:'''') Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
One that comes to mind is the first plot point in the Hunger Games, when Katniess chooses to take her sister's place at the reaping. She decides that going through the Hunger Games herself would be less painful than having to watch her little sister go through it and living with the guilt the rest of her life.
@@inkedtothe9 The hook is the Reaping. The Inciting incident is when Katniss makes the Impossible choice to go in Primrose's place. The first plot point is when she commits to the choice of volunteering by accepting her role in the Hunger Games and playing the Game with Peeta. The first plot point being Katniss volunteering would be too soon. The first plot point is around the 20-25% mark.
@@shaungerald23 No. No. No. The hook is the first chapter, where we are introduced to Katniss' desire and fear and everything. We are introduced to the concept of the dystopian Panem and Hunger Games. The Inciting Incident is the end of the first chapter when Prim's name is called. The First Plot Point is Katniss making the impossible choice to save her sister which sets the entire series in motion.
@@niharikadatta6442 Completely disagree. And many authors would also disagree with that. She's reacting when her sisters name is called. It's a two part Hook. It isn't the First Plot Point. That's too soon. First Plot Point falls around the 20-20% of a story. It's after the main character denies their role and position in the story (her reacting by saving her sister) and finally accepts the role and situation she's in. Playing the Games with Peeta to win.
“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” - Jim Rohn
That is true, once my mom had a migraine and I pushed her to go out for Boba and I will always feel guilty or doing that, and even if I try to make it up to her, I will always be weighed down by the guilt of that situation. Discipline will last for a little time,while, regret could last forever
Writing a story is by far the most stressful experience ever, holy god. Everytime you think it's going well you reach yet another wall. Tbh the only thing keeping me going is the pure love I have for these characthers.
I live this everyday when my alarm goes off in the morning because I’m not a morning person. It is exactly like she said when that tipping point comes.
Awww, thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
One first plot point that comes to mind for me is in Lord of the Rings when Frodo decides to leave with the ring on the quest driving the rest of the story. He decides the pain of leaving his comfortable life in the Shire is less painful than staying in the shire and doing nothing after learning that the ring is sinister and dangerous.
I think your segment in this video about redefining pain in our minds has helped me to understand why I have such a hard time self-motivating myself to make time for writing. I know I am capable of dedicating myself to hard work. Otherwise, I never could have not only kept but excelled at so many full-time minimum wage jobs in the past. Some that I absolutely hated. You have no idea how much the self-criticizing from this contradiction has been weighing on me. Thank You so much!
I really like this series Abbie! Because of you I have fallen in love with the art of storytelling and because of that I have enjoyed watching reading stories a whole that more than I use to. Thank you for all the time you put into this Abbie!
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
I started out writing my second novel (my first is lost in my computer somewhere) and I had a solid idea of how my characters and plot would go about. But finding Abbie the last week was life changing. I now have so many tools to keep me on track to finish this book rather than just info dumping or side-tracking into 10 different things. I am definitely thankful for your directions because now the dream of writing my own novel is not as daunting as it seemed.
First plot point in The Labyrinth when Sarah is forced to go through the confusion of this mysterious crude fairytale world/maze to save her baby brother when she truly just wanted a peaceful night considering she initially had to babysit unwillingly which makes it all 😂
You're doing my favorite thing; human psychology! I love this series and let me tell you, I am just a teenager but when I sell my books and write a compelling story for my audience, you're so going to be in the acknowledgment section! Thank you!
I never thought I'd get life lessons out of this series but that stuff about comparing your pain to something more significant in order to push you to do the things you really need is really helpful! Thanks!
Well, now I have to rewatch Poldark and Sense and Sensibility (all versions!) lol All kidding aside, this is another fantastic video! You are teaching this old dog new tricks and in such a way that I don't feel like an idiot for not grasping these craft points. Please continue and thank you for sharing so much of yourself with the writing community!
Also, wondering if you've dabbled into the Enneagram and if so, your thoughts on Enneagram 7s and their avoidance of pain...especially as protagonists?
Yes!! Rewatch them! :D My favorites. 😍 Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Once again, another fantastic video! You're videos seriously give me the drive to keep going with my story. And as a first plot point, I have to turn to my favorite SciFi movie War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise. The main character, Ray, is a divorced dad who has his estranged kids visiting for the weekend, only to have aliens beam down in lighting and start to vaporize everyone into dust. Since Ray starts out as a bitter and self-absorbed person, his immediate choice isn't purely to get him and his kids to safety as a dad should, it's to get the kids to their mom's house so he can dump them on her so that he wouldn't have to deal with them. I love this because it isn't necessarily something noble or honorable, it's a selfish and fear-driven decision that would make Ray's life, in his opinion, a lot easier.
I think a very good first plot point is examined in the Hunger games. At the beginning we learn that Prim is Katniss´ most beloved human in the world and that she is the only thing that brings her joy. Seeing her happy is one of the only motivation she has in life. On the other side, we know that she is not a >fighter< like Gale and doesn't want to rebel against the hunger games system. In fact she accepts that it is there and won't go away. Rather she avoids it at all cost, she even does not want to have children because that would mean they'd have to face the possibility of getting chosen. >Not doing anything against the system and just trying to survive< is her comfort zone. But when Prim gets elected she has to make a decision - staying inside her comfort zone but loosing the only one she loves or stepping outside of her comfort zone by volunteering, but inevitably saving Prim (which is all she ever wanted). Now that I've seen your video, I understand why I still get goosebumps when Katniss volunteers, although I already read and saw this scene a thousand times.
