Even as I wrote the title for this article, I got confused. Is “proofread” one word or two? I thought it was two, and my spell checker didn’t have a problem with that, but when I double-checked myself with a popular on- line dictionary, I was able to catch my mistake. Proofread is in fact one word, “proofread v. tr. To read (copy or proof) in order to find errors and mark corrections.”

I’m not a grammarian or editor by any stretch of the definition, but I do get some practice through proofreading my own writing as well as my clients. One of the value-added services I include in my business coaching packages is email support where I’ll do a quick proofing of my clients’ ad copy or important documents. So while I’m not a qualified copy editor/writer, I have noticed some common mistakes that slip past the typical business owner’s own proofreading.

Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way:

1. People will skip over your copy if it’s hard to read. The human brain will avoid things that are perceived as difficult. It’s that simple. So the most compelling reason to proofread with a fine-tooth comb is this: If you want people to read your copy, you must make it easy.

2. Mistakes stand out more than the good copy that surrounds them. It’s sort of like having a large food stain on your shirt. Most people will notice the stain, maybe even wonder what you had for lunch, and few will notice how lovely your shirt is otherwise.

3. Do it yourself, but also get a second opinion. Most small business owners are tight on cash, so hiring a professional editor (+$30/hour) isn’t always feasible. Ask your coach, your partner, or a friend to read over your materials, particularly if they’re going off to a paper & ink printer where mistakes can be costly.

4. Take a break from writing before you proofread. When you’re writing, all the content and ideas are already in your head. If you go straight into proofreading, there’s a natural bias toward reading your intended meaning into the copy, instead of scanning it for errors.

5. Get it off the computer screen and print it out. This step is essential for printed materials so you can check the actual size & layout for readability. It’s also helpful for when you’re tired of the glaring screen. Try printing your copy with double spaces and using a colored marker for notations.

6. Spell checking with your computer isn’t enough. Many words sound similar but have different meanings, and spell check won’t catch it. This is especially true if English is your 2nd language. An accent or slang can be charming when spoken, but can look incompetent when written.

7. Read your copy out loud. This is a great way to double check your sentence structure. If it feels awkward to speak, it’s probably just as awkward to read.

8. Choose fonts that are easy to read. For paragraph text, use fonts of at least 10pts. Stick with basic fonts like Arial or Times New Roman that most computers or internet browsers can display properly. If you want to have fun with stylized fonts, save them for your headlines.

9. Keep your alignment tidy. Left alignment is always easy to read. Center alignment looks best for short bits of text, but looks terrible with bulleted lists or long paragraphs. If you want text in the center of the page, but that still looks neat, try using left alignment but then increase the line indent.

10. Use a consistent capitalization style. There are 3 basic capitalization styles: ALL CAPS; no caps; and First Letter Caps. Switching styles within copy looks jumbled and confusing. It’s ok to have a different style in the headers vs. the text, but all headers should be the same, just as all text should be the same.

11. Hyphens that result from line breaks should be avoided. Adjust your text box size, move a graphic, try justifying the alignment, do whatever it takes to get rid of any hyphens that cut words in half because it disrupts flow and makes your copy hard to read.

12. Use bullets, lists, and blank rows for easier reading. Most people skim instead of actually reading every word. Break up your text into bite-size pieces for stronger impact. Another way to make reading easier is to limit your paragraph width to 65 characters/line (about the width of this article.)

13. Punctuation should support your ideas, not distract. Commas are a way to express your thoughts in sets, such as this idea, that idea, and that other idea. Without punctuation what you get is a run on and on and on some more sentence. (See what I mean?) Also, use exclamation points sparingly, if at all. Exclamation points can be tacky!!! Try italics instead.

Most people will forgive the occasional typo, especially with informal communications like email. But if you’re trying to make a favorable impression as a way to build your business credibility, do whatever it takes to get your copy proofread first. Remember, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it that counts, and that goes double for whatever you put into writing.

