6 Questions for a Great Story
Basic Plot
The basic plot to explaining anything is the S-C-R method:
Situation - Give an overview of where everything is at baseline. Do this to set up the anticipation i k mp i’m ok of the problem.
Conflict - The problem. Something that needs to be overcome. It has to be compelling and significant.
Resolution - How this problem can be or was solved.
1. The Lion King - Simba needs to overcome his guilt and fear to reclaim his rightful place as king, restoring balance to the Pride Lands.
2. Lord of the Rings - Frodo Baggins must carry the One Ring to Mount Doom and destroy it to prevent Sauron from enslaving Middle-earth.
3. The Gladiator - Maximus Decimus Meridius seeks revenge against the corrupt Emperor Commodus who murdered his family, ultimately seeking justice and peace in death.
4. Harry Potter - Harry must defeat Voldemort to protect both the wizarding and Muggle worlds from tyranny and fear.
5. Star Wars (Episode IV: A New Hope) - Luke Skywalker embarks on a journey to destroy the Death Star and help the Rebel Alliance defeat the Empire, discovering his own destiny as a Jedi.
6. Finding Nemo - Marlin must journey across the ocean to rescue his son Nemo, overcoming his own fears and learning to trust others along the way.
The 6 Questions
Now for a story, we adapt the main SCR structure to 6 basic question in storytelling.
- Who is it about?
Human beings always turn stories into stories about PEOPLE.
- What do they want?
Human beings will always focus, care, and follow when we know SOMEONE WANTS SOMETHING. Make it specific.
- What is the Obstacle?
Obstacles require the main character to do something.
- What did they do?
What they do makes up the bulk of the story.
What they do defines who they are, defines their character.
- Why they Failed? This makes the ending more significant. It shows struggl.
- The final solution / The Ending. That makes a statement. It must have a meaning.
E.g.
Finding Nemo
•Who is it about?
Marlin, a clownfish searching for his son, Nemo.
• What do they want?
To find and rescue his son, Nemo, who has been captured by a diver and placed in a fish tank.
• What is the Obstacle?
The vast and dangerous ocean, Marlin’s own fears, and the many challenges along the way.
• What did they do?
Marlin, with the help of Dory, journeys across the ocean, facing numerous dangers, and never giving up hope of finding Nemo.
• Why did they fail?
At times, Marlin’s fears and overprotectiveness hinder his progress, and he briefly loses hope when things seem most dire.
• The final solution / The Ending:
Marlin finds Nemo, and together they escape from the fish tank. Marlin learns to trust Nemo’s abilities, and they return home with a stronger bond.
Discussion