Dan Wells on Story Structure

7 Elements of Story Structure. See the video Here.

(In Story order. Consider them in Number order.)

2. Hook

Starting state Harry is orphan under the stairs

4. Plot Turn 1 – Conflict is introduced. Sets the story in motion.

      Harry learns he is a wizard

      There is a problem to be solved. Call to adventure.

6. Pinch 1 – Apply pressure to force the characters action

      Troll attack in Harry Potter

3. Midpoint – moving from reaction (running away) to action (do something about it)

      Harry learns of Voldemort and decides to fight against him

7. Pinch 2 – Applies more pressure, things really get bad. the jaws of defeat.

      Mentor is lost. Gandalf is gone.

      Loss of everything.

      Loss of companions. Ron and Hermione are lost to traps in the dungeion

5. Plot turn 2 – Get the last piece you need. The Clue that we need.

      Luke. Use the force.

      The power is in the shoes.

      Grasping victory from the jaws of defeat.

           The shark has the tank in his mouth.

      I am your father and I have human emotion and I care about you.

      The mirror puts the stone in Harry's pocket.

1. Resolution

Start at the end.

     Where is the story going Harry defeats Voldemart

Plot (External conflict)

Character (Internal conflict)

Simple Growth Arc- Starts with weakness, Ends with strength

Complex Shift Arc – One kind of strength to another kind of strength

Other items

- Round characters

- Enrich environments

- Ice Monster prologue

- Try / Fail cycles

- Subplots

The Hero's Journey

• Hook. Hero has a sad boring life.
• Plot Turn 1. Hero becomes a role.
• Pinch 1. A bad guy attacks.
• Midpoint. Here learns the truth about something and swears to defeat the villain.
• Pinch 2. Companions fall to the villain, and hero is left alone.
• Plot Turn 2. Facing villain, hero discovers the power is in him.
• Resolution. Hero defeats villain.

Romance Plots

Ends well

Tragedy Plot

Ends bad.

• Hook. Happy
• Plot turn 1. Iago swears destruction
• Pinch Point 1. Creates rumor of unfaithfulness
• Midpoint. Suspicion
• Plot turn 2. Othello Kills her
• Pinch Point 2.Othello finds she was innocent
• Resolution. Everyone Dies

Horror

• Hook. Narrator is sane
• Plot turn 1. Narrator decides to murder.
• Pinch Point 1. Narrator tries, but cannot do it.
• Midpoint. Narrator kills.
• Plot turn 2. Police come to house.
• Pinch Point 2. Hears heart still beating.
• Resolution. Narrator is insane

Ice Monster Prologue.

Action fighting ice monster in prologue. Avoids boredom during the hook. Grabs them early.

Starts with space battle. Then lay the foundation.

Try / Fail Cycles.

Victory must be earned. First time success is too easy. Hero must try and fail multiple times.

Demonstrate consequences

Sometimes the cycles look like victories. They are just en route obstacles

Plots and Subplots

More than one plot.

Each has the journey.

Each can follow the Action, Character, Romance, or Betrayal plot form.

Important things in various plots happen at the same time, but may be at different point of structure.