Copyright 2006 Jaya Schillinger

Jaya Schillinger is a certified life coach & small business consultant with over 20 years of business ownership & management experience in the fields of personal development, health, and beauty. Get your complimentary consultation at http://www.InspirationInc.com or visit Jaya’s Blog at http://www.inspirationalbusiness.com
©2006 Jaya Schillinger, Inspiration Inc.

The largest commercial office centre ever applied for in Liverpool has been put forward by West Bay Capital. A Northern Irish family owned firm has already completed residential and commercial developments in London, Belfast and Dublin. Now they hope to win approval and begin the first phase of the project before the end of 2009.

The development will cost £50 million, and it to replace the current offices at 30, Pall Mall, in the city centre. Funding is believed to be in place, but reliant on a certain proportion being pre-let. The company makes no secret of its hopes to secure the office space needed for the Governments Ministry Of Justice, who are relocating. Securing this office space alone would generate another 2500 jobs for Liverpool.

Company Director for West Bay, Ashley Moore predicts it would be “a fantastic economic boost” for the city of Liverpool. It would provide 225,000 sq ft of office space, and he believes that the development is vital “to maintain the growth of the city’s commercial quarter”. An added bonus for this would be the use of good quality office space for desk hire.

Architects Broadway Malayan have included a car park and covered courtyard, along with cafes, retail outlets and restaurants within the design. Moore believes the new development could easily become amongst the “UK’s premier business destinations”.

Mason Owen, acting as spokesman for the project agents, believes the proposals emphasise Liverpool’s commercial “underlying strengths” and both the public and private sector will be interested in the proposals. Lobby group ‘Downtown Liverpool in Business

Motherhood changed my writing life. I have gone from needing church silence to being able to write in my living room where my husband and son are loudly interacting with televised sports, or my daughter is playing piano. I’ve learned to ignore even the dog when he is in rabbit-mode, ears back and running through the rooms, then freezing into a John Bellushi-Animal House stance. I think this was a gradual evolution. I used to retreat to a corner in the attic when the children were toddlers and I convinced myself my emotional distance could be increased through stairs. I wrote several books up there, and only came down to work when my laser printer gave up the ghost, and my husband bought me a laptop.

Now, I am happiest writing near a window with a coffee pot close, and passersby in view. I like watching the UPS trucks come and go, the neighborhood dogs sniffing my dandelions, the gaggle of youngsters making its way down the block to the local theater from one of our neighborhood schools. I like being reminded of the reality beyond my keyboard even as I choose to ignore it. This attentiveness I attribute to motherhood.

At college, I remember causing several food explosions when I would try to cook and write simultaneously. I would park my blue, Brother electric typewriter on our dinette table overlooking the duck pond at our off-campus apartment, and settle in to work. Neither the rhythm of the machine nor the return bell distracted the voice in my head as it spilled onto the page. Unremarkably, I managed to work up an appetite moving only my fingers. I had staples on hand, eggs, bread, hot dogs, and M&Ms. I was always low-carbing then (except for the chocolate) so I stayed away from the bread, and would boil either hot dogs or eggs. It wasn’t so bad when hot dogs exploded. They quietly burst apart leaving pink shreds pretty close to the stove, and were greasy enough to be easily washed away. But when the browned and crusty hard boiled eggs blew, they released the worst of all stinks, and my roommates would be justifiably offended. They could never understand how I could lose track of time so completely.

Boiling eggs do warn you with aural cues; they rattle against each other, against the pot. I can promise you I hear them now from a room away. In fact, now I can hear through doors and walls. I can wake up running from a dead sleep and magically appear at the bathroom doorway when one of my children is sick. Motherhood sharpens your hearing, even while it allows you to tune out the most repetitive video game. You can discern the slightest inflection in your child’s after-school voice, and know lunch didn’t go well. You can take a temperature with your lips, sniff out a bad cold cut, read dejection on a ball field from yards and yards away, and feel each second pass until your child arrives home safely. Motherhood makes your senses that acute, and won’t ever allow you to leave a stove unattended.

