[Mandrake]

Some links for non-writers (and for some writers as well- just cause we are good at it, doesn't mean we can't improve ourselves somehow):

Dialogue:
http://experts.about.com/q/677/2961602.htm
http://www.oldandsold.com/articles19/writing-2.shtml
http://www.screenwriting.info/page08.shtml
http://www.ellenjackson.net/index.2ts?page=1034

Plot and story (and pacing):
http://www.apocprod.com/Pages/Hero/Background.htm
http://www.mwp.com/books/writing/journal-more.php4
http://hollylisle.com/fm/Workshops/pacing-workshop.html
http://www.sfarr.demon.co.uk/polti/thirty.htm



Now, I think that RPG-writing it like a strange combination of play writing and novel writing. The reason I say play instead of movie/tv is that the dialogue doesn't need to be as *punchy* or the characters as perdictable. Does it mean that someone can't make a soap opera or night time drama style RPG? By no means am I saying that. I'm just saying for those starting out and wanting to learn more about constructing plots and dialogue, looking at plays and novels are a good way to start. Plays have the right character styles and are dialogue heavy while the plots mirror more those of novels.

Mythology is another good place to look for insparation, as well as books exploring repeating patterns in mythology. Joseph Campbell has written some excellent books about repeating patterns in mythology (as well as novels and plays) and these patterns could easily be adopted towards an RPG if you are strapped for plot ideas.

Feel free to post more links here.
_________________
"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
Xmark

http://pauljessup.com

[Mandrake]

Plot, play and the idea of tragedy:
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/trag_vsn.html
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html#tragedy
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/tragedy.html


Tragedy is another aspect of modern RPG's that I think links it more to plays than to movies/television (rarely, if ever is tragedy ever depicted in these. And no, random death and emotional snuff films are not the same. Love Story is not a tragedy, it's depressing, but not a tragedy. The same with the Titanic. The only one I've seen so far that depicts it properly as a movie is Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon). For example, the end of FF10 (sorry for the spoiler, but meh) the main character is almost parallel to a greek tragedy. He is basically a modern day Oedipus (well, themetically, not sexually, heh) with teh concept of father killing and supplication (as well as self sacriface for the greater good of the country)
_________________
"Well, last time I flicked on a lighter, I'm pretty sure I didn't create a black hole."-
Xmark

http://pauljessup.com

[Rainer Deyke]

The Holly Lisle page (http://www.hollylisle.com/fm/) also contains a ton of other useful articles.