HOW TO OUTLINE A STRONG OPENING ACT

[@aridoescomics]

I really felt the need to comment here in case it helps anybody who is stuck. I have been watching these videos for a while, trying to get to the bottom of my story, not understanding what'll happen, what should happen... until I actually TOOK her advice of "don't even TOUCH your outline until you know your story's theme and then the misbelief (or lie) the protagonist has." She says this for a REASON guys! Honestly! I struggled and finally, right now, I went back and worked out the theme. And guess what? EVERYTHING fell into place. I now know WHY the story matters, what my protagonist believes, why they do, how the inciting incident must go so it connects to her fear...and that's not all of it! I never realised just HOW IMPORTANT it is that you know your theme. That simple first step - What is the truth you want to tell with your story? - changes everything. It pulls it ALL into focus. YES, THIS COMMENT REQUIRES THIS LEVEL OF ENTHUSIASM. I AM VERY EXCITED.

[@aridoescomics]

It's like this: The theme and misbelief is like the foundation you lay when building a house. All of a sudden, just like that, you have that thing to build on when you had nothing before! Now you can just lay your bricks. When you know what you're trying to say, and what your character believes, everything seems to build around that. I mean, you then have the outline and each point she describes but it just feels so easy to work out WHAT needs to happen cause you know the WHY. This should've been obvious to me, lol, in my life, I have no interest or motive to do something unless I know why and that why makes sense to me.

[@AbbieEmmons]

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!

[@jobolds6146]

this kinda spoke to me to because I kinda had a theme in my head but I was more so writing cuz I loved the setting and worldbuilding so much but after seeing the first video I thought more about the theme and how all the characters find out and follow the theme

[@zeinaelwy]

@arichimera this sounds like Something Abbie would say!

[@bludbafMcgraf]

SOLD!!! THIS COMMENT REALLY SPOKE TO ME AND I BELIEVE NOW I KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT THIS IS RIGHT FOR ME AND THAT I SHOULD GET INTO WRITING MAYBE FILMMAKING!!! After watching Walking Dead and Attack on Titan like 11257 times, I understood exactly why I wanted to tell stories, why I always ramble and tell them in real life, and why they are so important for me to share with people. It's an illustration of why themes and messages like love conquers all are so infinitely important. But typically when you just preach these messages to people, it's hard for them to hear them or they just sound ridiculous and corny honestly. But when you can illustrate them with that touching story people can connect and relate to them and understand why they're actually the most important things in life. Thank you big time!

[@hadarsnorlax]

Negative character arc can bring positive to the world, the purpose of this is to show the reader the wrong way. It can realy convey the message

[@tangerinetundraag1014]

I really love how you say, "what's up my friend" instead of 'friends'. It's like you're talking directly to ME, as my personal writing coach or something. I really do love it!!! -adrienne

[@memesatyourservice8729]

yas

[@scouttheboston3005]

Totes

[@chameleonsandcaramel5979]

I agree! First thing I really noticed about the video!

[@ourprologue]

Yes it’s nice

[@libbymay]

Hey guy

[@lakshyabakshi4955]

"Your inciting incident doesn't have to be some big, crazy, epic call to adventure." *Me planning out my crazy, epic call to adventure* YES IT DOES!!!!!

[@ourprologue]

Omg LMAO

[@HistorywithHannibal]

Funniest comment on this channel

[@absolutedesi5899]

"your inciting incident doesn't have to be some big, crazy, epic call to adventure" In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit

[@elle.zee.swiftieslol]

@@absolutedesi5899 You have earned my respect

[@Kale6196]

LMAO THE TECHNOBLADE PFP it's so fitting

[@noahatlas5240]

I swear I took more notes and paid more attention to this video than any class I've ever taken in college. I've seriously watched this a dozen times, rewinding, going back, reviewing my notes to make sure I'm doing this right. I would've never considered outlining before but now I actually know what I'm DOING with my story. Your videos are so thorough and helpful. You're saving my butt here, thanks so much!!!!!!!!

[@AbbieEmmons]

THIS COMMENT MADE MY DAY 👏 seriously, thank you so much!! I'm so glad this video helped you with your story!!

[@zemoi]

I completely agree! I never imagined that some day story-building and writing would become a hobby of mine, especially on such a short notice. It’s something I never really dabbled in growing up. I liked books, yes, but randomly wanting to be a part of that process of making my ideas come to LIFE? Younger me would have said that’s not interesting. Now, I get sad when I have to work on my college stuff because it pulls me away from my obsession.

[@allisonjuno7654]

I really disagree with you on writing negative character arcs, they can absolutely be beneficial to the reader. It can work as a cautionary tale, not every protagonist needs to be a good role model.

