This is Story Fanatic, a collection of articles covering story structure and analysis for
creative writers. Published weekly.
The ease with which visual conflict plays out on-screen leads filmmakers towards visiting familiar territory. Conflict exists, however, in both the external and internal domains. Rarely traversed, this realm of within offers those in the cinematic arts an opportunity to try something new.
Great stories engage audiences on an emotional level unheard of in lesser mediums of communication. By creating an intimate portrayal of one character struggling to resolve a problem, writers of these great stories insure audience engagement and empathy. The key lies in effectively defining this struggle and focusing it one specific area of conflict.
Understanding how conflict plays out within a complete story allows a writer the opportunity to dive into relatively untouched areas of storytelling. Instead of focusing on the well-worn paths of how a character looks or what they think, the adventurous author takes their Main Character into the realm of deficient psychology. In other words, they write personal journeys of struggle against how a character thinks and comes about conclusions.
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Misguided faith in cinematic heroes should not dictate story structure. A complete story – one that is meaningful and lasting – requires that its initial author fully comprehend the importance of every component. Relying on a storytelling concept that started out as a gag can only lead to ultimate failure.
Everyone understands that Main Characters have their own personal issues to deal with. It’s why they are so crucial to a story’s meaning. Wouldn’t it be nice, then, to understand exactly what this problem is all about?
No matter how hard one tries, it is damn near impossible to avoid contact with the Hero’s Journey paradigm within the context of story structure. This nearly omniscient presence of the monomyth serves only to further muddle the conversation and mislead potential writers from their true selves. Structure exists to carry the message, not inform it.
The idea that a Main Character must always change runs counter to many a writer’s intuition. A more productive approach would be to focus on the growth that character undergoes as they deal with the build-up in pressure over the course of the story. This development can be likened to the tender balance that exists when one visits the deep blue sea.
A quick look at the transformation Mr. Andersen takes in The Matrix. A simple, yet elegant story structure takes what could have been another meaningless action flick and elevates it into something worth watching.