Structuring A Great Story
I am fascinated with story structure. I am equally fascinated by how little writers talk about it. Structure often gets lumped in while discussing plot but structure is, well, structural. It can do a lot of heavy lifting if you use it wisely so let’s give it some consideration today.
Plot vs. Structure
First, let’s clarify plot vs. structure. Plot is the sequence of events that make up a story. Structure is the shape of the story. Plot is unique to every story. Structure typically follows one of several common structural types.
For example, in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, the plot is the story of how a thief living on the streets grew up and made his way onto a TV game show. The structure is framed by the main character being on a TV game show where he is asked a series of questions. Each question leads to a flashback describing how he got there.
The writer could have written the story in a linear way: starting with the boy and ending on the game show, but instead, they chose a different structure because it tied everything back to the main dramatic moment.
If we think of it as architecture, plot is your unique stained glass window made up of all the tiny bits of beauty that are your unique story. Structure is the stone walls that hold it, less dazzling but equally important. Without a good structure, everything else falls apart.
Determining your structure
Structure is something you should think about once you’ve got a firm grasp on what the story is you want to tell. I usually do this once I’ve got about a third of the writing done. That way I’ve got a handle on the emotional and plot dynamics. I find stopping at this point helps me organize my work without constricting it. Make sure you find the heart of the story first before you try to shape it.
Once you’ve got some ideas down you can arrange the plot points for rhythm, pattern, and energy into a structure. I teach a three-hour course on this, but here is a super short version.
Let’s begin with some common structures. You’ve probably heard about Aristotle’s three-act structure:
Begin with an inciting event that kicks off the action.
Build tension toward the climactic moment that changes everything
Wrap it up
Some other common structures include:
Flashback: Start shortly before the climax and then flashback to show how the main character got to that moment. Then conclude moving forward in real-time where you began.
(Examples: Slumdog Millionaire, The Great Gatsby)
Parallel: Two distinct Aristotelean arcs going on, but the tension of each rise in parallel so the climactic moment match or work closely together. The two arcs intersect at some points. (The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers, The Night Circus)
The Hero’s Journey: Begin in a good place. The main character goes on an adventure that takes them through challenges before returning them to the same place they began but internally changed. (The Hobbit, The Wizard of Oz)
The Replay: Multiple conflicting versions of the same series of events. Usually has a flatter arc, but the conflict between the different versions creates the drama. (Groundhog Day, Momento)
Episodic: Each chapter is a series of stand-alone episodes bound together by a common theme or character. Often, but not always, these stand-alone episodes build to a climactic moment. (Olive Kitteridge, A Walk in the Woods)
Episodic Structure with overall arc Image from Ingridsundburg.com
Review your story in terms of common structures. Which structure, or combination of structures, suits the story you want to tell. Once you have an idea of your structure you can analyze your work and see where you need to fill in and/or edit to help the dramatic tension build effectively.
I’ll talk more about structure and plot in future posts. For now, just remember structure is methodology, not magic. Do what works for you. Use structure to create a more dynamic frame for displaying your work.
Exercise:
Here’s a couple of questions to think about when you’re ready:
What type of structure do you think you will be using?
Lay your plot out in that structure. What is missing? Where do you have too much in the wrong spots on the arc?
Take a moment to try something else. Chose an alternative structure and lay your plot out in that. See what it does. The results could be inspiring.
