Just found this... and I can't be any more in agreement. You start thinking "I can't do that to my creation". Then you remember great stories come from conflict... and you start going sadistic on them.
Guys I’m really worried about Abbie. She uploaded a vid without a Jane Austen reference. Like? I suppose she did promise examples in the next vid. I say if none of those are Jane Austen then we go to her house and collectively take her temperature.
@@baylee8659 so weird I can't find it 😕 can you maybe copy the link or something? You don't have to of course but if you don't mind I would appreciate it 😊
This is a quote from my book “your happiness isn’t going to knock at you door and Whisk you away , you have to pick up your discolored rucksack, and go find it” (random lol but proud of it)
Anyone else finding these videos are like a counseling session? I have started thinking, "Wait, am I making decisions out of fear and misbelief? What internal conflict is driving my actions right now?" 😮
@@aanyachennupati771 I'm not being mean, they literally just said they know what it's like to be destroyed, I'm asking them if they need someone to talk to and if they're okay, because sometimes people don't have anyone to talk to, and I can step up and be that person if they need it. :)
The disaster moment for both my main characters is when they were betrayed by the only people they thought they could trust. One spent the entire book learning not to trust anyone, while the other spent the book opening up more. I made the disasters mirror each other to differentiate between them. One character took the opportunity to realize their mistakes while the other sunk deeper into their lie.
For my character, she'd been practicing trick riding, forming a strong bond with her horse and her teacher (not the disaster) and she's finally about to reach her goal by competing in a competition. Her sister, the antagonist, sabotaged the saddle by cutting one of the saddle straps enough for it to break under pressure and loosening the other one. The antagonist intended for her sister to get hurt, but instead, the horse gets spooked when one of the protagonist's tricks fails. It jumps a fence to escape as someone tries to calm it, lands wrong, and shatters its leg. It's broken to the point that even if they fixed it, the horse would be in pain for the rest of its life, so they put it down. The mc (who refuses to believe shes the reason her dad died when she was little) believes she's the guilty party, and is crushed, and gives in to her sisters constant claim that she is responsible for her dad dying. She believes that she is the reason both of them are dead and its killing her from the inside out.
So good sounding! I love horses. That would definitely crush me if my horse shattered it's leg like that. Especially if it was my negligence. I would read!
In my book i gave my MC a serious fear of boats & water (due to a specific childhood trauma), then made it so she HAD to get on a boat in order to get home... *and then I sank it* 😃
I agree that the disaster needs to have special significance to the character, like their personal primal fear. However, I'm not so sold on the idea yet that it has to be their own fault. It can still show them the flaw in their thinking, by disrupting their optimism bias. But when a character really only has themselves to blame for their own misery, that has repeatedly made me zone out and instinctively distance myself from the character: You disengage, think "they had it coming", and "I never would have done what they did". And just like that, the reader no longer suffers along with them.
I think what she's trying to say is that the character has to be at least active in what went down, instead of a passive character that allows everything, including the disaster, to unfold without doing much. In my book, the MC is warned not to trust this certain character but she defies them (mostly because she was desperate, she didnt really have any other choice) and just when she thought everyone was wrong about this character, she ends up getting hurt by them, very badly. While the responsibility ultimately falls on that character inflicting the damage onto her, the MC made the decisions that brought her to them to begin with. I hope that makes sense!
Honestly I think I have mastered writing my character’s traumas. Especially after reading Heartstopper. As someone who didn’t get a lot of love growing up, Heartstopper made me realize that in order to build relationships, you need to build trust. There is a lot of emotion in making characters and making them have brand new relationships better than past ones. I realized that to be human you have to express emotion, and I’ve been known as perceptive because it’s easy for me to slip into someone else’s shoes. Since it is hard for me to express emotion and feel genuine love with another person who gives me the same amount of affection back, I have to put myself in another perspective then I am right now.
@@anasoares1043 It kinda is. XD He's a good guy in book one. But get effed up real bad in the end. (Throughout the book as well, but the final blows are hard).
I started heavily outlining my novel and it seemed coherent and seemed to respect my main characters misbelief and fear and I became so happy that I've got it all figured out. But then, usually looking back at your 3 act story structure template(which is amazing!!) I see a plot type hole. And how it doesn't match up and how it doesn't make sense. I seem to be switching my MC misbelief every two seconds because it doesn't line up with her actions or even the side plots. And every time this happens, you release a new video on the topic. Which is so helpful!!!! But it makes me torn because I have to 'rewrite the stars' again for my characters. Something productive to do today then !! Thank you for making these videos as they bring a lot of perspective and useful tips !!
9:34 omg. I really, REALLY needed to hear that. I started to plot my story before even knowing the 3 act structure, but as soon as I was presented to this structure, I immediately fell in love with it. Now I'm triyng to "translate" my story to this structure, and I have been VERY obsessed with this. Thx Abbie!
I need tips on my disaster In my story, what my character fears the most is loss. The loss of family and friends, the loss of time and of happiness, he fears that if he loses his battle with the antagonist, he’ll lose everything. This causes him to be ever anxious and overprotective of his love interest. Skip forward to the disaster, he’s battling the antagonist know to him only as “the Illusionist”. He’s fighting on the edge of a cliff, he fights for a few pages, and when he finally beats the Illusionist, he burns him with his blue flame power. Reality then begins to swirl and shift, changing to reveal that he is actually standing in the forest, trees set ablaze with blue fire and a corpse on the ground. And as he takes a closer look at the corpse, he realizes that it’s the body of his girlfriend instead of the Illusionist. This shakes him to the core and makes him doubt reality for the majority of the book, also traumatizing him giving him another weakness that the antagonist can use against him. This disaster causes him such pain that he is never the same throughout the entire book. What do you think? Good? Bad? Please be honest, criticism is good for improvement.
