Basic Story Structure
At the most fundamental level, every story can be boiled down to the following structure:
A character
in some setting
wants something,
encounters obstacle(s)
and resolves the conflict.
Consider the following examples. Note how each story uses the same building blocks.
Example: Jurassic Park
Written by Michael Chrichton, David Koepp
Main Character(s)
Scientists
Setting
in a dinosaur theme park (remote island)
Main Character’s Goal
want to showcase resurrected dinosaurs
Conflict
but dangerous dinosaurs escape
Resolution
so everyone is forced to flee the island.
Example: Toy Story
Written by John Lasseter, Peter Docter, Andrew Stanton
Main Character
Woody
Setting
in Andy’s room
Main Character’s Goal
wants to remain Andy’s favorite toy
Conflict
but Buzz Lightyear arrives and threatens Woody’s status
Resolution
so Woody and Buzz learn to become friends.
Example: The Little Mermaid
Written by John Musker, Ron Clements, Hans Christian Anderson
Main Character
Ariel
Setting
under the sea
Main Character’s Goal
wants to become human and find love
Conflict
but Ursula “takes” her voice in exchange for Ariel temporarily becoming human, complicating her efforts to interact with Eric
Resolution
so Ariel and Prince Eric defeat Ursula.
Note how in each example, the story can be summarized in a single sentence. Try to summarize your story in a single sentence using the same format. You’ll be able to see what building blocks exist in your story and which ones are missing.