Anatomy of Story

John Truby

Outine By
John Fraim
The GreatHouse Company
614-397-7559
johnfraim@mac.com
www.greathousestories.com

1
 Contents

Story Space, Story Time! ! 3

Premise! ! ! ! ! 6

! ! !

Seven Steps! ! ! 12!

! ! ! !

Character!! ! ! ! 16

Theme! ! ! ! ! 25

Setting! ! ! ! ! 32

Symbols! ! ! ! ! 38

Plot!! ! ! ! ! 41

Scene Sequence!! ! ! 57

Scene Construction! ! ! 58

2
 Story Space, Story Time

Premise

The story idea stated in a single sentence. Suggests

the essence of the story.

Seven Key Structure Steps

The seven key story structure steps are the major

stages of the storys development and of the dramatic
code hidden under its surface. They are:

1. Weakness and need

2. Desire
3. Opponent
4. Plan
5. Battle
6. Self-Revelation
7. New Equilibrium

Character

Create characters by drawing from the original idea

and connecting and comparing them in a character web.
Then, decide the function each is to perform in
helping the hero develop.

Theme (Moral Argument)

The authors moral vision or how people should act in

the world. Instead of making the characters a
mouthpiece for a message, express the theme inherent
in the story idea through story structure that
surprises and moves the audience.

3
Setting (Story World)

Create the world of the story as an outgrowth of the

hero. It will help define the hero and show the
audience a physical expression of his growth.

Symbol Web

Symbols are packets of highly compressed meaning.

Determine a web of symbols that highlight and
communicate different aspects of the characters, the
story world and the plot.

Plot

From characters, the right story form is discovered.

The plot grows from the unique characters. Use of 22-
step structure (the 7 steps plus 15 more) a plot is
designed in which all the events are connected under
the surface and build to a surprising but logically
necessary ending.

1. Self-Revelation, Need, Desire

2. Ghost & Story world
3. Weakness & Need
4. Inciting Event
5. Desire
6. Ally or Allies
7. Opponent and/or Mystery
8. Fake-ally Opponent
9. First Revelation & Decision: Changed Desire
& Motive
10.Plan
11.Opponents Plan and Main Counterattack
12.Drive
13.Attack by Ally
14.Apparent Defeat
15.Second Revelation & Decision: Obsessive
Drive, Changed Desire & !Motive
16.Audience Revelation
17.Third Revelation & Decision
18.Gate, Gauntlet, Visit to Death
19.Battle
20.Self-Revelation
21.Moral Decision
22.New Equilibrium

4
Scene Sequence (Scene Weave)

Before writing scenes, develop a list of every scene

in the story with all the plotlines and themes woven
into the tapestry. Place in a sequence.

Scene Construction & Dialogue

Write the story, constructing each scene so that it

furthers the development of the hero. Write dialogue
that doesnt just push the plot but has a symphonic
quality to it, blending many instruments and levels
at one time.

5
 Premise

Premise

Premise is your story stated in one line. It is the

simplest combination of character and plot and
typically consists of some event that starts the
action, some sense of the main character, and some
sense of the outcome of the story. What one chooses to
write about is far more important than how to write
it.

Examples.

The Godfather: The youngest son of a Mafia family

takes revenge on the men who shot his father and
becomes the new Godfather.

Casablanca: A tough American expatriate

rediscovers an old flame only to give her up so
that he can fight the Nazis.

Star Wars: When a princess falls into mortal

danger, a young man uses his skills as a fighter
to save her and defeat the evil forces of a
galactic empire.

Create a story that may change your life by creating:

Wish list. Of everything you would like to see in

a story.

Premise List. Of everything you have ever thought

of.

Core elements in both of the above

Look for possibilities.

6
 Where might the idea go? Explore your options.
Brainstorm the many different paths the idea can take
and then choose the best one.

Ask What if? Let your mind go free. Dont censor or

judge.

Example.

Witness. A boy who witnesses a crime is a classic

setup for a thriller. But what if you push the
story much further to explore violence in
America? What if you show two extremes of the use
of force violence and pacifism - by having the
boy travel from the peaceful Amish world to the
violent world of the city?

Identify Story Challenges and Problems

Trick is to spot these at the premise line and not

after the story has been written.

Example.

Huckleberry Finn. How do you show the moral, or

immoral, fabric of an entire nation in fictional
terms?

Find The Designing Principle

The seed of the story. An overall strategy for how you

will tell your story. This overall strategy, stated in
one line, is the designing principle of the story.
This helps you extend the premise into deep structure.

The designing principle is what organizes the story as

a whole. It is the internal logic of the story, what
makes the parts hang together organically so that the
story becomes greater than the sum of its parts. It is
what makes the story original.

Premise is concrete and is what actually happens. The

designing principle is abstract, the deeper process
going on in the story.

7
 Designing Principle = Story Process + Original
Execution

Find the designing principle and stick to it. Be

diligent in discovering this principle and never take
your eye off of it during the long writing process.

Example.

Tootsie.

Premise. When an actor cant get work, he

disguises himself as a woman and gets a role
in a TV series only to fall in love with one
of the female members of the cast.

Designing principle. Force a male chauvinist

to live as a woman.

Moses (Book of Exodus)

Premise. When an Egyptian prince discovers

that he is a Hebrew, he leads his people out
of slavery.

Designing principle. A man who does not know

who he is struggles to lead his people to
freedom and receives the new moral laws that
will define him and his people.

Harry Potter Books

Premise. A boy discovers he has magical

powers and attends a school for magicians.

Designing principle. A magician leans to be

a man and a king by attending a boarding
school for sorcerers over the course of
seven school years.

Determine Your Best Character in the Idea

Always tell a story about your best character. This

doesnt mean nicest. It means the most fascinating,
challenging and complex, even if the character is not

8
 very likeable. This character should always be driving
the action. Determined by asking:

Who do I love?
Do I want to see him act?
Do I love the way he thinks?
Do I care about eh challenge he has to
overcome?

Get a Sense of the Central Conflict

Ask who fights whom over what?

Basic Action/Single Cause-and-Effect Pathway

Find the single cause-and-effect pathway by

identifying a basic action that the hero takes in the
story.

The basic action should be one action best able to

force the character to deal with his weaknesses and
change.

Example.

Premise. A man falls in love and fights his

brother for control of a winery. (A split premise
with two cause and effect trajectories)

Premise. Through the love of a good woman, a man

defeats his brother for control of a winery.
(Much better because not a split premise).

Determine Heros Possible Character Change

Character change is what the hero experiences by going

through his struggle.

W (weakness) x A (action) = C (changed person)

Start with basic action and then go to the opposites

of that action. This will let you know what your hero
is at the beginning of the story (his weaknesses) and
who he is at the end (how he has changed).

Write the premise line

9
 Determine basic action of hero

Come up with the opposites of basic action

for both heros weakness and the heros
changed person.

Examples.

Star Wars.