“I volunteer as tribute!” And with those four words, we the audience will follow her STORY anywhere it takes us because we care about her. We empathize and we admire and we root for her and anybody who tries to oppose her, we instantly HATE. Maximum emotional impact.
Came for story writing advice, left with cool facts about my brain and possible tools for how to not procrastinate so much. You've done it again Abbie! 😁
The most difficult part of writing for me has been organizing the overall structure. This series has been wonderful, and your template has been IMMENSELY helpful.
I get this is meant to help with original stand alone books, however this series has helped me write my first fanfic and so far the first chapter has been well received.
it is actually pain vs pleasure principle, not pain vs pain. it called rational choice theory. these series are so helpful and clarifying!!!better than any books that i have read on writing a story.
She's describing "the lessor of two evils". Pain can become pleasure, but nobody would choose pain over pleasure. (I googled it, it doesn't exist.) Rational choice theory (I double checked it on Brittanica, yes I was right).... It's rational to continue to make the same choices because that always works for you. RCT's not describing change, it's describing inertia. The rails, upon which a person runs. Their default choices. Given you have no other data about me other than I'm into writing, it would not be rational for me to seek out a cake making video. A psychology video? More likely. In college I wrote about an entire society that used this theorem to calculate everything right down to space battles. Anytime someone was born weird or came in with some other world perspectives, they pretty much broke the system. It's not rational for me to look up cakes. RCT has no way to calculate interfering events, like a call from my sister asking about cakes. As writers we throw a spanner into the RCT works to get our story started. You just know the Dursleys are gonna get wrecked from the first paragraph of Harry Potter. In The Wind in the Willows, Mole is done with his discontented house and is out of it in one single, albeit archaically long, paragraph. The one single takeaway I got from the self help guide on 'How to Change your Life in Seven Days' is that discomfort is required for change; only when things bug you enough, aka your pleasures have turned to pain, that you bother to defy your RCT scorecard. Give up smoking, start a diet, go save the world. Whatever the case, you are avoiding harm by altering your behaviour and you have to perceive it as an active threat in order to modify your default choices otherwise you'll only slip right back. There's no pleasure here. Only the lessor of two evils. RCT is a blunt instrument and lacking in nuance to handle the shift in gears talked about in this video.
Oh man, I came here for writing advice and now I've gotten incredible writing advice and a new psychological way of approaching life XD This is a goldmine!
Awesome video. I love how you explain these terms, and aspects of writing craft. Even when I'm already familiar with the concepts, your insights are invaluable, and help to add clarity. I do also love the Jane Austen examples. 😃💝
I just discovered your channel through your playlists, I'm a young French author and I can't thank you enough for all of your advices and tips ! Just had a look on your different templates, I think it will help me a lot, thanks again for everything !
I'm a recent beginner to Abbie's channel, and I love it, because it not only does she go into how to make your story the best it can be, she uses psychology to make it make sense. I love psychology.
Well, not *every* decision is made to avoid the most pain, but if pain is a potential factor, the first priority in decision-making is to minimize it while still getting your desire, and to reconsider if your desire is worth the pain. Still useful advice, though. I find your videos incredibly helpful! :)
I've been lost in this series for the past couple of hours and I just can't soak up enough of what you're teaching. This is the information I needed to create an outline that will be the template for my style of writing, making turning my ideas into books easier for me. I'm usually a pantster because, having never taken college level literary courses, I never learned how to create an outline. I tried researching it to learn how to create an outline that would help me (specifically) arrange my long list of ideas into stories I can share with the world, but what I found didn't quite feel like it was what I wanted. Your videos, however, are teaching me the things I didn't know that I didn't know but that I need to know to arrange my ideas into stories I can share, and that is a game-changer for me. Thank you for these. I appreciate you.
I really like the psychology mentioned in the video. It really helps me to find a way to make my characters, specifically the main protagonist(s), feel like actual human beings (even if they are dogs, cats, etc.)
I love the discussion in these comments. Books are fractal - each plot point was preluded by smaller plot points, each Plot consists of smaller plots, and the first plot point is (in many ways) the climax to the first plot. We read for the short-term satisfaction as well as the long-term pay-off. A good history teacher, for example, frames their lectures like mini-plots that add up in the greater arc of the course, while a dry and painful history course gives you a chronological list of facts that ultimately lead to you sitting in the classroom seat, but struggles to connect through plot or provide the first plot point that sets the rest of events in history in motion.
Hi Abbie! I really love your videos. Thanks to you I came out from a deep writer’s block that went on for 2 years. I fell in love again with my passion for writing realizing I only had to discover the magic of outlining. I follow you from Italy, thank you for your power and motivation. Xoxo
Yep, challenging lived experiences out in the world can potentially change one’s relationship to pain. And so can lived experiences within yourself, by which I mean emotional processing through journaling and/or meditation. Meditation helps: 1) strengthen frontal lobes (for self-control) 2) clarify what is important to you and why 3) redefine the definition of pain in your mind through improved body awareness, particularly if you practice ‘being with the pain’ in that area of the body while in physical pain (brain will down regulate pain messages if you give the area enough attention long enough).
