- Essence of Drama:
- Drama arises from characters facing the consequences of their actions.
- Protagonist’s Motivation:
- Understanding why a conflict matters to the protagonist is crucial.
- The story is about the protagonist’s internal changes, not just external events.
- Protagonist’s Past:
- A protagonist’s actions and motivations stem from their past experiences.
- The past provides the lens through which current events are evaluated.
- Character Expectations:
- Protagonists enter the story with expectations based on past experiences.
- Stories should disrupt these expectations, creating interesting conflicts.
- Importance of Knowing the Protagonist’s Plans:
- To create meaningful conflict, understand the protagonist’s initial plans and why they matter.
- This helps predict their actions when plans go awry.
Asking “Why?”
- Human Nature:
- Humans are driven to understand the meaning behind events.
- Asking “why” helps navigate life and understand deeper motivations.
- Children’s Questions:
- By age four, children ask questions seeking explanations, not just facts.
Case Study: Sparrows Dance
- Plot Overview:
- An agoraphobic actress is forced to interact with a plumber due to a broken toilet.
- The story revolves around her internal struggle with fear and longing for connection.
- Relevance of Internal Goals:
- External events (e.g., broken plumbing) serve to highlight internal struggles.
Developing Protagonist’s Internal Struggle
- Dual Elements:
- Protagonist’s desire: a long-held want.
- Protagonist’s misbelief: a fear or false belief that hinders achieving the desire.
- Importance of Internal Conflict:
- Knowing the protagonist’s desire and misbelief is essential for plot development.
- These elements create the emotional tension driving the story.
Steps to Define Protagonist’s Desire and Misbelief
- Identify Desire:
- Determine what the protagonist has wanted for a long time.
- Identify Misbelief:
- Understand the fear or misbelief preventing the protagonist from achieving their desire.
The Importance of “Why” in Storytelling
- Essence of Drama:
- Drama arises from characters facing the consequences of their actions.
- Protagonist’s Motivation:
- Understanding why a conflict matters to the protagonist is crucial.
- The story is about the protagonist’s internal changes, not just external events.
- Protagonist’s Past:
- A protagonist’s actions and motivations stem from their past experiences.
- The past provides the lens through which current events are evaluated.
- Character Expectations:
- Protagonists enter the story with expectations based on past experiences.
- Stories should disrupt these expectations, creating interesting conflicts.
- Importance of Knowing the Protagonist’s Plans:
- To create meaningful conflict, understand the protagonist’s initial plans and why they matter.
- This helps predict their actions when plans go awry.
Asking “Why?”
- Human Nature:
- Humans are driven to understand the meaning behind events.
- Asking “why” helps navigate life and understand deeper motivations.
- Children’s Questions:
- By age four, children ask questions seeking explanations, not just facts.
Case Study: Sparrows Dance
- Plot Overview:
- An agoraphobic actress is forced to interact with a plumber due to a broken toilet.
- The story revolves around her internal struggle with fear and longing for connection.
- Relevance of Internal Goals:
- External events (e.g., broken plumbing) serve to highlight internal struggles.
Developing Protagonist’s Internal Struggle
- Dual Elements:
- Protagonist’s desire: a long-held want.
- Protagonist’s misbelief: a fear or false belief that hinders achieving the desire.
- Importance of Internal Conflict:
- Knowing the protagonist’s desire and misbelief is essential for plot development.
- These elements create the emotional tension driving the story.
Steps to Define Protagonist’s Desire and Misbelief
- Identify Desire:
- Determine what the protagonist has wanted for a long time.
- Identify Misbelief:
- Understand the fear or misbelief preventing the protagonist from achieving their desire.
THE WORLDVIEW: YOUR PROTAGONIST’S, THAT IS
Cron, Lisa. Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel (Before You Waste Three Years Writing 327 Pages That Go Nowhere) (p. 85). Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. Kindle Edition.