L. A. Rentschler, author of the newly released novel Mother (amazon.com).
Author of Jitters which was produced as a Lifetime Original Movie. Playwright, best known for Deathbed. IWWG. Dramatist Guild of America.
http://www.larentschler.com

Many of my clients have backgrounds in teaching, hosting workshops, or public speaking and yet they came to me still lacking the skills necessary to give a compelling interview. This is because they didn’t understand the differences between the two and had no idea what to keep from public speaking, and what to set aside.

On the plus side, anyone with public speaking skills is used to speaking before actual human beings and is usually less nervous about tacking interviews than the average first timer. A speaker will usually have experience in using a microphone, and this too, is a bonus. Speeches, workshops, or classes must be performed within a certain timeframe, and this will come in handy when a producer or host advises you how long the interview will last. So will use of the outline that you hopefully use for your speeches.

If you’re a good speaker, you will also be aware of how pauses, volume, word emphasis, speed, and pitch will make whatever you have to say much more interesting. And hopefully, you learned that a monotone, mumbling and vocal crutches (such as ‘you know’) are no-nos. If not, you may want to do a bit of homework or work with a coach.

So now that you know that public speaking and interviewing are not the same, let’s explore some of the differences.

As a speaker, you are blessed with a targeted audience that is there to see YOU-an audience that may have paid for the privilege. In radio and TV, you have no special audience. You’re attempting to get the attention of anyone listening or viewing-a general audience whose attitude is “I’m busy. Prove to me why I should spend some time with you.” If you don’t work hard to convince them that you are worth spending time with, you’ve lost them. But instead of walking out of the auditorium, they’re turning you off or switching among the many other channels available.

In public speaking, you are usually monologing, but as a media guest, you are being interviewed- having a conversation with someone else. That someone else is usually the host and he or she, not you, is in control of the conversation. How to gain control is a topic for another time, but the idea is that someone else is directing what you will be asked and where the conversation goes, you must be ready for anything. You would never give yourself a curve ball when giving a speech, but someone interviewing you must likely will.

During a media interview, it’s important to keep in mind the distractions that do not exist in an auditorium. When watching TV or listening to the radio, people are working, driving, cleaning, eating, taking care of kids, etc. And most of us have short attention spans-that TV remote or those radio buttons seem awfully tempting as we constantly search for something better. Allow these distractions to challenge you to be more focused, succinct and entertaining them ever before.

Roberta Gale has spent 24 years on the radio in major cities across the country and can currently be heard on KFYI/Phoenix. Her programs have aired nationally on Westwood One Radio Networks and ABC Talk Radio Network. Roberta was named one of the Top 100 Talk Hosts in the country by the “bible” of the talk Radio/TV industry, Talker’s magazine. Roberta Gale Media Coaching provides training to authors, experts, spokespeople and businesses. For more information: http://www.robertagale.com.

Many people want to know the magic secrets of “writing”, even more people are giving their advice on “writing “. There is also the third group which exceeds the previous two twice as much - it unites those who hate writing and avoid doing it. There is hardly a chance that they will read this article, but I do believe in miracles. So first of all I am addressing my words to them and everyone else is also welcome to reflect on the role of writing.

Most people really do underestimate the significance of writing in our lives. Writing does not merely convey some ideas; in fact these ideas are the products of writing. If writing never appealed to you and you never liked it that much, you will never perceive the ideas generated in writing. My idea about writing is that you should write well or not to write at all. What’s the use of it? Anyway the readers won’t get your idea. And you will just waste your time and effort to write it, and reader’s time and effort to understand your confused ideas. If you are ready to take pains and learn how to write well, here is the first option. Write the first draft very quickly, do not think too much on word choice and sentence patterns, and just follow your “stream of consciousness”. The next stages of your writing will involve refining this rough diamond. Rewrite it, do away with all the empty and unnecessary words, and keep a dialogue with the reader through your writing.