I love your video's so much. I've been binge watching them for 3 days now. What started out as me trying to work out what matters to my story I'm now also watching these videos to understand what decisions I make. Honestly this has been like therapy to me. Every decision I make is done to avoid pain!!! Thank you so much for your channel. ❤xx
I learned so much more from this video than expected. I just stopped by because I was considering getting back into writing, but I also happen to be very into manifestation, so the information you share in the beginning of the video enlightened me so freakin' much. In order to manifest, I've been working on changing my beliefs, but changing my HABITS has been soooo hard. And every time I take an extra nap instead of working a bit longer, or any other time I make a decision that's within my comfort zone I've never realized why it felt like I literally could NOT make the right decision even when I knew that I should. Thanks to this video I now know it's because I need to perceive "never reaching my long term goal" as more painful than the "temporary discomfort". I literally need to bring the long term goal to the forefront and realize putting in the extra work now is the least painful decision so my brain will let me make the right decisions. Gawshh thankyou a bunch for sharing your insights, you're insanely intelligent and I can't wait to read 100 Days of Sunlight!
This series is awesome! I have had a story in mind for awhile, but, being a tad OCD i have found it difficult to organize. Your templates really have helped clean up my scatter brain
I've never seen that version of S&S - I love the Kate Winslet version too much lol S&S AND POLDARK OMG I AM FANGIRLING dude, seriously, why isn't everyone watching poldark. I'm so sad it's over.
The S&S with Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and so many, many other amazing talents make it the best Jane Austen adaptation of all time, out of any of her novels. ♡
"MANIFEST" A series on Netflix I recently started and finished. It was one hell of a ride binge watching the series. 180 Passengers flying from Jamacia to New York landed New York After 5 and a half years later because somehow the whole plane went through Time Travel glitch and the whole world was surprised to have them back as they were declared dead. Now with many personal issues and MAJOR changes in each and everyone's life, they all start to get these visions of future and start hearing their own voices to solve some issues in their and all the 180 passengers plus pilots and crew's life. Somehow they are ALL CONNECTED. I couldn't just stop watching it! I was so invested in the emotions of the protagonist and his life. I personally felt more connected because I myself am a kind of person who likes to indulge in mysteries and tries to find out patterns and trying to find the truth which is burried deep. Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror stories are my guilty pleasure and whenever I get time I indulge myself into it just to find out what is out there.
Also, not a single person was aged, so for all these passangers, it was just a normal flight, but everything else in the world went ahead 5 and a half years.
I'm trying to decide what's the first plot point in "Casablanca." I think the inciting incident is when Rick lets Ugarte hide the Letters of Transit in his cafe. The first plot point must be when he decides to face his pain of seeing Ilsa again by telling Sam to "Play it." I guess it's become more painful to continue to ignore his getting dumped in Paris than it will be for him to face Ilsa now and settle things. Or???
Thanks for the awesome videos! As a writer and military officer, I enjoyed your exploration of the navy seal mindset . As a therapist and nerd, I enjoy the way you break down the human condition into easy to understand tidbits
This video was legit more helpful than my actual therapist!!! I'm so glad you use your super powers for good!!!! Thank you so much! Been addicted to your channel!!! 💚💚💚
What Abbie says: Here's how to write your stories and your characters well What I hear: Here's how to build habits, be diligent, and be productive in your life Thanks, Abbie!! ;D
i know this is three years late, but i just noticed while abbie is talking about pinch points at the end she's doing exactly what she described. A foreshadowing of what's to come to hook the readers. I don't know if that's intentional, but it's genius
Been watching a lot of your videos lately. I'm a complete greenhorn when it comes to storytelling, so your insights have truly been invaluable to me! Thank you so much for all that you do, your videos are some of the most clear, unoverwhelming, and helpful writing advices that I've found as a new writer. Since you mentioned it- honestly I've been thinking about it since the beginning of your 3-act series- I have not been able to keep my mind off the first How To Train Your Dragon's film structure. Such a great opening and film in general!
Even though I'm still at the beginning of this series of videos, they've been really helpful and cleared up many things I wasn't comfortable with in that plot structure. Definitely, I'm seeing things from a new perspective and seeing what my stories might be missing. Thank you very much!!
I’m currently writing a Fantasy novel, and making notes on what the characters are like, and stuff like that. Your videos have helped me soooo much! And I will definitely be thinking about how much you have helped me. thank you so much!
Hey Abbie, I have an example of pain vs pain, 3:00PM EST is 5:00AM is where I am in Australia. I woke up at 4:45AM because even though I was a bit tired, going to the 100 Days of Sunlight Birthday Party is better than sleeping in & missing the event. ☺
My organic pantser heart is not fully committed to the "science" of writing BUT I love your content & how you're helping me connect the artistry to scientific. Your examples are excellent always...that pain vs pain will go on a sticky note on the writers board for sure. & my PBS career loves that you used Poldark! Keep'em coming!
Please Abbie kindly think of getting such a series for poetry books too, they need help in this world because this series helped a lot of fiction writers including me❤️ thank you for all the things u are doing.
Thank you Abbie for making this video that helps me with a lot of my plot points in my story and giving me an existential crisis on the side, I love getting my mind blown. Thank you for the video! ❤️
I immediately thought of Lord of the Rings. It fits your definition so perfectly. If the inciting incident is Bilbo disappearing or Gandalf finding out what the Ring is, then the impossible choice is Frodo needing to decide whether to take the Ring. (This is also more or less repeated during the council of Elrond, but his immediate decision to leave the Shire is what sets the first part of the whole story in motion). And yes, just like you say, it is a clear pain vs pain decision. Does he want to stay comfortable in the Shire and try to hide the Ring and risk the Enemy coming to find it, or does he want to take it upon himself to leave and head for Rivendell where something better can be done about the Ring?
