How the opening chapters of the novel Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan build (and subvert) genre expectations to hook and satisfy readers. The novel knows exactly what readers expect, and the opening delivers on those expectations with surprise and delight. Watch the video above or read the transcript on Medium.
I was interviewed on the Introverted Queen podcast about storytelling, siblings, shyness, and of course introversion during the pandemic. Give it a listen!
How the prologue of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak delivers an impressionistic look at the plot ahead, without spoiling that plot or even setting it up. Also, how the prologue teaches us to read the novel’s unique narrative voice without interrupting the story’s dramatic action. Watch the video above and read the transcript on Medium.
How the prologue of A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin breaks from the Tolkien model of starting with heavy exposition and world-building, and instead delivers a simple action scene with sympathetic characters—a scene that foreshadows the great conflicts of the novel and series. Watch the video above and read the transcript on Medium.
A Zoom livestream workshop presented by the Creative Innovation Studio at Ryerson University as part of the Communities Create initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. I showed viewers how to create a digital story: a short video that tells a personal story using photos, narration and sound effects, and that’s created on a mobile device with easy-to-use apps.
Using footage provided by the library staff, I created this video about the impact the Aurora Public Library has on its community and patrons. Video and audio editing done in Adobe Premiere and Audition, and text animation done in Adobe After Effects.
How the comic series Saga starts with a bang, dropping us into the middle of a story already in progress, and how its exposition delivers drama instead of information. Also, how Saga’s structure follows in the footsteps of the pilot episode of Lost and the opening of the first Star Wars film. Watch the video above and read the transcript on Medium.
How author Suzanne Collins creates a compelling high-concept premise in the opening chapter of The Hunger Games, how she brings that premise to life through character, world-building, and language, and how that premise conquered the literary world. Watch the video above and read the transcript on Medium.
How author Cormac McCarthy creates vulnerable characters that engage our emotions in his Pulitzer Prize–winning novel The Road. Also, how the literary theories of Greek philosopher Aristotle still apply today, and what the modern anti-hero gets right and wrong. Watch the video above and read the transcript on Medium.
How author David Mitchell uses unexpected structure and unexpected language to hook readers in his novel Cloud Atlas. Plus, how the psychological concept of flow applies to great writing. Watch the video above and read the transcript (with extras) on Medium.