[@akgwriting9481]

That's not what she meant, she meant that the reader needs to know and not want to follow the protagonist. The negative arc can teach the reader but they need to know the protagonist isn't a good role model and teach the reader what the protagonist did wrong and not do the same. There's a difference between trying to follow a bad role model cuz the writer didn't make things clear and learning not to follow protag off of character arc. Is what she said I think

[@antiochus87]

@@akgwriting9481 Unless you're writing for children the authors doesn't need to tell the reader anything like that. Show, don't tell and let the reader decide for themselves if the protagonist is a hero or anti-hero, or even a villain, let alone is suitable as any kind of role model. The protagonist just needs to be compelling, everything else is optional and dependent on the genre and the type of story the author wants to tell.

[@nOt24seven]

Well, link us to your video where you discuss how great it is to have a negative arc where the protagonist transitions into a antagonist and provide examples of people wanting to emulate this in rl. Just like how you want to say negative arcs are great, she is free to say they don’t..

[@antiochus87]

@@nOt24seven Do you only consider a topic if someone has made a youtube video about it? What a small and bland world you must live in. There is a whole genre about it, it's called tragedy, and many subgenres which involve a fair amount of it too. Do you not know what a cautionary tale is? The entire point is not to emulate them. But she didn't express it like her opinion, she expressed it like a fact in a video giving writing advice, there outright condemning it to aspiring authors. Romeo and Juliet is considered one of the greatest works of literature and Breaking Bad is considered one of the greatest TV series of our generation. Are they worthless because one is about teenagers killing themselves and the other is about a chemistry teacher's descent into the criminal underworld? No. Of course not. She is giving advice and limiting aspiring authors in the process limiting them, and telling them a whole chunk of human experiences are worthless. That is not acceptable. You personally might not like a type of story or a genre, or argue about the quality of a specific story but you're not the arbiter of what is art or worth writing. There are lots of dark stories out there and a lot deserve telling and should be heard. We don't live in a damn fairytale and fiction is written for a whole slew of reasons, including holding up a mirror to the dark side of humanity and society.

[@mr.pompodill1485]

@@antiochus87 Damn. Very well said. I was taken aback about how Abbie Emmons didn't (or couldn't) see the point in writing negative character arcs. Blew my mind an author would say something like that.

[@deebomcdeebo6131]

After searching for some advice on Novel Outlines, I became quickly disappointed as many that would make videos would not break down outlines too much or they did not stay within the topic. There are good videos out there, however, I must say your video should have been the top of the list. Awesome breakdown, perfectly paced and explained. You love, have gained a subscriber! Keep up the awesome work!!

[@AbbieEmmons]

I'm so glad this video helped you!! 💛✨

[@mom2many166]

Soooo True!!!

[@Creepsneakninja]

I don’t know man. We can’t always be positive when writing because it’s simply not realistic. I want to understand the good, but it’s also important to understand the bad. Negative character arcs can be powerful.

[@cheesecakelasagna]

I agree! People can learn from bad people too. We' can read between the lines. As long as we're made aware of the consequences, thus making it grounded even for those characters. *(500) Days of Summer* come to mind. Even though I hate Tom (and people like him) to this day, I-through his character-can reflect on my shortcomings that I may or not be aware of before. And I am not alone in that dissection. People continue to learn from that film.

[@antiochus87]

Descent into madness or how society or human nature holds back characters and ultimately can break them is something that has been around since the very first fiction and until the world and those who live in it change dramatically for the better, we're going to need to keep telling those stories.

[@jenilynneful]

It’s a naive, possibly immature, position she takes on this. Life is gritty and dark and most ppl don’t have positive character arcs in life.

[@jenilynneful]

@@benjaminramsey498 then only read happy books 🤷🏻

[@jenilynneful]

@@benjaminramsey498 I don’t live in fantasy worlds like GOT so reading them doesn’t remind me of our world

[@mr.pompodill1485]

Negative character arcs can inspire good by showing the consequences of, let's say, leaving the government in control of every person's life (Orsen Well's 1984), or how letting fear control your decisions can lead to losing everything you care for (George Lucas' Star Wars Prequels (Anakin Skywalker)). Considering the benefits and warnings that come with a negative character arc, I find it strange a professional author would say something like, "...I don't see the point in writing negative character arcs for your protagonist." We live in reality, and reality has a slew of negative aspects authors can use to teach the world what will happen if we aren't aware of them.

[@iamei21]

I completely agree. I enjoy her videos/tips but I was surprised by that. I mean it's fine if someone would prefer not to write negative character arcs, but to make a statement implying they can't be used to make a positive message or are pointless? I strongly disagree with that.

[@MlDNlTEOWL]

@@iamei21, I think the problem with negative character arcs is more nuanced. Can they teach important lessons? Absolutely. But a negative character arc is a bit like leaving a negative review for a product on the internet. You provide criticism but then offer no solution. So, the end result is despair rather than hope. And while I have learned valuable lessons from many dystopian sci-fi novels, Asimov's Foundation rises above the despair it introduces. It shows you what the world could be without checks and balances and then finds the smallest crack of light among the darkness. This not only convinces your reader to care about the problem, but motivates them to be involved in its solution. It's a call to action rather than a whimper in the abyss. I am a pessimist, but even I see the need to provide hope.