I would love a video where you talk us through the outline of 100 days. It would really help me as, like Tessa being unwilling to accept help, my protagonist would rather force her way back into her comfort space, believing it to be less painful.
In Castaway when Chuck Noland opens the packages which float on the shoreline, then decides to set aside that one package with the Butterfly on it. Aside from the obvious metaphor, that package signals he has to gear up and find a way to get off the island.
Does Pride and Prejudice follow the three acts structure? Because I'm struggling to find the hook, inciting incident and first plot point of that story. Which is important to me, because now that I realise it, my own story has a similar flow: my main character is running away from her fears for the most part of the book (just like Elisabeth doesn't wish to face Darcy) and then in a crumbling moment, she's confronted with everything and must finally make a choice. She can't just avoid the problem like before (just like Elisabeth when she learns about Mr. Darcy's true nature). If anyone can help with this I will be super grateful!😣 please
(I´m german.) I think Elizabeth's desire is a life with a marriage of love and respect. Her biggest fear is being married to someone who doesn't respect or appreciate her. She would rather be alone, than in a bad marriage. The hook is the fact that Mr. Bingley has moved into the neighboring property. It is a way for the girls to find a husband (+ a way to fulfill Elizabeths desire). The inciting accident occurs when Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy. She finds him attractive but then overhears that he says she is not beautiful, she feels attacked in her pride. Here she makes a decision. It is more painful for her when she has to act politely even though he has insulted her. It is less painful when she attacks him and be therefore less ladylike. Her inner conflict is, that she has feelings for Mr. Darcy (desire: marriage of love) but doesnt want to be with someone, who doesnt respect her or her family (fear). I know this answer comes little bit late, but maybe it helped? :)
This was an amazing video! Thank you! Neo trying to decide if he wants to stay in the pain of the world he's been tolerating or to follow the white rabbit.
My cousin and I are co-authors on a series we've been writing for about a couple of weeks now. We've decided to write via google docs. My question is since my cousin is the one who created the idea for the series, How and where do I get inspiration from?
I know this comment is a year old, but a tip I've discovered is to take inspiration from literally EVERYTHING you can! You'll eventually train yourself to look for ideas in the world around you, from music to books to tv shows, and then you can figure out how to tie those things into your current story or save them for a different one. Once you learn to look for ideas in your daily life, finding inspiration becomes soooo much easier; even if it's just a small snippet of a conversation you overheard in a store, if it inspires you then use it! I'm currently writing a fanfiction inspired by the lyrics of a song I happened to find by random luck on Spotify and my mind took the concept and ran with it. Hope this helps! :)
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Thank you! Im trying to make a mini movie in a game and i was trying to write it all out first like a book or script! Its called “The 4 Beasts” There was 4 beasts that held the power of love, blood, fire, and water. I would explain it more but i barely have anything written yet-
This series is the bomb. WHEN I sell my book, I'm thanking you in my acknowledgements for sure
:'''') Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
YES, ME TOO 🎉💕!
Me too! 100% ive had my book idea for almost 3 years, but after finding Abbie, I've finally made some decent progress on my book!
@@ace_of_cups4096 YES ⭐🎊! My book's better than ever now with her guidance and support. She's so motivating as well.
did u perhaps finish the book its been a year
One that comes to mind is the first plot point in the Hunger Games, when Katniess chooses to take her sister's place at the reaping. She decides that going through the Hunger Games herself would be less painful than having to watch her little sister go through it and living with the guilt the rest of her life.
I think that is the inciting incident. The fist plot point would be when Peeta "confesses" his love for her on camera. But I could be wrong
@@stefaniesonan6337 I think the inciting incident is when her sister's name is pulled and the first plot point is when Katnis volunteers.
@@inkedtothe9 The hook is the Reaping. The Inciting incident is when Katniss makes the Impossible choice to go in Primrose's place. The first plot point is when she commits to the choice of volunteering by accepting her role in the Hunger Games and playing the Game with Peeta. The first plot point being Katniss volunteering would be too soon. The first plot point is around the 20-25% mark.
@@shaungerald23 No. No. No. The hook is the first chapter, where we are introduced to Katniss' desire and fear and everything. We are introduced to the concept of the dystopian Panem and Hunger Games. The Inciting Incident is the end of the first chapter when Prim's name is called. The First Plot Point is Katniss making the impossible choice to save her sister which sets the entire series in motion.
@@niharikadatta6442 Completely disagree. And many authors would also disagree with that. She's reacting when her sisters name is called. It's a two part Hook. It isn't the First Plot Point. That's too soon. First Plot Point falls around the 20-20% of a story. It's after the main character denies their role and position in the story (her reacting by saving her sister) and finally accepts the role and situation she's in. Playing the Games with Peeta to win.
“We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” - Jim Rohn
this is an awesome quote! Thank you for sharing!
@@AbbieEmmons It came to mind. Great content!
That is true, once my mom had a migraine and I pushed her to go out for Boba and I will always feel guilty or doing that, and even if I try to make it up to her, I will always be weighed down by the guilt of that situation. Discipline will last for a little time,while, regret could last forever
It would be awesome if you made a separate psychology series with things that are good to know when it comes to writing 😊.
Lots more writing psychology videos to come!
Writing a story is by far the most stressful experience ever, holy god. Everytime you think it's going well you reach yet another wall. Tbh the only thing keeping me going is the pure love I have for these characthers.
Right with you there mate.
