STORY

Is What Happens

Your beginning is when the action begins, the middle is when, in trying to achieve the action, things significantly change and can never go back to the way they were when the story started, and the end is the resolution after the action has ended

Catharsis

Catharsis is a Greek term meaning the purging of emotion. In the simplest terms: your story must make us feel something. No matter how deeply you love your idea, if it doesn’t produce an emotional release in the audience, it won’t have impact. The Story phase is where you figure out how to achieve that emotional effect, using the raw material you uncovered in Prep. This is the heart of storytelling, and the number one goal of this phase.

WHY

Cyclical Storytelling

The most emotionally satisfying stories, the ones that achieve catharsis are cyclical. You show your character at the beginning, and by the end they return to a similar place, but transformed. That contrast between “who they were” and “who they’ve become” is what creates catharsis. There are many ways to build a cyclical story, and you’ve likely seen the popular “story maps” that help writers do this. In the 16 Steps, I draw from my favorite maps and blend them into one cohesive flow. Use whichever map resonates with you most. The method matters less than achieving a clear emotional transformation.

HOW

Learn Each Map

You don’t have to choose between Save the Cat, The Hero’s Journey, Story Circle, 3-Act Structure, 5-Act Structure, or any other map. Every story is different, and each project may require a different tool. Learn them all. Every map exists for the same purpose: to help you achieve catharsis. In the 16 Steps System, I use my favorites. If you don’t yet have a favorite, try mine. If mine stop working, try another.

You’re a carpenter building a story. The more tools in your toolbox, the stronger writer you will be.

TIPS

Choose Your Route for the Story Phase

PRINT

Download and print the Story worksheets from the PDF in your Starter Kit. Use pencil, scribble freely, and let yourself think on paper without pressure.

NOTEBOOK

Purchase the 16 Step Brainstorming Notebook to work through full color, full page Story worksheets in creativity inducing, unplugged graphics anywhere. *Discount code for the physical notebook, included in the Starter Kit.

FINAL DRAFT

Open the “Templates” tab inside Final Draft to find the Story worksheets in plain text format. While digital brainstorming can work, I highly recommend beginning with messy pencil and paper work first, then transferring your insights into Final Draft. This solidifies your decisions before you move deeper into the 16 Steps.

A Peek Inside Story

Inside the Notebook