I’ve
been a student of story structure for decades. As a novelist, this initially
started as a means to learn as much as I could from those with more experience
than myself, but quickly grew into a passion. I read everything on the subject
I could get my hands on and eventually began analyzing the plots of novels and
movies for myself, amalgamating what I had learned with my own theories and
insights which coalesced into a wholly new structural paradigm. Since then,
I’ve had the privilege of working with many talented screenwriters and
novelists to help them shape their stories using Six Act Structure.
Most
of the books on this list aren’t strictly about story
structure but instead combine unique storytelling insights with innovative
structural concepts. Topping the list in that regard is Film Crit Hulk’s Screenwriting
101. Equal parts writing guide and manifesto against overused storytelling
techniques like 3-Act Structure and the Hero's Journey, his emotional approach
to structuring stories is perhaps the most thought-provoking I’ve encountered.
Unfortunately, the book is currently out-of-print, though I have heard that
Hulk (a pseudonym, obviously) intends to release a second edition in the
future. Fingers crossed.
This is currently out of print, but a new edition is expected soon.
Schechter
divides the traditional 3-act structure into four parts; Act 1, Act 2A, Act 2B,
and Act 3. While that’s not revolutionary in itself, he uses this four-part
breakdown to structure multiple story elements like theme and motivation. My
favorite element is his breakdown of the character’s story evolution into four
archetypes: Orphan, Wanderer, Warrior, and Martyr. Seeing how these archetypes
can be metaphorical such as Jason Bourne being “orphaned” from his previous
life at the beginning of The Bourne Identity, or literal, such as Rose
martyring herself by returning to the sinking Titanic to
rescue Jack, is worth the price of admission alone.
My Story Can Beat Up Your Story! is the same powerful, easy-to-learn system that industry insiders have used to generate millions of dollars in script sales and ?assignments. In a clear, step-by-step fashion, this book is a fun, eye-opening, ?brain-expanding, and often irreverent guide to writing stories that sell. Covering everything from Heroes to Villains, from Theme to Plot Points, from cooking up good ideas to a business plan for smart writers, this book forever eliminates that horrible feeling every writer goes through — staring at the blank page and wondering “what comes next?”
I
read Alexandra’s book years ago and she’s since released several revised
editions. This book provides an insightful history of the 3-act and eight
sequence structures she uses, and offers invaluable insight into overcoming the
pitfalls of the dreaded “second-act sag”. But perhaps the most important lesson
her book instilled in me is the importance of taking the time to analyze the
structure of your own favorite movies and novels to understand why they
resonate with you. She calls this your Master List and it’s a tool that every
writer should have in their toolbox to improve their craft.
Are you finally committed to writing that novel or screenplay, but have no idea how to get started? Or are you a published author, but know you need some plotting help to move your books and career up to that next level? You CAN write better books and scripts—by learning from the movies. Screenwriting is based on a simple (and powerful) structure that you already know from watching so many movies and television shows in your lifetime. And it's a structure that your reader or audience unconsciously expects, and is crucial for you to deliver. In this textbook of the…
While
most structural paradigms rely on a sequential series of seemingly unrelated
plot points, Chamberlain’s nutshell technique breaks stories into eight
interdependent stages that create a natural and logical flow to a story.
Additionally, within these stages, she places equal importance on both the
external elements of the plot and the internal motivations of the character to
demonstrate how their interaction shapes the narrative. This is one of the more
well-known books on the list, but one that I can’t recommend highly enough if
you haven’t read it. I’d lend you my copy but it’s dog-eared to
pieces.
Veteran script consultant Jill Chamberlain discovered in her work that an astounding 99 percent of first-time screenwriters don't know how to tell a story. These writers may know how to format a script, write snappy dialogue, and set a scene. They may have interesting characters and perhaps some clever plot devices. But, invariably, while they may have the kernel of a good idea for a screenplay, they fail to tell a story. What the 99 percent do instead is present a situation. In order to explain the difference, Chamberlain created the Nutshell Technique, a method whereby writers identify eight dynamic,…
As
the title suggests, Williams’ book focuses on identifying the Moral Premise at
the heart of your story idea and building around it. It’s a very thematic
approach to storytelling. This Moral Premise essentially breaks the story into
four components: a positive “virtue”, a negative “vice”, desirable consequences
(success), and undesirable consequences (defeat). You can use this to create a
simple structure of “Vice leads to undesirable consequences (defeat), while
Virtue leads to desirable consequences (success)”. I'm admittedly oversimplifying
it, but it's a great tactic to get to the heart of your story's theme and
strengthen your narrative.
The Moral Premise reveals the foundational concept at the heart of all storytelling and successful box office movies. In concrete terms it explains how you can create your own success and, in the process, entertain, delight, challenge, and uplift this generation and the ones to come.
Most
structural paradigms are vague to the point of being esoteric. Terms like “dark
night of the soul” or “return with the elixir” are simultaneously too
convoluted and too abstract to clearly impart their narrative functions. The
Story Structure Secret: Actions and Goals eschews the traditional
approach to story structure by teaching you how to use a simple, universal
pattern of six character actions and goals to
drive the structure of your narrative.
This sequence of actions and goals is
the hidden foundation of your favorite novels and films, and by learning to
align the unique actions your characters take with these universal story
actions, you can easily create compelling and propulsive narratives.
Meet Lev Gleason, a real-life comics superhero! Gleason was a titan among Golden Age comics publishers who fought back against the censorship campaigns and paranoia of the Red Scare. After dropping out of Harvard to fight in World War I in France, Gleason moved to New York City and eventually made it big with groundbreaking titles like Daredevil and Crime Does Not Pay.
Brett Dakin, Gleason's great-nephew, opens up the family archives—and the files of the FBI—to take you on a journey through the publisher's life and career. In American Daredevil, you'll learn the truth about Gleason's rapid rise…
American Daredevil: Comics, Communism, and the Battles of Lev Gleason
Gleason was a titan among Golden
Age comics publishers who fought back against the censorship campaigns and
paranoia of the Red Scare. After dropping out of Harvard to fight in France,
Gleason moved to New York City and eventually made it big with groundbreaking
titles like Daredevil and Crime Does Not
Pay.
Brett Dakin, Gleason's great-nephew,
opens up the family archives-and the files of the FBI-to take you on a journey
through the publisher's life and career. In American Daredevil, you'll learn the
truth about Gleason's rapid rise to the top of comics,…