Premise. When a princess falls into mortal

danger, a young man uses his skills as a
fighter to save her and defeat the evil
forces of a galactic empire.

Weakness. Nave, impetuous, paralyzed,

unfocused. Lacking confidence.

Action. Uses skills as a fighter.

Changed Person. Self-esteem, a place among

the chosen few, a fighter for good.

The Godfather.

Premise. The youngest son of a Mafia family

takes revenge on the men who shot his father
and becomes the new Godfather.

Weakness. Unconcerned, afraid, mainstream,

legitimate, separated from family.

Action. Takes revenge.

Changed Person. Tyrannical, absolute ruler

of family.

Moral Choice

The central theme of a story is often crystallized by

a moral choice the hero must make, typically near the
end of the story. Theme is best expressed through the
structure of the story and the moral argument. The
author makes a case for how to live via actions of the

10
 character going after a goal. The most important step
in this argument is the moral choice of the hero.

Dont make the mistake of giving your hero a fake

choice between a positive and a negative. To be a true
choice, the hero must select between one of two
positive outcomes and, on rare occasions, avoid one of
two negative outcomes (Sophies Choice). Make the
options as equal as possible with one only slightly
better than the other. One example of choice between
two positives is between love and honor. In Farewell
to Arms the hero chooses love. In The Maltese Falcon
(and most detective stories) the hero chooses honor.

Audience Appeal

11
 Seven Steps

A story has a minimum of seven steps in its growth from

beginning to end. The seven steps are not arbitrarily
imposed from without, the way a mechanical story structure
such as three-act is. They exist in the story and are the
nucleus, the DNA, of the story because they are based on
human action. They are the steps that any human must work
through to solve a life problem.

1. Weakness & Need

From the beginning of the story, the hero has one or

more great weaknesses that are holding him back.
Something missing within him that is profound and is
ruining his life.

The need is what the hero must fulfill within himself

in order to have a better life. Usually involves
overcoming his weakness and changing or growing in
some way.

The hero should not be aware of his need at the

beginning of the story. The hero should become aware
of need at the self-revelation near the end of the
story.

The hero should have a moral need as well as a

psychological need. A character with a moral need is
hurting others in some way at the beginning of the
story.

Example.

The Silence of the Lambs.

12
 Weaknesses. Clarice is inexperienced,
suffering from haunting childhood memories
and a woman in a mans world.

Need. To overcome the ghosts of her past and

gain respect as a professional in a mans
world.

Problem an aspect of weakness and need. All good

stories begin with a problem the hero find himself in.

Sunset Boulevard.

Weakness. Joe Gillis has a fondness for

money and the finer things of life. He is
willing to sacrifice his artistic and moral
integrity for his personal comfort.

Problem. Joe is broke. A couple of guys from

the finance company come to his apartment to
repossess his car and he makes a run for it.

2. Desire

What the hero wants in the story, his particular goal.

A story doesnt become interesting to the audience
until the desire comes into play.

One of the biggest mistakes is to confuse need and

desire.

Need overcoming an internal weakness. Lets the

audience see how the hero must change to have a
better life. Key to the story but remains hidden.

Desire. Gives the audience something to want

along with the hero. Something they can all be
moving towards at various twists and turns. On
the surface and what the audience thinks the
story is about.

Examples.

Saving Private Ryan.

13
 Need. Hero John Miller must do his duty in
spite of his fear.

Desire. He wants to find Private Ryan and

bring him back alive.

3. Opponent

Must not be seen as evil but rather structurally and

in terms of his function within the story. A true
opponent not only wants to prevent the hero from
reaching his goal but is also competing with the hero
for the same goal.

It is only through competing for the same goal that

the hero and the opponent are forced to come into
direct conflict again and again throughout the story.
If they have two separate goals, each can get what he
wants without competing in direct conflict and you
have no story.

The trick to finding an opponent who wants the same

goal as the hero is to find the deepest level of
conflict between them. What is the most important
thing they are both fighting for?

To find the right opponent, start with the heros

specific goal. Whoever wants to keep him from getting
it is the key opponent.

Examples.

Star Wars.

Lukes opponent is Darth Vader and each is

competing over who will control the
universe.

4. Plan

Action is not possible without some plan. The plan is

the set of guidelines or strategies the hero will use
to overcome the opponent and reach his goal. It is
organically linked to desire and the opponent. The
plan should always be specifically focused toward
defeating the opponent and reaching the goal.

14
 Example.

The Godfather.

Michaels first plan is to kill Sollozzo and

his protector, the police captain. His
second plan, near the end of the story, is
to kill the heads of the other families in a
single strike.

5. Battle

Throughout the middle of the story, the hero and

opponent engage in a punch-counterpunch confrontation
as each tries to win the goal. The battle is the final
conflict between hero and opponent and determines
which of the two characters wins the goal.

6. Self-Revelation

The battle causes the hero to have a major revelation

about who he really is. This comes n two forms:

Psychological revelation

Moral revelation

7. Equilibrium

Everything returns to normal and all desire is gone.

The hero has moved to a higher or lower level as a
result of going through the crucible.

15
 Character

Character Web

The single biggest mistake writers make when creating

characters is that they think of them all as separate
individuals. The most important step in creating the
hero, as well as all other characters, is to connect
and compare them to the others. Consider them all as
part of an interconnected web.

The steps to creating character web:

Connect and define characters in four major ways:

by story function, archetype, theme and
opposition.

Then, concentrate on the hero and build him step-

by-step to create a multilayered complex person

Create the opponent in detail (in many ways, the

key to defining your hero)

End by working through the character techniques

for building conflict over course of story

Function

Every character must serve the purpose of the story

found in the storys designing principle. Each
character has a specially designed role to help the
story fulfill that purpose

Hero (H)

The most important character. Has the central

problem and drives the story action in an attempt
to solve the problem. The hero decides to go
after a goal (desire) but possesses certain

16
 weaknesses and needs that hold him back from
success.

All other characters in a story represent an

opposition, an alliance with hero, or some
combination of the two. The twists and turns of
the story are largely the product of the ebb and
flow of opposition and friendship between various
characters and the hero.

Opponent (O)

The character who most wants to keep the hero

from achieving his goal (desire). Not merely a
block to the hero. Rather, someone who wants the
same thing as the hero. Consider the deepest
conflict the hero and opponent are fighting over.
Hero and opponent is the single most important
relationship in the story.

There can be more than one opponent. However,

there is only one main opponent.

Ally (A)

The heros helper. Also serves as a sounding

board allowing the audience to hear the values
and feelings of the lead character. Usually, has
the same goal as the hero. Occasionally, has a
goal of his own.

Fake-Ally Opponent (FAO)

Appears to be the heros friend but is actually

an opponent. One of the main ways to add power to
the opposition and twists to the plot.

One of the most complex and fascinating

characters in the story because torn by a
dilemma. While pretending to be an ally of the
hero, this character comes to feel like an ally.

