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writercises2022-10-08 03:07 pm
mbarker) wrote in writercises2022-10-08 03:07 pm
TECH: Super Structure: The Final Word (part 21) (575 words)
Original Posting May 3, 2019
James ended his book with a short section that starts out, "Super Structure is all about making sure the power of story – the guts and blood and heart and emotion of it – connects to the reader in the most effective form." Use the signposts, the 14 beats. But if you want to try another approach, or rearrange things, go for it.James suggests that knowing the structure, the framework that he provides here, can help make your stories better, clearer, stronger, more powerful.He says that the principle is that the power of story is proportional to the experience of the reader, and the experience of the reader is proportional to the soundness of the structure. So, get the structure right, and… Everything else will follow.Basically, use Super Structure, the 14 beats, to render a solid story. Fill it in with your voice, vision, characters, dialogue, scenes, surprises… Your style! It really isn't a straitjacket, it's a tool to help you put together a story that really works for the readers.The final bit in the book is a reprise or collection of the reminders. It's a checklist of the little bits and pieces that James used at the end of each section.Similarly, I think I'm going to end this series with the 14 beats, but looking at kind of how I think they hang together. First, there's a thread of trouble or conflict. Disturbance, trouble brewing, a kick in the shins, mounting forces, and the final battle. Second, there is a thread of engagement with the character, making us care about the character. It starts with the care package, and continues with pet the dog. Then there's the transformation, the change in the character. That one starts with the argument against the transformation, turns around the mirror moment, hits the blackest darkness with lights out, adds a ray of hope with the Q factor, and finishes with transformation. Then, we've got two real traffic signals, the doorways of no return #1 and #2. Each of them marks the boundary between acts, and serves as a one-way voyage to the next act.Or, you can look at it this wayDisturbance. What's wrong here?Care package. What's good about this character?Argument against transformation. Why this character isn't going to change!Trouble brewing. A glimpse of the real conflict ahead.The doorway of no return #1. Here we go!A kick in the shins. Ouch, there's real trouble ahead.The mirror moment. Who am I? What is this going to cost me?Pet the dog. I can still take time to help someone else.The doorway of no return #2. And now, I'm committed!Mounting forces. Let's gather the good guys and the bad guys!Lights out. This looks bad!The Q factor. But wait, maybe…The final battle. And now, we fight!Transformation. The character really has changed.There you go. It's a simple set of beats that you can use to help outlining or discovery writing.Actually, as an exercise, you might take a movie or a story that you like, and see if you can identify the beats in it. Also, take a look at what else is in there. I think you'll find most of the beats are there, plus a fair amount of other good stuff.Now, take something you're working on, and try looking for those beats… Or add them in, if they aren't quite there.
James ended his book with a short section that starts out, "Super Structure is all about making sure the power of story – the guts and blood and heart and emotion of it – connects to the reader in the most effective form." Use the signposts, the 14 beats. But if you want to try another approach, or rearrange things, go for it.James suggests that knowing the structure, the framework that he provides here, can help make your stories better, clearer, stronger, more powerful.He says that the principle is that the power of story is proportional to the experience of the reader, and the experience of the reader is proportional to the soundness of the structure. So, get the structure right, and… Everything else will follow.Basically, use Super Structure, the 14 beats, to render a solid story. Fill it in with your voice, vision, characters, dialogue, scenes, surprises… Your style! It really isn't a straitjacket, it's a tool to help you put together a story that really works for the readers.The final bit in the book is a reprise or collection of the reminders. It's a checklist of the little bits and pieces that James used at the end of each section.Similarly, I think I'm going to end this series with the 14 beats, but looking at kind of how I think they hang together. First, there's a thread of trouble or conflict. Disturbance, trouble brewing, a kick in the shins, mounting forces, and the final battle. Second, there is a thread of engagement with the character, making us care about the character. It starts with the care package, and continues with pet the dog. Then there's the transformation, the change in the character. That one starts with the argument against the transformation, turns around the mirror moment, hits the blackest darkness with lights out, adds a ray of hope with the Q factor, and finishes with transformation. Then, we've got two real traffic signals, the doorways of no return #1 and #2. Each of them marks the boundary between acts, and serves as a one-way voyage to the next act.Or, you can look at it this wayDisturbance. What's wrong here?Care package. What's good about this character?Argument against transformation. Why this character isn't going to change!Trouble brewing. A glimpse of the real conflict ahead.The doorway of no return #1. Here we go!A kick in the shins. Ouch, there's real trouble ahead.The mirror moment. Who am I? What is this going to cost me?Pet the dog. I can still take time to help someone else.The doorway of no return #2. And now, I'm committed!Mounting forces. Let's gather the good guys and the bad guys!Lights out. This looks bad!The Q factor. But wait, maybe…The final battle. And now, we fight!Transformation. The character really has changed.There you go. It's a simple set of beats that you can use to help outlining or discovery writing.Actually, as an exercise, you might take a movie or a story that you like, and see if you can identify the beats in it. Also, take a look at what else is in there. I think you'll find most of the beats are there, plus a fair amount of other good stuff.Now, take something you're working on, and try looking for those beats… Or add them in, if they aren't quite there.