Next live tweet: Faith McQuinn of @ObserverPix and @RealmMedia! This talk is on Dramatic Strategy for #AudioDrama! #PM22 
First: how do you pick your best story idea to actually make?
1. What are you obsessing over?
2. Which is the easiest to outline?
3. Which one best fits the medium? ("Not every story you come up with should be a podcast.")
4. Which has the strongest characters? ymmv #PM22
1. What are you obsessing over?
2. Which is the easiest to outline?
3. Which one best fits the medium? ("Not every story you come up with should be a podcast.")
4. Which has the strongest characters? ymmv #PM22
"The stories you care about are about the people (characters) you care about" --Faith McQuinn #PM22
How do you best tell your story? McQuinn's PEMDAS:
1. Find your voice (single narrator, full cast, full cast w narration)
2. Frame your story (genre to guide storytelling beats & stay consistent)
3. Giving it purpose (theme, message, awareness, education, a challenge) #PM22
1. Find your voice (single narrator, full cast, full cast w narration)
2. Frame your story (genre to guide storytelling beats & stay consistent)
3. Giving it purpose (theme, message, awareness, education, a challenge) #PM22
Think about how your genre can add to your purpose. Sci-fi can put a lens on our world today. Horror can be monsters, but monsters can be racist. Think about how genre and theme coincide #PM22
Let's talk The Main Dramatic Question ❓
What it is: driving force of the story, clear goal for your protag
How do you construct: tangible & specific, keep it positive, give it yes/no answer
Example: "Will Josephine find love?" from Margaritas and Donuts 🍩 #PM22
What it is: driving force of the story, clear goal for your protag
How do you construct: tangible & specific, keep it positive, give it yes/no answer
Example: "Will Josephine find love?" from Margaritas and Donuts 🍩 #PM22
Your narrative should always be guiding you towards answering that main question.
Keeping it positive: Instead of "Will Tony get out of this small town?" do "Will Tony make it to New York?"
It's not about your protag working AGAINST, it's about your protag working TOWARDS #PM22
Keeping it positive: Instead of "Will Tony get out of this small town?" do "Will Tony make it to New York?"
It's not about your protag working AGAINST, it's about your protag working TOWARDS #PM22
Why is the Main Dramatic Question important? It helps you find conflict. "Conflict is everything!"
Your story should look like broccoli 🥦: tiny trees! One tiny tree (conflict) leads to another leads to a big head o brocc. You need conflict and objectives for characters #PM22
Your story should look like broccoli 🥦: tiny trees! One tiny tree (conflict) leads to another leads to a big head o brocc. You need conflict and objectives for characters #PM22
Why did Jurassic Park Dominion suck so hard? The conflict wasn't real. Everything was resolved so easily and so fast. (Also the locusts? Like... wh... what??? 🦗)
Scenes need conflict to give more to the characters and drive the plot forward #PM22
Scenes need conflict to give more to the characters and drive the plot forward #PM22
The Main Dramatic Question helps you cut the fat. Edit edit edit! Are all of your scenes actually contributing to the narrative? What does each scene accomplish? If it's not giving more plot or character, let it GO #PM22
Have writers block? The Main Dramatic Question helps guide you. It immediately tells you where you need to go. "Know where you're going. Even if you don't know how to get there."
Struggle with writing the middle? Use the Main Dramatic Question to guide you #PM22
Struggle with writing the middle? Use the Main Dramatic Question to guide you #PM22
"Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader. Not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon." --E. L. Doctorow via Faith McQuinn at #PM22
Writing exercise: Take a mundane sensation/task eg brushing your teeth 🪥 and describe it as the most amazing thing you've ever experienced. Convince the person you're explaining it to in your head. Fill a FULL PAGE. #PM22
Question time!
Q: What kind of questions does McQuinn ask when she's stuck?
A: Talk to your characters. Write bios so you know them. Ask them what they would do, how they would react, if you took all their tools from them. #PM22
Q: What kind of questions does McQuinn ask when she's stuck?
A: Talk to your characters. Write bios so you know them. Ask them what they would do, how they would react, if you took all their tools from them. #PM22
Q: What makes a good, believable, multifaceted character?
A: Again, write bios! Ask your characters questions. Where did they grow up? What are their beliefs? What is their socioeconomic status? Even if it doesn't come up, it'll come through #PM22
A: Again, write bios! Ask your characters questions. Where did they grow up? What are their beliefs? What is their socioeconomic status? Even if it doesn't come up, it'll come through #PM22
Q: Are there attributes necessary to The Main Dramatic Question? How do you know it's a good one?
A: It should be easy, direct, basic, and positive.
A: It should be easy, direct, basic, and positive.
Q: How important is research in McQuinn's writing question? Asked by her sound designer who knows 😂
A: "So incredibly important 🥲" You have to know what your characters know. Research and find what rules you're breaking. Know what you're talking about. #PM22
A: "So incredibly important 🥲" You have to know what your characters know. Research and find what rules you're breaking. Know what you're talking about. #PM22
McQuinn also does research to help writers block!
Q: More on turning a negative Question into a positive one?
A: negative is getting AWAY, positive is moving TOWARDS. focus on what they want to gain, not lose. if you have a loss, what do they gain by that loss? #PM22
Q: More on turning a negative Question into a positive one?