Can I have a disaster AND a temptation moment? Or, alternatively, two disasters? With one of them being a red herring? In my story, the most traumatic disaster arises as a natural consequence of the protagonist resisting the antagonist - the antagonist tries to break the protagonist’s resistance this way. But because the antagonist has all rational arguments on her side, as long as the protagonist accepts her framework of values, this first “red herring” disaster causes the protagonist to wonder whether the antagonist might be right. Thus, the protagonist ceases her resistance (dark moment), which becomes the supposed victory for the antagonist. Then the protagonist’s best friend sacrifices herself - which is partly heroic, but also partly because she’s lost hope in a better outcome, after the protagonist seems to have abandoned her resistance. Her best friend’s death then causes the protagonist to question the antagonist’s very framework of values, rather than just the antagonist’s brutal methods. In other words, this is the second disaster that actually leads the protagonist to her aha-moment. Simultaneously, it’s also a disaster for the antagonist, because she has mentioned multiple times before how she can’t allow the rebels to have another martyr - and the protagonist’s best friend just turned herself into one. Lastly, it’s a heavy hit for the reader, because given the gravity of the first disaster (one that doesn’t lead the protagonist to the aha-moment yet), the reader might think the worst had already happened yet - only to find out that even worse is to come. In a nutshell, this structure goes “fake disaster” (thing that would be terrible for anyone, even though it does have special significance for the protagonist) -> dark moment / temptation (protagonist ceases resistance, is willing to accept the antagonist’s world view) -> accepting the (antagonist’s) lie -> actual disaster -> aha moment.
I think Game of Thrones (book) does this perfectly, when Ned Stark faces Joffrey, thinking he's already won, but is betrayed by littlefinger and incarcerated. Not only does this put the character at risk, but proves that his way of seeing the world, his morals, were wrong all along or rather that they don't apply in a world devoid of it. His naiveté and his sense of honor led him to ruin, and no one else.
Thank you for making these videos. You have saved my writing. I used to give up on a story idea the moment I hit a roadblock. Now whenever I get writers block I watch one of your videos and know where to take my story next. I am currently working on the second draft of my current project. I have never written a second draft before so this is all very exciting.
After watching a bunch of her character creation videos, I just realized that my antagonist is closer to being a protagonist than my protagonist. I’ve thought about him so much more than I have about my protagonist.
I am currently writing a musical drama and this is my first time to write for film. I am having a hard time but thanks to you I’m learning from your content. I’m from the Philippines by the way. Thank you so much, Abbie!
As a type 9 myself, it’s true that “being talked over” is hurtful, but not necessarily a disaster. However, feeling unheard, unacknowledged, or like you are fading into the background truly can be devastating. Especially when you feel like you could help - if only they would listen. Feeling like you’ve can’t be heard or have lost the ability to speak out is definitely worthy of a 9’s darkest moment imo
Why does this disaster matter to my protagonist? Because it confirms her fear/misbelief that she is not worthy of anything if she is not her mother's daughter. She THOUGHT she meant something in this new environment. She THOUGHT she got away from her fear, but nope. Here we are front and center baby!!!!
As I am binge-watching your videos by playlist, I now FULLY grasp the importance of the scene cards. Every moment is a question of what happens, why it matters, and how it affects our characters !!!
I'm so happy Abbie posts these videos. I used her outline document (the one with the story beats, their descriptions, and questions to ask yourself) and just finished outlining all the story beats for my first book ever! I'm so excited to pepper the outline with the rest of the dominoes/scenes in between all the story beats, and then I'll finally be ready to write!
My disaster moment is the protagonist trying to help a side character get over their fear but in the process they accidentally hurt them so they think there desire for a friend will never happen.
I just found this channel recently and it literally a video dedicated to everything I wanna put in a story plus the even more in for on how to write a proper story so it's interesting. I keep thinking of the stories, TV show, or even animes, I've watched when seeing your videos and connecting it to see what makes it good. So far this channel has been the most helpful for writing out of all the writing channels.
idk if Abbie will read this, but I really want her to know this. I've always been skeptical if I really like to write, and this legendary human being might have just made me realise what I truly really love. The biggest inspiration. Your optimism could drive anyone happy and I LOVE YOUR PASSION for making our story matter. ❤
Being a 9, and not being heard, no matter how many times you say how your spouse is neglecting you, hurting your feelings, yelling at you, etc., and then finally leaving, withthe spouse being completely "blind-sided by your action is an example of 'don't talk over a 9."
My character thought they got rock bottom early on and has been crawling out and growing stronger. Then the one thing that has kept her going is ripped away
Your videos are the most helpful writing videos on RUclips. No contest. Every single time I watch one, it pushes my story forward and pushes my own growth as a writer. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with the community!
Wow. What hit me the most out of this video, was what never to do to your character based on their enneagram type. My mc is a 3. You said to not ignore a 3, and in my book that is exactly what happens! I feel accomplished as a writer lol. Another great, inspiring video, Abbie!!
I think "never talk over a 9" could be a serious "dark moment" depending on how important what they are trying to say is. Being talked over in regular conversation, maybe not. But knowing something that would change EVERYTHING for them or someone they love, and not being able to get anyone to listen, forcing them to literally risk their life to assert themselves and be heard whereas Enneagram 9's are usually very conflict-averse ... wow, I think you may have just given me a piece of the puzzle I needed for the NaNoWriMo project I'm planning.
Ahhh this is such a great video! Most of yours are! I really love how in depth you are with the advice. I don't think it was too much or too confusing at all. I loved it!
I have discovered your videos because I want to write a well planned-out fanfiction and seriously, I am so excited to follow your advice! Your content is pure gold and exactly what I need, especially this video! Thank you so much! Thanks to you I can't stop plotting and writing scenes using your scene cards and just generally knowing exactly where my story is headed and how I get there! You are amazing! Could you please do a video on the climactic confrontation and then the victory next?
yeppers. The mc of a book I'm writing is terrified of loss and betrayal. Needless to say her mom died and it turns out her boyfriend had been manipulating her literally since before they met
9:10 As I One I TOTALLY agree that I can’t handle criticism well and on top of everyone else doing it to me, I do it to myself. But for all of these things I don’t think you would solely use this to bring them to their dark moment. Me personally, if someone criticized me I might no react harshly until after it’s multiple times. If I’m criticizing myself or someone I hold highly does so I might feel like a failure and cry in my room for a couple of hours. Things you could do are over and over being criticized and one day not being able to take it and lashing out. But because Ones (and myself) see anger as wrong, we get frustrated with ourselves. And (maybe it’s because I’m a teenager and can’t handle emotion) this would bring me to very rough patches. If I do something I think is very wrong or have failed myself, I’ll beat myself up for it (internally and sometimes physically). I think if you did these things over and over to that specific type it would be the thing pushing them to the Dark Moment, but there will be things deeper than these that mean more to the characters that would make them full blown into the dark moment. And these things could be what shapes their misbeliefs as well. These things you do to the type might be able to form their beliefs about the world and themselves. (I don’t really know this for fact, but if you wrote it like that, I don’t think anyone would call you off as doing something wrong.) Thanks for reading my ramblings on the enneagram. I’m obsessed.