You can try imitating writers you admire, but be reasonable and do not overdo it. If you stumble in the beginning of your text, try the following: write what comes to your mind, do not attribute too much importance to the opening sentences. An interesting fact: 80% of original ideas will appear as you are progressing in your essay. Once you write the last word of your story you will be able and edit the ugly beginning. Respect your audience and write something that can be of real use to them, write with a clear purpose. Allocate enough time to go through your creation and look for possible weak points: spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and misused words. Leave your writing in a peaceful safe place for a day or two and have a rest (you’ve deserved it). Then return to it, read it and if you like it -it is the first sign you have done a good job.

Tyler Benson is a senior freelance of company BestEssays.com - Custom Research Papers specialized in custom research paper business. For more than five years, Tyler Benson has written the number of projects on History, History of Migration, Ancient and Asian History. One of his most popular publications is: Freelance. Job for Writer.

Last time I talked about setting goals, and sticking to them. I thought it appropriate to revisit this topic and see how you’re going.

First of all, did you print out and complete the goal worksheet? If not, why not?

If you did complete the worksheet - congratulations! Well done! Once completed, did you display it somewhere visible for your family and friends to see and read?

You may recall that being accountable is one of the main motivators. So having your goals prominently displayed is an extremely important step in the process.

Achieving goals is a step-by-step progression. You won’t go from A to Z in one giant leap. It takes lots of planning and baby steps along the way. And of course, patience. (You know, patience - that annoying little creature that all writers must possess if they’re going to make it in this industry!)

Because I really want you to achieve your writing goals this year, I’m going to walk you through my goal worksheet.

Here goes:

*What do you want to achieve?

My goal for 2006 is to complete two books - one fiction, one non-fiction. I also want to double my writing income.

*What date do you want to achieve your goal by?

The deadlines are mid-April, mid-July, and 31 December 2006 respectively.

*What steps are needed to achieve that goal? Write down each necessary step.

Since two books need to be completed, I’ll work on one at a time. (Trying to write more than one book at a time has been my downfall in the past.)

The novel needs immediate attention, so I’ll start on that. Writing 2,000 words every day will move my word-count up quickly. That should yield 20,000 words in two weeks. (Ten working days.)

The word-count is currently around 20,000 words, so that should mean the book will be finished by mid-April at the latest - including editing and polishing.

The non-fiction book has a deadline of September and is already 18,000 words written. If I start on that book as soon as the novel is completed, and write at least 2,000 words per day, it should be totally written, edited, and polished by end of July.

To double my writing income, I need to do more freelance work. To this end, I’ve sent out a number of queries to both fiction and non-fiction magazines. I’ve targeted national (Australian) magazines. Apart from the name recognition factor involved with these, the payment is generally higher.

*What obstacles would stand in the way of achieving your goal? List them in the table below.

1) Due to the state of my health, pneumonia is always a possibility.

2) Family issues with either my elderly mother, or my small grandchildren who live with me.

3) Being disorganised.

*How can you overcome these obstacles? List the steps you’ll take to overcome your obstacles.

1) Resting often, and keeping away from sick people. De-stressing will also help. This could be achieved by incorporating relaxation techniques (i.e. Yoga) or exercising for at least minutes per day.

2) This is not something that is predictable, so I just have to keep ahead of my projected word-counts in case something unavoidable comes up.

3) My plan is to organise my workspace on a daily basis. Twenty minutes per day for a week or so will get the space sorted and workable, then ten minutes per day should keep it that way.

*How convicted are you to meeting your goals? (i.e. Very, not very, not at all.)

Very, extremely, absolutely!

*What difference will it make to you and your writing career to achieve those goals? List the end result/s.

Meeting my goals will make a big difference to my writing career. To start with, the novel was started before I became very ill. I want to finish it as I believe it’s a worthwhile project.

The non-fiction book should be a boon to my career because of the publisher involved.

In regard to doubling my writing income, this is more personal satisfaction. If I’m more organised, I’ll put out more work, which is turn means more sales, which then means more money. It all works in sync.

