Entering a writing program at a well-known university after having attended a small Christian liberal arts college was intimidating. The director of the Master of Professional Writing (MPW) program at the time was Dr. James Ragan. Dr. Ragan was well-read, and I never stopped by his office to chat as many of the students in the program did; I was afraid I'd say the wrong thing.
Then one day during a lecture he told a story about an incident that had happened shortly after he moved to Los Angeles. One night, following a performance of one of his plays he was approached by a small group of people. One of them stated, "We want to buy your property." Dr. Ragan said that his first thought was, "I don't want to sell my house, I just moved in." But what they really wanted to acquire were the rights to his play. After Dr. Ragan shared that story, he seemed less intimidating to me.
Dr. Ragan taught a course that was so popular that as soon as a new semester began, there would be a waiting list for his class for the next time it would be taught.
A couple of years ago Marilyn Thomsen, vice president of La Sierra University, invited Dr. Ragan to speak to communications students at her college; he had chaired the MPW program when she was in the program. She invited me to the presentation, and that evening he shared a few of the gems that had made his class so popular.
After Dr. Ragan read his poetry he told the audience to be unafraid; he said even early in their careers, they should never turn an offer down. They should try new challenges even before they thought they were ready.
During the Q&A, Marilyn asked Dr. Ragan to discuss a theory about how to approach telling a story that he'd presented the semester she took his class at USC. It truly isbrilliant.
Dr. Ragan said that some of the most interesting and award-winning movies focus on a controversial topic. As the story evolves the various characters reveal their views and thoughts about the topic.
As examples he used the movies Juno (the story of a pregnant teen and the choices she makes) and As Good As it Gets (a single mother's friendship with an artist who is gay). There are disagreements as the characters voice their opinions; there may be heated conversations, disagreements; characters may be pressured to change their actions or viewpoints.
It's fascinating for the audience to predict what the outcome will be. And outside of the theater heated conversations about the story, the characters, and the controversial topic will take place in talk shows and around water coolers for weeks. That's drama!
Brilliant.
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