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Creating Character Arcs
- The Masterful Author's Guide to Uniting Story Structure, Plot, and Character Development
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
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Dialogue
- The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
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Brilliant and Dedicated
- By Tim Feller on 2020-01-17
Written by: Robert McKee
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Character
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- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
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Following up his perennially best-selling writers' guide Story and his inspiring exploration of the art of verbal action in Dialogue, the most sought-after expert in the storytelling brings his insights to the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Character explores the design of a character universe: The dimensionality, complexity and arcing of a protagonist, the invention of orbiting major characters, all encircled by a cast of service and supporting roles.
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Writing Your Story's Theme
- The Writer's Guide to Plotting Stories That Matter (Helping Writers Become Authors)
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs. This means you can learn to plan and implement theme. In doing so, you will deepen your ability to write not only stories that entertain, but also stories that stay with readers long after the end. Conscious mastery of theme will elevate every story you write and allow you to craft fiction of depth and meaning. Take control of your story via a powerful implementation of theme.
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Infinitely Useful
- By Ivy Mills on 2022-07-02
Written by: K. M. Weiland
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Structuring Your Novel
- Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.
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Actionable tips that are easy to understand
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-06-02
Written by: K. M. Weiland
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Story
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- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
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Story
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
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Very informative
- By elc on 2023-10-22
Written by: Robert McKee
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Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story
- Written by: Angus Fletcher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Angus Fletcher
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Whether you want to write your own scripts or simply gain a deeper appreciation for the great stories you see unfold on the screen, Professor Angus Fletcher is here to show you the way in Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story. Professor Fletcher, Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University, brings both a personal and scholarly perspective to this craft. As a screenwriter himself, he has experienced the ins and outs of the process first-hand.
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Not practical
- By Marie-Louise on 2019-01-03
Written by: Angus Fletcher, and others
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Dialogue
- The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Dialogue, Robert McKee offers in-depth analysis for how characters speak on the screen, on the stage, and on the page in believable and engaging ways. From Macbeth to Breaking Bad, McKee deconstructs key scenes to illustrate the strategies and techniques of dialogue. Dialogue applies a framework of incisive thinking to instruct the prospective writer on how to craft artful, impactful speech.
-
-
Brilliant and Dedicated
- By Tim Feller on 2020-01-17
Written by: Robert McKee
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Character
- The Art of Role and Cast Design for Page, Stage, and Screen
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Following up his perennially best-selling writers' guide Story and his inspiring exploration of the art of verbal action in Dialogue, the most sought-after expert in the storytelling brings his insights to the creation of compelling characters and the design of their casts. Character explores the design of a character universe: The dimensionality, complexity and arcing of a protagonist, the invention of orbiting major characters, all encircled by a cast of service and supporting roles.
Written by: Robert McKee
-
Writing Your Story's Theme
- The Writer's Guide to Plotting Stories That Matter (Helping Writers Become Authors)
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Powerful themes are never incidental. They emerge from the conjunction of strong plots and resonant character arcs. This means you can learn to plan and implement theme. In doing so, you will deepen your ability to write not only stories that entertain, but also stories that stay with readers long after the end. Conscious mastery of theme will elevate every story you write and allow you to craft fiction of depth and meaning. Take control of your story via a powerful implementation of theme.
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Infinitely Useful
- By Ivy Mills on 2022-07-02
Written by: K. M. Weiland
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Structuring Your Novel
- Essential Keys for Writing an Outstanding Story
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Why do some stories work and others don't? The answer is structure. In this IPPY and NIEA Award-winning guide from the author of the bestselling Outlining Your Novel, you will discover the universal underpinnings that guarantee powerful plot and character arcs. An understanding of proper story and scene structure will help you to not only perfectly time your story's major events, but will also provide you with an unerring standard to use in evaluating your novel's pacing and progression.
-
-
Actionable tips that are easy to understand
- By Amazon Customer on 2019-06-02
Written by: K. M. Weiland
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Story
- Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting
- Written by: Robert McKee
- Narrated by: Robert McKee
- Length: 6 hrs and 12 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Robert McKee's screenwriting workshops have earned him an international reputation for inspiring novices, refining works in progress, and putting major screenwriting careers back on track. Quincy Jones, Diane Keaton, Gloria Steinem, Julia Roberts, John Cleese, and David Bowie are just a few of his celebrity alumni. Writers, producers, development executives, and agents all flock to his lecture series, praising it as a mesmerizing and intense learning experience.