*Make a list of each step needed to achieve what you’ve set out to do, including anticipated time frame for each.

1) Finish novel - by mid-April

2) Continue with non-fiction book. Finish by mid-July.

3) Send out regular queries, and write more short stories with a view to selling more regularly.

* * * *

I can’t guarantee this plan will work, but I’m sure ready to give it a shot. I’ve already sent out several queries and introductory letters, and have so far received one positive response.

I’m currently writing a minimum of 2,000 words a day, endeavouring to finish my novel.

I still have to hear back from other markets, all of which have three months or more response time, and have a number of others bookmarked to contact.

Sending queries is not as time-consuming as it sounds, and if you work this into your daily schedule it can help a lot. (And the more you send, the easier it gets.)

Set specific days for tasks and you will be more organised. For instance, Monday: website update day. Tuesday: send out queries, and so on.

Setting goals is not a task only for January, it’s a year long process, and needs to be monitored and reviewed often.

When thinking about the goal/s you have set for yourself, ask this question: “Where will I be in one year’s time if I don’t reach my goal?”

Only you will know if you need to continue.

Cheryl Wright is an award-winning Australian author and freelance journalist. In addition to an array of other projects, she is the owner of the Writer2Writer.com website and the Writer to Writer monthly ezine for writers. She is also the author of a series of ebooks for writers. Her romantic suspense novel “Saving Emma” was released January 2005 by Whiskey Creek Press. Check out Cheryl’s website: http://www.cheryl-wright.com

Notwithstanding the fact that the Property Index online service is seen as a recent syndicate, they were established in March 2007, they have swiftly established expert status. On closer look, they’re a quite trouble-free syndicate concentrated on offering their expert opinion to anyone expecting to let, sell, rent or buy property across the world. Their affirmation is to help you out laser target precisely what you want quickly as well as painlessly.

Property can easily be purchased almost anywhere in the world at present, possibly the really elite area being properties you can purchase in Portugal. It should be a no brainer to tally the marvelous properties available for sale in Portugal, the explanation for hunting for real estate here is the houses and apartments available and the fabulous chance of living between such a animated and exciting populace.

It’s one of the most sought after markets at present, and considering the scenic beauty and agreeable climate surrounding you here, how could you ever say no? Property in Portugal is steeped in history, this part of the world is home to more than a few sophisticated cultures.

About 25 or 30 years ago there’d be just a dribble of English people who are looking for properties in Portugal. Just ask any individual who has emigrated to Portugal and they’ll corroborate it. Many would are tagging it a fashion and others are tagging it a almost an addiction… People keen on moving over here will range from young urban professionals keen on a challenge in life to older people who want to enjoy themselves.

There might well be unmanageables when trying to acquire properties overseas; you can find there are a hundred actions whether working out a plan, touring or completing. If you miss out on one single minute action that is certain to escalate wide-ranging unmanageables and, more importantly, monetary loss.

Naturally, as is to be assumed with this fashionable location, properties might well be high-priced in this destination and that’s solely a consequence of the high demand. In spite of this clients certainly are very spoiled in such a part of the world so full of pleasant geography and panorama. Actually it has the whole kit and caboodle you might conceivably itch for and then some.

Property Index can help with overseas property investment, view the properties available for investment.

How To Pass Saliva Drug Test

Drug test has grown into a public phenomenon round the globe. Numerous societies execute drug exams on freshly employed individuals or present employees to assure a drug-free surrounding at work.

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If you’ve been a freelance writer for a while, you are probably adept at two or three types of writing. If you are a good advertising copywriter, you can probably also write good catalog copy and good promotional copy. A good short story writer can often write good human-interest features. Some good technical writers can also write good how-to articles and instructional manuals.

However, like the old adage says, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. We’ve all seen writer Web sites where the person is attempting to be all things to all people. In nine cases out of ten, these writers over-promote their expertise. It’s common to see the same person claim to be an expert at newsletters, autoresponder sequences, advertising copy, feature articles, technical reports, how-to books, sales letters, Web site copy, and motivational stories.

