Story Structure Architect: A Writer's Guide to Building Dramatic Situations and Compelling Characters [Paperback]

Victoria Lynn Schmidt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 2005 | ISBN-10: 1582973253 | ISBN-13: 978-1582973258

Build a Timeless, Original Story Using Hundreds of Classic Story Motifs!

It's been said that there are no new ideas; but there are proven ideas that have worked again and again for all writers for hundreds of years.

Story Structure Architect is your comprehensive reference to the classic recurring story structures used by every great author throughout the ages. You'll find master models for characters, plots, and complication motifs, along with guidelines for combining them to create unique short stories, novels, scripts, or plays. You'll also learn how to:

• Build compelling stories that don't get bogged down in the middle
• Select character journeys and create conflicts
• Devise subplots and plan dramatic situations
• Develop the supporting characters you need to make your story work

Especially featured are the standard dramatic situations inspire by Georges Polti's well-known 19th century work, The Thirty-Six Dramatic Situations. But author Victoria Schmidt puts a 21st-century spin on these timeless classics and offers fifty-five situations to inspire your creativity and allow you even more writing freedom. Story Structure Architect will give you the mold and then help you break it.

This browsable and interactive book offers everything you need to craft a complete, original, and satisfying story sure to keep readers hooked!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The author of 45 Master Characters, Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D. holds degrees in film production and creative writing and also has a Ph.D. in psychology. Victoria also works locally as a story analyst and writer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (July 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582973253
• ISBN-13: 978-1582973258
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,930 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Victoria Lynn Schmidt, PhD PsyD is recognized internationally as a guru for the creative writer and is now becoming known as the voice for the creative soul in all areas of life and business.

While Victoria has been writing since she was 9 years old, she has been studying writing deeply for the past 10 years and uses her techniques and research in her courses at several major universities with much success. Some of her students have gone on to become bestselling authors and have won literary awards.

Unlike most writing books, her books are grounded in solid experimental work.

"I hope readers will realize how vitally important it is to think deeply about all of the decisions they are making when writing. Don't just set a scene in a coffee shop because that's the most logical place or how it's always been done... consider other options and see just how much more alive the scene will feel for it." Victoria Lynn Schmidt

She takes cutting edge research, connects it with ancient wisdom, and puts it in the hands and hearts of everyone who wants a successful high spirited life and career. Her Sound, Simple, Profound ideas help improve every area of your life. She also has a quirky sense of humor, an adventurous spirit, and a passion for helping shelter animals globally.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars help your plot structure and character motivations December 27, 2005

By Erik1988 TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Part 1 - Drafting a Plan

Six basic conflict types you need to decide upon as you structure your story. The 21 genres listed, though not extensive (the fantasy genre was highly lacking), helped realize that there are other niches open to me as a writer and not pigeon-hole myself.

Part 2 - Building the Structure

Eleven structures from the traditional 3-Act format to some non-traditional formats. No 4- or 5-Act structures covered here, but when you think about what is presented you can have some creativity in combining elements of different structures or taking away.

Part 3 - Adding Stories

Fifty-five dramatic situations that expand on the traditional 36 are explained well with examples from contemporary movies/books.

Character types and their motivations are presents which drive the types of story options listed. This helped me consider some additional motivations for my characters in my stories.

Overall this is a fantastic reference.

The book is practically a book of lists to pick and choose and consider as you construct your story. No fifteen examples to support a point and fill pages. The author keeps things straight and to the point letting the 270 pages consist of meaty, helpful information and not fluff. A must have for any reference library.

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars if you write seriously, i'd say buy it... September 8, 2006

By A. Smitley

Format:Paperback

I just bought this book recently and devoured all of its contents from beginning to end in one long sitting. UNLIKE so many other books that claim to help a writer flesh out their novel and then only give vague refrences as to character and plot, this book just about details step-by-step how one can go about doing it.

Another reviewer commented that the print in the book is 'too small' and that it is very hard to read -NO. It has the same print size of any paperback novel.

Another reviewer said something about an error relating to the book saying that the book states that stories are either plot related or character related with the other taking second and then gives examples which are actually the same as each other. Well, i have the book in front of me and this is NOT true. What the book says is that (and you can skim the other reviews to find the one i'm talking about) plot driven stories have the characters REACTING to the events of the story and that character driven stories have the characters ACTING to cause the plot to further itself.

What this means is that in a character driven story if the main character(s) stop deciding to act, which will further the plot of the story because of what they then do, then the story would simply be over. Think of it like your main character deciding that they need milk for their cereal and decide to go to the store to get some. That decision furthers the plot but at any time during their trip to the store they could just as easily decide that they change their mind and don't need milk after all. Then they could just turn around and the story of them taking a trip to the store to buy milk would be over with their decision.

Plot driven stories are like if you are driving to the store to pick up some milk and then on the way there your tire blows out causing your car to veer off the road. When you wake from the crash you try to call on your cell phone for help but just as the operator picks up the line your battery dies. Then you are forced to walk and as you do a storm comes and drops tornados down all around you.

Can you see the difference? That is what the book explains and i think that the reviewer whom i mentioned earlier missed that point.

Anywho, this is a very well written book that explains the information within so well that it is hard not to understand it. Not only is there a great amount of detail to what is stated inside but there are numerous examples to follow and guide the reader.

In my opinion: buy it. I'm glad i did.

41 of 46 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A Valuable Compendium August 13, 2006

By Jeffrey D. Younger

Format:Paperback

Schmidt provides excellent coverage of the variegated structures of plot. The book is divided into four parts. The first explains how to plan a narrative. The second explains how to structure a plot. The third is a compendium of story structures. The fourth is a brief guide to research.

In the Part 1, Schmidt emphasizes character motivation and conflict. Unlike many books of its kind, "Story" clearly explains the relation between the "throughline," the conflict and the genre. If you aim to produce marketable works, this point is crucial. Schmidt covers this material at just the right depth, neither too theoretical nor too paraphrased.

However, in Part 1 you will find the only error in the book. The author makes a distinction between plot-driven stories and character-driven stories, but it is a distinction without a difference. According to Ms. Schmidt, a plot-driven story moves forward by events that "cause the characters to react to those events. Characters are secondary to the plot." On the other hand, a character-driven story moves ahead by "action and choices." Character-driven stories advance by the actions and choices of characters, while plot driven stories advance by the reactions of characters to events. The distinction claimed evaporates when we see that reactions invariably involve choices and actions, and moving ahead by "action and choices" invariably involves reaction to events.

For over 2,000 years, a good plot has been understood to be the logical and probable actions of characters. This is a plot-driven story. In some rare cases, the characters are not people, perhaps not even living. The long descriptive pieces in Hugo's "Toilers of the Sea" are a good example. A kind of story is told, but the characters are the Chanel Islands. So, to tell a story some kind of character must act. Good stories have logical and probable actions, but all stories have a plot.

The character-driven story places the focus on the development and changes in a character's character. Thus, character-driven (in this context) doesn't mean "an actor in a story" but rather "a characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something." Character-driven stories tell of the events that change the nature, personality, or individuating property of a character in the story.

In short, character-driven stories are a species of plot-driven stories that show how a character's character changes. (That's a mouthful!) A good example to study is "Heart of Darkness."

Part 2, is very interesting. Schmidt explains all the traditional plot structures, and even some modern twists on them.

Part 3, is the reason I bought the book. The author compiles a very comprehensive list of story structures, along with questions and examples. I can now stop relying on Bocaccio's "Decameron" for my story ideas!

Part 4 is very brief, but enough to get you going.

It's a good book. I'm glad I bought it.