Why 99% Of Stories Are Meaningless - Alan Watt [Founder of L.A. Writers' Lab]

What do you like about this one?

This sounds a lot why there is no continuity in stories today, with characters do what the plot needs them to do instead of being true to who they are as a character.

3:37 "The story is not about what happens, it's about the meaning we ascribe to what happens." What an awesome video! As a writer, I've learned so much from listening to Alan Watt.

"The fears you have in writing your story are identical in nature to the fears your protagonist has within the story." Beautifully said.

Alan Watt’s approach and methods are fantastic. I wrote the first draft of a script last year, and the characters were flat and forced. I’ve been working through Alan’s “90 Day Screenplay” now as I do the second draft. The characters are alive and interwoven with the plot in ways I never could have imagined—a completely different animal! “Save the Cat” and other structure books are great, but they’re only part of the equation. Alan helps you utilize the creativity you didn’t know you had.

Good ideas are easier to write. Writing is difficult enough, no need to make it harder by going in without a premise you're passionate to see flourish.

I felt enlightened by the notion of not discarding a creative idea but seeing how it can be supported. He elucidates it in a manner that had me seeing the notion of my ego as referee, getting in the way, and it standing aside, allowing goodness to be nurtured to see where it goes if supported. I do not know much about the writing scene or Alan Watt but if I were seeking writing guidance I'd want someone like him, someone with solid process and hands off the story... It's really a beautiful thing to hear stuff like this, even for someone in a different field.

Ideas are just ideas until a back story or deeper meaning is established. I'm going to go over my log lines and synopsis. Alan Watt Thanks!!!❤

"the unconscious is the seat of your genius" --you said it right there, Alan. Neuroscience is behind you on this, actually. Cheers

The host did ask great questions.

Talking about his fear exercise just made me realise things about the protagonist of a story I wrote a couple of years ago. I'm so glad I watched this because he is really insightful about the process.

You bring up "It's a Wonderful Life" because it's an amazing script? Great advice for writing. Helped me solidify a few things. Thanks.

I have become a fan of screen writing because it helps me create the scenarios and stories for my group's RPG sessions. Roleplaying games are usually about a Cadre of characters and their heroes journey. Screen writing helps me weave a tapestry that the players can co-create their stories within. I love your emphasis on meaning because that is how the player's characters really come alive and what makes memorable moments and characters.

Interestingly one of the best advices I received on being a god Game Master in RPG was: let go your scenario, let the players be and create the world, let yourself be surprised by the direction your game is taking in the frames of the world you are the creator of.

Watt has a lot of great info that maybe coincidentally, or maybe because writers find similar roads to their work that what he's describing is mirroring a lot of my own writing process currently and what other professional writers have coached me on.

This has to be my favorite channel on YouTube. I've obtained the most value here bar none. Thank you so much.

Great advice. Your bringing the story back to the human element which is what hooks viewers.

Good video! I started work on a screenplay about a year ago. I figured it was going to be easy because I had what I thought was a good idea. But when I actually started writing the outline and thinking about it for more than five seconds, I realized that it's not that cut and dry. I've learned so much about my story and the characters and I stopped trying to force things to happen. Playing around with ideas has made writing more enjoyable. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to when I actually finish my first draft.

This is literally genius and so helpful! 🙌🏼

I really liked his book! It was so riveting that I had to put it down, take a breather, stop worrying about the main character, come back a few days later, keep reading and stop again out of anxiety for the plot. Even now I see the image of the dad character’s face in my mind very vividly and I read this a while ago. I was walking in time square one day and I saw a sign about a musical about Niel Diamond and I thought “who do I know that really likes that artist?” and then I realized—it was the dad character from the book 😂