[@katlamb4606]

* George Orwell's 1984...and I completely AGREE!

[@kathecamargo]

Today I bought your book 100 days of sunlight and started reading it, and now I have a whole new perspective of you as a writer, it hit me hard, I had to stop reading because I literally couldn't breathe from the tight knot I got... thank you.

[@LoreFriendlyMusic]

In the popular Anime series "Death Note" thereis a negative character ark for the protagonist. It's very interesting. I guess "Her" has a negative character arc for the protagonist as well. The great thing about these stories is that you don't really root for the protagonist, but you are fascinated by them, all the while rooting for the antagonists of the series. Especially in death note where the Antagonist is a good guy.

[@groundedlifestyle88]

You could argue light Yagami was the antagonist, and L was the protag

[@adriannaa545]

​​​​@@groundedlifestyle88Light was 100% the protagonist. The story came from his perspective. He found the death note, and the anime starts and ends with him. He kills L before the final season.

[@kezenmanga]

​@@groundedlifestyle88the MC can be bad and still be protagonist. There's a difference between villain and antagonist

[@marcioventura3135]

when you said "congratulations, you're going to have a freaking powerful opening" i was so pround of myself because I'm writing this short film which I have the answer for all those questions. I have all of this. Thank you cuz I have a lot of anxiety about it

[@elijahbutterfield4869]

How'd the film turn out??

[@ayafresh]

"Don't build the character's world!" I laughed out loud, but you're absolutely right about gradually building the world through the characters as it unfolds in relation to the story and why it even matters to them.

[@graceboulet5316]

I disagree on the negative character arc thing - but that's a preference. I'm sucker for an excellent fall arc that you don't know is going to be a negative arc - at least for most of act one. They are only good when you learn from their mistake by the end or it poses a question about ethics or morality (aka a more open-ended ending that's still mostly satisfying). I will agree that most stories don't tackle this very well and it's frustrating. Honestly, this is better in film. Awesome video though. Thank you for putting so much time and effort into teaching people for free!! It's greatly appreciated :)

[@Wallish-q3n]

I understand where Abbie is coming from with the negative character arcs, but I love reading tragedies too, and I think that seeing a character in a downwards spiral can also send a message about what they could’ve done better. Thanks for this awesome video though, you’re so talented!

[@aaroncheung2542]

I subbed the moment you said “I wanna inspire some good in the world”

[@kekster11]

I'm a fifty year old guy from Holland who sold his company to pursue his dream of becoming a writer (why I am writing about myself in the third person?). I published a short story called "how I lost my leg" and now I am working on two novels. To prepare myself I took a very expensive creative writing course which taught me a lot but I wish I had discovered your videos earlier. You make it so simple and doable. I haven't been this confident in years ;-) Never thought I could learn so much from a twenty year old. Thank you. PS. I don't know if I agree that there isn't a good negative character arc. What about "The Joker" movie? Or Lolita by Nabokov. Great stories with despicable characters.

[@janie7488]

you are so different from my creative writing professor and a lot of other youtubers as well lol. You really value characters over plot, it's an interesting point of view! I'm personally 49% plot, 51% character, so both viewpoints are work pretty well with me. Very excited to keep watching your videos to get ready for preptober! subscribed :)

[@brunobilandzija1823]

you can't distinguish one from another, because organic plot comes from character...

[@carnilino.m]

@@brunobilandzija1823 yeah. Even if the plot is revolving around a fight with nature, you can make the nature a character in the story and it still fits in the character-first approach.

[@Carlos-to9yt]

So about a negative character arc. To a lot of people, a story is NOT about feeling good. To a lot of people, a story is just about feeling strong emotions.

[@brandic89]

And some things knock a person sideways so far, a first book in a series might require at least a temporary negative character arc.

[@mom2many166]

I'm in the process of outlining, and I am going absolutely nuts. It's like hearding cats in my head! Her explanation of the 3 part act is so helpful! I've seen it, I know the diagram, but the way she explains it and the notes she puts up are really helpful at driving it home. You earned yourself a subscriber!

[@elijahbutterfield4869]

I will say, once you physically write down (yes. Write, not type) all the different outline bullet points, it really starts to give you this new found sense of confidence and motivation. I was really surprised at that.

[@ness.ness.]