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Very informative
- By elc on 2023-10-22
Written by: Robert McKee
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Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story
- Written by: Angus Fletcher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Angus Fletcher
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
Whether you want to write your own scripts or simply gain a deeper appreciation for the great stories you see unfold on the screen, Professor Angus Fletcher is here to show you the way in Screenwriting 101: Mastering the Art of Story. Professor Fletcher, Professor of English and Film at The Ohio State University, brings both a personal and scholarly perspective to this craft. As a screenwriter himself, he has experienced the ins and outs of the process first-hand.
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Not practical
- By Marie-Louise on 2019-01-03
Written by: Angus Fletcher, and others
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In this essential guide to acting, internationally renowned directing coach Judith Weston demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, and what directors do wrong. She also goes over script analysis and preparation and how actors work, and she shares important and helpful insights into the director/actor relationship.
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Very thorough
- By Eric on 2021-07-28
Written by: Judith Weston
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Save the Cat!
- The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
- Written by: Blake Snyder
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Here's what started the phenomenon: This book has been a best seller for over 15 years and has been used by screenwriters around the world! Blake Snyder tells all in this fast, funny, and candid look inside the movie business. Save the Cat is just one of many ironclad rules for making your ideas more marketable and your script more satisfying.
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Great info but lacking PDF content
- By J. on 2018-12-07
Written by: Blake Snyder
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Outlining Your Novel
- Map Your Way to Success
- Written by: K. M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
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- Unabridged
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Let outlines help you write a better book! Writers often look upon outlines with fear and trembling. But when properly understood and correctly wielded, the outline is one of the most powerful weapons in a writer's arsenal.
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Indispensable
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Written by: K. M. Weiland
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The Idea
- The Seven Elements of a Viable Story for Screen, Stage or Fiction
- Written by: Erik Bork
- Narrated by: Erik Bork
- Length: 3 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Most screenwriting books tend to focus on story structure, scene writing, navigating the business, and other parts of the craft that come after the initial choice of the central concept for a story. Multiple Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning writer/producer Erik Bork (HBO’s Band of Brothers) takes a different approach. His experience in the industry and as a screenwriting professor and coach have led him to recognize that it's the selection of the initial idea that is the most important part of the process - with the most impact on the project's chance of success.
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Top notch.
- By William Gould on 2020-03-05
Written by: Erik Bork
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Action
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Action explores the ways that a modern-day writer can successfully tell an action story that not only stands apart, but wins the war on clichés. Teaming up with the former co-host of The Story Toolkit, Bassim El-Wakil, legendary story lecturer Robert McKee guides writers to award-winning originality by deconstructing the action genre, illuminating the challenges, and, more importantly, demonstrating how to master the demands of plot with surprising beats of innovation and ingenuity.
Written by: Robert McKee, and others
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Story Genius
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It's every novelist's greatest fear: pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into writing hundreds of pages only to realize that their story has no sense of urgency, no internal logic, and so is a page-one rewrite. The prevailing wisdom in the writing community is that there are just two ways around this problem: pantsing (winging it) and plotting (focusing on the external plot).
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Wow. A Series of Advice that Needs Interpreting.
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The Emotional Craft of Fiction
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- Written by: Donald Maass
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While writers might disagree over showing versus telling or plotting versus pantsing, none would argue this: If you want to write strong fiction, you must make your readers feel. The reader's experience must be an emotional journey of its own, one as involving as your characters' struggles, discoveries, and triumphs are for you. That's where The Emotional Craft of Fiction comes in. Veteran literary agent and expert fiction instructor Donald Maass shows you how to use story to provoke a visceral and emotional experience in readers.
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Fantastic. Unbelievable.
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Storynomics
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- Unabridged
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Story
Robert McKee's popular writing workshops have earned him an international reputation. The list of alumni with Academy Awards and Emmy Awards runs off the page. The cornerstone of his program is his singular book, Story, which has defined how we talk about the art of story creation. Now in Storynomics, McKee partners with digital marketing expert and Skyword CEO Tom Gerace to map a path for brands seeking to navigate the rapid decline of interrupt advertising.