Maybe a good disaster moment for a one would be that they make a huge mistake, and they're the one to blame for it, and the everyone who they are friends with hate the character for that mistake.
@@moonlight_cat_27 I raise your “everyone hates them” to they hate themself. Doing something immoral and knowing it’s immoral. I’m not sure about other ones but for me, selfishness is a crime if not more. So if I see others selfishly acting, I get annoyed with them. If I get annoyed with them, that’s anger, selfishness on my part, and not loving them (putting it bluntly: sin). If I’m selfish, I’m now annoyed with myself, on the verge of anger. Dark moments would be things that are soul crushing-soul crushing for me is not living up to the shoulds or living out the shouldn’ts. (Note that the core fear of one’s is being corruptible, bad, evil, wrong, etc. …while I do get worked up when I do things poorly, or am the one to blame for something failing… the internal junk I deal with is the brunt of my pain, so just making the character disgusted with their lifestyle-even believing there’s nothing they can do about it-would be enough to create a dark moment.)
I love this video a lot! In my story, the MC is a very determined guy and wants to find a safe home, away from the evil AI's that are overtaking the world. When news comes that a bad storm is coming, he brushes off because he's determined to beat the storm. But as they're traveling, the storm rams them head-on and the MC feels horrible that he causes the deaths of other people who are following him for the same reason: finding a safe home.
I'm reading (again) the Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony, and noticing how perfectly he follows all your recommendations in each book of this series. I understand now that the authors I love the most do this and do it well; it's the most common thread through my eclectic range of genre interests, and I'm thrilled that you're teaching me why I love them and what I can do to make my work comparable to theirs. Love you, Abbie!
Oh wow! Timing coldn’t have been any better! My novel is set in Pompeii in the year leading up to the eruption. It goes without saying, a lot of people die, including some characters I’ve gotten really attached to.
Great example: Velvet from Tales of Berseria That disaster felt a little out of place on my first playthrough, but then you realise everything led up to it.
Soo im my case my character STARTS at their lowest point. Should i completely destroy them like basically take everything from them in order to be ...compelling for example?
It is really important to have a twist in our story. All the books that I have read, including yours ,had properly done it! I becomes tough if you're not used to it. I'm thinking to do the same! Thank you so much.
Sure, now i have watched this and now have a better idea for execution of my book and this has changed the back story of my main character. how dare you come along and make so much sense. 🤣. on to reworking this draft.
As a 9, we like to live in our peaceful internal world, away from conflict. What is truly diasterous to a 9 is something that shatters our false sense of peace and security. On a deeper level, it's us not realizing who we are and what we truly want out of life or even worse, realizing we've been complacent to someone else's agenda that we fell asleep to our own.
Omygosh, Abbie! I just realized that you're closing in on 50000 SUBS! SCREAMING FOR YOU! I remember when you were so pumped about getting 5K. Look at you go! I pray your positivity and heart for stories and people continues to touch the hearts and minds of the people watching! I bet you'll be a 500K before you know it. Also, actually related to the video, I was just editing this scene in my book :)
I'm a bit confused on which story beat goes to which act, because I already googled the 3 act structure and wrote down the sections, but these are little bit different (especially act 2 and 3) and now I don't know what belongs to where 😭
Hey Abbie! How are you doing today? I hope your writing projects are going well! I wanted to thank you so much for doing what you do! I wouldn’t have the writing knowledge I needed if it wasn’t for you! I’ve watched dozens of your videos, and I have learned so much! You even inspired me to take on the challenge of NaNoWriMo this year! I’m still very early in the process of developing my story--as I still need to figure out my main characters desire, fear, and misbelief---but I’m going to try and finish my outline before November rolls around so I can be completely prepared to write on November first 😁. And thanks to you, I look at story a completely different way than I used to! I now know it’s not about what happens---but how it effects and transforms the characters! Anyway this was a long comment. I hope you have a great day! Rock on! 😉
Quick note here (13:40): As an Enneagram Nine, I'd just like to say that getting talked over might not be a disaster for me, however, the same feeling of being just kind of...pushed away, or left out, or not considered (which is what a nine might feel a little twinge of), can be related to a Nine's perfect disaster. Such as, uh.... idk maybe a lot of things are going on in said Nine's life and they REALLY need support from their parents or BFFs and bc that's how they think they're gonna get through it... but then whoever they need to notice that they're struggling just doesn't. Doesn't notice, doesn't even happen to pay much attention to them. Or, worse, notices them but doesn't see their pain and that, THAT, is a rough thing for a Nine. Having to ask someone, "hey, can you give me some attention? I really need it right now," that is not in our nature. We kinda just want people to read our minds so that we don't have to bother them much (or at least I do) and then the conflict can be dealt with in the least conflicting way possible. Nine needs attention. Someone overrides them. Internal struggle of needing attention but being hesitant to speak up intensifies bc now in order to get said attention Nine has to step outside comfort zone and "speak up" more, which is what a Nine hates bc Oh No Now I'm Bothering Them and Oh No I Have To Exert Energy To Do It and Oh No What If I Fail Because I'm Already Not Confident. Perfect storm. If that helps lol
@HappyFellowship As someone who is obsessed with the enneagram, I wanted to know if I was right in saying this. Do you think the disaster would be rooted better in something as in actually feeling like they don’t matter? After listening to Your Enneagram Coach podcast on an overview of each type I think that’s what she said the core fear was. And for anyone else, if you know how to use wings well enough, use them to your advantage. It can be fun to add another side of their personality to the mix. Because, as a person who’s a One wing Nine, I know I can feel like downplaying problems to (sometimes seem strong) keep from bugging anyone and I tend to not say what I want because I don’t want to keep someone from what they want (kinda Nineish of me) and because I think I shouldn’t. All that to say, make their motivations be intertwined between their wing(s) and their main type. It’s really fun to make complex characters.