Fake-Opponent Ally (FOA)

Appears to be fighting the hero but is actually

the heros friend. Not as common as the Fake-Ally

17
 Opponent because not as useful to the writer.
Cannot give the audience the conflict and
surprises of an opponent.

Subplot Character (SC)

The subplot is used to contrast how the hero and

a second character deal with the same problem in
slightly different ways. Through comparison, the
subplot character highlights the traits and
dilemmas of the main character.

This character is usually not an ally. The ally

helps the hero reach his goal. The subplot
character tracks a line parallel to the hero with
a different result.

Example.

The Silent of the Lambs

Hero - Clarice
Main Opponent Buffalo Bill
Second Opponent The warden
Fake-Ally Opponent - None
Ally Jack, Clarices boss at FBI
Fake-Opponent Ally Hannibal Lecter
Subplot Character - None

Archetype

Fundamental psychological patterns within a person, or

roles a person may play in society. Cross cultural
boundaries and have universal appeal. Each expresses a
fundamental pattern that the audience recognizes. But
be careful not to let an archetype become a
stereotype. Always make the archetype specific and
individual to your unique character.

For writers, the key concept of an archetype is the

notion of a shadow, or negative tendency of the
archetype, a psychological trap that a person can fall
into when playing his archetype role.

18
Therefore, each character possesses the strength of
the archetype meaning as well as the weakness of the
archetypes shadow quality.

King or Father (KF)

Strength Leads family or people with wisdom,

foresight and resolve so that they can succeed
and grow. Defines what is right.

Weakness Can force wife, children or people to

act according to a strict and oppressive set of
rules and remove himself from the emotional realm
of the family or kingdom or insist that others
live solely for his pleasure and benefit.

Examples: Brando in The Godfather, Rick in

Casablanca, Kane in Citizen Kane.

Queen or Mother (QM)

Strength Provides the care and protective shell

within which the child or people can grow.

Weakness Can protective or controlling to the

point of tyranny or use guilt or shame to hold
children too close to guarantee her own comfort.

Examples: Wife in American Beauty, Stella in A

Streetcar Named Desire.

Wise Old Man/Woman, Mentor, Teacher (WOM)

Strength Passes on knowledge and wisdom so that

people can live better lives and society can
improve.

Weakness Can force the students to think in a

certain way or speak for the glory of himself
rather than the glory of his ideas.

Examples: Yoda in Star Wars, Hannibal Lecter in

The Silence of the Lambs, Gandalf and Saruman in
The Lord of the Rings.

19
Warrior (W)

Strength The practical enforcer of what is

right.

Weakness Can live according to the harsh motto

of kill or be killed. May believe that whatever
is weak must be destroyed and so becomes the
enforcer of what is wrong.

Examples: Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo in Star

Wars, Bruce Willis in Die Hard, Sundance in Butch
Cassidy.

Magician or Shaman (M)

Strength Can make visible the deeper reality

behind the senses and can balance and control the
larger or hidden forces of the natural world.

Weakness Can manipulate the deepest reality to

enslave others and destroy the natural order.

Examples: Harry Potter in Harry Potter, Merlin,

Phantom of the Opera.

Trickster (T)

Strength A lower form of the magician

archeytpe. Uses confidence, trickery and a way
with words to get what he wants.

Weakness May become a complete liar who looks

out only for himself.

Examples: Beverly Hills Cop, Home Alone,

Crocodile Dundee, Hanibal Lecter in The Silence
of the Lambs.

Artist or Clown (A)

Strength Defines excellence for a people

(artist) or shows them what doesnt work (clown).
Shows them beauty and a vision of the future or
what appears to be beautiful but is in fact ugly
or foolish.

20
 Weakness Can be the ultimate fascist insisting
on perfection, may create a special world where
all can be controlled or simply tears everything
down so that nothing has value.

Examples: Stephen in Ulysses and Portrait of the

Artist, Frankenstein, Holden Caufield in Catcher
in the Rye.

Lover (L)

Strength Provides the care, understanding and

sensuality that can make someone a complete and
happy person.

Weakness Can lose himself in the other or force

the other to stand in his shadow.

Examples: Etta in Butch Cassidy, Frankenstein,

Kay in The Godfather, Rick and Ilsa in
Casablanca.

Rebel (R)

Strength Has the courage to stand out from the

crowd and act against a system that is enslaving
people.

Weakness Often cannot or does not provide a

better alternative, so ends up only destroying
the system or the society.

Examples: Holden Caufield in Catcher in the Rye,

Rick in Casablanca.

Examples.

Star Wars.

Luke Prince, warrior, magician.

Hans Solo Rebel, warrior
Darth Vader King, warrior, magician
Princess Leia - Princess

Individuate The Characters

21
You begin individuating characters by finding the
moral problem at the heart of the premise. You then
play out the various possibilities of the moral
problem in the body of your story.

Central Moral Problem

Compare Characters

(Hero and opponent first and then all other

opponents and then to allies and all other
characters on the following parameters)

Weaknesses
Needs
o Psychological
o Moral
Desires
Values
Power, status and ability
How each faces the central moral problem

Variation on Moral Problem

Make sure each character takes a different

approach to the heros central moral problem

Focus on Hero

Make constantly fascinating

Audience identify with the character but not
too much
Audience empathize with hero but not sympathize
with him
Hero a moral as well as psychological need

Determine Heros Character Change

Self-revelation (first)
Need

Some types of character change more common than

others:

22
 Child to adult
Adult to leader
Cynic to participant
Leader to tyrant
Leader to visionary
Metamorphosis

Changed Beliefs

The beliefs the hero challenges and changes over

the course of the story.

Heros Desire (goal)

Clarify the heros desire line.

Single, specific goal extending throughout

the story?
When does audience know whether the hero
has accomplished the goal or not?

Opponents

Detail opponents. First describe how the main

opponent and then each of the lesser opponents
attack the great weakness of the hero in a
different way.

Opponents Values

List a few values for each opponent

How is each opponent a kind of double for

the hero?
Give each one some level of power, status
and ability
Describe which similarities each shares with
the hero
State moral problem of each character and
how each character justifies the actions he
takes to reach his goal.

Minor Character Variation on the Heros Weakness and

Moral Problem

23
 In what ways are any of the minor characters
variations on the heros unique weakness and
moral problem?

Four Corner Opposition

Map the four-corner opposition for the story.

Put hero and main opponent on the top line with

at least two secondary opponents underneath.

Label each character with his or her archetype,

but only if appropriate. Many characters are not
archetypes and dont force it.

Push the four major characters to the corners.

Make sure each is as different from the other
three as possible.

CHAPTER NOTES

Character Techniques

Two Main Characters

Multiple Heroes

Cutting Extraneous Characters

Double Reversal

24
 Theme
(Moral Argument)

Theme

Authors view of how to act in the world. The moral

vision of the author.