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Best book on purposeful storytelling I've read.
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Written by: Robert McKee, and others
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How to Write Dazzling Dialogue
- The Fastest Way to Improve Any Manuscript
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- Narrated by: James Scott Bell
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Story
There is one sure-fire way of improving your novel fast...You may know the fundamentals of how to write fiction. You may be more than competent in plot, structure and characters. But if your dialogue is dull it will drag the whole story down...Don't sabotage your chances of selling your work to readers or publishers because the dialogue is unexceptional. Dazzle them with what the characters say. How to Write Dazzling Dialogue will give you the tools to do it.
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Producer to Producer
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This is a comprehensive bible to low-budget film production for emerging and professional producers. Structured to guide the listener through production meetings, every aspect of the film-production process is outlined in detail. Invaluable checklists - which begin 12 weeks before shooting and continue through principal (and secondary) photography and postproduction - keep the filmmaker on track and on target.
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Secrets of Screen Acting
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Instead of starting with what is real and trying to wrestle that onto the screen, Patrick Tucker explains how to work with the realities of a shoot and work from there toward the real. His step by step guide to the elements of effective screen acting is an extension and explanation of a lifetime of work in the field, containing over 50 acting exercises and the tried-and-tested screen acting checklist.
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Good information on camera positions.
- By Daniel M on 2023-10-07
Written by: Patrick Tucker
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5 Secrets of Story Structure: How to Write a Novel That Stands Out
- Helping Writers Become Authors, Book 6
- Written by: K.M. Weiland
- Narrated by: Sonja Field
- Length: 1 hr and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
If you’ve read or listened to all the books on story structure and concluded there has to be more to it than just three acts and a couple of plot points, then you’re absolutely right! It’s time to notch up your writing education from “basic” to “black belt”. Internationally published author K.M. Weiland shares five “secret” techniques of advanced story structure.
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Short and Sweet
- By Anonymous User on 2022-05-12
Written by: K.M. Weiland
Publisher's Summary
Powerful character arcs create powerful stories.
Have you written a story with an exciting concept and interesting characters - but it just isn't grabbing the attention of readers or agents? It's time to look deeper into the story beats that create realistic and compelling character arcs. Internationally published, award-winning novelist K.M. Weiland shares her acclaimed method for achieving memorable and moving character arcs in every book you write.
By applying the foundation of the three-act story structure and then delving even deeper into the psychology of realistic and dynamic human change, Weiland offers a beat-by-beat checklist of character arc guidelines that flexes to fit any type of story.
This comprehensive book will teach you:
- How to determine which arc - positive, negative, or flat - is right for your character.
- Why you should never pit plot against character. Instead, learn how to blend story structure and character development.
- How to recognize and avoid the worst pitfalls of writing novels without character arcs.
- How to hack the secret to using overarching character arcs to create amazing trilogies and series.
- And much more!
Gaining an understanding of how to write character arcs is a game-changing moment in any author's pursuit of the craft.
Bring your characters to unforgettable and realistic life - and take your stories from good to great!
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What listeners say about Creating Character Arcs
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Performance
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Story
- Alex Makar (the author!)
- 2019-09-19
Indispensable
An indispensable resource for writers or story lovers who want to better understand story structure. Uses lots of old and contemporary examples from films and novels to illustrate its claims. Arcs covered include the positive change arc, the flat arc, and the negative change (corruption or fall) arc. I got a lot of useful information and will try incorporating the interplay between lies and truths that characters believe in my own attempts at fiction. Great narration as well, and doesn’t overstay its welcome. If anything, it might even be too short.
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2 people found this helpful
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Story
- Samah Fadil
- 2020-12-14
great for writers
this is a good complementary read to books like Save the Cat which focuses on plot. this will make you think about your characters inner journey, not just the outside events! quick and informative.
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Story

- C. Deputy
- 2018-06-07
Why We Read (Listen To) These Books
If, like me, you have read all of the other books in this genre (Story, Screenplay, Save the Cat, etc.), there is nothing really new to be found beyond a deeper look into the specific aspects of character arc. I like these books because sometimes a different perspective on the same subject can be illuminating. Instead of hearing Robert McKee for the fifth time, I can listen to Ms. Weiland say nearly the same thing. but from a slightly different perspective. Sometimes this is all I need to break through writer's block or a particular problem I may be having with a story. i would rank this book just after Story and above Save the Cat.
