| Introduction | p. 1 |
| What Are the Six Core Competencies ... and Why Should I Care? | |
| The Power of a Fresh Storytelling Model | p. 10 |
| The Six Core Competencies-A 10,000-Foot View | p. 15 |
| Defining the Six Core Competencies | p. 20 |
| Launching the Storytelling Process | p. 24 |
| The First Core Competency-Concept | |
| Concept-Defined | p. 30 |
| The Criteria for Concept | p. 35 |
| How Do You Know If Your Concept Is Good Enough? | p. 45 |
| The Second Core Competency-Character | |
| The Fundamental Essence of Character | p. 54 |
| The Three Dimensions of Character | p. 61 |
| Character Unmasked | p. 75 |
| The Human Nature of Character | p. 80 |
| Creating Backstory | p. 86 |
| Interior vs. Exterior Conflict | p. 92 |
| Crafting a Character Arc | p. 97 |
| Character-The Sum of the Parts | p. 106 |
| The Third Core Competency-Theme | |
| Defining Theme | p. 117 |
| Implementing Theme | p. 121 |
| Theme and Character Arc | p. 126 |
| The Fourth Core Competency-Story Structure | |
| The Need for Structure | p. 131 |
| Story Structure vs. Story Structure | p. 137 |
| The Big Picture of Story Structure | p. 139 |
| The First Box: Part 1-The Set-Up | p. 146 |
| The Second Box: Part 2-The Response | p. 151 |
| The Third Box: Part 3-The Attack | p. 154 |
| The Fourth Box: Part 4-The Resolution | p. 156 |
| The Role of Story Milestones | p. 158 |
| Writing to Publish: The Most Important Aspect of Your Story | p. 163 |
| Five Missions for the Set Up of Your Story | p. 165 |
| A Deeper Look at Foreshadowing | p. 170 |
| The Most Important Moment in Your Story: The First Plot Point | p. 173 |
| A Kinder, Gentler First Plot Point | p. 179 |
| Shades of Gray: A Somewhat Liberating Spin on Story Structure | p. 182 |
| Expanding Your Grasp of the Part 2 Response | p. 187 |
| Wrapping Your Head Around the Mid-Point | p. 192 |
| Commencing the Part 3 Attack | p. 196 |
| Pinch Points | p. 199 |
| The Second Plot Point | p. 204 |
| The Final Act | p. 209 |
| The Single Most Powerful Writing Tool You'll Ever See That Fits on One Page | p. 217 |
| The Six Most Important Words in Storytelling | p. 220 |
| Outlining vs. Organic Storytelling | p. 224 |
| The Fifth Core Competency-Scene Execution | |
| The Essential Nature of Scenes | p. 227 |
| The Function of Scenes | p. 232 |
| A Checklist for Your Scenes | p. 242 |
| The Sixth Core Competency-Writing Voice | |
| Finding Your Voice | p. 246 |
| The Best Writing Analogy I Know | p. 253 |
| More Musings on Voice | p. 256 |
| The Story Development Process | |
| Getting It Written | p. 260 |
| The Pantser's Guide to Story Planning | p. 269 |
| From How We Do This to Why We Do This | p. 275 |
| Index | p. 279 |
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