Story vs. Plot

E.M. Forster, Janet Burroway

A story is a series of events recorded in their chronological order.

A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance. (39)

• Burroway, Janet. Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft 5th ed. Longman, 2000.

Usual Writing

I was just listening to Christopher McQuarrie talk about how he wrote "Usual Suspects." Apparently he had the end 1st when he presented it to Brian Singer. When an opportunity came about with Japanese financiers McQuarrie wrote the beginning and then filled the middle with various ideas that came from his experiences working for a private security firm, at times as a body guard for diamond brokers. He figured since he knew how security operated that he'd be able to steal from them. Later he replaced the McGuffin with a person instead of money, the person that could identify Kaiser Sozei. Incidentally a lot of the names in the film were from people that he had worked with in the past.

Brainstorm

A talented father that tries to keep his daughter from becoming the artistic prodigy that he once was because of a debilitating condition that he feels is robbing him of his full potential. He struck with the pain and grief of not being able to pursue his talents and does not want his daughter to feel this same anguish. But the influence is strong, in her blood, and she must discover the the secrets her father kept and face the same tragic decision to either accept fate or end life itself as her father did.