All her friends are dead, and she isn’t. Embracing a second chance means accepting what really happened.
SECOND ASSIGNMENT: in 200 words or less, sketch the antagonist or antagonistic force in your story. Keep in mind their goals, their background, and the ways they react to the world about them.
First antagonist is Nichole’s mother. She doesn’t understand abstract thoughts, only concrete goals like winning games. She needs Nichole to be more like her older sister and in doing so makes her feel worthless. Her new school, her new adult body, her first crush, her new older boyfriend… all of these antagonists makes choices for her instead of letting her develop who she wants to be based on her values. Her antagonist goals were never to harm her, but they all do. The characters that should be her real enemy, Dr. Ryan, is actually the only one that pushes her to become something based on her own beliefs.
THIRD ASSIGNMENT: create a breakout title (list several options, not more than three, and revisit to edit as needed).
Ed Told Us We Could Fly
FOURTH ASSIGNMENT: Develop two smart comparables for your novel.
Have real hard time with this – coming of age novel with horrific event not related to a sexual assault, what is my book like? Would like it to be like: Eleanor and Park, Go Ask Alice? Or Tell Me Three Things
FIFTH ASSIGNMENT: write your own hook line (logline) with conflict and core wound following the format above. Though you may not have one now, keep in mind this is a great developmental tool. In other words, you best begin focusing on this if you're serious about commercial publication.
Six teenagers jump off a bridge because they believe they can fly. Nichole is the only survivor and she tells the story of how they all ended up on the overpass that night.Will this reflection be the hope that she needs to see a life and a body as shattered as hers can heal?
SIXTH ASSIGNMENT: sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your protagonist will have. Why will they feel in turmoil? Conflicted? Anxious? Sketch out one hypothetical scenario in the story wherein this would be the case--consider the trigger and the reaction.
Next, likewise sketch a hypothetical scenario for the "secondary conflict" involving the social environment. Will this involve family? Friends? Associates? What is the nature of it?
Nichole’s Mother finds it impossible to relate to someone not goal oriented and goal oriented specifically with sports and winning. She belittles Nick’s academic talents and doesn’t help her achieve in the areas she doesn’t understand. Those achievements and support could have given Nick the self-worth she needed to not make stupid choices. Nick never feels good enough, and in turn relies on others to fill her up.
Nichole is the sole survivor of a horrific act. Thisis her journey as she transforms from a fourteen-year-old arguing about clothes and boys with her mother, to the girl with titanium body parts. Instead of embracing her second chance, suicide starts to become Nick’s only option. She flashes back to four years earlier, her freshman year, when she developed a new body, started a new school and met a new group of friends led by, Ed. Nichole goes through her first crush, first kiss, and first character defining mistakes with them. As they grow up, they all come to their own reasons to stand on the bridge that night and jump.
First, Nichole has to accept she didn’t fail, no one flew. Second, she has to forgive herself for living. Third, she has to develop who she is. on her own. so she has reason for living.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT: sketch out your setting in detail. What makes it interesting enough, scene by scene, to allow for uniqueness and cinema in your narrative and story? Please don't simply repeat what you already have which may well be too quiet. You can change it. That's why you're here! Start now. Imagination is your best friend, and be aggressive with it.
New York Write to Pitch 2022 - Seven Assignments (09/22)
in New York Write to Pitch 2023 and 2024
Posted
FIRST ASSIGNMENT: write your story statement.
All her friends are dead, and she isn’t. Embracing a second chance means accepting what really happened.
SECOND ASSIGNMENT: in 200 words or less, sketch the antagonist or antagonistic force in your story. Keep in mind their goals, their background, and the ways they react to the world about them.
First antagonist is Nichole’s mother. She doesn’t understand abstract thoughts, only concrete goals like winning games. She needs Nichole to be more like her older sister and in doing so makes her feel worthless. Her new school, her new adult body, her first crush, her new older boyfriend… all of these antagonists makes choices for her instead of letting her develop who she wants to be based on her values. Her antagonist goals were never to harm her, but they all do. The characters that should be her real enemy, Dr. Ryan, is actually the only one that pushes her to become something based on her own beliefs.
THIRD ASSIGNMENT: create a breakout title (list several options, not more than three, and revisit to edit as needed).
Ed Told Us We Could Fly
FOURTH ASSIGNMENT: Develop two smart comparables for your novel.
Have real hard time with this – coming of age novel with horrific event not related to a sexual assault, what is my book like? Would like it to be like: Eleanor and Park, Go Ask Alice? Or Tell Me Three Things
FIFTH ASSIGNMENT: write your own hook line (logline) with conflict and core wound following the format above. Though you may not have one now, keep in mind this is a great developmental tool. In other words, you best begin focusing on this if you're serious about commercial publication.
Six teenagers jump off a bridge because they believe they can fly. Nichole is the only survivor and she tells the story of how they all ended up on the overpass that night.Will this reflection be the hope that she needs to see a life and a body as shattered as hers can heal?
SIXTH ASSIGNMENT: sketch out the conditions for the inner conflict your protagonist will have. Why will they feel in turmoil? Conflicted? Anxious? Sketch out one hypothetical scenario in the story wherein this would be the case--consider the trigger and the reaction.
Next, likewise sketch a hypothetical scenario for the "secondary conflict" involving the social environment. Will this involve family? Friends? Associates? What is the nature of it?
Nichole’s Mother finds it impossible to relate to someone not goal oriented and goal oriented specifically with sports and winning. She belittles Nick’s academic talents and doesn’t help her achieve in the areas she doesn’t understand. Those achievements and support could have given Nick the self-worth she needed to not make stupid choices. Nick never feels good enough, and in turn relies on others to fill her up.
Nichole is the sole survivor of a horrific act. This is her journey as she transforms from a fourteen-year-old arguing about clothes and boys with her mother, to the girl with titanium body parts. Instead of embracing her second chance, suicide starts to become Nick’s only option. She flashes back to four years earlier, her freshman year, when she developed a new body, started a new school and met a new group of friends led by, Ed. Nichole goes through her first crush, first kiss, and first character defining mistakes with them. As they grow up, they all come to their own reasons to stand on the bridge that night and jump.
First, Nichole has to accept she didn’t fail, no one flew. Second, she has to forgive herself for living. Third, she has to develop who she is. on her own. so she has reason for living.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT: sketch out your setting in detail. What makes it interesting enough, scene by scene, to allow for uniqueness and cinema in your narrative and story? Please don't simply repeat what you already have which may well be too quiet. You can change it. That's why you're here! Start now. Imagination is your best friend, and be aggressive with it.
Suburban Tennessee
High school
Bridge
Hospital