@@taytaythehufflepuff8532 that sounds really great! I like your thoughts. I'm also a 9w1 and what you said about downplaying problems is spot on for me lol.
Do you have an organized binder, of some sort with all these key elements in stories that you ✔️ mark as you write. What do you suggest as an organization of this things in a digital form.
What if it's a long series that is being written? How can I teach my MC lessons without them learning things too early? There are events that need to break the character later on. How do I still give the readers an interesting story in the first book without the MC learning too much too quickly ? He is stubborn and stuck in his ways. One book isn't going to be enough to change him. #AskAbbie
Great video! My book doesn't fall 100% into your example but you explain it in a way I see the importance and can apply it. My characters are not a cause of the disaster but I see how they might think they are and how that would effect them....Thanks!
This was the first thing i wrote after developing characters. I even wrote it before i finished outlining because I knew exactly where i wanted it to go and i knew what would break her completely, and her specifically. The other characters are devastated by the disaster moment, yes, but for her its a million times worse.
My favorite darkest moments are in Red Rising (more specifically the second book) and The Poppy War. In Red Rising, the main character is always to blame and he has to find a way out of it, and honestly, it’s one of the best books I’ve read. Same thing for the Poppy War. The MC is responsable for every action she takes, it’s actually one of the messages of the books, it’s that there is no “destiny”, just actions made by mortals.
5:21 Yep. My character is literally just running away from her fear.... but this is the moment I will strike! (And everything will be super depressing even though she’s not depressed.)
I don't even remember what the crisis was in my first novel (now on the shelf waiting for the revisionary phase). (Wow. really? That's really sad to realize.) umm. I think it was the MC realizing that the magical people can't help. -- But in the current WIP, the disaster is going to be my MC getting back together with (and/or a proposal from) her boyfriend.
Oh Abbie, no *captions* available?! I’ve been following you since June and am so thankful for you enunciation and the captions (severely hard of hearing). Is it possible to correct this for this video?
Can a disaster be like a character figuring out that they have been working for an organization that was just as bad as the “true antagonist “ organization?
Me a few months ago: I COULD NEVER TO THAT TO MY BRAIN CHILDREN.
Me now: let them blllleeeeeedddddd *evil laugh*
HAHJAKALACZOA S
"Why humans can't have super-powers"
@@SamekySantos 😂
Hahahahaha yes
Just found this... and I can't be any more in agreement.
You start thinking "I can't do that to my creation". Then you remember great stories come from conflict... and you start going sadistic on them.
Guys I’m really worried about Abbie. She uploaded a vid without a Jane Austen reference. Like? I suppose she did promise examples in the next vid. I say if none of those are Jane Austen then we go to her house and collectively take her temperature.
lol 🤣
Lead the waaaayy!!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂
YES SHE NEEDS OUR HELP
Yes 😂😂😂
Sending cakes?
Abbie, you just need to make a mug or a bookmark that says, “WHY DOES IT MATTER?” In all caps.
Lol her merch says this now
@@baylee8659 where can i find the merch?
@@user-ayala it’s under this video there’s an ad for it
@@baylee8659 so weird I can't find it 😕 can you maybe copy the link or something? You don't have to of course but if you don't mind I would appreciate it 😊
I'd buy that
This is a quote from my book “your happiness isn’t going to knock at you door and Whisk you away , you have to pick up your discolored rucksack, and go find it” (random lol but proud of it)
Man, that's a good quote. You deserve to be proud of that:)
Marcus Haaksma aw thank you so much ! Means a lot to me :)
I want to read your book now XD
love it seriously🤍 now I’m curious lol
Omg wow this is going to be my yearbook quote now! You are amazing 💕👍🏻
Anyone else finding these videos are like a counseling session? I have started thinking, "Wait, am I making decisions out of fear and misbelief? What internal conflict is driving my actions right now?" 😮
YES SAME
And here I was debating on breaking my character and now you've convinced me!
i been watching a ton of counseling vids for my writing, so, fine line maybe
Very True
YES
finally, a part of the story where i can write what i know!
Are you good? I can talk to you if you need it💗
@@aanyachennupati771 I'm not being mean, they literally just said they know what it's like to be destroyed, I'm asking them if they need someone to talk to and if they're okay, because sometimes people don't have anyone to talk to, and I can step up and be that person if they need it. :)
L U don't worry! i was kidding, but thank you *so* much for the offer.
@@eliza3986 No problem! Glad to hear you're alright!💗💗💗
This is a really funny comment especially considering everything that happened in 2020
Nobody:
Abbie: teaching me how to torture people I’ve created
Me: 📝
Characters going through literal hell: 😞😨😭
Us authors creating that hell: ☺💃🕺🎶😁
Us: WRITE THAT DOWN WRITE THAT DOWN
I love torturing....
My characters. Cuz...
Wait Hol' up FBI on my door I'll be right back
The disaster moment for both my main characters is when they were betrayed by the only people they thought they could trust. One spent the entire book learning not to trust anyone, while the other spent the book opening up more. I made the disasters mirror each other to differentiate between them. One character took the opportunity to realize their mistakes while the other sunk deeper into their lie.
Wowwww....
Can't wait to read it once it's published!!!!
Love 2 Learn- Its a story not a subject Thank you!
Trisha Reddy Ooh where are you going to publish it?
Just•096 • Just•096 I’m not sure! It’s still a work in progress but I’m hoping to start querying in a few months.
@@trishareddy2570 What's it called? So know what to look for?
