Story Structure Architect

My friend Pat recommended a number of books to me on writing fiction. You see, I am embarking on a cliché: writing my first novel. Because these bloody things are longer than a short story and much longer than a screenplay, I decided to actually study up on it instead of just winging it as per my usual MO. I didn’t think meandering through 300 pages of a slice-of-life narrative will serve my audience well and it really would be a waste of my time, too. Seriously. Who has time to write 300 pages of dreck?

One particular standout book is Story Structure Architect by Schmidt, and I must say that it is a comprehensive resource that I will refer to over and over again when I begin to develop storylines. I don’t want to do a book review like in high school here, but let’s just say that this book has – and will continue to – change my life. In it, you’ll find: 5 dramatic throughlines, 6 conflicts, 21 genres, 11 master structures, and 55 dramatic situations. It is a virtual potpourri of mix-and-match options to generate a unique and compelling story.

Now if I want to apply my newfound knowledge, I watched Angels & Demons last night with structure on the brain. This was not intentional. As the movie broke into Act 2, I fell asleep for about as long as it took to off 2 of the 4 cardinals. Sincerely.

This wasn’t Dan Brown’s first novel, as I think Deception Point or was it Digital Fortress that was his first novel? Angels & Demons is set up with a roller coaster structure, however it devolved into an episodic structure with predictability that took away curiosity and suspense, the two elements that create page-turners. So, while David Koepp’s and Akiva Goldsmith’s attempts at the screenplay was a valiant effort to reduce a novel into 138 minutes of entertainment, unfortunately the underlying story and structure was not as strong as it could be. On the other hand, The Da Vinci Code (the novel) truly was a roller coaster ride and you were never sure when the next twist would occur or how the next turn would happen. That was fun!

I think I might write me one of those! 

Punchlines 

I also do magic tricks, balloon animals and host children's parties... 

... said Obama to both houses of Congress in the State of the Union address.