THIS IS BRILLIANT AND BEAUTIFULLY TIMED IM OUTLINING RIGHT NOW SGHGFG

[@AbbieEmmons]

WOOOHOO 👏✨ you rock

[@internetghost469]

Ness same

[@MsMadelineTwoPointOh]

Thing 1: Those earrings are ALMOST everything and I want them. Neat trick to up the views. Had to watch this again because I was too busy coveting them (I know, a sin) to get all the juicy goodness of your amazing content the 1st time. Which brings us to: Thing 2: Your content is ALWAYS is COMPLETELY everythng. I am inspired and empowered by it. Well done, young woman. Prepare yourself for massive celebrity. (I know these things: picking winners is one of my superpowers.)

[@AbbieEmmons]

HAHA OMG MADELINE this comment made me laugh and smile so muchhhh 💛💛💛 I'm floored with gratitude, thank you so much!!! :')

[@neveradmitdefeat5751]

"Not like the bloodsucking creatures that I wish didn't exist" As a person that's gotten lyme disease before, MEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@maliahjoy2959]

Ooh, sorry to hear that

[@EllePlowPlow]

I *love* how enthusiastic you get about story writing.

[@IsabelleMarot]

I don't know how you don't have more subscribers. Your videos are so informative and you have a great personality and teaching method. Oh, and your editing is just awesome. Hopefully, your channel will blow up soon! I'm just revising my second draft at the moment and am glad to say that I did most or all of these steps in my game-plan for draft two if I hadn't already included them for draft one. One day, when my book is published, you'll definitely be getting a copy! Thanks for all your help

[@janie7488]

Right? Like her quality and content are both so good!

[@jdee8407]

An artful way, not a preachy way. Unlike so many movies nowadays.

[@IxiaRayne]

„You‘ll never have to write a second draft ever again“ ... Abbie, I love your videos, but I have to disagree with you. Dang! My stories *always* need a second and third draft. Even though I Plot very thoroughly and I know every scene needed to get to my happy end. BUT - my writing needs good old elbow grease and polishing until it’s good. Until *I* even like it :D Oh and by the way - you’re correct. My story starts before it should. With my current story I decided to completely delete the first chapter. - It still exists in my scrivener file because I need to figure out to implement an important plot point into the second chapter so that the story still makes sense. This plot point lovely foreshadowed an event later in the book - however that’s a rather sucky reason to keep boring stuff. Even I get bored reading that. And jeeeez that’s a huge red flag. Insert a dramatic sigh here xD By the way! Did you base this three act structure on save the cat? I just downloaded Save the Cat writes a Novel (because I apparently can’t get enough writing advice and therefore another method to plot my stories) and I just started reading it. 😃 Can’t wait for your act 2 video ♥

[@AbbieEmmons]

I totally know what you mean about polishing your writing!! And I definitely put my own books through revisions and rewriting bits here and there - but as for the "second draft" thing, I pretty much mean story-wise. So that you're not doing a bunch of developmental edits on the story/ character arcs themselves after the first draft is written. 😊 No I actually have never read Save The Cat and don't really know what it is?? 😂 I've heard a lot of good things about it though!

[@scarletthuxley6161]

@ me and my 7 drafts even after I perfect my outline lmao

[@davecenker8234]

Abbie, you truly have a gift for conveying complex ideas and thoughts in the most easy-to-understand and compelling way. And all in a poetic manner. Your vision of using a character arc to weave truth into your story in an artful way... well, that is art in itself :-) I will admit that I already have the basics of a three act structure outline in place for my current WIP. With that being said, the information you have provided has me poking the bee's nest a little more to see if I can find some of that extra conflict (and honey) ;-) And I'm pretty sure it's working! The way you voice things is a pure joy to listen to (and immensely helpful and informative at the same time). I mean, your comment about pulling out your literary shovel and unearthing your hook is an image and visual that I'll remember for a long time. One humble "recommendation" I might make (or plead for, as it may be), is a summary of those questions asked throughout for each section to be included in the comments below :-) This series and your channel should be a go-to source for all authors and I look forward to video #3 as well as diving into your character video series as well. Keep doing what you're doing, it's brilliant!

[@AbbieEmmons]

Oh my gosh thank you so much, Dave!! 😊 THAT REALLY MEANS SO MUCH TO ME. I'm so glad you find my videos so helpful and inspiring - comments like these inspire me to keep creating!! I appreciate it. So rad that you're digging even deeper into your story to find more inner conflict! 👏 That's a great suggestion! I've been sending out these videos to the email circle (if you signed up for the character profile template you'll be on this list) with the story beats + questions written out, but I don't know why I didn't think to put them in description box! *forehead smack * DONE. thank you so much for watching!! I hope you enjoy act 3 :D

[@ourprologue]

So true

[@mememusician8780]

@@ourprologue the ancient birds were a powerful race until dinner conflict caused them to abandon their nests and become mortal creatures for the worms were more seductive than the sky. Woe is man! Who now must deal with the once devine droppings of the flying fluffballs!

[@galaxylucia1898]

I'm so happy I found your channel! I'm a PLANTser, so I write with an evolving outline, because I need to have some type of roadmap before I commit words to a paper, but I let my characters light the way which is the best part of the journey. Thank you for your great insights and questions. It's definitely helping me to re-examine issues i have with my novel right now.

