Stories and Structure

byJoan Vinall-Cox

Story Basics

Why stories are powerful

Story patterns

Story rhythms

Bred in the Bone

We humans create stories It’s how we think!

Like seeing images in an ink-blot We link events into a plot

We organize what we perceive to create

meaning

Psst! Did you hear about…

Gossip, news, the spin …

Scientific formulas, math equations

ALL are STORIES with implicit or explicit plots

The Plot Sickens…

Chronicles vs. Plots Chronicle

A list Plot

Beginning (The Set Up) Middle (Where Significant Change Occurs) End (Definitely Different)

What is a Story ?

The difference between a story and a chronicle

is cause and effect

A chronicle is a list of events

A story has a plot – a pattern of cause & effect

A Chronicle

The queen died.

Then the king died.

A Story (with a plot)

The queen died

Then the king died of grief!

Two actions united by answering the

question Why?

All stories have plots

With a story, the viewer wants to know the causes –

why? who? what? and maybe when?

What is a Plot? A plot is a blueprint of human behavior

A plot is made up of patterns of feelings and actions

A plot makes connections, makes events meaningful

Plots & riddles

Essentially plots are

riddles mysteries a game played between audience & writer

with clues

Story Structure

the dramatic structure is powerful! The story rhythm

Aristotle said it first!

No serious disagreement since Aristotle wrote about Drama over 2000 years ago

There is a story rhythm! First act = ¼ of the time Second act = 1/2 of the time Third act = ¼ of the time

Rising Action &Turning Points

A story can be diagrammed

Act 1 Act 2 Act 3 Climax &

Set up Transition Resolution

Story Rhythm

Not only for the whole story

For each sub-plot

For each individual scene, too Probably innate too

Interactive Stories We always bring our expectations

We choose our favorite plots

Even with new technology Follow the same patterns,

Follow the same rhythms

Games give choices at the traditional Turning Points

Story Basics

Humans ‘story’ – it’s innate

Plot creates meaning – perception shapes and is shaped by plot

Structure Attention created by the dramatic rhythm