Reading time: Less than 1 minute
This is my weekly installment of “writing about writing,” in which I scan the world to find websites, books and articles to help writers. Today I discuss the 22 rules of story-telling from Pixar storyboard artist Emma Coats…
I like Pixar films (Up is my absolute favourite), but even more, I like lists of writing tips.
My friend, Peter, knows this about me and kindly forwarded a link with fantastic list of rules about storytelling. They came from Emma Coats who’s a storyboard artist with Pixar.
Many of the rules might seem more suited to fiction, but I found three, in particular that resonated for me, a die-hard non-fiction writer. They are:
#8: Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.
#10: Pull apart the stories you like. What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.
#17: No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.
It’s still worth reading the whole list. I think Emma Coats is going to be around a long time. She’s smart. She’s insightful. And she works for a great company. You can read more about her in the Washington Post.
