10-minute storytelling
Day 7: 10-minute storytelling
Welsh translation: Stori 10 munud
I am a gay, autistic writer in London. I am working with other autistic people, teaching them how to create and write great stories! I would love them to be inspired to write in order to give themselves a cathartic, creative voice (like I was inspired as a teenager).
However, for today’s challenge, it doesn’t matter whether you’re autistic or not – We all have stories inside us, and I would love you all to be inspired to write in order to express your voice!
I started writing aged 15 while trying to make friends with someone from Britain’s Got Talent after many years of tough times socially at school. This inspired a passion for writing that has lasted since, notably at college where I made friends through writing a script, then directing a scratch performance using students on other courses.
I’d love other people’s lives to be changed through the excitement of writing like mine was. I would be inspired by the autistic people in my group when writing my current and future autistic characters, as autism is a spectrum, and I would like to represent as much of that as possible.
Awdur hoyw ac awtistig yn Llundain ydw i. Dwi’n gweithio gyda phobl awtistig eraill, yn eu dysgu nhw i greu ac ysgrifennu straeon gwych! Byddwn i wrth fy modd petaen nhw’n cael eu hysbrydoli i ysgrifennu er mwyn rhoi llais cathartig, creadigol iddyn nhw (fel yr ysbrydoliaeth gefais i yn fy arddegau). Ond, ar gyfer fersiwn ar-lein yr her hon, does dim ots os ydych chi’n awtistig ai peidio – Mae gan bob un ohonom straeon y tu mewn i ni, a byddwn i’n hapus iawn pe bai pawb yn cael eu hysbrydoli i ysgrifennu er mwyn rhannu eu lleisiau!
Do
Today we are using the ‘DOTS’ method to create an idea for your own short script in 10 mins. Use the method to help your story appear – try not to spend longer that the time indicated!
Here’s what to do:
1 minute: Think up a central character to tell your story through, and any other supporting characters to be in your story. You don’t have to get to the ‘nitty gritty’ – just name and gender is enough for now.
2 minutes: Choose a location for your your story to be told in. Initially write down what it looks like, but then I want you to imagine being in the location with your eyes closed: What can you hear, feel and smell?
3-5 minutes: Now, build your scene using a formula designed to deliver the sort of conflict and drama that makes all plays, tv shows and films unmissable!
This is called D.O.T.S – I explain it through a very basic example story:
Desire – What does your central character (your ‘protagonist’) want? (eg: to make breakfast)
Obstacle – What is getting in their way/stopping them from getting what they want? (eg: the kitchen door is locked)
Tactic – What does your protagonist do to try and overcome the obstacle? (eg: kick the kitchen door down to get their food!)
Success? – Is your protagonist successful? If they are, great! But often stories work best if they are not successful straight away, because this helps to keep the drama up. Even better – does your tactic not only fail, but create a bigger obstacle?
An example in my story could be the protagonist hurting themselves by kicking the kitchen door down, meaning their obstacle has grown and they need to come up with a new tactic to both manage their pain and make their breakfast.
Play with the DOTS formula for your scene until you have an ending you’re satisfied with.
BONUS – 3 mins If you have time, have a go at creating a scripted scene between 2 or 3 characters that tells your DOTS story. If there is just 1 character – it could be a monologue script, or their internal thoughts.
Remember – it’s not about creating a perfect script – but about getting an idea on the page!
1) 1 munud: Lluniwch gymeriad canolog i adrodd y stori, a chymeriadau/gwrtharwyr eraill i fod yn y stori. I arbed amser, peidiwch â threulio oesoedd yn mynd drwy fanylion eich cymeriadau: mae enw a rhywedd yn ddigon am y tro.
2) 2 funud: Meddyliwch am leoliad eich stori. Yn y lle cyntaf disgrifiwch sut mae’n edrych, ond yna dwi am i chi i ddychmygu sut beth fyddai bod yn y lleoliad gyda’ch llygaid ar gau: Beth fyddech chi’n ei glywed, teimlo ac arogli?
3) 3-5 munud: Nawr adeiladwch eich golygfa yn defnyddio fformiwla sydd wedi’i gynllunio i greu’r math o wrthdaro a drama sy’n gwneud dramâu, rhaglenni teledu a ffilmiau yn werth eu gweld. Enw’r fformiwla yw D.O.T.S – egluraf drwy ddefnyddio stori syml iawn: Dyhead – Yr hyn mae eich arwr eisiau (e.e. paratoi brecwast) Osgoi – Beth na ellir ei osgoi/pa rwystrau sy’n ei hwynebu wrth geisio cael beth maen nhw eisiau (e.e. mae drws y gegin lle mae’r bwyd ar glo) Tacteg – Beth wnaiff eich arwr i geisio goresgyn y rhwystr (e.e. cicio drws y gegin i lawr i gyrraedd y bwyd!) Stori dda? – A yw eich arwr yn llwyddiannus? Os ydyn nhw, gwych! Ond yn aml mae straeon ar eu gorau pan nad ydyn nhw’n llwyddiannus yn syth, er mwyn cynnal yr elfen ddramatig. Gwell fyth os yw eich tacteg nid yn unig yn methu, ond yn creu rhwystr mwy o faint. Enghraifft yn fy stori i fyddai’r arwr yn brifo ei hun drwy gicio’r drws i lawr, gan olygu bod y rhwystr wedi cynyddu. Byddai angen iddyn nhw feddwl am dacteg newydd er mwyn rheoli eu poen a pharatoi brecwast. Daliwch ati i chwarae gyda fformiwla DOTS ar gyfer eich golygfa tan fod gennych ddiweddglo sy’n eich bodloni.
4) BONWS – 3 munud: I orffen, os oes gennych chi ddigon o amser, rhowch gynnig ar ysgrifennu sgript fer o’ch stori DOTS. Gan mai hwn mwy na thebyg fydd eich cynnig cyntaf ar lunio sgript, peidiwch â phoeni am fformatio perffaith neu ym mha gyfrwng fydd y sgript yn ymddangos – Mwynhewch, a pha mor bell bynnag yr ewch chi â’r stori, rhannwch eich canlyniadau ar-lein drwy ddefnyddio’r hashnod #HerMisIonawr!
Think
How did this exercise make you feel, and as a result, are you inspired to carry on storytelling and writing?
Gawsoch chi deimlad o ryddhad gyda’r ymarfer yma, ac o ganlyniad, ydych chi wedi eich ysbrydoli i barhau i adrodd straeon ac ysgrifennu?
Share
I would you to share your responses online, inviting their family, friends and followers to have a go too.
Perhaps you could film yourself or your family and friends could act out reading your scripts and story creations!
This would bring it to life more, and connect people through actual action, not just words on laptops and phones.
#TheJanuaryChallenge
Read our top tips for accessible sharing on social media.
Hoffwn i chi rannu eich ymatebion ar-lein, gan wahodd eu teulu, ffrindiau a dilynwyr i roi cynnig arni hefyd. Efallai y gallech chi ffilmio eich hun neu gallai eich teulu a ffrindiau actio darllen eich sgriptiau a’ch creadigaethau stori! Byddai hyn yn dod ag ef yn fwy byw, ac yn cysylltu pobl trwy weithredu go iawn, nid dim ond geiriau ar liniaduron a ffonau.#TheJanuaryChallenge
