1. The Art of Storytelling There are only so many stories in the world...

2. A note about taking notes: Do not attempt to write every single word as a teacher is talking. Sit back, listen, process the information. Then summarize main ideas. Some notes are about facts, details, dates. Some are about big ideas. Find the method that works best for you. See my blog for a whole lesson on how to take notes.

3. Good stories are about the ideas, the theme, and the universality of human experience. Voice & the style of writing make it unique in the hands of a good writer.

4. The Big Seven = Conflict 1.Character vs. character 2.Character vs. him / herself 3.Character vs. nature 4.Character vs. God / Fate 5.Character vs. society 6.Character caught in the middle (of?) 7.Man and Woman (or variations of your choice…)

5. The Golden Thread - all the great stories of Western Literature in 16 themes 1. Once Upon a Time (myth & fairy tale) 2. There’s No Place Like Home (The Odyssey) 3. The Tragic Hero (Macbeth) 4. Staying Out of Harm’s Way 5. What Fresh Hell is This? (Dante’s Inferno) 6. Fortune, Fate, & Fools (King Lear) 7. Knight School (Holy Grail & Quest) 8. What’s Love Got to Do With It? 9. Whose Life is it Anyways? (Choice and biography- life events, coming of age) 10. Who’s Running this Place? (Leadership - The Prince / Macbeth) 11. Making Something From Nothing (Crazy King Lear) 12. A Better Place Than This (Heaven, Utopia, Gulliver) 13. Just Happy to be Here (Voltaire’s Candide) 14. It Was a Dark and Stormy Night (Frankenstein) 15. The Countdown (post-apocalypse) 16. Existential Angst & Artists

6. Other Variations on a Theme Rags to Riches Coming of Age Overcoming Obstacles Voyage and return Comedy, Parody, Satire, and Farce - funny stuff Rebirth and Redemption Good vs. Evil Abandonment Grief and Loss A Search for Identity Whims of Fate & Chance Our Place in Nature & Society Justice, Law, & Crime Morals & Ethics Obsession Technology & Humans Parenthood Major Life Events / Stages of Life Friendship & Sacrifice Balance, Yin & Yang Universal Human Needs The Loss of Innocence The Noble Sacrifice The Great Battle The Great Mystery

7. Make Your Story Unique “But all the great stories have already been written!” “I’m just a small-town kid, living in a lonely world… what do I know about anything?” All humans have similar, universal experiences, but we all experience events in a different way. That’s what makes us unique individuals. Observe the world around you with a critical, but sympathetic, eye. What do you see? How are you similar to or different than other people around you? Find your inner nerdy weirdness… that’s what you write about.

8. How can this idea help me in English class? LITERATURE Analyzing and interpreting literature is about recognizing theme, drawing out the big ideas, being able to comment on, respond, to discuss, and really chew on those universal human themes. Train yourself to recognize types of stories and big ideas. LANGUAGE & WRITING Making your simple story connect to a big idea that already exists? Priceless! Ready-made templates of what a story could be- twist it, turn it, update it, make it yours. Steal from others- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery (well, sorta…)

9. The Art of Storytelling with Andrew Stanton- taking notes from a video Andrew Stanton on the Art of Storytelling from TED Talks http://www.ted.c om/talks/andrew _stanton_the_clu es_to_a_great_st ory?language=en http://www.ted.c om/talks/andrew _stanton_the_clu es_to_a_great_st ory?language=en SET UP YOUR PAGE (chart? section headings? Mind map, Q & A, - your choice). 1.What makes a good story? 2.What tips / advice does Stanton offer about how to write a good story? 3.What does the phrase “Don’t give them 4, give them 2+2 mean”? 4.Your response, comments, feedback, questions? Prepare for discussion.