The reality is that too much information just confuses your potential customer. Claiming to be good at everything smacks of hype (or desperation). Both turn publishers off. Editors who control the most lucrative assignments want to hire experts. Do they want to hire a political columnist to write a manual about project management software? No.

Selling more than one skill set in the same portfolio, on the same Web site, with the same brochure and business cards only works if you have a strong, established client base and more work than you can handle. Otherwise, it’s professional suicide.

Choosing one, two, or even three specialties can be an agonizing process for some writers. But remember that professional specialists always command higher fees than generalists. It’s in your own best interest to sell only what you do best.

On the Internet it is remarkably easy to promote yourself to multiple markets. Just use multiple Web sites. For example, you might have a central company site that explains your business and lists your customers. Then you might set up a second site that just focuses on your newsletter writing services. There you can focus just on your newsletter experience. If you’re saying, “but I don’t have a Web site” that’s a problem. At this point, every working writer today absolutely must have at least one Web site. It’s not just nice to have — it’s expected.

When you are trying to decide on a writing specialty, always be sure to play to your strengths and interests. For example, a writer on technical subjects needs to be good at using computers. You have to be the type of person who is willing to read all those user guides. If you can’t install (much less use) the software you are supposed to review, or if it bores you, you can’t write about it. No editor wants to hear complaints about how your computer “won’t work today and I don’t know why.” You need to be good at figuring out software and learning how it “thinks” reasonably quickly.

Similarly, if your specialty is writing about gardening, you had better have a garden. If you can’t sell anything, don’t become a marketing copywriter. If you think shopping is boring, don’t write catalog copy. That old saw about writing what you know is true.

Your enthusiasm, or lack of it, shows through in your writing. Always. People can tell if you are faking it, and you won’t get any assignments if your writing isn’t authentic.

The bottom line reality is, if you want to get published, accept the fact that there’s just too much competition out there. Then stop competing in a dozen markets and choose a few. Instead of trying to get every assignment, you can focus on winning the ones you can write absolutely brilliantly.

Susan Daffron is the President of Logical Expressions, Inc. (http://www.logicalexpressions.com) and is the author of more than 70 national magazine articles, 200 newspaper articles, two books, and online training courses. With hundreds of online articles to her credit, she regularly publishes ezines on computer tips (Logical Tips), pet care (Pet Tails), and other topics.

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.clickok.co.uk/

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

In the Heat of the Night (Academy Award Winner Best Film, 1967) - Hero’s Journey [basic deconstruction]

FADE IN: on a journey; the train arriving.

New World: Sparta, Mississipi.

Foreshadow of the Hero: Virgil steps off the train.

Creatures of this World/ Meeting the Herald and Antagonist: Sam Wood and the waiter.

This World: Sam driving around.

Creatures of this World / Loop: Sam looks at the naked lady.

This World: Sam driving around.

Inciting Incident: Sam finds a dead body.

Meeting the Mentor / Antagonism: Police Chief Bill Gillespie and the photographers etc.

Dead Man’s Backstory: came here to make this a better town and look where it got him.

Developing Antagonism: ignorant; no idea when he died.

Meeting the Hero: Sam finds Virgil Tibbs in the railway station.

Forced to the meeting with the Mentor: driven to the police station.

Meeting the Mentor: Virgil meets Bill.

Sacred Meeting: you can go now Sam.

Fish out of Water: what’s a Northern boy like you doing here?

Hero’s Status: why don’t you tell me how you killed Colbert? Refusal: I was visiting my mother; I’m a police officer.

Antagonism: did you question this man before you brought him in.

Polarization: we do not want to ruffle a man that makes $162 a month.

Foreshadow of the Journey: may I see the photographs.

Call to Adventure: Virgil told to help the locals out by his boss.

Refusal: you can’t be serious.

Hero’s Back story: he’s your number one homicide guy.