A: negative is getting AWAY, positive is moving TOWARDS. focus on what they want to gain, not lose. if you have a loss, what do they gain by that loss? #PM22
Q: How much sound and music design goes into scriptwriting?
A: McQuinn doesn't do music design, but does think about sound design. She's doing less now that she has a great sound designer who gets her! Think about things like textures, silence, what's in the room #PM22
A: McQuinn doesn't do music design, but does think about sound design. She's doing less now that she has a great sound designer who gets her! Think about things like textures, silence, what's in the room #PM22
Q: How much character bio is prewriting, and how much is discovered along the way?
A: for McQuinn, it's all prewriting before outlining #PM22
A: for McQuinn, it's all prewriting before outlining #PM22
Q: How did McQuinn give herself the time for longer prewrites?
A: McQuinn has an MFA in Creative Writing. This was a skill she had to learn and hone--doing the establishing work up front makes things easier and more efficient as she starts writing scripts #PM22
A: McQuinn has an MFA in Creative Writing. This was a skill she had to learn and hone--doing the establishing work up front makes things easier and more efficient as she starts writing scripts #PM22
Q: Why did she get into audio drama?
A: Money! Boom was a short story, a short film, a novel that didn't sell, a feature film she couldn't afford. McQuinn listened to radio shows growing up and then connected the dots! 📻 #PM22
A: Money! Boom was a short story, a short film, a novel that didn't sell, a feature film she couldn't afford. McQuinn listened to radio shows growing up and then connected the dots! 📻 #PM22
Q: How does collaboration factor into her writing?
A: McQuinn works with beta readers! "I know I'm a good writer, but I need at least two more pairs of eyes." 1: another writer, 2: a non-writer listener. Then, second draft. #PM22
A: McQuinn works with beta readers! "I know I'm a good writer, but I need at least two more pairs of eyes." 1: another writer, 2: a non-writer listener. Then, second draft. #PM22
Q: For longer works, does the Main Dramatic Question stay the same or evolve?
A: Depends on the project, but you can have one BIG series one, and then one for each season/arc. #PM22
A: Depends on the project, but you can have one BIG series one, and then one for each season/arc. #PM22
Q: Is there such a thing as too much conflict?
A: YES. don't be a telenovela if you don't wanna be a telenovela. it can be exhausting! this is why you need beta readers. #PM22
A: YES. don't be a telenovela if you don't wanna be a telenovela. it can be exhausting! this is why you need beta readers. #PM22
Wil here to say i LOVE this resource by @GabrielUrbinaTM for conflict structure! it's what we use for @VALENCEpod at @HugHousePods
gabrielurbina.com/10-point-struc… #PM22
gabrielurbina.com/10-point-struc… #PM22
Q: How do you write long passage of time?
A: Look for descriptive, but natural, dialogue from characters.
Q: Tips on narration?
A: Narration should be clean and shouldn't pull your listener out of the story. Narrators who are characters are great! #PM22
A: Look for descriptive, but natural, dialogue from characters.
Q: Tips on narration?
A: Narration should be clean and shouldn't pull your listener out of the story. Narrators who are characters are great! #PM22
On narration, establish your narrator ASAP. Establish a pattern, and make sure they're distinct in sound design and editing. #PM22
Q: What forms and styles are interesting and new in #AudioDrama?
A: "Now you're making me think!" McQuinn likes All The Things 💙 she prefers full cast to single narrator typically. She wants to explore faux reality shows! #PM22
A: "Now you're making me think!" McQuinn likes All The Things 💙 she prefers full cast to single narrator typically. She wants to explore faux reality shows! #PM22
Q: Is there a show you love right now?
@fanwarsromcom and Tejana by @SonoroPodcast !
sonoromedia.com/tejana #PM22
@fanwarsromcom and Tejana by @SonoroPodcast !
sonoromedia.com/tejana #PM22
Q: How do you answer The Main Dramatic Question in microfiction?
A: Work backwards! Start with the answer, and then find your question. #PM22
A: Work backwards! Start with the answer, and then find your question. #PM22
Q: What's McQuinn's outlining process?
A:
1. Character bios
2. Overarching plot
3. Break that into plots for seasons
4. Break that into episodes
Like broccoli! 🥦 #PM22
A:
1. Character bios
2. Overarching plot
3. Break that into plots for seasons
4. Break that into episodes
Like broccoli! 🥦 #PM22
Q: What's the most experimental thing she's done in audio?
A: Alice in Wonderland... IN SPACE! 🎩🐇🚀 #PM22
A: Alice in Wonderland... IN SPACE! 🎩🐇🚀 #PM22
Q: What does McQuinn want to see more of in audio dramas?
A: Romcoms! Heists! IN SPACE! Realistic fiction, too--more real-world scenarios. But realistic fiction can be hard to market in audio drama 😭 (I feel this so hard) #PM22
A: Romcoms! Heists! IN SPACE! Realistic fiction, too--more real-world scenarios. But realistic fiction can be hard to market in audio drama 😭 (I feel this so hard) #PM22
Q: How can you find and support Faith McQuinn? 😉
observerpictures.com
And that's this panel wrapped as well! Be back soon with more from #PM22!
observerpictures.com
And that's this panel wrapped as well! Be back soon with more from #PM22!
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