What Do You Want to Say?
I base my consultation on the overriding question—What is the story you are trying to tell here? And then look at the accompanying question—Is that what is reflected on the page or screen? Our job, together, is to match these answers in the most skillful and artful way possible.

What is the Prevailing Idea?
First, I will engage you in a dialogue—What was the original story or idea you had in mind? What is your interest in this character? What larger meaning do you want to communicate? What particular passion are you bringing to this work? The goal of this exploration is to find a thru-line for the story, whether it be thematic, character-based or purely plot-driven. Once that thru-line is arrived at, we will have a reference point for determining the structure of the story.

A Custom-made Design
When thinking about structure, it is important to understand that the success or failure of any dramatic work is not determined by the particular structure it uses. It is determined by the resonance of the ideas being communicated. The structure exists to serve those ideas. A masterfully crafted story will have a structure designed specifically for that story’s needs. But we will need a template from which to begin creating our custom-made design, and that is why we have three-act structure.

Building a Tool Chest
These days, three-act structure is often discussed as if it is an end in itself for creating good art or craft. On the contrary, it is simply the launching point. But being such, it is critical that a writer should have a thorough knowledge and understanding of what it is and how it works. Nuts and bolts concepts such as sympathetic character, stakes and tension, obstacles and complication and character transformation provide the writer with a tool chest to draw from to most effectively serve his or her story goals. Part of my job is to increase your available tools and show you new ways to use them.

First the Forest, Then the Trees
This macro-level structure work will then lead us into the micro level, evaluating how well the scenes are fulfilling that structure. Another collection of tools comes into play—economy of dialogue, subtext, exposition, cause and effect, visuals and action. And, of course, we will return to discussions of character and theme throughout the process to insure that each decision in the crafting of a scene is being informed by the larger goals.