Definitely feeling like that and this is still my rough draft 😅
That "staying in bed" vs "catching that flight" analogy is just perfect lol! Thank you Abbie, such great content as usual.
I live this everyday when my alarm goes off in the morning because I’m not a morning person. It is exactly like she said when that tipping point comes.
I swear, I'm addicted to your channel. Every Wednesday is known as Abbiee Day in my home. I love you girl!
Awww, thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
One first plot point that comes to mind for me is in Lord of the Rings when Frodo decides to leave with the ring on the quest driving the rest of the story. He decides the pain of leaving his comfortable life in the Shire is less painful than staying in the shire and doing nothing after learning that the ring is sinister and dangerous.
But then at the end after he suffered and endured so much, he returned to the shire and realized he didn’t belong there anymore 😭😭😭 I cry every time…
A student at rest stays at rest, until acted upon by a large enough panic
Have you considered doing book/movie reviews from a writer's perspective? That is something I would love to see!
I think your segment in this video about redefining pain in our minds has helped me to understand why I have such a hard time self-motivating myself to make time for writing. I know I am capable of dedicating myself to hard work. Otherwise, I never could have not only kept but excelled at so many full-time minimum wage jobs in the past. Some that I absolutely hated. You have no idea how much the self-criticizing from this contradiction has been weighing on me. Thank You so much!
I really like this series Abbie! Because of you I have fallen in love with the art of storytelling and because of that I have enjoyed watching reading stories a whole that more than I use to.
Thank you for all the time you put into this Abbie!
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
I started out writing my second novel (my first is lost in my computer somewhere) and I had a solid idea of how my characters and plot would go about. But finding Abbie the last week was life changing. I now have so many tools to keep me on track to finish this book rather than just info dumping or side-tracking into 10 different things. I am definitely thankful for your directions because now the dream of writing my own novel is not as daunting as it seemed.
Come on abbie, I'm trying to do homework and you notify me with another fire video :(
First plot point in The Labyrinth when Sarah is forced to go through the confusion of this mysterious crude fairytale world/maze to save her baby brother when she truly just wanted a peaceful night considering she initially had to babysit unwillingly which makes it all 😂
A plot point that's stuck in my brain is in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, when Harry is forced to compete in the tri-wizard cup
By seeing this video this made me realised what was so good with full metal alchemist .
fma is amazing!!
Agree.
Abbie might want to watch anime for that =)
Literally everything? Agree
You're doing my favorite thing; human psychology! I love this series and let me tell you, I am just a teenager but when I sell my books and write a compelling story for my audience, you're so going to be in the acknowledgment section! Thank you!
I never thought I'd get life lessons out of this series but that stuff about comparing your pain to something more significant in order to push you to do the things you really need is really helpful! Thanks!
Well, now I have to rewatch Poldark and Sense and Sensibility (all versions!) lol
All kidding aside, this is another fantastic video! You are teaching this old dog new tricks and in such a way that I don't feel like an idiot for not grasping these craft points. Please continue and thank you for sharing so much of yourself with the writing community!
Also, wondering if you've dabbled into the Enneagram and if so, your thoughts on Enneagram 7s and their avoidance of pain...especially as protagonists?
Yes!! Rewatch them! :D My favorites. 😍 Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Once again, another fantastic video! You're videos seriously give me the drive to keep going with my story.
And as a first plot point, I have to turn to my favorite SciFi movie War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise.
The main character, Ray, is a divorced dad who has his estranged kids visiting for the weekend, only to have aliens beam down in lighting and start to vaporize everyone into dust. Since Ray starts out as a bitter and self-absorbed person, his immediate choice isn't purely to get him and his kids to safety as a dad should, it's to get the kids to their mom's house so he can dump them on her so that he wouldn't have to deal with them.
I love this because it isn't necessarily something noble or honorable, it's a selfish and fear-driven decision that would make Ray's life, in his opinion, a lot easier.
I think a very good first plot point is examined in the Hunger games. At the beginning we learn that Prim is Katniss´ most beloved human in the world and that she is the only thing that brings her joy. Seeing her happy is one of the only motivation she has in life. On the other side, we know that she is not a >fighter< like Gale and doesn't want to rebel against the hunger games system. In fact she accepts that it is there and won't go away. Rather she avoids it at all cost, she even does not want to have children because that would mean they'd have to face the possibility of getting chosen. >Not doing anything against the system and just trying to survive< is her comfort zone. But when Prim gets elected she has to make a decision - staying inside her comfort zone but loosing the only one she loves or stepping outside of her comfort zone by volunteering, but inevitably saving Prim (which is all she ever wanted). Now that I've seen your video, I understand why I still get goosebumps when Katniss volunteers, although I already read and saw this scene a thousand times.
“I volunteer as tribute!” And with those four words, we the audience will follow her STORY anywhere it takes us because we care about her. We empathize and we admire and we root for her and anybody who tries to oppose her, we instantly HATE.
Maximum emotional impact.
Came for story writing advice, left with cool facts about my brain and possible tools for how to not procrastinate so much. You've done it again Abbie! 😁
The most difficult part of writing for me has been organizing the overall structure. This series has been wonderful, and your template has been IMMENSELY helpful.
I get this is meant to help with original stand alone books, however this series has helped me write my first fanfic and so far the first chapter has been well received.
I'm here at work on my short lunch break taking notes 😁
Thanks for doing what you do
Wow..!!! I love how You describe human nature in so simple words..!!❤❤
it is actually pain vs pleasure principle, not pain vs pain. it called rational choice theory.
these series are so helpful and clarifying!!!better than any books that i have read on writing a story.