[@vandini8185]

You look mystical in today's outfit. Blue eyes and dark colours, the earrings - this look is a mood!

[@ichikaharu5545]

I’ve written my first draft, and I’m currently starting my second. I felt lost until now on how to make my story full of content yet not too prolonged. Thank you so much for this!

[@kuzniakarkonosze715]

"I like to inspire good in people" Me: writing sociopathic rambo kid that's going to have it a little better before absolute carnage. -fek...

[@RogerFordTheSmilingBassHole]

Foreshadowing is so awesome. I rewatch movies / reread novels and suddenly realize there is a minor detail early that becomes very significant later on. SO satisfying!

[@danielpsparks]

I am overwhelmed by the extraordinarly generous amount of quality content on this channel. Thank you so much!

[@courtneyj9906]

I wrote 50K words for NaNo in 18 days (started late) and I KNOW my story is a giant mess. I outlined for the first few scenes and did some character planning for my two MCs. But I mostly flew by the seat of my pants and want to work out an outline that will help me get the novel finished and have more of a goal. I think I lost the plot. Edit: I also didn’t finish my NaNo novel so thankfully, I can continue with my goal/plot in mind without having to rewrite the WHOLE thing.

[@badraven_indieauthor]

I do appreciate the insight. I'm not here to disapprove, only to listen. When I write I am transported to another world. Writing is art and doesn't always has to follow a specific structure. You made good points, but it is also the aspect of experimentation. It doesn't always work, but is part of the journey. This is my humble opinion. Onward!

[@BloodWings_unoff]

I'm going to play this on repeat button while writing the first act of my novel

[@shyzunk]

Wow. I just sat down after struggling with a negative character arc, clicked on a unrelated video and there you are, talking about negative arcs telling me they suck. Well, thanks :-D

[@cheesecakelasagna]

I hope you don't get discouraged, as it's all about "taking what you like, losing what you don't" in advices. Also, it depends on the theme you're getting at. And people can learn from bad people too. Readers can read (lol) between the lines. As long as we're made aware of the consequences, thus making the world grounded even for those characters. *(500) Days of Summer* come to mind. Even though I hate Tom (and people like him) to this day, I-through his character-can reflect on my shortcomings that I may or not be aware of before. And I am not alone in that dissection. People continue to learn from that film.

[@khadidjakhadidja-ic8hc]

t those videos of yours are really everything. before that I had the whole story in mind , characters, why it does matter , world, magic system... but I had no clue how to put everything together until now , I'm watching your video and putting the pieces together and it worked so well , so I'm truly thankful

[@thebardsblock]

Yes, I have been taking notes Yes, it wasn't so hard and yes, now I'm following what you've been talking about and automatically apply it on my story without even thinking! Goodness, this is an accomplishment for me! Thank you Abbie!

[@niakarahara]

GUUUUURL DID YOU- DID- DID YOU JUST UNLOCKED MY BRAIN AND CURED MY WRITER'S BLOCK??? you explain things so damn well, bless your soul. thank you. THANK YOU A LOT

[@sashah1454]

This video is so enlightening and I already feel like I'm getting out of a writing rut after focusing on your outlines. Thanks so much. Your energy is contagious!

[@declanconner9360]

This is one of the best videos I've watched relating to opening acts. It hasn't taught me anything, rather it has confirmed the method that I use when writing a story. Every aspiring author should watch this.

[@Emily-qn5cz]

Yay!! So pumped for this video. I am outlining my first novel currently and I really need this. Thank you Abbiee!!! Also, I love, LOVE your earrings...! 😍😍 Where did you find them? ☺ Excited for the rest of this series!! ⚘

[@AbbieEmmons]

Thank you so much, Janet!! I'm so glad this series is helping you with your outline 👏👏👏 I actually have no idea where the earrings came from. My grandmother gave them to me! 😊

[@blackmirrorprisoners]

your videos helped me so much while i wrote my first published novel in 2020 and even now i come back to your videos for advice such as this. the story is about how the plot affects the characters! yes! amazing!

[@MyZedar]

I'm writing my outline with this video and am getting so hyped! thank you so much for making this!!!

[@pastureexpectationsfarm6412]

All your advice is constructive and encouraging. You two must have excellent parents. I'm currently outlining a mystery thanks to your well-timed guidance. Peace to you and your families, Greg

[@yazzzv]

I don't think I can say a big enough thank you for this series of videos. I have been taking so many notes and my head is now full of focus - instead of just loads of loose ideas rattling around I now have a path to follow. Thank you from the bottom of my fear-filled heart for showing me how to get to what I desire! You are truly awesome!!

