Wed 13 Oct 2010
Giving Context to Structure
Posted by Gay Degani under advice
[14] Comments
Content, structure, and language work together. No one element can make a story work. Many writers use a series of steps—brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revision, editing, and proofreading—to juggle content, structure, and language. The order of each step is a matter of choice and fluctuates with story ideas. Here is my preference:
- To create content: brainstorm, free-write, draft a first draft
- To apply structure: outline first draft, then draft second draft
- To perfect language: revise, edit, and proofread
Content refers to the subject matter of a story.
- The who, what, when, where, and how of a specific idea
- A character (the protagonist) finds himself in a difficult situation at a certain time and place and must deal with that situation.
- How the protagonist deals with the situation depends on the protagonist’s wants, character, and the nature of the obstacles he must overcome.
- Content provides the “story question or problem” that propels the protagonist through the plot and ultimately reveals a universal theme, a jolt, an epiphany, some small observance of life.
- Content evolves from a premise, notes, a rough draft, research, observation, plus the attitudes and concerns of the writer.
Structure refers to the basic organization of a story
- Just as a play is divided into three acts, most stories have three main segments
- The opening (Act 1) gives a story focus and meaning by providing the premise, setting, and tone of the story as well as hints at the nature of obstacles the protagonist will face.
- The main body of the story (Act 2) focuses on the protagonist’s actions to resolve the story problem.
- The conclusion (Act 3) reveals the results of the protagonist’s struggle and infuses that struggle with meaning.
- Each segment of a story has a similar structure: the overall story as well as each chapter, each scene within the chapter, each beat within the scene
- Structure also involves other devices such as set-ups and pay-offs, sub-plots, and the shaping of structure specifically to content.
- Structure evolves from outlines, note-taking, drafts or a combination of the three.
Language refers the diction and style used to express a story’s idea.
- Diction refers the specific words that are chosen
- Style refers to how those words are combined, the order, the length of sentences and includes the use of literary devices such as metaphor, symbolism, and allusion.
- Grammar keeps writing clear and understandable.
- Language evolves from revision and rhythm.
14 Responses to “ Giving Context to Structure ”
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Great article!
Hi Gail,
Thank You for that really clear and precise breakdown of the elements of storytelling. I am just now working on my first novel, after having written eight filmscripts, and I find that it is easy to move the novel through the story similarly to a filmscript, but that that puts a problem on the tone of the novel. The tone and feel of the novel seems to have a lot to do with language and feeling, while in the movieworld, action counts, movement in the story. I dont want to forget movement in the novel either, but it seems to come secondary to tone and feel.
Thank You,Im a friend of your daughter,
Marcus Nobreus
Thanks, Hill and thanks Marcus. congrats on the screenplays. I have six myself and really believe it’s the best training ground for any kind of writing.
I think you’re right about the tone and feel of a novel. It must come from the language because although a screenplay can be beautifully written in both narrative and dialogue, it is primarily written to sell to a specific audience and that audience may decide to completely change everything through casting, rewriting, the way it’s shot.
A novel, though, gets its punch from story and its glue from language. I’ve discovered in writing short stories and flash that the language part takes the most time. I save it for last, and in the article above it looks as if I spend the least time on it, but that is deceptive. For something to be strong, multiple revisions in language are usually necessary. And everything in the end should serve the purpose of the story.
Great post, Gay. I shared the link with a couple of my writing groups.
Wonderful article, Gay (and thanks Jim). It helps to have the whole of the process broken down into components. When I write, it all seems to smash together and I get frustrated not knowing how to tease the process apart to get at the functional parts.
I’m getting reacquainted with electronics and I see a correlation: block diagram to brainstorm/freewrite; function groups to outline; unifying components to language focus.
Well…that made sense to -me-, anyway.
m
Good post, Gay. Clear and concise.
re the Writer – beyond what you write is the depth to which your reader can read and I’ve seen recently that many readers don’t get the gist of what’s written – and not just the first time round – like Anne Sexton’s depths, many can’t plumb them – which failure can’t really be blamed on the writer who should at all times keep the sights high
Gay,
Fine thoughtful outline. The only thing I didn’t see was getting your draft to those readers [who read deeply and in my case, that means writers who are more experienced than me that I think -here's the ego - write better]who’ll catch the ‘holes’ in the content and push it beyond the place its written to soar. And then, back to the RR.
Other readers/writers are vital and can unstick something stuck.
Lucinda
A great article and some very helpful reminders.
Thank you Bos, Stan, Lucinda, and David, I appreciate the reads. And of course Stan and Lucinda, there is so much more to all of this so I appreciate you adding the importance of having readers who will be honest and read our stuff with fresh eyes.
And Stan, yes, there are those writers who write with such complexity that what they offer must be read and reread.
I’m fascinated by process, Gay. Because mine is so un-defined. Thank you, slowly, slowly things are becoming clear.
I sometimes enjoy those reads that must be reread. But sometimes I come across a short story that should be reread a second time, but I don’t want to because the effort isn’t worth the payoff. But disecting the story and even the sections as you have brings acuity to us, and maybe refreshes the Stan Longs and David Woodruffs out there. Me? Personally, I love talking about writing and am always open to everything. Thanks for this.