These 3 movies – Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Heaven Can Wait, Down to Earth – serve as an example.

THEME [ Be true to yourself and everything will be all right.] + PLOTLINE [a man who is sent to heaven before his time (due to an error by an angel) wants his old life back]  =

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Here Comes Mr. Jordan  1941  protagonist Joe Pendleton (a boxer) portrayed by Robert Montgomery

Writing Credits: Sidney Buchman & Seton I. Miller (screenplay); Harry Segall (from the play Heaven Can Wait)

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Heaven Can Wait  1978 – protagonist Joe Pendleton (a quarterback) portrayed by Warren Beatty

Writing Credits:  Elaine May and Warren Beatty (screenplay); Harry Segall (from the play); Robert Towne

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Down to Earth (2001) protagonist Lance Barton (a stand-up comedian) portrayed by Chris Rock.

Probably to honor the original script, the name (and body) that Lance Barton will use at the end of the movie is “Joe”

Writing Credits:   Chris Rock & Lance Crouther & Ali LeRoi & Louis C.K.

Above data regarding writers’ names are from http://www.imdb.com

I, Coach Teresa LeYung-Ryan, recommend:

* Martha Engber’s book and workshops on how to write scenes

* Christopher Vogler’s book The Writer’s Journey (about Hero’s Journey and Archetypes)

* all books and workshops by Martha Alderson on plotting

* your rereading your favorite books and studying that authors’ techniques

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung-Ryan aka Coach Teresa teaches writers how to transform their email signature-blocks, photos, videos, social media, website/blog descriptions into platform statements . . . to attract target audience/readers/fans . . . before and after publication.  http://WritingCoachTeresa.com and  https://www.youtube.com/user/teresaleyung

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She is the creator of:

• classes, including:
• *For Theme’s Sake: Edit Your Own Manuscript Before Pitching to Agents or Self-Publishing
• *Heroes, Tricksters, and Villains – What Do These Archetypes Want in Your Story World?
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• Immigrant Experience Writing Contest
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• interactive presentations, including:
  • *Help Your Fans Find YOU
  • *Build & Retrofit Your Writer’s Platform

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the author of:

• Build Your Writer’s Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW (workbook);
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• Love Made of Heart: a Daughter, a Mother, a Journey Through Mental Illness (novel used in college classes and archived at the San Francisco History Center);
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• “Talking to My Dead Mom Monologues” (the first monologue received an award from Redwood 10-Minute Play Contest and was staged at the 6^th Street Playhouse in Santa Rosa, CA);
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• her blog (which attracts tens of thousands of writers) at http://WritingCoachTeresa.com helps writers build their platforms before and after publication

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and a proud member of:

• California Writers Club (3 branches! And a past president of the San Francisco Peninsula Branch); and a recipient of the Jack London Award for outstanding service to California Writers Club;
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• Women’s National Book Association-San Francisco Chapter (a past board member).