[@2misswannadye]

I’m working on a story, and was struggling with writer’s block so bad. But seeing this outline, and questions really helped for me to give my protagonist a clear goal, conflict, and purpose. It’s so helpful omg thank you 🙏

[@BooToadstool]

I don't know how, but this video helped me realize that i want and NEED to change my first chapter. It's supposed to tell the story of how my antagonist became powerful by betraying some people, but It just shows too much about him and his personality, and it would be waaaay better for my story if I kept him a little bit more mysterious. I didn't expect this video to be the one to help me with this. Thank you very much Abbie!

[@peachy-wd6ci]

i really disagree with what you said about negative character arcs. if anything they are more powerful than positive ones because we dont live in a fairy tale this is the real world- negative arcs can teach the reader a lesson and show us how reality really is. not everything has to be all rainbows and sunshine

[@IndianFamilyKitchenForAll]

Negative character arcs can show a reader what not to do to be a good person. Not to mention they are way more entertaining to watch/read compared to positive character arcs since there's just too much of the latter. I absolutely love myself a nicely done bastardisation arc.

[@melissanichols2563]

I've been struggling with the 'what is the message you want this book to send?' question for YEARS and in one fell swoop I've got the answers for at least three of my books. Here they are: 1.) Dragon Girl (A teenaged girl is raised as a human but she has a dark secret: she can transform into a dragon) : Its okay to be true to yourself, even if it goes against your family and your culture 2.) Amy Rosewood and The Joys of Independence (Harry Potter fanfic, year one. All of the group get their own arcs but this one focuses on Amy, a Muggleborn with no known ties to the wizarding world who soon makes friends with Rose, Albus and Scorpius): If you're unhappy, find the strength within you to stand up and get yourself out of that situation. Also, true friends will help you become the better you you're meant to be. 3.) Meadowridge High (working title) (During a boring summer, a teenage girl meets a boy and they're instantly attracted to each other. One thing though. He's a werewolf and he's pretty sure she is too, though she has no idea): Chase the path that makes you happy, not what makes you think your family or society say should make you happy. Sometimes that's deciding on being a novelist rather than a doctor, and sometimes that's finding out you're a werewolf and you abandon the path you've been studying HARD for for 10 years to follow your new boyfriend to a hidden, secret school where you are a complete outsider.

[@harpywiththebrownfeathers]

Meadowridge High sounds awesome.

[@BearIvory]

Abbie's eyes are my inciting incident.

[@MilanElan]

And her eyebrows are SO EXPRESSIVE! I love her eyes!

[@oogachaka.studio]

😍 agree

[@SkittlesInYourHand]

Calm down, friend. Lol

[@emmywasilik8287]

I used to hate outlining, but now I'm obsessed with it. I'm actually outlining my first story right now. Thank you for showing me the importance of outlining.

[@brunobilandzija1823]

you are the best of all to me known writing teachers, because your emphasis is on the roots of story (characters) and organic development...you give awesome direction with questions to ask oneself in order to continue the story from every beat...just awesome!

[@rikkilleen3169]

I appreciate your virtue/values-centered preference for character arcs. I've despaired for some time now that world is trapped in a morass of negativity and cynicism. Deconstruction and whatnot have their role, just as salt sweetens the cake, but it seems too many creators and producers just want to be the next middle-aged edgelord. They leave me feeling like they expect us to throw out the cake entirely until we're left with nothing but eating handfuls of salt.

[@spacechampi0n]

I think of the Inciting Incident, the 1st Pinch Point, the 2nd Pinch Point, and the Climax, as being reveals of the antagonist's story. They may not be present, but their story is felt, because they affect protagonist. Those 4 points require a reveal of the antagonist's goal, plan, motivation and mindset. Similarly, the hook, the key event, the midpoint and the dark night of the soul are major evolutions of the protagonist's goal, plan, motivation and mindset, in response to the antagonist (except for the hook, which the protag already starts with). With those 8 points you can tell the entire story. The resolution echoes the hook, at the end of the story, showing how something changed in the protag.

[@SunshineJoleen]

Definitely agree with your focus on character vs plot (been bingeing your videos lol). I've got to say, though, I'm fine with a story where the protagonist is a rubbish human being. I don't need positive development at all. Eg. I'd happily read about a school teacher who developed (over the course of the novel) into a mass murderer... and see how events conspire to push the main character there. Or even a book that just meanders in darkness until the end. (A good example would be Margaret Atwood's novel, The Blind Assassin). I think the idea that the protagonist needs to get better is very genre / audience-specific. I'm often baffled when people expect to learn fundamental truths about life from their entertainment. Personally, I'm fine just being entertained.... 🤷🏾

[@jesseviers487]

Your videos have made me more excited and enthusiastic about writing my book! You have the best information out there!

[@jessicaoosthuyse4051]

Okay, LOVING all your videos and currently devouring them. BUT I do want to state that a negative character arc that resonated with me was that of Mae Holland in The Circle by Dave Eggers - if you haven't given that a read yet, please dooooo! Absolutely loved that novel and I think it's a rare portrayal of how to effectively shift your protagonist to antagonist in the story.

