{"id":6923,"date":"2016-03-28T16:49:38","date_gmt":"2016-03-28T15:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/\/?p=6923"},"modified":"2016-03-28T16:49:38","modified_gmt":"2016-03-28T15:49:38","slug":"turning-loss-into-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/turning-loss-into-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning Loss into Action"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a new storyline, a major character\u00a0gets some devastating news and experiences a tragic sense of personal loss. \u00a0We discussed how to spin this out over a multitude of episodes.<\/p>\n

Whenever a character is disappointed, rejected, humiliated or spurned (or has a major set-back or stunning defeat of any kind), he or she experiences a sense of loss.\u00a0 This could be a loss of self-esteem, pride, self-confidence, or hope for the future.\u00a0 It could be the loss of a love interest, an important missed opportunity, a job loss, or a severed friendship.<\/p>\n

The question is, how does experiencing this loss reveal character?\u00a0 Is the character experiencing the full range of emotion? \u00a0Is his or her reaction played to the maximum effect and not rushed or short changed? \u00a0How does the character’s reaction provide plot and story opportunities?<\/p>\n

The loss and grief cycle in a story should include these steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Shock: Paralysis:\u00a0<\/strong> “I can’t believe this is happening.”\u00a0 \u2028How do we see the character in shock or stunned by the situation?\u00a0 What does he or she do?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Denial: Disbelief :\u00a0<\/strong>“There must be some mistake.”\u00a0 \u2028 “This can’t possibly be happening.” \u00a0How does the character actively deny the situation?\u00a0 What does he or she do that is contrary to the facts?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. Anger: Outrage:<\/strong>\u00a0 “I won’t stand for this.”\u00a0 “This isn’t right.” \u00a0 “It’s not fair.” “Why me?” How does the character act out his or her anger.\u00a0 What action shows the character taking out his or her anger on him\/herself or others?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. Guilt\/Shame\/Blame:\u00a0Fault: \u00a0<\/strong>“It’s all because of you.”\u00a0 “I never should have…”\u2028\u00a0\u00a0What does the character do to shift the blame?\u00a0 How does the character blame him or her self?\u00a0 What does the character do as a result?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. Acting Out: Rebellion: \u00a0<\/strong>“Screw it.”\u2028 \u00a0“All is lost anyway.” \u00a0What does the character do to rebel against or defy the situation?\u00a0 What happens as a result?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. Bargaining: Deal-making: \u00a0<\/strong>“I promise…”\u00a0 “If only…”\u2028\u00a0\u00a0How does the character make deals or promises or beg for help?\u00a0 How do we see this active desperation?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                \n
              1. Depression: Realization: \u00a0<\/strong>“There is no way out.”\u00a0 “This is really happening.”\u2028\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How do we see the character come to grips with the reality of the situation?\u00a0 What doe the character do?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                  \n
                1. Testing: New Reality:\u00a0<\/strong>“Maybe I can go on\u00a0if I…”\u00a0 “Maybe I still could…”\u00a0 “What if I do this instead?”\u2028 \u00a0 How does the character test or try on new ways of being, acting or thinking?\u00a0 How does the character make the best of the situation, as bad as it is?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                    \n
                  1. Acceptance: Moving Forward: \u00a0<\/strong>“Even if the worst happens, I will be okay.” \u2028\u00a0 How does the character accept his or her fate, however dire?\u00a0 What leap of faith does the character make?\u00a0 How does the character make it okay for him or her self \u00a0\u00a0 and\/or others?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                    Show the character moving through the whole process of grief and anger.\u00a0 Create plot points that incorporate each step.\u00a0 Allow your character to fully experience and act on each step.\u00a0\u00a0 Create action (not just dialog) that reveal the character’s inner turmoil and troubled emotional journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Any major loss a character experiences yields rich story opportunities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11959,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"nf_dc_page":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,78],"tags":[1342,25,26,27,28,30,31,556,32,558,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42],"class_list":["post-6923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television-character-development-script-scriptwriting-tv-blog","category-writing-tips-tricks-advice-help-script-screenplay-screenwriting-blog","tag-amsterdam","tag-character","tag-characters","tag-emotional-toolbox","tag-etb","tag-film","tag-films","tag-grief","tag-laurie-hutzler","tag-loss","tag-movies","tag-nine-character-types","tag-screenplay","tag-screenplays","tag-screenwriting","tag-script","tag-scripts","tag-scriptwriting","tag-tv","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-768x576.jpg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"ttshowcase_normal":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",125,94,false],"ttshowcase_small":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",75,56,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",960,720,false],"Image Size 500x500":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n.jpg",500,375,false],"woocommerce_thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-300x400.jpg",300,400,true],"woocommerce_single":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-600x450.jpg",600,450,true],"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":["https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/30710870_10211699141895539_4496568718662303744_n-100x100.jpg",100,100,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Laurie Hutzler","author_link":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Any major loss a character experiences yields rich story opportunities.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6923"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/etbscreenwriting.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}