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TECH: MICE in your stories?
Oct. 8th, 2010 02:16 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mbarker.livejournal.comOriginally posted 31 August 2010
Over here, http://www.writersdigest.com/article/4-story-structures-that-dominate-novels/ there's an article by Orson Scott Card talking about "The Four Story Structures That Dominate Novels." Basically, Card suggests that there are four elements that help determine the structure of our stories. While every story has some of each, usually one dominates.
What are the four elements? Milieu, idea, character, and event (MICE). And what are the structures or implications for the story?
Structure one, milieu. This is a fancy term for the world -- the planet, society, weather, etc. The usual structure is very simple "An observer who sees things the way we?d see them gets to the strange place, observes things that interest him, is transformed by what he sees, and then comes back a new person."
So the story begins when the character arrives in a new place, and ends when the character leaves.
Structure two, idea. "Idea stories are about the process of seeking and discovering new information through the eyes of characters who are driven to make the discoveries. The structure is very simple: The idea story begins by raising a question; it ends when the question is answered."
Card points out that most mysteries follow this structure. The story begins with a crime. The question is who did it and why? The story ends when the identity and motive are revealed.
Structure three, character. Character stories are about transformation of a character's role in communities that are important to the character. They're about who a character is. The story begins when the main character breaks out of one role and begins the process of change. It ends when the character finds a new role or sometimes settles back into the old one.
Structure four, event. Something is wrong with the world. Someone steps up to struggle with that. And when they change the world, it ends.
So simple, and yet... having MICE in your stories can help?
As an exercise, you might look at some of your favorite stories. Which of the four do they emphasize? What about your own writing? Which do you prefer?
Who moved the cheese?
Over here, http://www.writersdigest.com/article/4-story-structures-that-dominate-novels/ there's an article by Orson Scott Card talking about "The Four Story Structures That Dominate Novels." Basically, Card suggests that there are four elements that help determine the structure of our stories. While every story has some of each, usually one dominates.
What are the four elements? Milieu, idea, character, and event (MICE). And what are the structures or implications for the story?
Structure one, milieu. This is a fancy term for the world -- the planet, society, weather, etc. The usual structure is very simple "An observer who sees things the way we?d see them gets to the strange place, observes things that interest him, is transformed by what he sees, and then comes back a new person."
So the story begins when the character arrives in a new place, and ends when the character leaves.
Structure two, idea. "Idea stories are about the process of seeking and discovering new information through the eyes of characters who are driven to make the discoveries. The structure is very simple: The idea story begins by raising a question; it ends when the question is answered."
Card points out that most mysteries follow this structure. The story begins with a crime. The question is who did it and why? The story ends when the identity and motive are revealed.
Structure three, character. Character stories are about transformation of a character's role in communities that are important to the character. They're about who a character is. The story begins when the main character breaks out of one role and begins the process of change. It ends when the character finds a new role or sometimes settles back into the old one.
Structure four, event. Something is wrong with the world. Someone steps up to struggle with that. And when they change the world, it ends.
So simple, and yet... having MICE in your stories can help?
As an exercise, you might look at some of your favorite stories. Which of the four do they emphasize? What about your own writing? Which do you prefer?
Who moved the cheese?
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