Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Developing Story Ideas
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Developing Story Ideas [Paperback]

Michael Rabiger (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Textbook Student FREE Two-Day Shipping for Students. Learn more

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Paperback $15.80  
Paperback, March 30, 2000 --  
There is a newer edition of this item:
Developing Story Ideas, Second Edition Developing Story Ideas, Second Edition 3.7 out of 5 stars (9)
$15.80
In Stock.

Book Description

0240803981 978-0240803982 March 30, 2000 2nd
Developing Story Ideas offers students and other young artists a spectrum of resources and a structure of writing practice so that anyone can quickly and reliably generate a wide variety of stories. It does so stressing the importance of understanding oneself and creating collaboratively.



This book provides exercises and projects to help each person draw an artistic self-profile to summarize what he or she most needs to investigate in their creative work. It teaches narrative structure and critical language, and asserts that giving and taking criticism is an essential part of the creative process. It treats fiction and non-fiction as highly related - for fiction needs its roots in the real world, while documentary needs narrative drive and structure to impose meaning on its reality. All the assignments are illustrated with examples of student work and/or pieces drawn from classic works of literature and film, each followed by meaningful and sensitive commentary from the author. Throughout the book the author has placed boxed text to emphasize information that is critical to the success of a particular writing project or to the creative process generally.

Readers will experience what education has come to recognize as particularly effective: hands-on creative projects, an emphasis on self-actualization, and working not as an embattled individual competing for recognition, but as part of a learning community. In this atmosphere people naturally form the friendships, creative partnerships, and teams that make filmmaking gratifying and productive.



Exercises and projects help writers find what they need to investigate in their creative work
Examines fiction and non-fiction writing, narrative structure and critical language
Boxed text and examples of student work illustrate each lesson


Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the few textbooks to seriously address the process of scriptwriting from the beginner's perspective."
-Peter Harrer, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Book Description

Unique book on generating good ideas for stories and developing an artistic identity --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Focal Press; 2nd edition (March 30, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0240803981
  • ISBN-13: 978-0240803982
  • Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,545,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Rabiger has directed or edited over 35 films, founded the Documentary Center at Columbia College, Chicago, and was Chair of its Film/Video Department. Now Professor Emeritus, Rabiger has also been presented with the Preservation and Scholarship Award by the International Documentary Association. He has given workshops in many countries, led a multinational European documentary workshop for CILECT, the international association of film schools. As Visiting Professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, he taught idea development, directing, and advanced production. When he retired 2001 to write full-time, Columbia renamed its documentary center "The Michael Rabiger Center for Documentary." In 2002 he was made Honorary Professor at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina; in 2003 awarded the 2003 Preservation and Scholarship Award by the International Documentary Association in Los Angeles; in 2005 the Genius Career Achievement Award by the Chicago International Documentary Festival, and also in 2005 was made Professor Emeritus by Columbia College Chicago. He is the author of the enormously successful, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics (Focal Press), and Directing the Documentary (Focal Press). He is also the author of Developing Story Ideas (Focal Press).

 

Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (1)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.7 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally..., December 2, 2005
By 
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
I have a shelf full of books on scriptwriting, directing, and other general movie making topics. However, the one thing that has held me back on my first short film was the lack of story. Rather - the lack of a GOOD story. I was very happy to stumble across this book. Finally someone has written not about putting your idea on paper, but GETTING the idea in the first place ("priming the pump", as the book says). You not only read the principles, but are encouraged to apply them with the many hands-on exercises presented throughout.

I believe this book is definitely a worthwhile read for anyone experiencing writer's block.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Simple, Deep and Insightful, May 13, 2003
By 
This review is from: Developing Story Ideas (Paperback)
At last, a short simple book which gets very quickly down to the basic ideas of how to write - based on your own personal experience. Michael Rabiger displays a deep wisdom of the human situation and he manages to cut through the gleeful padding, found so often in armchair "feel good, do good" books, written for the inexperienced by those who could not speak from their own experience.
This book is different - there are no wasted words - however as is the case with all who have great experience (in any field) - the amased knowledge is crystallised down to just those words which are required to do the job...and not only that...he seems to be able to speak to you personally all through the book.
Although this book is more suited to group work - the insights it contains are worth having a copy - as they apply directly to the individual.
Well done Mr Rabiger - You have produced a great work - and have written it - YOURSELF.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars To be fair I have to say..., May 20, 2007
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
You need to know what I'm going to tell you so that you have the right expectations when buying this book.

The book is designed more to support a storytelling class. There are group excersies and specific drills to complete after each section. So if you are alone it feels rare to read about class exercises. So, you have to understand this book's main target are teachers and students in a class.

The drills actually seem to be quite a promising activity. If I went to a fiction writing course I would like to be given this book.

The author deals with the creative process, the artistic identity and how writers actually have to dig deep in their soul to find their stories and their subjects or themes. This part I liked.

As for what the title promises "Developing story ideas". I'm not fully convinced with the material. In a certain way the basic theory is there (three act structure, scene cards, theme...) but you should be warned that there is much more that can be said about storytelling and how you actually create a great story. What does this mean? It means that if you want to write stories just to entertain yourself this is a good place to come. Now, if you want to become a professional writer the information in this book might be taken as the beginning of your education. Plenty of books await you. This book gives you the basics about how to develop story IDEAS. Once you have a story idea, then you have to develop the story itself. It wouldn't hurt if you consulted other books that have much more insight of how to build a story itself.

As for me, why did I change my mind and came back and posted a better review? Well, to me one of the best ways to decide if a book is good or not is to see if you come back to it to remember some useful insight you know is between its covers. That happened to me. I'm deep in a sotry I'm writing and I remembered this book had something that would help me. I came back. Believe me if a book makes you come back it probably has something valuable and it might be considered a goood book.

There you go, now it's time for you to decide if it is right for you or not.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews







Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Though aimed primarily at those writing for the screen, this book's methods can just as well lead to short stories, a novel, or a play. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
documentary subject, artistic identity, creative identity, original fiction, crooked man, story ideas
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Developing Story Ideas, New York, Instant Story, Focal Press, Folktale Retold, Valley Forge, Analysis Define, Expanding Your Outline, Peter Brochant, Story-Editing Your Outline, Chris Darner, Michael Hanttula, Michelle Arnove, New Orleans, Telling Stories, The Author's Underlying Purpose, Wuthering Heights
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:



Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums





Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject