Story Genius: Storytelling Workshop

Lisa Cron at #RWA17

Cecelia Mecca
Jul 29, 2017 · 1 min read

A story is how what happens effects someone (protagonist) in pursuit of a deceptively difficult goal & how that person changes internally as a result. Do not create a plot first; the plot comes second. Everything that happens in the plot arises from how it effects the protagonist(s).

Stories are about how people change. If the protagonist is not struggling, you don’t have a story. The plot forces the protagonist to make a change.

All stories begin in media res. They begin with something the protagonist wants and the misbelief that holds them back.

All meaning comes from backstory. Starting a story without knowing important past event for your protagonist is like putting them onto the page with amnesia.

6 Layers of Story

  1. “What if” — An expectation, a premise with a surprising element. But ask first, “what’s your point.” This is the FIRST thing to ask yourself…first page, first sentence. If you don’t know what it is, how can you write a story that makes is?

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