For my character, she'd been practicing trick riding, forming a strong bond with her horse and her teacher (not the disaster) and she's finally about to reach her goal by competing in a competition. Her sister, the antagonist, sabotaged the saddle by cutting one of the saddle straps enough for it to break under pressure and loosening the other one. The antagonist intended for her sister to get hurt, but instead, the horse gets spooked when one of the protagonist's tricks fails. It jumps a fence to escape as someone tries to calm it, lands wrong, and shatters its leg.
It's broken to the point that even if they fixed it, the horse would be in pain for the rest of its life, so they put it down. The mc (who refuses to believe shes the reason her dad died when she was little) believes she's the guilty party, and is crushed, and gives in to her sisters constant claim that she is responsible for her dad dying. She believes that she is the reason both of them are dead and its killing her from the inside out.
@B.V. Hale Wow, that sounds AMAZING! You should publish it. What’s it going to be called?
I would read this!
And the best sister award goes to...not her!
So good sounding!
I love horses. That would definitely crush me if my horse shattered it's leg like that. Especially if it was my negligence.
I would read!
Tell me when this book is published, I want to read it!
thank god because my story is all about breaking my characters, i needed this
Saaaaammeee
Abbie, you broke my heart in 100 days of sun light. I read it in a few hours. IT WAS AMAZING.
In my book i gave my MC a serious fear of boats & water (due to a specific childhood trauma), then made it so she HAD to get on a boat in order to get home...
*and then I sank it* 😃
"and then i sank it" 😂 Sounds great
Rekt
I agree that the disaster needs to have special significance to the character, like their personal primal fear. However, I'm not so sold on the idea yet that it has to be their own fault. It can still show them the flaw in their thinking, by disrupting their optimism bias. But when a character really only has themselves to blame for their own misery, that has repeatedly made me zone out and instinctively distance myself from the character: You disengage, think "they had it coming", and "I never would have done what they did". And just like that, the reader no longer suffers along with them.
I think what she's trying to say is that the character has to be at least active in what went down, instead of a passive character that allows everything, including the disaster, to unfold without doing much. In my book, the MC is warned not to trust this certain character but she defies them (mostly because she was desperate, she didnt really have any other choice) and just when she thought everyone was wrong about this character, she ends up getting hurt by them, very badly. While the responsibility ultimately falls on that character inflicting the damage onto her, the MC made the decisions that brought her to them to begin with. I hope that makes sense!
"How To Write A DISASTER + DARK MOMENT"
aka the best moment of the book and the only thing we authors know😂😂
Honestly I think I have mastered writing my character’s traumas. Especially after reading Heartstopper.
As someone who didn’t get a lot of love growing up, Heartstopper made me realize that in order to build relationships, you need to build trust. There is a lot of emotion in making characters and making them have brand new relationships better than past ones. I realized that to be human you have to express emotion, and I’ve been known as perceptive because it’s easy for me to slip into someone else’s shoes. Since it is hard for me to express emotion and feel genuine love with another person who gives me the same amount of affection back, I have to put myself in another perspective then I am right now.
I'm afraid I'm destroying my MC so much he's becoming a villain himself. :3 Oops!
THAT would be a good plot twist to a sequel 😉
@@anasoares1043 It kinda is. XD He's a good guy in book one. But get effed up real bad in the end. (Throughout the book as well, but the final blows are hard).
Me too lol. She goes through a negative character arc 😅
@@akgwriting9481 Mine as well. XD
I started heavily outlining my novel and it seemed coherent and seemed to respect my main characters misbelief and fear and I became so happy that I've got it all figured out. But then, usually looking back at your 3 act story structure template(which is amazing!!) I see a plot type hole. And how it doesn't match up and how it doesn't make sense. I seem to be switching my MC misbelief every two seconds because it doesn't line up with her actions or even the side plots. And every time this happens, you release a new video on the topic. Which is so helpful!!!! But it makes me torn because I have to 'rewrite the stars' again for my characters. Something productive to do today then !! Thank you for making these videos as they bring a lot of perspective and useful tips !!
9:34 omg. I really, REALLY needed to hear that. I started to plot my story before even knowing the 3 act structure, but as soon as I was presented to this structure, I immediately fell in love with it. Now I'm triyng to "translate" my story to this structure, and I have been VERY obsessed with this. Thx Abbie!
You know, I never realised how much WORK and PLANNING writing is. Love watching your series even though I'm not an author at all. Thumbs up!
I need tips on my disaster
In my story, what my character fears the most is loss. The loss of family and friends, the loss of time and of happiness, he fears that if he loses his battle with the antagonist, he’ll lose everything. This causes him to be ever anxious and overprotective of his love interest. Skip forward to the disaster, he’s battling the antagonist know to him only as “the Illusionist”.
He’s fighting on the edge of a cliff, he fights for a few pages, and when he finally beats the Illusionist, he burns him with his blue flame power.
Reality then begins to swirl and shift, changing to reveal that he is actually standing in the forest, trees set ablaze with blue fire and a corpse on the ground.
And as he takes a closer look at the corpse, he realizes that it’s the body of his girlfriend instead of the Illusionist.
This shakes him to the core and makes him doubt reality for the majority of the book, also traumatizing him giving him another weakness that the antagonist can use against him.
This disaster causes him such pain that he is never the same throughout the entire book.
What do you think? Good? Bad? Please be honest, criticism is good for improvement.
Every time you say "To destroy them" a feel so much joy is it normal.
Yes
You're good!!! One of the perks of the job. 😉
Can I have a disaster AND a temptation moment? Or, alternatively, two disasters? With one of them being a red herring?
In my story, the most traumatic disaster arises as a natural consequence of the protagonist resisting the antagonist - the antagonist tries to break the protagonist’s resistance this way. But because the antagonist has all rational arguments on her side, as long as the protagonist accepts her framework of values, this first “red herring” disaster causes the protagonist to wonder whether the antagonist might be right.
Thus, the protagonist ceases her resistance (dark moment), which becomes the supposed victory for the antagonist. Then the protagonist’s best friend sacrifices herself - which is partly heroic, but also partly because she’s lost hope in a better outcome, after the protagonist seems to have abandoned her resistance. Her best friend’s death then causes the protagonist to question the antagonist’s very framework of values, rather than just the antagonist’s brutal methods. In other words, this is the second disaster that actually leads the protagonist to her aha-moment.
