Before I get to today’s blog…

Thinking about doing more with your writing? Why not join me in Paris June 2-7 for my Masterclass in Screenwriting? Come be part of a dynamic community of writers and literary agents to learn, to write, to network, to energize your literary goals—and just to have fun in the City of Light!

The Paris Writers Workshop is the longest running literary program of its kind. This program offers 6 masterclasses by renowned authors, each a specialist in their field—and I’ll be teaching the Screenwriting Masterclass—in English, of course.

The workshop will be held at Columbia University’s beautiful Reid Hall campus in the heart of literary Paris—Montparnasse.

Registration is now open: https://wice-paris.org/paris-writers- workshop

We’ll have a great time getting your story ideas off the ground!!

New Year’s Eve

Last week we talked about how Christmas Eve is all wrapped up with anticipation. But New Year’s Eve isn’t quite that simple. There’s not just one descriptor that fits New Year’s Eve. Here are some possible states of mind that encompass what December 31^st is all about.

Dread

If you’re someone who’s alone—whether you’ve just broken up with someone or are lamenting not having someone—you may SO not look forward to this holiday because what are you supposed to do on the big-party-night-of-the-year? Sit on the couch and watch the ball drop in New York? Yet another exciting thing you’re not at. And if you’re invited to something you could feel weird about going alone… dread, dread, dread—you can’t wait ‘til this night is over.

Excitement

You might absolutely love this night—best party of the year!! And you’re sure your special someone will agree to move in with you—you so can’t wait for that. If past experience tells you anything, it’s that this is a magical night, a night when exciting things happen—and you absolutely can’t wait.

Depression

Every year on New Year’s Eve, all you can think about is what you haven’t done—all the things you should have accomplished that you haven’t, all the things you promised yourself last year that you’d do that you SO haven’t done. And the weight of all that you should have done this last year sends you spiraling down, down, down.

Satisfaction

You’re so pleased with how much you’ve done this last year that you deserve to celebrate. It’s been a great year full of accomplishments that you wanted to have happen and that you made happen. If no one happens to be around to celebrate with, you’re going to pop a cork and toast yourself!!

While dread, excitement, depression and satisfaction aren’t the only things you could feel on New Year’s Eve, let’s take a look at those four.

And here’s my question for you: if you imagine a character that would match each one of the four descriptors, can you imagine a movie built around that character? Think about it—what would the movie be for each person reacting to New Year’s Eve in these four ways?

I contend you could make a movie about three out of the four above, but one of them…not so much. “One of these things is not like the others, one of these things just doesn’t belong.”

Look at each carefully. Can you pick it out?

Well, for dread, excitement and depression, there’s a certain amount of inner turmoil and conflict going on with the person feeling the dread, the excitement or the depression. And out of that conflict/turmoil can come story ideas. But for satisfaction? How could you do a movie about someone for whom there was no conflict in their life? This person is way too well adjusted!!

Drama—or comedy—and everything from thrillers to animated fantasies… they’re all about conflict.

So however your New Year’s Eve goes, look for the conflict—hey, maybe you can get a story idea out of it!

Copyright © Diane Lake

31Dec17

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com