She's describing "the lessor of two evils". Pain can become pleasure, but nobody would choose pain over pleasure. (I googled it, it doesn't exist.)
Rational choice theory (I double checked it on Brittanica, yes I was right).... It's rational to continue to make the same choices because that always works for you. RCT's not describing change, it's describing inertia. The rails, upon which a person runs. Their default choices. Given you have no other data about me other than I'm into writing, it would not be rational for me to seek out a cake making video. A psychology video? More likely. In college I wrote about an entire society that used this theorem to calculate everything right down to space battles. Anytime someone was born weird or came in with some other world perspectives, they pretty much broke the system.
It's not rational for me to look up cakes. RCT has no way to calculate interfering events, like a call from my sister asking about cakes.
As writers we throw a spanner into the RCT works to get our story started. You just know the Dursleys are gonna get wrecked from the first paragraph of Harry Potter. In The Wind in the Willows, Mole is done with his discontented house and is out of it in one single, albeit archaically long, paragraph.
The one single takeaway I got from the self help guide on 'How to Change your Life in Seven Days' is that discomfort is required for change; only when things bug you enough, aka your pleasures have turned to pain, that you bother to defy your RCT scorecard. Give up smoking, start a diet, go save the world. Whatever the case, you are avoiding harm by altering your behaviour and you have to perceive it as an active threat in order to modify your default choices otherwise you'll only slip right back. There's no pleasure here. Only the lessor of two evils.
RCT is a blunt instrument and lacking in nuance to handle the shift in gears talked about in this video.
Oh man, I came here for writing advice and now I've gotten incredible writing advice and a new psychological way of approaching life XD This is a goldmine!
Awesome video. I love how you explain these terms, and aspects of writing craft. Even when I'm already familiar with the concepts, your insights are invaluable, and help to add clarity. I do also love the Jane Austen examples. 😃💝
So glad you found this one helpful!! Rock on
I just discovered your channel through your playlists, I'm a young French author and I can't thank you enough for all of your advices and tips ! Just had a look on your different templates, I think it will help me a lot, thanks again for everything !
I'm a recent beginner to Abbie's channel, and I love it, because it not only does she go into how to make your story the best it can be, she uses psychology to make it make sense. I love psychology.
Well, not *every* decision is made to avoid the most pain, but if pain is a potential factor, the first priority in decision-making is to minimize it while still getting your desire, and to reconsider if your desire is worth the pain.
Still useful advice, though. I find your videos incredibly helpful! :)
I've been lost in this series for the past couple of hours and I just can't soak up enough of what you're teaching. This is the information I needed to create an outline that will be the template for my style of writing, making turning my ideas into books easier for me. I'm usually a pantster because, having never taken college level literary courses, I never learned how to create an outline. I tried researching it to learn how to create an outline that would help me (specifically) arrange my long list of ideas into stories I can share with the world, but what I found didn't quite feel like it was what I wanted. Your videos, however, are teaching me the things I didn't know that I didn't know but that I need to know to arrange my ideas into stories I can share, and that is a game-changer for me. Thank you for these. I appreciate you.
I really like the psychology mentioned in the video. It really helps me to find a way to make my characters, specifically the main protagonist(s), feel like actual human beings (even if they are dogs, cats, etc.)
Yayyyy another Writers Wednesday video!!! *Drops everything to watch video immediately.
Thank you for being here! I hope you enjoyed this video!!
I love the discussion in these comments. Books are fractal - each plot point was preluded by smaller plot points, each Plot consists of smaller plots, and the first plot point is (in many ways) the climax to the first plot. We read for the short-term satisfaction as well as the long-term pay-off. A good history teacher, for example, frames their lectures like mini-plots that add up in the greater arc of the course, while a dry and painful history course gives you a chronological list of facts that ultimately lead to you sitting in the classroom seat, but struggles to connect through plot or provide the first plot point that sets the rest of events in history in motion.
When I become successful as a writer one day I will acknowledge you thank you so much Abbie love you 💖💖💖💜💗
Hi Abbie! I really love your videos. Thanks to you I came out from a deep writer’s block that went on for 2 years. I fell in love again with my passion for writing realizing I only had to discover the magic of outlining. I follow you from Italy, thank you for your power and motivation. Xoxo
Yep, challenging lived experiences out in the world can potentially change one’s relationship to pain. And so can lived experiences within yourself, by which I mean emotional processing through journaling and/or meditation. Meditation helps: 1) strengthen frontal lobes (for self-control) 2) clarify what is important to you and why 3) redefine the definition of pain in your mind through improved body awareness, particularly if you practice ‘being with the pain’ in that area of the body while in physical pain (brain will down regulate pain messages if you give the area enough attention long enough).
I love your video's so much. I've been binge watching them for 3 days now. What started out as me trying to work out what matters to my story I'm now also watching these videos to understand what decisions I make. Honestly this has been like therapy to me. Every decision I make is done to avoid pain!!! Thank you so much for your channel. ❤xx
I learned so much more from this video than expected. I just stopped by because I was considering getting back into writing, but I also happen to be very into manifestation, so the information you share in the beginning of the video enlightened me so freakin' much. In order to manifest, I've been working on changing my beliefs, but changing my HABITS has been soooo hard. And every time I take an extra nap instead of working a bit longer, or any other time I make a decision that's within my comfort zone I've never realized why it felt like I literally could NOT make the right decision even when I knew that I should. Thanks to this video I now know it's because I need to perceive "never reaching my long term goal" as more painful than the "temporary discomfort". I literally need to bring the long term goal to the forefront and realize putting in the extra work now is the least painful decision so my brain will let me make the right decisions. Gawshh thankyou a bunch for sharing your insights, you're insanely intelligent and I can't wait to read 100 Days of Sunlight!