Simultaneously, it’s also a disaster for the antagonist, because she has mentioned multiple times before how she can’t allow the rebels to have another martyr - and the protagonist’s best friend just turned herself into one. Lastly, it’s a heavy hit for the reader, because given the gravity of the first disaster (one that doesn’t lead the protagonist to the aha-moment yet), the reader might think the worst had already happened yet - only to find out that even worse is to come.
In a nutshell, this structure goes “fake disaster” (thing that would be terrible for anyone, even though it does have special significance for the protagonist) -> dark moment / temptation (protagonist ceases resistance, is willing to accept the antagonist’s world view) -> accepting the (antagonist’s) lie -> actual disaster -> aha moment.
I think Game of Thrones (book) does this perfectly, when Ned Stark faces Joffrey, thinking he's already won, but is betrayed by littlefinger and incarcerated. Not only does this put the character at risk, but proves that his way of seeing the world, his morals, were wrong all along or rather that they don't apply in a world devoid of it. His naiveté and his sense of honor led him to ruin, and no one else.
Thank you for making these videos. You have saved my writing. I used to give up on a story idea the moment I hit a roadblock. Now whenever I get writers block I watch one of your videos and know where to take my story next. I am currently working on the second draft of my current project. I have never written a second draft before so this is all very exciting.
After watching a bunch of her character creation videos, I just realized that my antagonist is closer to being a protagonist than my protagonist. I’ve thought about him so much more than I have about my protagonist.
It's weird. I feel all 'oh man, I am really screwing this novel up' to 'oh man, I'm actually doing things right.'
Thank you, Abbie.
your hair is so pretty, today, abs😍 the best brows in the booktube community, hands down.
noooooo not the eyebrows.
One of the most helpful channels...
Thank you for your wisdom!)
I am currently writing a musical drama and this is my first time to write for film. I am having a hard time but thanks to you I’m learning from your content. I’m from the Philippines by the way. Thank you so much, Abbie!
As a type 9 myself, it’s true that “being talked over” is hurtful, but not necessarily a disaster. However, feeling unheard, unacknowledged, or like you are fading into the background truly can be devastating. Especially when you feel like you could help - if only they would listen. Feeling like you’ve can’t be heard or have lost the ability to speak out is definitely worthy of a 9’s darkest moment imo
Why does this disaster matter to my protagonist?
Because it confirms her fear/misbelief that she is not worthy of anything if she is not her mother's daughter. She THOUGHT she meant something in this new environment. She THOUGHT she got away from her fear, but nope. Here we are front and center baby!!!!
OMG I'M SO EXCITED FOR THIS WHOLE SERIES
As I am binge-watching your videos by playlist, I now FULLY grasp the importance of the scene cards. Every moment is a question of what happens, why it matters, and how it affects our characters !!!
I'm so happy Abbie posts these videos. I used her outline document (the one with the story beats, their descriptions, and questions to ask yourself) and just finished outlining all the story beats for my first book ever! I'm so excited to pepper the outline with the rest of the dominoes/scenes in between all the story beats, and then I'll finally be ready to write!
My disaster moment is the protagonist trying to help a side character get over their fear but in the process they accidentally hurt them so they think there desire for a friend will never happen.
I just found this channel recently and it literally a video dedicated to everything I wanna put in a story plus the even more in for on how to write a proper story so it's interesting. I keep thinking of the stories, TV show, or even animes, I've watched when seeing your videos and connecting it to see what makes it good. So far this channel has been the most helpful for writing out of all the writing channels.
idk if Abbie will read this, but I really want her to know this. I've always been skeptical if I really like to write, and this legendary human being might have just made me realise what I truly really love. The biggest inspiration. Your optimism could drive anyone happy and I LOVE YOUR PASSION for making our story matter. ❤
Being a 9, and not being heard, no matter how many times you say how your spouse is neglecting you, hurting your feelings, yelling at you, etc., and then finally leaving, withthe spouse being completely "blind-sided by your action is an example of 'don't talk over a 9."
Some one - why do I like writting
Me - I get to tourcher someone and get praised of it
My character thought they got rock bottom early on and has been crawling out and growing stronger. Then the one thing that has kept her going is ripped away
Your videos are the most helpful writing videos on RUclips. No contest. Every single time I watch one, it pushes my story forward and pushes my own growth as a writer.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with the community!
Wow. What hit me the most out of this video, was what never to do to your character based on their enneagram type. My mc is a 3. You said to not ignore a 3, and in my book that is exactly what happens! I feel accomplished as a writer lol. Another great, inspiring video, Abbie!!
I think "never talk over a 9" could be a serious "dark moment" depending on how important what they are trying to say is. Being talked over in regular conversation, maybe not. But knowing something that would change EVERYTHING for them or someone they love, and not being able to get anyone to listen, forcing them to literally risk their life to assert themselves and be heard whereas Enneagram 9's are usually very conflict-averse ... wow, I think you may have just given me a piece of the puzzle I needed for the NaNoWriMo project I'm planning.
I love this ;)
"You saved all the sadism for this moment."
Nope, I like to make the main character suffer throughout. The disaster is just especially hurtful.
Ahhh this is such a great video! Most of yours are! I really love how in depth you are with the advice. I don't think it was too much or too confusing at all. I loved it!
saving up the sadism, that's a thought. i certainly didn't wait so long
I have discovered your videos because I want to write a well planned-out fanfiction and seriously, I am so excited to follow your advice! Your content is pure gold and exactly what I need, especially this video! Thank you so much! Thanks to you I can't stop plotting and writing scenes using your scene cards and just generally knowing exactly where my story is headed and how I get there! You are amazing! Could you please do a video on the climactic confrontation and then the victory next?
My hero will be confronted by the preserved brain of his son, admonishing him on his failure as a starship captain, and a father.
UH SPOILERS. lol
Are you writing about an acid trip?
