Writer's Blog 2011-03-28

I think it was last year that I started looking at "Writing a Novel" part of the teach yourself range.

This next section is about the eight point story arc.

1. Stasis


2. Trigger


3. The quest


4. Critical choice


5. Climax


6. Reversal


7. Resolution

Anyone who's studied scriptwriting will probably recognise these. Each one of them can be phrased differently. I've heard "Stasis" expressed as "Who is the protagonist and what do they want?" This is a good place to start as it keeps the Vorlons and and the Shadows happy.

I was first presented with this idea in class. I must say that I misunderstood it. This is not a strict code rather it is guidelines. It is useful as a plan for a film or a novel. However in my opinion some subversion of the structure is advisable. Otherwise every story would be the same.

Everyone has seen films that follow this structure. To me it seems that particularly romantic comedies follow it. You must have seen them. The relationship is all going well. Then suddenly their is a hiccup. Somebody acts stupid, or a secret is revealed, and it looks like the couple will not live happily every after. Then we get the montage and they get back together in the end.

I've just finished a script based on this structure. In the planning stages I thought it to be a terrible encumbrance but in the final analysis it has been most useful.

The way I was taught was that these eight points then become part of a larger plan. For me this was forty points altogether. My script basically goes through and intersects all those points. Then will come the editing phase and hopefully the result will be an excellent script.

I have a scriptwriting tutorial later in the week. I will look more closely at this structure then. Until then: Good night, good morning, good afternoon and good evening. - depending on where you live.

Live long and prosper.