The 12 final step, storyteller's log 2-9-2013

Here we are at the final step of our story structure. Now we give the audience what they've been waiting for. Hope wins over fear. Our character succeeds against the increasing odds.

What's interesting is that the character gets more than they imagined. This is literally more than the character could have imagined at the beginning of the story. We've gone way beyond the level of the false goal.

Look at the overall shape of the structure. It expands over time. This is what happens to the character psychologically- their world has expanded in ways that weren't there for them in the beginning of the story. It's the rebirth that has allowed this expansive growth inspired by the message.

As Chris Vogler rightly pointed out in The Writer's Journey, this also happens to us when we travel our own, "hero's journeys". We expand beyond our narrow view of the world to a greater view with more connections, possibilities and opportunities that weren't there before. New doors are opened where we didn't even know there was a door before.

Right from the first step each piece has led to the next as a natural consequence. All the pieces connect organically. This makes it easy to write because it guides the process. You no longer have to get lost in Act two.

Structurally we need to make sure that all the threads of our story weave have been tied up. Anything that we've set up in the story has to be paid off. Preferably we need to this as quickly as possible. We don't want the multiple ending story.

We've given our audience an emotionally satisfying experience. We've done this by providing closure to all of the loose ends and narrative questions that have raised tension during the course of the story.

And now a brief word from our sponsor- me.

Don't forget, you can also really all about this in my introductory book on the subject, Iggy's Incredibly Easy Way to Write a Story: The visual way to see your story structure. It covers the overall structure and includes a short story about Iggy and Scared Bunny that was actually written using the theory. An it was incredibly easy. It's available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Iggy's Incredibly Easy Way to Write a Story

Iggy's Incredibly Easy Way to Write a Story

And stay tuned there's lots more surprises and insights to come. In the next blog post we'll look at the structure from an even wider vantage point that simplifies it further. Till then, happy storytelling.