Body metaphor of story:

Characters The heart and circulatory system

Structure The skeleton

Theme The brain

Dialogue is not a way to express the authors moral

vision. This way, the morals often overwhelm the
story.

Good writers express their moral vision slowly and

subtly primarily through story structure and the way a
hero deals with a particular situation.

Moral vision is communicated by how the hero pursues

his goal while competing with one or more opponents
and by what the hero learns (or fails to learn) over
the course of his struggle.

The single biggest reason a story comes across as

preachy is because there is an imbalance between moral
argument and plot. Need to have enough plot to support
moral argument. Plot is an intricate choreography of
actions by the hero and opponents designed to surprise
the audience. It is this element of surprise, of
magic, that floats the moral sequence and gives it
punch.

The moral argument is most powerful when it is most

dramatic. That means, among other things, holding off

25
 the heros moral self-revelation and decision until as
close to the end of the story as possible. Keep the
question Will the hero do the right thing, and will
he do it in time? in the back of the audiences mind
for as much of the story as possible.

Create Theme Line

Use Designing Principle to Create One Line Theme Line

Theme Line Techniques:

Traveling Metaphor perfect foundation for a

moral line because entire moral sequence can be
embedded into the line.

Examples: Hucks trip down the river;

Marlows trip up the river; journey from
Manhattan Island to Skull Island in King
Kong

Single Grand Symbol Using a single symbol can

also stand for the theme line.

Examples: The Scarlet Letter; For Whom the

Bell Tolls

Connecting Two Grand Symbols Same benefit as

the journey as the symbols represent two poles in
a moral sequence. Usually signals a declining
morality but can be rising.

General Examples:

Ulysses
Designing Principle: In a modern odyssey
through the city over a single day, one man
finds a father and another man finds a son

Theme Line: The true hero is the man who

endures the slings and arrows of everyday
life and shows compassion to another person
in need

Harry Potter Books

26
 Designing Principle: A magician prince
learns to be a man and a king by attending a
boarding school for sorcerers over the
course of seven school years

Theme Line: When you are blessed with great

talent and power, you must become a leader
and sacrifice for the good of others

A Christmas Carol
Designing Principle: Trace the rebirth of a
man forcing him to view his past, present
and future over the course of Christmas Eve

Theme Line: A person lives a much happier

life when he gives to others

Citizen Kane
Designing Principle: Use a number of
storytellers to show that a mans life can
never be known

Theme Line: A man who tries to force

everyone to love him ends up alone

Oppositions: Express Theme Line Dramatically Through

Oppositions

Split theme line into oppositions

Attach these oppositions to Hero vs. Opponents

Key Point: The moral argument will always be

simplistic if a two-part opposition, like good versus
evil, is used. Only a web of moral oppositions can
give the audience a sense of the moral complexity of
life.

Three main techniques:

Hero given moral decision

Heros moral need at beginning

Some moral flaw at beginning and heros
desperation to beat the opponent which

27
 brings out the worst in him. He must
get worse before better.

Heros moral self-revelation

Realizes problem comes down to a choice
between two ways of acting

Heros moral decision

Usually comes just after the revelation

Each character made a variation on theme

Determine central moral problem and decision

the hero must deal with in the story

Make sure each of the major characters deals

with the same moral problem in a different
way

Start by comparing the hero and the main

opponent. Then, the hero to the other
opponents.

Over the course of the story, each of the

major characters should make a moral
argument in dialogue, justifying what they
do to reach the goal

Characters values put into conflict

Using character web, values of each major

character put into conflict as they all
compete for the same goal.

Identify a set of values for hero and each

of the other major characters

Give a cluster of values to each character

Make each as different from others as

possible

As hero and opponents fight over the goal,

make sure their values come into direct
conflict

28
Sequence & Story Structure: Moral Argument Sequence

In a good story, the story structure converges near

the end at the same time that the theme expands in the
mind of the audience.

Beginning. Hero and opponent in opposition but

conflict is not intense and audience doesnt know yet
how values of each come into conflict. No sense of the
story theme.

Middle. Hero and opponent come into increasing

competition and hence the converging structure.
Through this conflict, a difference in values begins
to emerge. So, theme starts to expand. Yet, in a good
story, its still largely hidden but quietly growing
in the minds of the audience.

Battle is the convergent point and right after this

the self-revelation and more decision. Theme expands
at self-revelation and again at decision.

The Sequence

Heros Beliefs and Values

Moral Weakness Hurting others in some way. Not

evil but acting from weakness or is unaware of
the proper way to act towards others.

Moral Need Based on his moral weakness, hero

must learn how to act properly towards others in
order to grow and live a better life.

First Immoral Action Hero acts in some way that

hurts others. Evidence to the audience of the
heros basic moral flaw.

Desire Hero comes up with a goal toward which

all else is sacrificed. Leads him into direct
conflict with an opponent who has a differing set
of values but the same goal

Drive Hero and the opponent take a series of

actions to reach the goal

29
Immoral Actions During the early and middle
parts of the story, the hero is usually losing to
the opponent. He becomes desperate and as a
result he starts taking immoral actions to win

Criticism of Hero by other characters

Justification of actions by Hero

Attack by Ally The heros closest friend makes

a strong case that the heros methods are wrong

Obsessive Drive Galvanized by new revelations

about how to win, the hero becomes obsesses with
reaching the goal and will do almost anything to
succeed

Immoral Actions The heros immoral actions

intensify

Criticism of Hero by characters grows

Justification of actions by Hero grows

Battle The final conflict that decides the

goal. Regardless of who wins, the audience learns
which values are superior.

Final Action Against Opponent The hero may make

one last action (moral or immoral) against the
opponent just before or during battle.

Moral Self-Revelation The battle produces a

self-revelation in the hero. Realizes he has been
wrong about himself and wrong towards others and
realizes how to at properly towards others.
Because audience identifies with this character,
theme driven home with great power.

Moral Decision Hero chooses between two courses

of action thus proving his moral self-revelation

Thematic Revelation In great storytelling, the

theme achieve its greatest audience impact at
this stage. This revelation is not limited to the
hero. Instead, it is an insight the audience has
about how people in general should act and live

30
 in the world. The insight breaks bounds the
characters. Audience sees the total design of the
story, the full ramifications of what it means on
a much greater scale than just a few characters.

Genre Variants of Moral Argument (can be combined)

Good versus Bad (lowest variation)

Tragedy

Pathos

Satire and Irony

Black Comedy

Moral argument in dialogue

When you let structure do the heavy lifting to make

the moral case, you free up the dialogue to do what it
does best, which is provide subtlety and emotional
force.

Most commonplace to use dialogue to express oral

argument is when an ally criticizes the hero for
taking immoral action while trying to win the goal.

A second way moral argument comes out of dialogue is

in the conflict between hero and opponent (most likely
during a battle scene.)

