Category Archives: Story Power

Monologues, drama, fiction, memoir

The Old Man’s Ghost

Posted on August 22, 2020 by

A Strange-But-True Story As a theatre student, I once chose a charming but obscure play to direct. Loosely based on Gogol’s “The Overcoat,” the play concerned a Tailor in the Jewish garment district of pre-WWII London. In it, the ghost … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Story Power | Tagged , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Thank You!

Posted on August 6, 2020 by

Dear followers friends: You have made Healing River a hit! Amazon updates show that viewings of Healing River tripled last month and are continuing to go up! It’s now being watched every day by thousands who neither follow this blog … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Movies, Story Power, Videos | Tagged , , , , , | 52 Comments

Now We Are Six

Posted on July 30, 2020 by

Today is My 6th Blogiversary! According to development experts, a healthy 6-year-old will: Speak in complete sentences of five to seven words. Actually, I’m working on getting it under 100 words: Q. “What’s that?” A. “Funny you should ask, because … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 102 Comments

Tips for Writers: The Power of Ironic Reversals

Posted on July 11, 2020 by

Dramatic tension is the key to an engaging storyline—or even an essay or blog post, for that matter. This takes the form of rising action, a series of reversals (escalating problems or crises) that must be resolved. These keep us, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Movies, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

Telling Stories

Posted on May 18, 2020 by

If I was a greeting card, I’d be one of those illustrated story cards, the ones with the little built-in music tracks. I honestly can’t remember a time I wasn’t captivated by words, pictures and music. Or by wanting to … Continue reading →

Posted in For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Movies, Story Power | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

A Filmmaker’s Journal

Posted on April 14, 2020 by

My Feature Film is Finally Being Released! I’ve been updating readers for years about my first feature film as a writer-director, Over-the-Rhine. So I’m beyond thrilled to announce that it’s finally being released! And that its name has been changed … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Movies, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 130 Comments

In Praise of Plotting

Posted on April 4, 2020 by

At the moment I’m holed up (who isn’t?), working on the “final final” structure of my novel, removing sequences and putting them back, adding sections and then taking them out. I know all the rules and apply them religiously, until … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

My Epic Quest for Toilet Paper

Posted on March 14, 2020 by

Due to the growing pandemic, most public gatherings in our area are cancelled. The public is making a run on local markets in preparation to stay at home. Toilet paper was the first thing to go! It all feels kind … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Story Power | Tagged , , , , , , | 89 Comments

Tutoring the Tutor

Posted on March 5, 2020 by

This is a true story. I tutored at an inner city college. Many of my students were the first in their families to finish high school. Or not sell drugs. Some became my personal heroes. My current tutee, a suburban … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , | 58 Comments

I Am a Novelist!

Posted on January 16, 2020 by

When I was a kid I wanted to be everything. I practiced tight rope walking on the chain-link fence behind my buddy Jeff’s house in preparation to join the circus; explored the city sewers, preparing to become a world-class archeologist; … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir, Story Power, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 54 Comments