[@jessicaoosthuyse4051]

p.s. the goldfish attention span thing is a myth if that makes you feel better :') ALSO, humans have better attention spans than ever before, we're just forced to be more selective about where we focus our attention. SO, with that being said, we need to try and convince our readers that our story is WORTHY of their attention.

[@renamcvicar]

To think I began following you for the sheer pleasure of your themed music playlists and have ended up discovering an awesome writing coach!! Thank you for your refreshing take on things and the true value of a writer/storyteller's role in this world. I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

[@CareenasAdventures]

I love how you emphasize the importance of POSITIVE role models in fiction!! It's so frustrating to see characters who are older than me who are way less mature and far more romantically-motivated than I am... but oh the book that challenges me to aspire to higher standards, to make a positive difference in God's great world and better love His people around me!!

[@iviebrooks7768]

This is so awesome. Love your videos! You always inspire me.

[@AbbieEmmons]

AHH THANK YOU IVIE 💛

[@sparkleandgrow]

Omg I have been binge watching your videos girl!! ♥️ Thank you so much for all of the valuable insights!! 😍

[@krissiecampbell6503]

Thank you so much for this video! I was taking notes throughout the whole thing, you explained and broke down every single section in such a concise and relatable way that I was able to plot out my entire first act while watching this video - purely because of your explanations!! (plotting is something that I have had major struggles with in this process) I am so grateful for this and cannot wait to discover more about my story and my characters while watching the rest of this series! Also, this is the first time I have ever left a comment on a video but I just needed to let you know how much I appreciate what you have created here!! THANK YOU!!! 😊

[@claudiamooney5489]

I've been watching you for a couple months and only just noticed your books are arranged in rainbow order and I frickin love it

[@wrenblomeley562]

This couldn't have been at a better time. I'm starting to plot my story and this was so helpful :)

[@AbbieEmmons]

YAY!! I'm so glad! 💛

[@samlo3798]

This is the most helpful thing in the writing community. Its October and I am SUPER late with my outline for NaNoWriMo, so this is really helpful.

[@memesatyourservice8729]

ur rlly underrated yet has such good advice!

[@katherinewebster5137]

Thankyou so much Abbie! I took so many notes on this video and I was literally crying happy tears by the end of it, because you helped me uncover so many things about my novel that I never even knew. I am currently re-outlining my first draft, prepping to write the 2nd draft during camp nanowrimo april. ilysm :) XOX0

[@AbbieEmmons]

OH MY GOSH KATHERINE 💛💛💛 this comment made my day!! I'm so glad this video helped you with your outline! *high fives * YOU ROCK. I hope you have an awesome Camp Nano!! :D

[@merrittgates8653]

Omg, you are so awesome. Making me so exciting to figure out this story concept ive been struggling with for YEARS!! Game changer. So pumped. WOO I love it

[@melissainfj6573]

Perfect video series, just what I needed to kick me from behind to get this novel finished! And to organize and fine tune it, lol. Thank you!

[@rafaelcalmon2858]

Amazing video, I echo what people say. But I feel an intense urge, intense enough to comment on a 3 years old video, to say that saying "Nobody really cares about a world or a setting" is extreme and clearly not what Abbie meant. People who like fantasy and sci-fi are all about the setting. What drove teenager me to read Harry Potter was "it's a school for wizards in a modern society of wizardry". Without the characters, there's no story, much less a good one. But my favorite thing in books, movies and games is worldbuilding. I love talking about settings and sharing with people my own ideas for worlds. It's like immersing myself in someone else's imagination, as well as sharing my own. I literally live for that. I wouldn't spend my life in any other way. *Obviously, what Abbie meant is "care" as in how you care about a person.* AND that you can't just start your novel by writing 3 pages explaining how your world works and leave your character on the corner until you're done. It's like you're writing a geography textbook. No, you're gonna explore the world as your characters explore it. That's how I took what Abbie said at least, since I myself have been in awe for months at how much I love Library of Ruina's world and feel like I can't overstate how much I care about it XD

[@dvictorious1892]

This first act gave me lots of ideas how to begin my script and novel. Thank you

[@druschli8368]

Just want to say thank you! You have inspired me to outline a novel I started years ago but stalled on. By just answering the character questions I had more ideas than I could deal with and the grey areas and sags in the story became bright. Love the scientific breakdown, it's just what I needed. Thanks again.

[@danbee998]

BEST definition of Hook (BEAT ONE) I have yet to come across (and why it matters to telling a story).

[@shady.passionate]

I like these videos but i dont agree about negative character arcs. They are bitter sweet and potentially grate

[@juli866]

yeah, I was thinking the same.

[@esmelario8288]

I like negative character arcs too. They’re so interesting.

