During an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm1 I was watching recently, some words on a chalkboard caught my eye:
George’s apartment
Coffee shop
Kramer’s
These are locations from Seinfeld, one of the most successful shows in TV history. I paused the program to look a little closer. Each location lists actions underneath, like “interact with Amanda” or “get tickets from Newman.”
This simple structure creates an outline for a scene.
I’ve started doing this with my own stories. It’s been prett-ay, prett-ay, prett-ay good.
How to apply it to your story ideas:
List every scene/location in your story
Write a VERY brief description what happens in each scene.
Shuffle them around, ask “what if” questions, and be open to whatever pops into that big, creative brain of yours!
In the video, I use this method to freestyle possibilities for beginnings and characters. I love the freedom this approach gives us to explore different directions.
More tips to unblock a creative jam
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