Will Strauss
Will Strauss
concrete desire drives early known narrative order primary reader work writer
In order for a narrative to work, the primary character should have a concrete desire - a need that drives her story - and the story's writer should make this goal known to the reader pretty early in the narrative.
compound examine marriage people shows side struggle writ
I don't think it does. These are people who struggle with their life. The compound shows a very different side of it. What this show does is really examine marriage as an institution ... It's marriage writ large.
characters generally haven
Characters stretching their legs in some calm haven generally don't make for interesting protagonists.
actual begin common excessive fiction instead students third until wrong
For the fiction students I teach, one of the most common mistakes is to start in the wrong place. Often the actual story doesn't begin until about a third of the way into their narratives. They start off instead with excessive scene-setting, metaphysical speculation, introducing nonessential dramatis personae, throat-clearing, etc.
chinese delivered few food high job lived mine people six towns
I delivered Chinese food on Long island, which is pretty depressing. I lived with my parents and did that for six months. I got a job a few towns over from mine so I wouldn't have to see people from my high school.
attend characters frequently though
I consider myself a Jewish writer - even if my characters frequently are not Jewish - in the same way, I guess, that I consider myself a Jewish man, even though I don't often attend shul.
economic fix good hill houses human nice people price strong unless wasting
I could fix all the houses in Price Hill and it wouldn't do any good unless the human infrastructure is in shape. People have got to want to live in the neighborhood. Nice parks, good schools, strong churches, diversity, economic development -- if you don't have those things in place, then I'm wasting my time.
growing-up differences parent
Growing up, I was watched by my parents and strongly critiqued. Instead of saying they loved me or showing physical attention, they would joke that I had a Roman nose - that it was roamin' all over my face. Teasing was their way of showing love, but then you are young, sometimes you can't tell the difference.
creativity ambition passion
When the Internet first came into public use, it was hailed as a liberation from conformity, a floating world ruled by passion, creativity, innovation and freedom of information. When it was hijacked first by advertising and then by commerce, it seemed like it had been fully co-opted and brought into line with human greed and ambition.
sides winner
God is on the side of the winner.
couple judging empathy
Instead of putting others down, try improving yourself instead. The only person you have a right to compete with is you. In the meantime, treat others how you'd like to be treated. One trait that some of the best (communicators) share is empathy. A couple of kind words can not only make a person's day, but earn you a friend and supporter for life. For the rest of the week, whenever you see someone you want to judge negatively, pay them a compliment instead. See what happens.
art want said
I want to learn martial arts," he said docilely, "so when I want to kill someone, I can do something about it.
honesty artist advice
A pick-up artist gave me a good piece of advice: the three most important things in a relationship are honesty, trust and respect, and if you don't have those, you don't have love.
book writing climbing
STRAUSS:Have you ever thought about putting those experiences into a book? RICHIE:I did decide to write about what i experienced in climbing to the top. And finally when I got there, I discovered what was at the top.You know what was there? STRAUSS: No, I don't. RICHIE: Nothing. Not one thing. What was at the top was all the experiences that you had to get there.