Professional Documents
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The Writer's
Responsibilities
NEIL GAIMAN MASTERCLASS
CHAPTER 19
Think of a horrible person, or take one from your nov- Maybe back in college you had to write an essay and
el-in-progress, and try writing a few paragraphs from identify your controlling idea, the main argument
their POV on the following topics: you were making. The same phrase is used in storytell-
ing to describe the message that resonates with readers
A family member they miss at the climax of your novel. It can be positive or nega-
tive or even ironic, and it will come from you and your
Their most awkward moment beliefs about the world. For a full discussion of con-
trolling ideas see Robert McKee’s chapter “Structure
A situation that embarrassed them and Meaning” in Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and
the Principles of Screenwriting (1997). McKee argues
Their worst loss that endings come in three forms: “up” endings express
optimism, “down” endings are pessimistic, and ironic
endings express “life at its most complete and realistic.”
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NEIL GAIMAN CHAPTER 19 MASTERCLASS
Like Neil, he believes you have one responsibility with FOR YOUR NOVEL
your controlling idea, and that is to tell the truth. Once
you find out what your controlling idea is (see the To identify your controlling idea, you will need to have
writing exercise for your novel below) and you find decided on an ending for your story. If you have it,
you don’t agree with it, toss it out and start again with then answer the following questions:
something honest.
• What value comes out as a result of the story’s
climax? For example, in the fairy tale Hansel and
“Everything that happens in the Gretel, the climax occurs when the children return
living is going to wind up in the home to find their father waiting for them—a father
who had previously sanctioned their abandonment.
fiction….You are going to need every The value is positive, it’s a triumph of love in the
human being you ever meet.” face of starvation and betrayal.