Without a road map, Frank Ball wouldn’t do so well at getting where he needed to go. His stories would take twice as long to write. He wouldn’t be satisfied with just “telling” what happened, because the emotional journeys would still be too weak.
The solution to a better road map is always more focus on what the main character wants and the obstacles that put the outcome in doubt. Then you have a clearer sense of direction.
After doing hundreds of SCOOP summaries, Frank still has to concentrate on the picture and struggle through the discovery of the essential elements. But because of the relentless practice, the concentration and struggle aren’t as difficult as they used to be.
Here is a SCOOP IT UP summary of a chapter he is writing for his new book:
Herod’s Perfect Scheme
S: After hearing news of a Jewish king’s birth,
C: Herod
O: wants to squelch the rumors and kill the threat.
O: If he can’t intimidate the leading priests and teachers of the Law, and the people won’t cooperate in finding the infant,
P: will he lose his control over the Temple leadership and command of the people?
I: Upon learning the location of the birth, Herod realizes that his only hope is to do what he has always done—send spies to identify the source of the rebellion.
T: He cannot afford to be as lenient as the past and knows he must deal with the problem quickly and decisively,
UP: but what will he do if the baby isn’t found?
SCOOP IT UP is an acronym for Situation, Character, Objective, Obstacle, and Plight, followed by Insight, Transformation, and Unresolved Problem. To learn more about SCOOP summaries, .
To read “Herod’s Perfect Scheme,” .