Pixar Story Rules

Pixar story artist Emma Coats has tweeted a series of “story basics” over the past month and a half — guidelines that she learned from her more senior colleagues on how to create appealing stories.

The whole list is great, and easily applicable to any kind of creative pursuit, not just storytelling. Though, that’s what most creative pursuits boil down to anyway; telling a story. These ones below really grabbed me because I see them popping up in my own work:

#8: Finish your story, let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world you have both, but move on. Do better next time.

#11: Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.

#17: No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on - it’ll come back around to be useful later.