This is Story Fanatic, a collection of articles covering story structure and analysis for
creative writers. Published weekly.
To some, story theory seems pointless. One template after another, each building upon the previous with information irrelevant to the art of writing. Yet still the exploration of greater understanding continues. Could there be a reason many find themselves driven to uncover the forces behind great storytelling?
Most writers write because they have something important to say, something that can’t be communicated in a tweet or an e-mail or a well-meaning blog post. They use character, plot, theme and genre to convince their audience of the message they wish to impart. If instead their purpose is to merely provide an experience or cinematic tone poen then what they are writing is not a story, but rather a tale.
Can a computer program accurately predict the choices an Author would make during the development of their story? If the choices were made in the spirit of writing something meaningful and coherent, then the answer would be yes. Dramatica, an application built upon the mind’s problem-solving processes, makes story structure a fascinating and magical area of exploration.
Conviction misinterpreted as supremacism defines the plight of all those enthusiastic towards a better world. If there is a way stories can provide greater resonance for a hopeful audience, why not proclaim it? Fanaticism and passion. Equals in a world entrenched in outdated and outmoded techniques.
Why is it many can be so quick to brush off a particular understanding of story structure? Having their trust so completely eroded by those who came before, those who tried and failed to explain the real purpose of story, many would rather stick their head in the sand than experience further disappointment. The time may have come for those individuals to dip their toes in the water once again.
Countless books and endless Internet sites proclaim the somewhat magical power stories have on us. Arcs of transformational journeys and belabored spiritual catharsis have become the cornerstones from which a gross misunderstanding of story structure has grown. The time has come for a new approach, one that holds true for every member of the Audience.
Telling a complete story requires an understanding of human psychology heretofore unfound within the collective teachings of the previous century. It is not enough to simply pattern match successful films. In order to truly connect with an audience, to infuse them with some greater meaning, there must be an initiative on the part of authors everywhere to grab hold of a theory built upon the thought processes of the human mind.
Authors often come to this site in search of specific information regarding the particular structures of a short story. In working with several students over the years to bring meaning to their short films, it becomes quite apparent that the most successful endeavors are those that simply sample a slice of what could be a full-length feature. By hinting at something more beyond the pale, filmmakers and Authors can entice their respective audiences to engage throughly with their work.
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.
Aristotle had his time. So too did the screenwriting gurus of the 80s and 90s. But when it comes to storytelling in the next one hundred years, there is one clear winner – one clear solution for creating meaningful fiction in a time of massive distraction.