Resistance: we can handle it fine ourselves.

Pushed Forward: will you look at the body.

Resisting: why don’t you look at it yourself.

Pushed Forward: because I’m not an expert, officer.

Outer Cave: Virgil looks at the body; he needs a few things.

Conscious Decision: right, chief? Yes. Which one of you gentlemen will want to assist me?

Push to the Middle Cave: Gillespie call out to pursue a criminal.

Mentor’s Capabilities: Gillespie catches the criminal.

Meeting the Transformation Mentor / Middle Cave / Allies and Enemies: Virgil meets Mrs Colbert.

Resisting the Journey: we don’t need you now, Virgil.

Allies and Enemies: Virgil examines Harvey’s hands.

Allies and Enemies: Did he confess; well I believe he will; he’s left handed isn’t he; if he’s left handed, then he’s innocent.

Resisting the Transformation: Gillespie confronts Virgil; they call me Mr. Tibbs.

Push to the Transformation: what kind of people are you; somebody killed him and I want you to find out who.

Inner Cave: lock him up for withholding evidence; in the cells, with Harvey.

Resisting the Journey: Virgil sent back to the station.

Transformation: I’m asking you to sign the waiver for false arrest, please; Harvey didn’t commit the murder; the body was moved etc; Gillespie changes the charge to theft.

Pushed to the Trials and Transformation: Mayor’s on the line chief; Mrs Colbert doesn’t want Virgil taken off the case.

Foreshadow of the Inner Challenge: even if we have to step on Endicott’s toes.

Resisting the Trials and Transformation: Gillespie asks Virgil to stay.

Refusal: Virgil declines.

Persuaded; you got such a big head…I don’t think you can let an opportunity like that pass by.

Magical Gift: Virgil gets a car and a roof.

Warning: the white men think he’s gonna get killed….I think this nigger won’t live past Saturday.

Trial 1: visiting Mrs Colbert at home; do your husband have any enemies? Endicott.

Finding blood and a twig in the car.

World of the Red Herring: driving to Endicott’s place.

Meeting the Red Herring: Endicott is a racist.

Inner Challenge: I’ll bring him down.; you’re just like the rest of us ain’t you.

Time Pressure: you got until Mrs Colbert gets back.

Transformation: the last chief would have shot Tibbs and claimed self-defence.

Trial 2:

Virgil being chased by the southern boys.

The four boys attack Virgil; saved by Gillespie.

Virgil asks Sam to take the same route as the night he found the dead body.

Warning: Gillespie wants Virgil out of town for his own sake.

Push: I want to know where Sam Wood was at all times during the night of the murder.

Transformation: Gillespie takes the back seat if he police car.

Sam Wood changes his route; Virgil walks away.

Trial 3:

Gillespie visits the bank.

Gillespie accuses Sam; a $600 deposit in his bank account.

She is going to have Sam Wood’s baby; explaining about the cemetery.

Transformation: you’re wrong.

Meeting the Oracle: Harvey tells Virgil where a girl goes if she’s knocked up.

Foreshadow of the Atonement: The boys get ready to kill Virgil.

Inner Challenge Conquered: I was hung up trying to get at Endicott for personal reasons; Sam couldn’t have driver two cars; Gillespie give shim until morning.

Foreshadow of the Atonement : the boys looking for Virgil in the car.

Seizing the Sword: Gillespie invites Virgil to his place; you’re one of the chosen few, nobody comes here, never.

Reward: Packer arrives; where you going? Where Whitey ain’t allowed.

Foreshadow of the Atonement: the white boys search for Virgil.

Atonement with the Father: Virgil meets Mrs Bellamy; the waiter appears from behind the tree.

Apotheosis: looking in the purse.

Ultimate Boon: the confession.

Greater Antagonism Conquered: Gillespie sees Virgil off at the train station; Virgil, you take care, you hear.

FADE OUT: transformed; on the train.

FADE OUT:

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

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Kal Bishop, MBA

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/