Third place to use moral dialogue is a scene in which

the main opponent gives a moral justification for his
actions, even though he is wrong. By giving the
opponent a strong (though wrong) justification, the
author avoids the simplistic good-hero-versus-evil-
opponent pattern and gives depth to the opponent as
well as the hero.

31
 Setting
(Story World)

Use designing principle to express setting

The designing principle involves linear story movement

The story world is everything surrounding the

characters at once

Take rough sequence found in story line and expand it

three-dimensionally

Examples:

Ulysses
Designing Principle: In a modern odyssey
through the city over a single day, one man
finds a father and another man finds a son

Theme Line: The true hero is the man who

endures the slings and arrows of everyday
life and shows compassion to another person
in need

Story World: A city over the course of

twenty-four hours with each of its parts
being a modern version of a mythical object.

Harry Potter Books

Designing Principle: A magician prince
learns to be a man and a king by attending a
boarding school for sorcerers over the
course of seven school years

Theme Line: When you are blessed with great

talent and power, you must become a leader
and sacrifice for the good of others

Story World: A school for wizards in a giant

magical castle

32
 A Christmas Carol
Designing Principle: Trace the rebirth of a
man forcing him to view his past, present
and future over the course of Christmas Eve

Theme Line: A person lives a much happier

life when he gives to others

Story World: A nineteenth century London

countinghouse and three different homes
rich, middle class and poor in the past,
present and future.

Citizen Kane
Designing Principle: Use a number of
storytellers to show that a mans life can
never be known

Theme Line: A man who tries to force

everyone to love him ends up alone

Story World: The mansion and separate

kingdom of a titan of America

Story Arena

The basic space of the drama that marks the physical

boundaries of the world.

Having too many arenas results in a fragmented,

inorganic story.

Creating the arena:

Create a large umbrella and then crosscut

and condense. Describe the largest scope of
the story near the beginning and then focus
on the smaller worlds within it as the story
progresses

Send the hero on a journey through generally

the same area, but one that develops along a
single line

33
 Send the hero on a circular journey through
generally the same area. Like above but
here, hero returns home at the end.

Make the hero a fish out of water

Value & Visual Oppositions

Dramatize visual oppositions among characters.

Return to the character web and tease out three or

four central ones.

Detailing the story world

Done by combining three major elements: natural

settings, man-made settings and technology.

Natural settings

Ocean Divides surface and below the

surface. Surface is the ultimate two-
dimensional landscape. Below surface is the
ultimate three-dimensional landscape where
all creatures are weightless. Oceans also
divide civilizations and values.

Outer space The ocean of out there, an

infinite nothingness that hides an unlimited
diversity of other worlds

Forest A natural cathedral which

symbolizes contemplation and wisdom.

Jungle The state of nature and primary

effect on mind is state of suffocation.
Gives audiences the strongest sense of power
of nature over man.

Desert or Ice Place of dying and death at

all times. When something comes out of these
places it is because the strong-willed have
gone there to be toughened and grow through
isolation.

Island

34
 Mountain

Plain

River

Weather

Man-made Spaces

House

Safety V. Adventure
Ground V. Sky
The Warm House
The Terrifying House
Cellar V. Attic

Road

The opposite of the house

City

Biggest man-made microcosm is the city.

To codify the vast scope of the city,
storytellers shrink it down to a
smaller microcosm. One of the most
popular is the institution (often via a
large building with many levels and
rooms).

Combining natural settings with city

City as mountain
City as ocean
City as jungle
City as forest
Size

Big to Small
Small to Big

Passageways Between Worlds

Technology (Tools)

35
 Extensions of humans

Fundamental ways characters connect to the

world

Any tool a character uses becomes part of

his identity

Heros Change or World Change

Consider the overall change in hero.

Will the world change along with him or not?

Seasons

Is one or more seasons important in the story?

If so, try to come up with a unique way to connect the

seasons to the dramatic line.

Holiday or Ritual

If the philosophy of a holiday or a ritual is central

to the story, decide in what way you agree or disagree
with that philosophy. Then, connect the holiday or
ritual at the appropriate story points.

Visual Seven Steps

Detail the visual subworlds that you will attach to

the main structure steps in your story. Look
especially at these structure steps:

1. Weakness or need

2. Desire

3. Opponent

4. Apparent defeat or temporary freedom

5. Visit to death

6. Battle

36
 7. Freedom or slavery

Focus on Three Major Subworlds

Figure out how to connect the major natural settings

and man-made spaces to the subworlds you use.
Concentrate on the following three subworlds:

1. Weakness subworld: If hero starts the story

enslaved, explain how the initial subworld
is an expression or accentuation of the
heros great weakness.

2. Opponent subworld: Describe how the

opponents world expresses his power and
ability to attack the heros great weakness.

3. Battle subworld: Try to come up with a place

of battle that is the most confined space of
the entire story.

37
 Symbols

Story Symbol

Is there a single symbol that expresses the premise,

key story twists, central theme, or overall structure
of the story?

Review premise, theme and one-line description of the

story world.

Symbolic Characters

Determine the symbols for your hero and other

characters using the following steps:

Review entire character web before creating a symbol

for a single character

Begin with the opposition between hero and main

opponent

Come up with a single aspect of the character or a

single emotion you want the character to evoke in the
audience

Consider applying a symbol opposition within the

character

Repeat the symbol in association with the character

many times over the course of the story

Each time you repeat the symbol, vary the detail in

some way

Character Type

Consider connecting one or more of your characters to

a character type, especially to gods, animals or
machines.

38
Symbolic Character Change of Hero

Is there a symbol you can connect to the character

change of the hero? If so, look at the scenes where
you express the heros weakness and need at the
beginning of the story and his self-revelation at the
end.

Symbolic Theme

Look for a symbol that can encapsulate the main theme

of the story. For a symbol to express theme, it must
stand for a series of actions and moral effects. A
more advanced thematic symbol is one that stands for
two series of moral actions that are in conflict.

Symbolic World

Determine what symbols you wish to attach to the

various elements of the story world, including the
natural settings, man-made spaces, technology and
time.

Symbolic Actions

Are there one or more specific actions that merit

symbolic treatment?

Figure out a symbol you can attach to each such action

to make it stand out.

Symbolic Objects

Create a web of symbolic objects by first reviewing

the designing principle of your story. Make sure that
each symbolic object you create fits with this
designing principle. Then choose the objects you want
to give extra meaning.

39
Symbolic Development

Chart how each symbol you use changes over the course
of the story.

40
 Plot (22 Steps)

Types

Journey

Three Unities

Reveals

Antiplot

Genre

Multistrand

Story Plot Steps (22 Steps)

1. Self-Revelation, Need, Desire

Sets the frame of the story. Overall range of

change of hero in story and gives the structural
journey the hero will take. This establishes the
endpoint of the plot first. Ask the following
questions:

What will hero learn at end?

What does he know at the beginning?
What is he wrong about at the
beginning?

2. Ghost & Story World

Essential things that happened to hero before the

story begins. Like backstory but not as broad.
Two types.