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37 people found this helpful
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- Pi
- 2018-09-05
Doesn't waste your time
One problem I've grown increasingly tired of with advice books is excessive padding. Rather than specific advice, most books drag on forever finding new ways to rephrase the core thesis of each section, substituting repetition for insight.
Not so with Creating Character Arcs. This book is packed with pointed advice and clearly articulated examples. What little repetition exists merely serves to reorganize the majors points at the end of each chapter in a way that you can quickly reference for your own projects.
I also appreciate the bravery in giving real advice, as opposed to couching everything in murky terms of "personal judgment" or "taste." That's not to say that every piece of advice will apply to every project, but the writer recognizes that we can make those decisions for ourselves, avoiding the unnecessary qualifiers that plague so many other books in this genre.
This book is surprisingly dense with useful information, and it sets the standard, not just for writing advice books, but for advice books as a whole.
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25 people found this helpful
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Story

- Chris Burk
- 2017-04-28
Stop. Stop Now!
Would you try another book from K.M. Weiland and/or Sonja Field?
Never
What do you think your next listen will be?
Anything else
Would you be willing to try another one of Sonja Field’s performances?
Possibly
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Creating Character Arcs?
All of them
Any additional comments?
This is a book for hacks, not for writers looking to pursue a serious expansion of their skills or craft. It is a base level, bullet point list of formulaic approaches to writing. If you want to write commercial fiction to sell in grocery store magazine racks, or are just starting out and don't know what a character arc is, this is a good place to start. If you understand the concepts of plot, character, and story structure, this title has nothing to offer you other than aggravation.
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15 people found this helpful
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- Cliff
- 2017-08-12
Let's All Use Formulas From Marvel and Pixar?
When Welland goes to examples from such drivel as Marvel's The Mighty Thor and Pixar's Cars, it seems like a how-to-book for future pop culture creators or young studio execs who need to keep busy giving notes. Is the bar really this low?
What of Bogart's Rick in Casablanca? What about Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovic? Dustin Hoffman in the Graduate? There are hundreds of great examples from brilliant films, let's start at the top and work our way down to the kiddie section.
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13 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 2017-06-16
Character Arc Perfection!
If you could sum up Creating Character Arcs in three words, what would they be?
Character analysis mastery!
What other book might you compare Creating Character Arcs to and why?
There are dozens of books on character building, but this book shows how your character faces the challenges in your story.
Have you listened to any of Sonja Field’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is the first time I heard the voice of Sonja Field.
What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?
This book equipped me with the tools necessary to help my characters fulfill their purpose in my novels.
Any additional comments?
Before you publish your novel, read this book!
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10 people found this helpful
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- Evelyn Williamson
- 2017-05-17
Best writing book I've read.
I'm so thankful for this book. The information was clear and understandable, there were a lot of examples and I loved the question at the end of each chapter. They made me think as I was listening and ultimately saved my novel from the trash folder (figuratively, I'd never actually toss it out permanently.)
There is a lot of repeated information from Structuring Your Novel, but I read this one first, and now that I have read that one I think this is ultimately the better book. I can't wait until the workbook is released.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Oneadem
- 2018-04-27
Brilliant Resource
The ebook and workbook weren't enough; I couldn't leave for work without grabbing the audio version, too. It's packed with so much great character-building information you'll need to slow down the read rate and take it all in. During a rough week at work, this selection made the commute more than worthwhile.
This is a must own for story writers.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Sophia Clay
- 2019-11-14
good tips but ironically lacks character
this plays like a cook book and really only has strenght if you can pace it and dart around looking for certain points.
because of its persistent point after point as an audio book it is forgettable
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8 people found this helpful
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- Alexander Andro
- 2017-12-17
flat arc characters
If all the books on screenwriting and writing in general that I have read, this is the only book that covers flat arc characters. worth reading for that alone.
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8 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 2017-09-14
Overly formulaic
While there were some good ideas and some good advice in this book, the points that were made and many of the examples seemed contrived.
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7 people found this helpful