This series is awesome! I have had a story in mind for awhile, but, being a tad OCD i have found it difficult to organize. Your templates really have helped clean up my scatter brain
Yes! Abbie! THIS IS SO INSIGHTFUL! Love the get out of bed and Navy Seal analogies, all through the lens of psychology and human nature. Thank you!
You make more sense than a multitude of profs that I’ve listened to...about writing but also about life.
👍👍👍
I've never seen that version of S&S - I love the Kate Winslet version too much lol
S&S AND POLDARK OMG I AM FANGIRLING
dude, seriously, why isn't everyone watching poldark. I'm so sad it's over.
The S&S with Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, and so many, many other amazing talents make it the best Jane Austen adaptation of all time, out of any of her novels. ♡
"MANIFEST" A series on Netflix I recently started and finished. It was one hell of a ride binge watching the series. 180 Passengers flying from Jamacia to New York landed New York After 5 and a half years later because somehow the whole plane went through Time Travel glitch and the whole world was surprised to have them back as they were declared dead. Now with many personal issues and MAJOR changes in each and everyone's life, they all start to get these visions of future and start hearing their own voices to solve some issues in their and all the 180 passengers plus pilots and crew's life. Somehow they are ALL CONNECTED.
I couldn't just stop watching it! I was so invested in the emotions of the protagonist and his life. I personally felt more connected because I myself am a kind of person who likes to indulge in mysteries and tries to find out patterns and trying to find the truth which is burried deep. Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror stories are my guilty pleasure and whenever I get time I indulge myself into it just to find out what is out there.
Also, not a single person was aged, so for all these passangers, it was just a normal flight, but everything else in the world went ahead 5 and a half years.
I'm trying to decide what's the first plot point in "Casablanca."
I think the inciting incident is when Rick lets Ugarte hide the Letters of Transit in his cafe.
The first plot point must be when he decides to face his pain of seeing Ilsa again by telling Sam to "Play it." I guess it's become more painful to continue to ignore his getting dumped in Paris than it will be for him to face Ilsa now and settle things.
Or???
Thanks for the awesome videos! As a writer and military officer, I enjoyed your exploration of the navy seal mindset . As a therapist and nerd, I enjoy the way you break down the human condition into easy to understand tidbits
This video was legit more helpful than my actual therapist!!! I'm so glad you use your super powers for good!!!! Thank you so much! Been addicted to your channel!!! 💚💚💚
Since I started my novel. I’ve been binge watching your series.
What Abbie says: Here's how to write your stories and your characters well
What I hear: Here's how to build habits, be diligent, and be productive in your life
Thanks, Abbie!! ;D
Do hunger games. Do a case study of The Hunger Games, because A- it def uses a 3 act story structure and B- it’s my fav series of all time 🤓
i know this is three years late, but i just noticed while abbie is talking about pinch points at the end she's doing exactly what she described. A foreshadowing of what's to come to hook the readers. I don't know if that's intentional, but it's genius
Totally not annoying getting ads for Abbie emmons while I wait to watch her damn video. Good job UA-cam 👍😑
Been watching a lot of your videos lately. I'm a complete greenhorn when it comes to storytelling, so your insights have truly been invaluable to me! Thank you so much for all that you do, your videos are some of the most clear, unoverwhelming, and helpful writing advices that I've found as a new writer.
Since you mentioned it- honestly I've been thinking about it since the beginning of your 3-act series- I have not been able to keep my mind off the first How To Train Your Dragon's film structure. Such a great opening and film in general!
Love the subtle sunglasses tan lol
I am glad that I found your series. I am enjoying your content. Thank You!
Abbie wants our characters and out story impact our readers. But it was Abbie who has been giving a great impact in our lives.
Even though I'm still at the beginning of this series of videos, they've been really helpful and cleared up many things I wasn't comfortable with in that plot structure. Definitely, I'm seeing things from a new perspective and seeing what my stories might be missing. Thank you very much!!
Watching this, I realized that my entire idea is about a guy desperately trying to stay within his comfort zone and battling the force of his desire.
Yo on everything, this is the best channel for us aspiring creators/writers! She breaks things down to a scientific level!
This has absolutely golden insights. I love the parallels between story and reality, you seem to tell it so well. Big fan of this.
I’m currently writing a Fantasy novel, and making notes on what the characters are like, and stuff like that. Your videos have helped me soooo much! And I will definitely be thinking about how much you have helped me. thank you so much!
Great insight into the decision-making process Abbie!
This was so interesting. Thanks for the examples, they really help.
Love Poldark, too! Thanks, Abbie.
Hey Abbie, I have an example of pain vs pain, 3:00PM EST is 5:00AM is where I am in Australia. I woke up at 4:45AM because even though I was a bit tired, going to the 100 Days of Sunlight Birthday Party is better than sleeping in & missing the event. ☺
My organic pantser heart is not fully committed to the "science" of writing BUT I love your content & how you're helping me connect the artistry to scientific. Your examples are excellent always...that pain vs pain will go on a sticky note on the writers board for sure. & my PBS career loves that you used Poldark! Keep'em coming!