1. Most common is an event from the past that

still haunts the hero. Often the source of
the heros psychological and moral weakness.

41
 Device to extend the heros organic
development backward. The heros internal
opponent. The fear that is holding him back
from action.

2. Uncommon is where a ghost is not possible

because hero lives in a paradise world where
hero is free, but where an attack will soon
change this.

Story world, like the ghost, is present from the

very beginning. It is where hero lives and is
comprised of the arena, natural settings,
weather, man-made spaces, technology, time. An
expression of hero and shows his weaknesses,
needs, desires and obstacles. If hero is
enslaved, the story world should be enslaving.

3. Weakness & Need

Hero has one or more character flaws so serious

they are ruining his life. One is weakness. The
other is need.

Weakness comes in two forms.

1. Psychological. All weaknesses are

internal.

2. Moral. Also this if it causes someone

else to get hurt (has a direct negative
effect on someone else).

Need is what hero must fulfill in order to have a

better life. Almost always requires he overcome
his weakness by the end of the story.

Problem is the trouble or crisis hero faces at

the beginning of the story. Is aware of it but
not aware how to solve it.

Three types of story openings where ghost, story

world, weakness, need and problem are
established.

42
 1. Community start Hero lives in a
paradise world where everything in
perfect harmony but soon to be
disrupted.

2. Running start Hero has a strong ghost

and lives in a world of slavery with a
number of serious weaknesses, has both
types of need, faces one or more
problems. Most good stories start this
way.

3. Slow start Involves a purposeless

hero and heros self-revelation is to
learn his purpose. Very few stories can
overcome this huge structural flaw.

4. Inciting Event

An event from outside that causes the hero to

come up with a goal and take action. Small step
but does connect need and desire. It jump starts
hero out of his paralysis in the weakness and
need stage and forces him to act.

The best inciting event is one that makes the

hero think he has just overcome the crisis he has
faced since the beginning of the story. But in
fact, has simply gotten into worse trouble. From
the frying pan into the fire. (Joe in Sunset
Boulevard)

5. Desire

Heros particular goal. Provides spine of the

entire plot. Start the goal at a low level and
increase importance of desire as story
progresses. If started too high, then story cant
build and plot will feel flat and repetitious.
But be sure you dont create an entirely new
desire. Rather the intensity and stakes of the
original desire.

Part of story success is based on levels of

desire a hero has. A low desire throughout the

43
 story reduces hero and makes complexity of plot
impossible.

Levels of classic desire lines from lowest to

highest:

Survive (escape)
Take revenge
Win the battle
Achieve something
Explore a world
Catch a criminal
Find the truth
Gain love
Bring justice and freedom
Save the republic
Save the world

6. Ally or Allies

Once hero has a desire line, he will usually gain

one or more allies to help him overcome the
opponent and reach the goal. More than just a
sounding board (though valuable). Really a key
figure in the character web and one of main ways
the hero is defined.

Consider giving the ally a desire of his own.

(The scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz).

But never make the ally more interesting than the

hero. (The hero is always the most interesting
character). If ally is more interesting, then
redesign the story.

Note: subplot character is usually not the ally

because a separate function. The ally helps the
hero. The subplot character compares his method
of reaching goal against hero rather than helps
hero reach his goal.

7. Opponent and/or Mystery

Character who wants to prevent the hero from

reaching his goal. The relationship between hero

44
and opponent is the most important relationship
in the story.

Best opponent is the necessary one: the character

best able to attack the great weakness of the
hero. Forces hero to overcome the weakness or be
destroyed.

A mysterious opponent is more difficult to

defeat. In average stories, the heros only task
is to defeat the opponent. In good stories, the
hero has a two-part task: 1) to uncover the
opponent and then 2) defeat him. Heros job is
doubly difficult and success a far greater
accomplishment.

In certain kids of stories like detective and

thriller, there must be a mystery to compensate
for a missing opponent. Detective stories
purposefully hide the opponent until the end. Yet
the audience needs something to replace the
ongoing conflict between hero and opponent. Here,
a mystery is introduced about same time as you
would introduce the main opponent.

Making opponent mysterious is extremely

important. Think of opponent as an iceberg. Some
of iceberg is visible above the water but most is
hidden below the surface and this is by far the
most dangerous part. There are four techniques to
make the opposition as dangerous as possible:

1. Create a hierarchy of opponents with a

number of alliances. All are related to
one another and working together to
defeat the hero. The main opponent sits
at the top of the pyramid.

2. Hide the hierarchy form the hero and

the audience and hide each opponents
true agenda (desire)

3. Reveal all this information in pieces

and at an increasing pace over course
of story. More reveals near the end of

45
 the story. How information is revealed
makes or breaks your plot.

4. Consider bringing hero up against an

obvious opponent early in the story. As
conflict intensifies, have the hero
discover attacks from a stronger,
hidden opposition or that part that has
been hidden.

Before introducing main opponent, ask these

questions:

Who wants to stop the hero from getting

what he wants?

What does the opponent want? (Should be

competing for the same goal as the
hero)

What are the opponents values and how

do they differ from the heros?

8. Fake-Ally Opponent

The character who appears to be an ally of the

hero but is actually revealed to be an opponent
or working for the main opponent. Plot is driven
by reveals which comes from the steps the hero
takes to uncover the true power of the
opposition. Every time a hero discovers something
new about an opponent, a revelation occurs and
the plot turns.

Valuable also because inherently complex. By

pretending to be an ally, the character starts to
feel like an ally. Becomes torn by a dilemma:
works for opponent but wants the hero to win.
Usually introduced after the main opponent but
not always if opponent has come up with a plan
before the story begins.

9. First Revelation & Decision: Changed Desire &

Motive

46
 Hero gets a surprising piece of information that
forces him to make a decision and move in a new
direction. Causes him to adjust his desire and
motive also. (All four revelation, decision,
changed desire and motive should occur at the
same time).

Reveal techniques to keep in mind:

Best reveals are those where hero gets

information about an opponent

The changed desire must be a bend of

the original desire and not a break in
it. Like a river that changes course.
Adjust, intensify and build original
desire line.

Each revelation should be explosive and

progressively stronger than the one
that preceded it. Should build on the
one before it. This is what plot
thickening means.

The more revelations you have, the richer and

more complex the plot. But the revelation should
be important enough to cause your hero to make a
decision and change his course of action.

Get away from the three-act structure that

requires only two or three plot points or
reveals. Average hit film has 7 10 reveals.

10. Plan

Set of guidelines and strategies the hero will

use to overcome his opponent and reach his goal.
Be careful of having hero simply play out the
plan. Creates a superficial and predictable hero.
In good stories, the heros initial plan almost
always fails. Opponent is too strong at this
point in the story. Hero must dig deep and come
up with a better strategy, one that takes into
account the power and weapons at opponents
disposal.

47
 Training important in certain genres like sports,
war and caper stories and when it is will come
right after plan and before the main action in
the story.

