Analog Labor: Get away from the screen. Print your script, mount it in a binder, and write your notes by hand. The physical connection to the page often sparks better ideas.

Your customer doesn’t want a sales pitch. They want a 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 they can step into. Not a banner yelling “30% OFF.” Not another carousel of static screenshots. Not a block of dense copy asking them to 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭, 𝘴𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦. Here’s what changed my game: I started thinking of each marketing moment as a 𝘀𝗻𝗮𝗽𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆— Not a standalone ad, but a scene. Scene 1: Curiosity. Scene 2: Tension. Scene 3: Resolution. Scene 4: Action. Because stories are great. But stories 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲— Those stick. Animation lets you show the action inside the story. A product arriving. A character reacting. A scene transforming in real time. It’s not decoration. It’s not fluff. It’s a signal to the brain that something is happening. And the brain listens. We process visuals 60,000x faster than text. Add movement—and you trigger emotion, urgency, memory. That’s when I stopped asking: “How do I explain this product?” And started asking: “What’s the next scene in the customer’s journey?” If you’re still sending emails like they’re brochures— You’re missing the real story. Start animating your narrative. Frame by frame. Scene by scene. Conversion by conversion.

Your LinkedIn posts fail for the same reason. They’re missing a story arc. If your posts feel personal but don’t land… or educational but don’t stick… It’s probably not your writing. It’s the story arc. Every LinkedIn post that performs well (and converts) usually follows one of these three arcs: 1. The Struggle → Shift → Lesson arc (best for trust + relatability) This is where you take people with you. • What you struggled with • What changed your perspective • What you learned that others can apply Example: “I used to think consistency meant posting every day… Until I burned out. Here’s what actually worked instead.” People see themselves in your before and trust your after. 2. The Belief → Tension → Reframe arc (best for authority + thought leadership) This is where you challenge how people think. • State a common belief • Show why it’s flawed or incomplete • Introduce a better way to think Example: “Posting daily isn’t consistency. Here’s why most creators get this wrong.” You don’t just teach…you reposition how people see the problem. 3. The Moment → Meaning → Takeaway arc (best for memorability + emotional impact) This starts small, but hits deep. • A specific moment • What it revealed • The broader lesson Example: “I almost didn’t post that day. But that one post changed my LinkedIn journey.” People remember moments, not advice lists. Here’s the mistake most people make: They share experiences without extracting the lesson. Or they teach lessons without grounding them in story. The sweet spot is both. If you can turn what happened to you into something useful for others, your content stops being noise and starts building a brand. So before your next post, ask yourself: Which arc am I using? That answer alone can change how your content performs. P.S: Which one do you use the most or want to try next?

Day 634-Most architects try to impress people by adding more. More materials. More lighting. More furniture. More details. More “luxury.” But the projects people remember the most? Usually revolve around one thing: A Hero Object. In cinema, it’s the object your eye lands on first. In architecture, it becomes the emotional anchor of the entire space. In this image… the black classic car is not just a vehicle. It’s the narrative center. Everything else is supporting it: The calm concrete tones The quiet reflections The long shadow lines The restrained palette The silence of the pool The rhythm of the columns Nothing screams for attention. And that’s exactly why the composition feels powerful. This is something many architects miss today: Good design is not about making everything important. It’s about deciding what deserves importance. That principle exists in almost every great creative field: In filmmaking → the frame has a focal subject In branding → brands build around a signature symbol In photography → strong compositions reduce distraction In luxury retail → stores highlight one hero product first Architecture works the same way. A Hero Object can be: A staircase A tree A fireplace A dining table A light fixture A courtyard A pool A material Or even a shadow. When everything becomes loud… nothing feels valuable anymore. Minimalism alone is not enough. Luxury alone is not enough. What creates emotional memory is: Hierarchy. The best spaces guide the eye with intention. And honestly? This is why many AI-generated interiors still feel “off.” They have detail. But no hierarchy. Everything competes. Nothing leads. Strong architecture behaves more like storytelling than decoration. The architect becomes a director. And the space becomes a scene. The real question is not: “What can I add?” The real question is: “What should become unforgettable?” #Architecture #InteriorDesign #Architects #DesignThinking #ArchitectureThatListens