I just got back from doing a presentation for members of CWILL BC, an organization of children's writers and illustrators. I spoke about the three-act template and about what I actually do once I get a manuscript...

Q: What does a standing ovation mean in Vancouver? A: The show's over. Sometimes it can feel like that, anyway. And, to be fair, it's not just Vancouver; North America is standing-O crazy. Studio audiences leap to their feet when talk-show hosts arrive on-stage, for...

The three-act structure is a useful tool. It can help you to structure your story in the early stages of writing, and it's a great lens through which to examine a draft. That said, not every successful story is going to fall neatly into the three-act structure. "Ride...

Authors sometimes ask me about the structure of short stories. In my experience, this can vary wildly. Some short stories may include elements of the three-act structure that's the underpinning of many novels and screenplays—a Call to Adventure, a Refusal of the Call,...

This year, all of the Arts reviewers at the Straight picked two highlights from the past year. You can find all of them, including mine, at http://www.straight.com/article-571426/vancouver/years-worth-visions

Waiting for Godot divides theatregoers into two camps; you either love it or hate it. The non-fans complain that it's intimidating and/or boring. But, well produced, the play can be extremely funny—as well as harrowing. And good performers bring out the humanity, as...

  In the three-act structure, there's a difference between a mentor and a Mentor. Friends, allies, and mentors might help your hero out at any point on her journey, but the capital M Mentor serves a specific function: the Mentor helps your protagonist to overcome...

          Carousel Theatre's production of The Wizard of Oz is probably the best theatrical holiday entertainment currently playing in Vancouver. Under Carole Higgins's direction, the cast is confidently eccentric. I especially enjoyed Mike...

Sometimes writers make the mistake of thinking that, to tell a story, all you have to do is answer the question, "What happens next?" It's not that simple. As I see it, the question is more like, "What does the protagonist do next in order to reach her (or his) goal?"...