11. Opponents Plan and Main Counterattack

Just as the hero has a plan and takes steps to

win, so does the opponent. The opponent comes up
with a strategy to get the goal and begins to
execute a line of attack against the hero. This
steps importance cannot be emphasized enough.
Each of these attacks is a reveal. The more
intricate the opponents plan and the better you
hide it, the better your plot will be.

12. Drive

The drive is a series of actions the hero

performs to defeat the opponent and win. Start
with heros plan and continue to his apparent
defeat.

During the drive, opponent is usually too strong

so the hero is losing. As a result, hero becomes
desperate and often starts taking immoral steps
to win.

During the drive, plot development needed and not

repetition. The heros actions need to change in
a fundamental way rather than continue hitting
the same plot beat.

13. Attack by Ally

When hero is losing and starts taking immoral

steps to succeed, the ally confronts the hero. At
this moment, the ally becomes the conscience of
the hero. Typically, the hero tries to defend his
actions and does not accept the allys criticism.

This attack by the ally provides the story with

the second level of conflict after the first
being the hero versus the opponent. The allys
attack increases pressure on the hero and forces

48
 him to begin questioning his values and ways of
acting.

14. Apparent Defeat

About 2/3 or 3/4 way into story, the hero suffers

an apparent defeat. Believes he has lost the goal
and the opponent has won. The heros lowest
point. Increases drama by forcing him to come
back from defeat to win at the end. (As in
sporting events when a team comes back, the story
audience loves the same thing in a hero).

Apparent defeat should not be small or temporary

setback but rather an explosive, devastating
moment for the hero. The audience must really
feel the hero is finished.

You want only one apparent defeat (although the

hero can and should have many setbacks).
Otherwise, the story will lack shape and dramatic
power.

15. Second Revelation & Decision: Obsessive Drive,

Changed Desire & Motive

After the apparent defeat, the hero almost always

has another major revelation. If he doesnt, the
apparent defeat is real and the story is over.

At this point, the hero gets another piece of

information that shows him that victory is still
possible. Now, he gets back into the game and
resume his quest for the goal.

This major revelation has a galvanizing effect on

the hero. Before he simply wanted the goal
(desire and drive) but now he is obsessed with
it. Hero will virtually do anything to win. The
hero becomes tyrannical in his quest to win.

Makes hero change his desire and motive. The

story turns in a new direction. Make sure all
five elements revelation, decision, obsessive
drive, changed desire and motive occur or this
moment will deflate the plot.

49
16. Audience Revelation

The moment when the audience (but not the hero)

learns an important piece of new information.
Often, they learn the true identity of the fake-
ally opponent and the fact that the character
they thought was the heros friend is really an
enemy.

This moment valuable for a number of reasons:

Provides an exciting pop in what is

often a slow section of the plot
Shows audience the true power of the
opposition
Allows audience to see certain hidden
plot elements played out dramatically
and visually.

Marks a major shift in the relationship of her to

audience. In most stories up to this time, the
audience learns information at the same time as
the hero. A one to one connection or identity is
created between hero and audience.

But with the audience revelation, the audience,

for the first time, learns something before the
hero. This creates distance and places audience
in a superior position to the hero. Allows the
audience to step back and see the heros overall
process of change (culminating at the self-
revelation).

17. Third Revelation & Decision

Another step in the heros learning what he needs

to know to beat the opponent. If a fake-ally
opponent this is often the moment the hero
discovers this characters true identity, or what
the audience learned in the audience revelation.

As hero finds out more and more about true power

of the opponent, one might think he would want to
back out of the conflict. But on the contrary,

50
 this information makes the hero feel stronger and
stronger and more determined to win.

18. Gate, Gauntlet, Visit to Death

Near the end of the story, the conflict

intensifies to such a degree that the pressure on
the hero becomes almost unbearable. Has fewer and
fewer options. The space through which he passes
often becomes narrower. Must pass through a a
narrow gate or travel down a long gauntlet while
being assaulted in every direction.

This is the moment when the hero visits death.

Myth stories, time when he goes to the underworld
and foresees future in the land of the dead. In
modern stories, the visit is psychological and
hero has a sudden realization of his own
morality. Spurs him to fight rather than retreat.

Most moveable of the 22 steps and is often found

in other parts of the plot.

19. Battle

The final conflict. Determines who, if anyone,

wins the goal. A big, violent conflict is the
least interesting form of battle. Lots of
fireworks but not much meaning. The battle should
give the audience the clearest expression of what
the two sides are fighting for. Emphasis not on
which is the superior force but which ideas or
values win out.

The funnel point of the story. Everything

converges here. Brings together all the
characters and the various lines of action.
Occurs in the smallest space possible which
heightens the sense of conflict.

Hero usually (but not always) fulfills his need

and gains his desire. Also, where hero is most
like his opponent.

Battle is where the theme first explodes in the

minds of the audience. In this battle, the

51
 audience sees clearly for the first time, which
way of acting and living is best.

20. Self-Revelation

After battle, hero for the first time learns who

he is. Tears aside the faade he has lived behind
and sees, in a shocking way, his true self.
Facing truth about himself either destroys him or
makes him stronger.

If the self-revelation is moral as well as

psychological, the hero learns the proper way to
act towards others.

Great self-revelation should be:

Sudden
Shattering
New

Two pitfalls to making self-revelation work:

Make sure that what the hero learns

about himself is truly meaningful
rather than fine-sounding words.

Dont have the hero state directly to

the audience what he has learned.

Double reversal plot technique at this time is

where a self-revelation is given to the opponent
as well as to the hero. Each learns from the
other and the audience sees two insights about
how to live in the world. Ways to create this:

Give both hero and opponent a weakness

and a need

Make the opponent human, or capable of

learning and changing.

During or after the battle, give the

opponent as well as the hero a self-
revelation

52
 Connect the two self-revelations. The
hero should learn something from the
opponent and the opponent should learn
something from the hero.

The authors moral vision is the best

of what both characters learn.

21. Moral Decision

Once the hero learns the proper way to act in the

self-revelation, he must make a decision. This is
the moment when he chooses between two courses of
action. Each of these ways stands for a set of
values and way of living that affects others.
This is the proof of what hero has learned in the
self-revelation. Hero shows audience what he has
become.

Thematic revelation. An advanced technique. The

audience sees how people in general should act
and live in the world. This allows the story to
go beyond the bounds of particular characters to
affect the audience in their own lives. Done
properly, can be stunning.

22. New Equilibrium

Once the desire and need have been fulfilled (or

tragically left unfulfilled) everything goes back
to normal. With one big change: the hero is
either at a higher or lower level.

Revelation Sequence

Revelations are key to plot. They should be separated

from the rest of the plot and looked at as a unit.
Tracking the revelations is one of the most valuable
of all storytelling techniques. Needs to build
properly.

Sequence must be logical. Occur in the order

the hero would most likely learn them.

