Concepts will overlap

You'll find that some of the concepts in this lesson are similar to each other; they might even seem redundant.

When you are improvising under pressure, you need tools you can grab and use almost without thinking—so the tools need to be simple and purpose-specific.

You also accumulate many similar-but-different tools.

It's like a wrench and a crowbar: they are both levers, but you use them for different purposes.

To give you a sense of the overlap, here's a Frankenstory showing many of this lesson's similar-but-different concepts in action simultaneously:

ONE MORE STORY

1

The fireplace made strange noises at night. Mr Flip would have told someone about it, but there was no one to tell. Except for the fireplace.

And so, during the day, Mr Flip sat by the fireplace and told it about the sounds it made at night. And at night, the fireplace made noises back.

2

Whispering, muttering. Sinister cackling. Most people would be terrified of such sounds, here in this lonely mansion on this desolate, lonely moor.

But Mr Flip was too old and tired and sad from the many tragedies in his life to be afraid any more.

3

Instead he asked question after question, and wrote down what the voices told him.

The story of the maid who drowned in the bath. The story of the hunting dog that became rabid and ate the twins. The mother who burned the barn. The father with the hatchet. All of these he jotted in his notebook.

4

Scratching down their tales until there was no more stories left to tell. In raspy, more restless tone, the voices spoke "The last page. FILL THE LAST PAGE."

"But there are no stories left!"

5

Silence.

"Then we shall tell yours."

Thunk.

Soon all that was left was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, spelling letters in a crimson ink.

This is the tale of the old man and his fireplace. And if you are reading this, you are next.

"One More Story"

ONE MORE STORY

1

The fireplace made strange noises at night. Mr Flip would have told someone about it, but there was no one to tell. Except for the fireplace.

And so, during the day, Mr Flip sat by the fireplace and told it about the sounds it made at night. And at night, the fireplace made noises back.

2

Whispering, muttering. Sinister cackling. Most people would be terrified of such sounds, here in this lonely mansion on this desolate, lonely moor.

But Mr Flip was too old and tired and sad from the many tragedies in his life to be afraid any more.

3

Instead he asked question after question, and wrote down what the voices told him.

The story of the maid who drowned in the bath. The story of the hunting dog that became rabid and ate the twins. The mother who burned the barn. The father with the hatchet. All of these he jotted in his notebook.

4

Scratching down their tales until there was no more stories left to tell. In raspy, more restless tone, the voices spoke "The last page. FILL THE LAST PAGE."

"But there are no stories left!"

5

Silence.

"Then we shall tell yours."

Thunk.

Soon all that was left was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, spelling letters in a crimson ink.

This is the tale of the old man and his fireplace. And if you are reading this, you are next.

"One More Story"

ONE MORE STORY

1

The fireplace made strange noises at night. Mr Flip would have told someone about it, but there was no one to tell. Except for the fireplace.

And so, during the day, Mr Flip sat by the fireplace and told it about the sounds it made at night. And at night, the fireplace made noises back.

2

Whispering, muttering. Sinister cackling. Most people would be terrified of such sounds, here in this lonely mansion on this desolate, lonely moor.

But Mr Flip was too old and tired and sad from the many tragedies in his life to be afraid any more.

3

Instead he asked question after question, and wrote down what the voices told him.

The story of the maid who drowned in the bath. The story of the hunting dog that became rabid and ate the twins. The mother who burned the barn. The father with the hatchet. All of these he jotted in his notebook.

4

Scratching down their tales until there was no more stories left to tell. In raspy, more restless tone, the voices spoke "The last page. FILL THE LAST PAGE."

"But there are no stories left!"

5

Silence.

"Then we shall tell yours."

Thunk.

Soon all that was left was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, spelling letters in a crimson ink.

This is the tale of the old man and his fireplace. And if you are reading this, you are next.

"One More Story"

ONE MORE STORY

1

The fireplace made strange noises at night. Mr Flip would have told someone about it, but there was no one to tell. Except for the fireplace.

And so, during the day, Mr Flip sat by the fireplace and told it about the sounds it made at night. And at night, the fireplace made noises back.

2

Whispering, muttering. Sinister cackling. Most people would be terrified of such sounds, here in this lonely mansion on this desolate, lonely moor.

But Mr Flip was too old and tired and sad from the many tragedies in his life to be afraid any more.

3

Instead he asked question after question, and wrote down what the voices told him.

The story of the maid who drowned in the bath. The story of the hunting dog that became rabid and ate the twins. The mother who burned the barn. The father with the hatchet. All of these he jotted in his notebook.

4

Scratching down their tales until there was no more stories left to tell. In raspy, more restless tone, the voices spoke "The last page. FILL THE LAST PAGE."

"But there are no stories left!"

5

Silence.

"Then we shall tell yours."

Thunk.

Soon all that was left was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, spelling letters in a crimson ink.

This is the tale of the old man and his fireplace. And if you are reading this, you are next.

"One More Story"

ONE MORE STORY

1

The fireplace made strange noises at night. Mr Flip would have told someone about it, but there was no one to tell. Except for the fireplace.

And so, during the day, Mr Flip sat by the fireplace and told it about the sounds it made at night. And at night, the fireplace made noises back.

2

Whispering, muttering. Sinister cackling. Most people would be terrified of such sounds, here in this lonely mansion on this desolate, lonely moor.

But Mr Flip was too old and tired and sad from the many tragedies in his life to be afraid any more.

3

Instead he asked question after question, and wrote down what the voices told him.

The story of the maid who drowned in the bath. The story of the hunting dog that became rabid and ate the twins. The mother who burned the barn. The father with the hatchet. All of these he jotted in his notebook.

4

Scratching down their tales until there was no more stories left to tell. In raspy, more restless tone, the voices spoke "The last page. FILL THE LAST PAGE."

"But there are no stories left!"

5

Silence.

"Then we shall tell yours."

Thunk.

Soon all that was left was the sound of a pen scratching on paper, spelling letters in a crimson ink.

This is the tale of the old man and his fireplace. And if you are reading this, you are next.

"One More Story"

Each of these narrative concepts is simple in theory but complex in practice, which is why it's helpful to isolate and train them separately.

But be prepared for some recurring themes!

Teaching Narrative Writing with Frankenstories

Concepts will overlap