[@Brandon.manga.]

Thanks Abbie, This is helping me plan my graphic novel. Im still figuring out how the 3 act atructure will apply in comics but this truly help push me in the right direction.

[@brooklynkramer470]

Wow, this video really REALLY helped me. I have been struggling so much with getting my book sorted out, and have wrote sooooo many drafts and it's been a killer! But FINALLY I realized through this video what the 3 story act really is and like... wow... IT'S AWESOME!! Thank you SO MUCH Abbie!!!!! I would never be where I am now in my writing without your videos. I have a feeling I will be up laaaaate benge watching a lot of them cause they're SO HELPFUL! 😆😍

[@afoninja121]

Been watching your videos and I've had ideas in my head for the last 10 years (seriously) but I either quit on my writing before I got very far or scrapped it all and started over and eventually gave up. Finally though, I think I've got a winner for my story and I gotta say in large part thanks to you. I'm about 50 pages in so far and it's coming along smoothly. I've got just about everything planned out minus some beats in the middle, but with the way I've been writing, a lot has come to me in the spur of the moment and for the most part it's been for the better. My new years resolution is to have my first draft done by the end of the year.

[@Jason-ov9gx]

Just finished watching this after i've done the planning for the 1st act of my novella. It was satisfing seeing that I have everything that you said that needs to be there. Really usefull video and really good advices. Tysm

[@N94-z6s]

I am planning my story to have 2 prologue, now I change my mind. I am thankful that I discover your channel

[@reyofsunshine7171]

I've had writers block lately ,so I'm so excited to try this out and finish planning my story to get things rolling again ! Thanks for all the tips ! 💛

[@AbbieEmmons]

I'm so glad this series got the creative juices flowing for you again!! 😊

[@Toffnm]

I mean, I agree with you on most of this, but sometimes I don't need a sacred reason to write, I just write because I can and because it's fun. And my story, (called Because We Can btw lol) will never be read by anyone else, and my whole cast of characters definitely end up as worse role models than what they started out as without the clear negative arc. Super good video though.

[@Jannathe1st]

These tutorials make me feel understood.

[@rev6215]

I'm not going to watch it now. I'll watch it at the end of the month after you've uploaded all of it. Thank you for making them, dude. Really appreciate it!

[@AbbieEmmons]

Good idea!! I hope you enjoy the series 💛

[@rocket_raisin]

I just love you!!! you're like a happy acupuncture needle dancing around on you, hitting the right point where your hands just start writing. Thank you for your great fireworks. By being the light yourself, you allow others to be their light :)

[@julierfl]

Ok I’m probably very late to the party because I just found out about this but WHY ISNT THIS THE BIGGEST WRITING KZbin YET binging your videos and loving every second of it 😍

[@MilanElan]

Abbie, you are so awesome wholesome. I want my little girl to be like you! God, I love your eyes and eyebrows and the spark you have to educate all wanna be writers like me. You'd make any mother proud!

[@keithkizzie2318]

Protagonists are angels? "...the inciting incident wouldn't matter" without the simmering issues with fears and desires - awesome. Did you use the word foreshadowing? You are correct about the successful structure. At the same time, I have found these tropes, if not done well or with creativity or artistry, to come-off as cliche or corny. Recommend a video on avoiding the cliche. After hundreds of books and movies, we have been exposed to the structure and rules. Rule number 1: know the rules (door 1) before you break the rules unless you are truly gifted (door 2) or pay a price (door 3).

[@elite_piggyzillaxx174]

I’m a newer writer and I’m young, so a lot of this doesn’t make sense to me. But I’m still learning and I’ll be continuing to watch your vids!

[@gia.energia]

Abbieee, this series is amazing! It gives me so much confidence that I didn't have for writing my first fiction novel. The structuring and questions are so good for kicking writer's block and self-doubt in the ass. Thank you so much for sharing with us!

[@AbbieEmmons]

WOOHOO 👏 I'm so glad this series is giving you inspiration + confidence!! ROCK ON. 😊

[@markforster6457]

Abbie, I love how you explain things so that even I can understand and I feed off of your energy!

[@darling.89]

Everytime I watch another video of yours, more of my WIP is revealed to me lol thank you so much!

[@porschesmith-cg8le]

Thank you so much for your help. Inside has helped me tremendously in my writing. Even though I'm not where I want to be Yet. I am definitely. Going further than I ever thought I could. With your help.

[@lieselb5780]

Your videos are the most helpful and in-depth I've seen concerning writing and I'm so glad I found your channel now rather than later, as the story I'm currently writing is coming along nicely! Thanks for the amazing videos :)

[@ACPritchard]

Negative arcs can inspire people to do good by providing an example of what we can become when we fall to the dark side

[@jess100ize]

Your eyes are so beautiful😍 Thank you for making this video. Here's to starting yet another writing method and quitting halfway😬