Jesus christ are you okay 👀
yeppers. The mc of a book I'm writing is terrified of loss and betrayal. Needless to say her mom died and it turns out her boyfriend had been manipulating her literally since before they met
9:10
As I One I TOTALLY agree that I can’t handle criticism well and on top of everyone else doing it to me, I do it to myself. But for all of these things I don’t think you would solely use this to bring them to their dark moment.
Me personally, if someone criticized me I might no react harshly until after it’s multiple times. If I’m criticizing myself or someone I hold highly does so I might feel like a failure and cry in my room for a couple of hours.
Things you could do are over and over being criticized and one day not being able to take it and lashing out. But because Ones (and myself) see anger as wrong, we get frustrated with ourselves. And (maybe it’s because I’m a teenager and can’t handle emotion) this would bring me to very rough patches. If I do something I think is very wrong or have failed myself, I’ll beat myself up for it (internally and sometimes physically).
I think if you did these things over and over to that specific type it would be the thing pushing them to the Dark Moment, but there will be things deeper than these that mean more to the characters that would make them full blown into the dark moment. And these things could be what shapes their misbeliefs as well. These things you do to the type might be able to form their beliefs about the world and themselves. (I don’t really know this for fact, but if you wrote it like that, I don’t think anyone would call you off as doing something wrong.)
Thanks for reading my ramblings on the enneagram. I’m obsessed.
Maybe a good disaster moment for a one would be that they make a huge mistake, and they're the one to blame for it, and the everyone who they are friends with hate the character for that mistake.
@@moonlight_cat_27 I raise your “everyone hates them” to they hate themself.
Doing something immoral and knowing it’s immoral. I’m not sure about other ones but for me, selfishness is a crime if not more. So if I see others selfishly acting, I get annoyed with them. If I get annoyed with them, that’s anger, selfishness on my part, and not loving them (putting it bluntly: sin). If I’m selfish, I’m now annoyed with myself, on the verge of anger.
Dark moments would be things that are soul crushing-soul crushing for me is not living up to the shoulds or living out the shouldn’ts. (Note that the core fear of one’s is being corruptible, bad, evil, wrong, etc. …while I do get worked up when I do things poorly, or am the one to blame for something failing… the internal junk I deal with is the brunt of my pain, so just making the character disgusted with their lifestyle-even believing there’s nothing they can do about it-would be enough to create a dark moment.)
Muah ha hahaha!!!
Yesssss
Evil cackling
I've waited all my life for this moment!!!!!
Thanks Abbie!!!!
Better than killing real people I suppose...
@Love 2 Learn It’s a story not a subject...This is going to be fun Hehe (rubs hands)
@@alexandernorman5337 ....
The government probably suspects all of us though.
*Searches up how to enter a sword between the ribs*
Well, now they are definitely gonna suspect us!
Everytime I watched one of your video, those moments are my "aha moments". Love you 😘
I whooped when you mentioned adding the Supposed Victory moment right before the Disaster moment, that's exactly what i did WHILE realising it XD
I love this video a lot! In my story, the MC is a very determined guy and wants to find a safe home, away from the evil AI's that are overtaking the world. When news comes that a bad storm is coming, he brushes off because he's determined to beat the storm. But as they're traveling, the storm rams them head-on and the MC feels horrible that he causes the deaths of other people who are following him for the same reason: finding a safe home.
Can you do one for how to write a satisfying villain’s downfall if you haven’t already done so?
I'm reading (again) the Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony, and noticing how perfectly he follows all your recommendations in each book of this series. I understand now that the authors I love the most do this and do it well; it's the most common thread through my eclectic range of genre interests, and I'm thrilled that you're teaching me why I love them and what I can do to make my work comparable to theirs. Love you, Abbie!
Oh wow! Timing coldn’t have been any better! My novel is set in Pompeii in the year leading up to the eruption. It goes without saying, a lot of people die, including some characters I’ve gotten really attached to.
Great example: Velvet from Tales of Berseria
That disaster felt a little out of place on my first playthrough, but then you realise everything led up to it.
Soo im my case my character STARTS at their lowest point. Should i completely destroy them like basically take everything from them in order to be ...compelling for example?
OMG your videos are so good, they're distracting me from writing, lol.
I just got 100 Days of Sunlight! Thanks for all your advice and I can’t wait to read your book!
Goodness! Writers love to destroy their characters will, bring about pain and suffering. It's wonderful!
It is really important to have a twist in our story. All the books that I have read, including yours ,had properly done it! I becomes tough if you're not used to it. I'm thinking to do the same! Thank you so much.
Sure, now i have watched this and now have a better idea for execution of my book and this has changed the back story of my main character. how dare you come along and make so much sense. 🤣. on to reworking this draft.
As a 9, we like to live in our peaceful internal world, away from conflict. What is truly diasterous to a 9 is something that shatters our false sense of peace and security. On a deeper level, it's us not realizing who we are and what we truly want out of life or even worse, realizing we've been complacent to someone else's agenda that we fell asleep to our own.
Omygosh, Abbie! I just realized that you're closing in on 50000 SUBS! SCREAMING FOR YOU! I remember when you were so pumped about getting 5K. Look at you go! I pray your positivity and heart for stories and people continues to touch the hearts and minds of the people watching! I bet you'll be a 500K before you know it. Also, actually related to the video, I was just editing this scene in my book :)
I’ve been waiting 3 weeks for this!! 🎉
i think my favorite one of these moments is in simon vs the homosapiens agenda, also known as love simone. the disaster in that story is so good!!!!
Oh gosh I need to think through how that book followed this structure... that's such a great exampl.
Yay, i cant wait to destroy my characters!!😂😂😂
Ayy she made another video 😆 I can’t wait to watch how to break my characters *cue evil laughter*
Happy 100th video Abbie!!! Love your videos and they've been helping me a lot!❤❤❤
I'm a bit confused on which story beat goes to which act, because I already googled the 3 act structure and wrote down the sections, but these are little bit different (especially act 2 and 3) and now I don't know what belongs to where 😭
I love your videos. They help me reimagine the difficult parts to my story, and actually have motivation and inspiration to fix them 🥰
You're so pretty! Thanks for the writing advice!
