Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
First a quick recap –
- Start with the Climax- the end – number 10.
- Then back to number 1 – what’s the Genre – thriller, fantasy, detective story, etc. etc.
- Now step 2 – I’m calling it Act One, Act Two, Act Three or the beginning, the middle and the end.
A lot of people think this step has to be in depth storytelling – but it’s not. It’s should be thoughtful, but simple and direct.
Act 1 – Captain Ahab takes off in the Pequod to find Moby Dick
Act 2 – Captain Ahab and crew chase Moby Dick around the world.
Act 3 – Captain Ahab battles Moby Dick to the death
That’s it – that’s all you have to put on the page. Don’t let this step become Resistance.
The Foolscap Method is a quick way for you to evaluate - Is this worth doing? Is there something here worth pursuing? It’s not the place to get hung up on all of the intricate details.
So – what’s the beginning, the middle and end of your story (by the way – you’ve already written the end so Act 3 is pretty much already there. )
First a quick recap –
- Start with the Climax- the end – number 10.
- Then back to number 1 – what’s the Genre – thriller, fantasy, detective story, etc. etc.
- Now step 2 – I’m calling it Act One, Act Two, Act Three or the beginning, the middle and the end.
A lot of people think this step has to be in depth storytelling – but it’s not. It’s should be thoughtful, but simple and direct.
Act 1 – Captain Ahab takes off in the Pequod to find Moby Dick
Act 2 – Captain Ahab and crew chase Moby Dick around the world.
Act 3 – Captain Ahab battles Moby Dick to the death
That’s it – that’s all you have to put on the page. Don’t let this step become Resistance.
The Foolscap Method is a quick way for you to evaluate - Is this worth doing? Is there something here worth pursuing? It’s not the place to get hung up on all of the intricate details.
So – what’s the beginning, the middle and end of your story (by the way – you’ve already written the end so Act 3 is pretty much already there. )
