The Story Cycle - The 3 Things You Must Learn to Write Killer Stories


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English Pages [1] Year 2009

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The Story Cycle - The 3 Things You Must Learn to Write Killer Stories

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The Story Cycle   

The 3 Things You Must Learn to Write Killer Stories by John Brown 2009 

 

Character +  Inciting Incident 

Disaster • Yes, but • No, furthermore

Problem

Problem Intensifiers  • Specific  • Immediate  • Probable  • Significant  • Dilemma  • Uncertainty    Note: Antagonist has brain & desire

• Happiness ‐ threat • Happiness ‐ lack/opp • Mystery

Conflict &  Surprise 

Reaction, Decision • Motives • Options • Goals and Plans

  Resolution 

              Inciting    Incident 

Action

Revelation  Commitment 

Plans in Shambles   One last shot

Hero Reacting  Figuring out problem 

Hero takes initiative  Surprise & Conflict  Rising stakes

Points of Conflict ‐ Obstacles  • Self  o Desires or values  o Flaws  o Handicaps  o Ignorance  • Others  o Antagonists  o Good guys  • Setting  o Physical  o Culture 

Examples of Surprises  • Mistaken initial diagnosis. The  problem isn’t what we thought, peel  back layers  • Plans begin to come apart  • Unforeseen factors or players    • Wrong assumptions  • Change in nature, scope, or intensity  of the problem  • New mysteries  • Antagonist adaptations  More at: http://JohnDBrown.com