6:02 I swear I thought this was "No Peace" by KMFDM for a second
thank you! this is pure gold :D thanks to this serie, Ive learned how to polish my story and make it more emotional. So grateful
Hey Abbie! How are you doing today? I hope your writing projects are going well!
I wanted to thank you so much for doing what you do! I wouldn’t have the writing knowledge I needed if it wasn’t for you! I’ve watched dozens of your videos, and I have learned so much! You even inspired me to take on the challenge of NaNoWriMo this year! I’m still very early in the process of developing my story--as I still need to figure out my main characters desire, fear, and misbelief---but I’m going to try and finish my outline before November rolls around so I can be completely prepared to write on November first 😁. And thanks to you, I look at story a completely different way than I used to! I now know it’s not about what happens---but how it effects and transforms the characters!
Anyway this was a long comment. I hope you have a great day! Rock on! 😉
Thank you so much! Your kind words mean so much to me. I am so glad I can help you chase your dreams and make your story matter.
Quick note here (13:40): As an Enneagram Nine, I'd just like to say that getting talked over might not be a disaster for me, however, the same feeling of being just kind of...pushed away, or left out, or not considered (which is what a nine might feel a little twinge of), can be related to a Nine's perfect disaster. Such as, uh.... idk maybe a lot of things are going on in said Nine's life and they REALLY need support from their parents or BFFs and bc that's how they think they're gonna get through it... but then whoever they need to notice that they're struggling just doesn't. Doesn't notice, doesn't even happen to pay much attention to them. Or, worse, notices them but doesn't see their pain and that, THAT, is a rough thing for a Nine. Having to ask someone, "hey, can you give me some attention? I really need it right now," that is not in our nature. We kinda just want people to read our minds so that we don't have to bother them much (or at least I do) and then the conflict can be dealt with in the least conflicting way possible.
Nine needs attention. Someone overrides them. Internal struggle of needing attention but being hesitant to speak up intensifies bc now in order to get said attention Nine has to step outside comfort zone and "speak up" more, which is what a Nine hates bc Oh No Now I'm Bothering Them and Oh No I Have To Exert Energy To Do It and Oh No What If I Fail Because I'm Already Not Confident. Perfect storm.
If that helps lol
@HappyFellowship
As someone who is obsessed with the enneagram, I wanted to know if I was right in saying this. Do you think the disaster would be rooted better in something as in actually feeling like they don’t matter? After listening to Your Enneagram Coach podcast on an overview of each type I think that’s what she said the core fear was.
And for anyone else, if you know how to use wings well enough, use them to your advantage. It can be fun to add another side of their personality to the mix. Because, as a person who’s a One wing Nine, I know I can feel like downplaying problems to (sometimes seem strong) keep from bugging anyone and I tend to not say what I want because I don’t want to keep someone from what they want (kinda Nineish of me) and because I think I shouldn’t.
All that to say, make their motivations be intertwined between their wing(s) and their main type. It’s really fun to make complex characters.
@@taytaythehufflepuff8532 that sounds really great! I like your thoughts. I'm also a 9w1 and what you said about downplaying problems is spot on for me lol.
Omg this is literally what I’ve been needing for my book. Thank you so much for posting this video!
Abbie is incredibly smart! Love these videos!
Do you have an organized binder, of some sort with all these key elements in stories that you ✔️ mark as you write.
What do you suggest as an organization of this things in a digital form.
I'm into the enneagram and agree with their kryptonite except for 4. Being unloved or feeling unlovable is their fear.
What if it's a long series that is being written? How can I teach my MC lessons without them learning things too early? There are events that need to break the character later on. How do I still give the readers an interesting story in the first book without the MC learning too much too quickly ? He is stubborn and stuck in his ways. One book isn't going to be enough to change him.
#AskAbbie
Great video! My book doesn't fall 100% into your example but you explain it in a way I see the importance and can apply it. My characters are not a cause of the disaster but I see how they might think they are and how that would effect them....Thanks!
This was the first thing i wrote after developing characters. I even wrote it before i finished outlining because I knew exactly where i wanted it to go and i knew what would break her completely, and her specifically.
The other characters are devastated by the disaster moment, yes, but for her its a million times worse.
I watch you from baghdad Iraq, and your videos helped me a lot, thank you very much
I think “Don’t talk over a #9” more means to make them feel devalued. Like their opinion doesn’t matter, or like they’re invisible.
I don't nkow how to thank you! You changed the way that I write and help me a lot! Thank u so much!
Greetings from Brazil!
My favorite darkest moments are in Red Rising (more specifically the second book) and The Poppy War. In Red Rising, the main character is always to blame and he has to find a way out of it, and honestly, it’s one of the best books I’ve read. Same thing for the Poppy War. The MC is responsable for every action she takes, it’s actually one of the messages of the books, it’s that there is no “destiny”, just actions made by mortals.
5:21 Yep. My character is literally just running away from her fear.... but this is the moment I will strike! (And everything will be super depressing even though she’s not depressed.)
I don't even remember what the crisis was in my first novel (now on the shelf waiting for the revisionary phase). (Wow. really? That's really sad to realize.) umm. I think it was the MC realizing that the magical people can't help. -- But in the current WIP, the disaster is going to be my MC getting back together with (and/or a proposal from) her boyfriend.
I love your videos so much! You really show authors how to write an excellent book with advice I can’t find anywhere else as good as yours!
Oh Abbie, no *captions* available?! I’ve been following you since June and am so thankful for you enunciation and the captions (severely hard of hearing). Is it possible to correct this for this video?
Thank you again, Abbie!
This is literally the only part of the story we know EXACTLY what we want to happen
Can a disaster be like a character figuring out that they have been working for an organization that was just as bad as the “true antagonist “ organization?
It really depends on how your character reacts to it...this sounds more like an "aha" moment.
@@noonebossesthegarnet2890 In my opinion that sounds more like a plot twist :)
@@moonlight_cat_27 Well, if the reader never knew from the start that the organization is evil, then it’s not a plot twist. ^^
I love your videos, Abbie. Thanks for making them.
Loved this video Abbie! Thank you for the tips!
Finally! I've been so excited and waiting for the DARK MOMENT 💕😄!
Thank you Ms. Abbie