The Structure Of A Compelling Story

How Dan Harmon’s story circle helped me improve my story writing skills

image from studiobinder

Rick and Morty, a Netflix popular program produced by Dan Harmon, is one of my favorite shows. As a result, I’ve been itching to divulge his story-building approach.

The skill of telling a story comes down to how it’s structured. Dan Harmon’s Story Circle is one of many story formats. The three-act format is something we’ve all heard about. These numerous structures can be valuable resources for storytellers. So, in this essay, I’ll examine Dan Harmon’s Narrative Circle and explain how it might aid you in writing a screenplay or story.

When was the last time you felt blocked in your creative process? I get stuck all the time. You begin writing a script but give up halfway through because you can’t think of a way to complete it. You toss it aside and start a new one. Then it happens again and again. Dan Harmon, believe it or not, was also affected. As a result, he tackled the issue and devised a creative strategy for dealing with it.

He condensed decades of storytelling knowledge into a straightforward, step-by-step method for creating a great story.

There are total 8 steps to the story circle

Step 1 — YOU

The “You” step’s purpose is to establish the story’s protagonist. It doesn’t have to be a single individual all of the time. It could be a group or a family. This is our first glimpse at our main character(s), a chance to get to know them before the story begins. This is crucial when it comes to developing a captivating character journey. The “transformation” that the protagonist undergoes during their journey is an important component of the plot. We firmly establish their starting position at this stage so that we can assess the change at the end. This is also the time to learn about the character’s surroundings, such as their planet, its rules, and how they fit into it.

Let’s take a peek at how the “You” step appears in some of our favorite films.

• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — The “You” in the Dark Knight is Bruce Wayne. The story establishes the status quo of his world. Bruce fights crime.
• In Toy Story — The “You” is Woody. He is happy to be Andy’s favorite toy.

Step 2 — NEED

After we’ve been introduced to the protagonist and their universe, the next step is to figure out what the protagonist “needs.” In our character’s life, something happens that presents difficulty or raises a question. The plot begins to take shape at this point, with “You” as the protagonist and “Need” as the adversary.
This is when we discover the protagonist’s main goal, which will influence the next course of the story.

• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — There is a scene in the movie where Alfred tells Batman, “Know your limits”. This is the external need. This is what we know: Batman is willing to go to any length to save the citizens of Gotham (need) while also having a desire to be with Rachel (which is an internal need).
• In Toy Story — With Buzz Lightyear’s arrival, Woody must figure out how to reclaim his place as Andy’s favorite.

Step 3 — GO

It’s “GO” time. We are motivated to act by our needs. The “Go” step marks the protagonist’s first steps in pursuit of the need. This is why the phrase “we need an active protagonist” is frequently used. If there is a “Need” but no “Go,” then the story is over. When writing your own story, make your need so urgent that it’s impossible for the protagonist to avoid it.

The protagonist enters the bottom half of the Story Circle after completing this third stage. For the first time, they are leaving their familiar surroundings and entering the unknown.

• In Toy Story — When Woody throws Buzz out the window, the other toys turn against him. Andy takes Woody to Pizza Planet as a prize. Woody responded to his need and took action.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — There is a scene in the movie where Alfred tells Batman, “Know your limits”. This is the external need. This is what we know about Batman. He is willing to go to any length to save the citizens of Gotham (need) while also having a desire to be with Rachel (which is an internal need).

Step 4 — SEARCH

This is the step where the story may get complicated. Both in terms of the story, you’re telling and the way you’re telling it. The character can respond to the need by looking for a solution. Hence, “SEARCH STEP”.
The “search” in a major epic feature film drama or a novel will entail more than a physical search. That is, the hero must conquer a sequence of challenges.

• In Toy Story — Woody finds Buzz but they get trapped at Sid’s house where they endure imminent destruction.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — Batman is in desperate need of a replacement, so he goes to great lengths to find one, eventually settling on Harvey Dent, a young and promising DEA agent. Under Harvey’s watch, Batman believes Gotham will be a little safer. If Batman can deliver a criminal to Harvey, he will be able to imprison them, allowing Bruce Wayne to step down as Batman and spend more time with Rachel.

Step 5 — FIND

The protagonist has looked and searched till he discovers the reason for his journey(which started in step 4). However, the story does not finish here. Remember that in a good story, the protagonist is unable to obtain what he requires. He may have found what he was looking for, but it turns out he requires additional assistance. Something more substantial. Plot and character development frequently overlap at this point.

• In Toy Story — Woody and Buzz connect over the joys of being a toy as they plan their escape from Sid’s residence. Woody had no intention of making contact with Buzz. Instead, he discovers something new.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — Batman must remove his mask and surrender to the authorities. That is his discovery. People will die if this does not happen. As a result, Bruce Wayne decides to remove his mask. But something happens before Bruce has a chance to execute it.

Step 6 — TAKE

Whatever hero can get his hands on, he’ll take it! and learn to live with it or walk away from it! The hero obtains what they require, but it comes at a price. Your hero must suffer even after his initial success. The protagonist(s) suffer a significant loss. Depending on the genre, these “losses” could range from a slight setback to the death of a crucial character.

• In Toy Story — As Woody and Buzz attempt to make it back to the moving truck, RC’s battery dies, leaving them stranded.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — The Joker is finally caught by Batman. The Joker, on the other hand, exposes his trump card. Batman must choose between his friend and the district attorney. He does, however, provide Batman with a bogus location for both of them. As a result, Batman accidentally saves Harvey while letting Rachel go.

Step 7 — RETURN

The hero returns to his house. Whatever they found and took has returned the character to the normal realm. It could be a magical object, a person, or a lesson.

• In Toy Story — Woody and Buzz make return safely to Andy.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — Batman rises from the abyss of chaos. He returns, but he has suffered a significant setback. He’s returning to the beginning, changed by his experiences but with a new need. Gotham still needs him because the Joker has flipped Harvey’s moral coin.

Step 8 — CHANGE

There will be a change in your character. It could be a personal shift or a change in the world around them. It could be both in the case of a long story.
Change might sometimes have the opposite impact. Although the world has improved, it is possible that the protagonist has deteriorated. It’s fun to experiment with the change step.

• In Toy Story — Woody learns to co-exist with Buzz.
• In Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight — Batman takes the blame for Harvey’s crimes. He transforms into a villain and is forced to absorb the turmoil. This is done in order to honor Harvey Dent’s bravery. We didn’t get the hero we deserved, but we did get the hero we needed. This completes the circle. Returning the hero to the beginning of the story is a common way of demonstrating the hero’s development.

It’s the change that makes it a good story.

The Dan Harmon Story Circle’s eight steps are meant to help you make that transformation.