Must build in intensity. Ideally, each one

should be stronger than the previous one.

53
 Must come at an increasing pace. Audience
gets hit with the grater density of
surprise.

Most powerful of all reveals is the reversal. This is

the reveal in which the audiences understanding of
everything in the story is turned on its head. They
suddenly see every element of the plot in a new light.
All reality changes in an instant. (Most common in
detective stories and thrillers). Examples:

In The Sixth Sense, comes when audience discovers

the Bruce Willis character has been dead for most
of the movie.

In The Usual Suspects, when audience discovers

that the meek Verbal has been making up the
entire story and that he is the terrifying
opponent Keyser Soze. Note, in both come at the
end of the story that sends the audience home
with a knockout punch.

The Storyteller (Narrator)

Someone who recounts a characters actions, either in

the first person or the third person. Using a
recognizable storyteller allows one greater complexity
and subtlety. A storyteller lets you present the
actions of the hero along with commentary on those
actions.

One of the most important decisions one makes in the

writing process. Can radically change the way one
sequences the plot. The vast majority of popular
stories do not use a storyteller. They are linear and
told by an omniscient storyteller.

A number of techniques allow the author to take full

advantage of the storyteller if used. The techniques
right for the story should be used (not necessarily
all of them).

Realize the storyteller is probably the true

main character (hero)

54
 Introduce the storyteller in a dramatic
situation

Find a good trigger to cause him to tell the

story

The storyteller should not be all-knowing at

the beginning

Try to find a unique structure for telling

the story instead of a simply chronology

The storyteller should try different

versions of how he tells the story as he
struggles to din and express the truth

Do not end the storytelling frame at the end

of the story but rather about three-quarters
of the way in

The act of telling the story should lead the

storyteller to a self-revelation

Consider having the storyteller explore how

the act of telling the story can be immoral
or destructive to himself or to others.

The act of telling the story should cause a

final dramatic event

Dont promote the fallacy that a characters

death allows the full and true story to be
told

The deeper theme should be concerned with

the truth and beauty of creativity, not
heroic action

Be wary of too many storytellers

CHAPER NOTES

55
Plot depends on how the author withholds and reveals
information. Involves the masterful management of suspense
and mystery, artfully leading the reader through an
elaborate space that is always full of signs to be read,
but always menaced with misreading until the very end.

Plots should be organic rather than a simple sequence of

events with no purpose and no designing principle. Organic
plot does a number of things: 1) shows actions that lead to
heros character change 2) each of events fully connected
3) each event is essential 4) each action is proportionate
in its length and pacing 5) plotting seems to come
naturally from the main character rather than being imposed
by the author on characters.

The history of plot evolves from an emphasis on taking

action to learning information, the two legs by which every
story moves.

56
 Scene Sequence

List All Scenes in Story (In one line)

Tag any Scene that Includes one of the 22 Steps

Ordering Scenes

Make sure scene builds by structure not chronology

See if scenes can be cut

Opportunities to combine two scenes into one

Add a scene whenever there are gaps in story

development

CHAPTER NOTES

The average movie has 40 70 scenes while a novel has

twice this number.

If story has sub-plots or sections, label each scene with a

plotline and subsection number

Pay special attention to the juxtaposition of scenes. Focus

on the contrast of of content. Then, the contrast of pacing
and proportion. One of the best is the juxtaposition
between sight and sound. The cross-cut is one of the most
common juxtapositions where you jump back and forth between
two lines of action.

57
 Scene Construction & Symphonic Dialogue

Write Heros Character Change Before any Scene

Scene Construction

Where fits in heros development of character

arc?

What problems must be solved?

What strategy used?

Whose desire drives scene? (Not necessarily the

hero). What does this character want?

What is the endpoint of characters goal (Desire)

in scene? How does characters desire resolve
itself? (By knowing endpoint in advance, author
can focus entire scene towards that point.)

Who opposes characters goal (Desire)?

What plan will character use to accomplish his

goal? (Character with desire comes up with the
plan.)

Direct or indirect plan?

Direct Plan Character states exactly what

he wants. Increases conflict and drives
characters apart.

Indirect Plan Character pretends to want

one thing while actually wanting something
else. Decreases conflict initially and
brings characters together. But can cause
greater conflict later when the deception
becomes clear. (Other character will either

58
 recognize deception and play along or be
fooled and give the other character what he
wants.)

Will scene end in height of conflict or some

solution?

Will there be a twist, surprise, reveal in scene?

Will one character end scene by commenting about

who another character is deep down?

Dialogue

First write scenes without dialogue (Characters

actions tell the story)

Writing dialogue (great dialogue) is like a symphony

happening on three tracks at once):

Story dialogue (Melody) Story expressed through

talk about what the characters are doing. Story
dialogue is written the same way a scene is
constructed.

Lead character states his desire

Character two speaks against this desire

Lead character responds with dialogue that

uses direct or indirect plan to get what he
wants

Conversation between the two becomes heated

as scene progresses, ending with some final
words or anger or resolution

Moral dialogue (Harmony) Talk about right and

wrong action and about values or what makes a
valuable life. Provides depth, texture and scope
to the melody line. Not about story events but
rather the characters attitudes about these
events. Characters express their values, their
likes and dislikes. Two or more ways of life are
compared.

59
 Lead character proposes or takes a course of
action

Character two opposes that action on grounds

it is hurting someone

Scene continues as each attacks and defends

with each giving reasons to support his
position

Key words - (Repetition, Variation, Leitmotif)

Taglines or single lines of dialogue

Unique Voices

Make sure each character speaks in a unique way

CHAPTER NOTES

A scene is defined as one action in one time and place.

A scene is a ministory. A good scene has six of the seven

structure steps: the exception is self-revelation, which is
reserved for the hero near the end of the story. The self-
revelation step within a scene is usually replaced by some
twist, surprise, or reveal.

Two objectives must be achieved in constructing any scene:

1) determine how it fits into and furthers the overall
development of the hero and 2) make it a good ministory.

The beginning of a scene should always frame what the whole

scene is about. The scene should then funnel down to a
single point, with the most important word or line of
dialogue stated last.

Many writers, in an attempt to be realistic, start the

scene early and build slowly toward the main conflict. This
doesnt make the scne realistic; it makes it dull. Rather,
start the scene as late as possible without losing any key
structure elements you need.

60
Once a scene has been constructed, use description and
dialogue to write it.

Dialogue is not real talk. It is highly selective language

that sounds like it could be real. Good dialogue is always
more intelligent, wittier, more metaphorical, and better
argued than in real life.

Dialogue is best understood as a form of music. Like music,

dialogue is communication with rhythm and tone. Also like
music, dialogue best when it blends a number of tracks at
once. The problem most writers have with dialogue is that
they write their dialogue only on one track, the melody.
This is dialogue that explains what is happening in the
story. Great dialogue is not a melody but a symphony
happening on three major tracks at once.

61