Please Abbie kindly think of getting such a series for poetry books too, they need help in this world because this series helped a lot of fiction writers including me❤️ thank you for all the things u are doing.
Thank you Abbie for making this video that helps me with a lot of my plot points in my story and giving me an existential crisis on the side, I love getting my mind blown. Thank you for the video! ❤️
You’re really good at this ! Lol I’m super enlightened and entertained by how you put this video together
I immediately thought of Lord of the Rings. It fits your definition so perfectly. If the inciting incident is Bilbo disappearing or Gandalf finding out what the Ring is, then the impossible choice is Frodo needing to decide whether to take the Ring. (This is also more or less repeated during the council of Elrond, but his immediate decision to leave the Shire is what sets the first part of the whole story in motion). And yes, just like you say, it is a clear pain vs pain decision. Does he want to stay comfortable in the Shire and try to hide the Ring and risk the Enemy coming to find it, or does he want to take it upon himself to leave and head for Rivendell where something better can be done about the Ring?
these videos are helping clarify so much nuance in my story! thank you ☺️
I would love a video where you talk us through the outline of 100 days. It would really help me as, like Tessa being unwilling to accept help, my protagonist would rather force her way back into her comfort space, believing it to be less painful.
The pain of going to sleep is greater than the pain of not watching this amazing video at half twelve in the morning!
I've watched a lot of writing coaches over the past few years, you are in the top 2 ( I cant give you #1, you might quit trying) ;) Thanks, well done.
Great series. What sprung to mind: "I will take the Ring to Mordor. Though - I do not know the way."
In Castaway when Chuck Noland opens the packages which float on the shoreline, then decides to set aside that one package with the Butterfly on it. Aside from the obvious metaphor, that package signals he has to gear up and find a way to get off the island.
Your explanation of difficult choices was not only exceptionally clear and enlightening but really motivating as well 😂
Every second ever minute every hour everyday.
It never ends, it never ends..
Thank you for all of your wisdom Abbie, I always feel like I learn something new from your videos...even after rewatching them 1000 times lol.
Does Pride and Prejudice follow the three acts structure?
Because I'm struggling to find the hook, inciting incident and first plot point of that story. Which is important to me, because now that I realise it, my own story has a similar flow: my main character is running away from her fears for the most part of the book (just like Elisabeth doesn't wish to face Darcy) and then in a crumbling moment, she's confronted with everything and must finally make a choice. She can't just avoid the problem like before (just like Elisabeth when she learns about Mr. Darcy's true nature). If anyone can help with this I will be super grateful!😣 please
(I´m german.)
I think Elizabeth's desire is a life with a marriage of love and respect. Her biggest fear is being married to someone who doesn't respect or appreciate her. She would rather be alone, than in a bad marriage.
The hook is the fact that Mr. Bingley has moved into the neighboring property. It is a way for the girls to find a husband (+ a way to fulfill Elizabeths desire).
The inciting accident occurs when Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy. She finds him attractive but then overhears that he says she is not beautiful, she feels attacked in her pride. Here she makes a decision. It is more painful for her when she has to act politely even though he has insulted her. It is less painful when she attacks him and be therefore less ladylike. Her inner conflict is, that she has feelings for Mr. Darcy (desire: marriage of love) but doesnt want to be with someone, who doesnt respect her or her family (fear).
I know this answer comes little bit late, but maybe it helped? :)
Great answer!
This was an amazing video! Thank you! Neo trying to decide if he wants to stay in the pain of the world he's been tolerating or to follow the white rabbit.
The intro is just perfect 😮.
This gave me a life lesson as much as it did writing advice 😅
Hello from the future, I guess?
I'm pretty sure you just fixed my chapter 1, so THANKS A LOT!
you are my true mentor that i was in search of ...!!!
Thank you, I am trying to learn all this
My favorite first plot point is probably in the Hunger Games where Katniss decided to volunteer for Prim! So good!!!😍😍
You're honestly awesome and most of all the content of all your vids is pure rocking fire. Thanks so much!
Me, looking up from writing my first plot point: OH HECK YEAH
The content and whole vibe is fire
- AND I bought your outline book which was dope.
Your videos are SO amazing!!
I love your videos! Thanks for sharing!!!
My cousin and I are co-authors on a series we've been writing for about a couple of weeks now. We've decided to write via google docs. My question is since my cousin is the one who created the idea for the series, How and where do I get inspiration from?
I know this comment is a year old, but a tip I've discovered is to take inspiration from literally EVERYTHING you can! You'll eventually train yourself to look for ideas in the world around you, from music to books to tv shows, and then you can figure out how to tie those things into your current story or save them for a different one. Once you learn to look for ideas in your daily life, finding inspiration becomes soooo much easier; even if it's just a small snippet of a conversation you overheard in a store, if it inspires you then use it! I'm currently writing a fanfiction inspired by the lyrics of a song I happened to find by random luck on Spotify and my mind took the concept and ran with it. Hope this helps! :)
I just got your 100 days of sunlight book!! I'm excited to read it!
Another awesome video! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Greetings from Brazil...
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
Thank you!
Im trying to make a mini movie in a game and i was trying to write it all out first like a book or script!
Its called
“The 4 Beasts”
There was 4 beasts that held the power of love, blood, fire, and water.
I would explain it more but i barely have anything written yet-
My first thought was definitely Scylla versus Charybdis
Ulysses chose "none of the above."
Nice 👌 I too often filter these videos through the PJO lens