Re: Choosing a structure
Right, but every story idea starts somewhere. What's the difference between saying "I want to tell a story about drug dealers" and "I want to write something that includes a lot of flashbacks" if you they both lead you to a fully-developed story in the end?
Plenty of excellent scripts have inspiration stories that start with something like, "I was always driving past this gazebo on my way home, and I started to wonder what kind of story I could tell that would include that gazebo." They didn't have a story that demanded a gazebo; they saw a gazebo that inspired a story. Structure can work the same way.
It doesn't have to, of course, and it's not like I'm telling everyone to pick a structure or mechanic first and go from there. But it can be a source of inspiration if you're so inclined.
I guess I'm just saying it's a chicken/egg thing. In the end you need a fully-developed story that also makes sense, which means your structure should suit your story. Which one you choose first doesn't really matter as long as you have both.
Right, but every story idea starts somewhere. What's the difference between saying "I want to tell a story about drug dealers" and "I want to write something that includes a lot of flashbacks" if you they both lead you to a fully-developed story in the end?
Plenty of excellent scripts have inspiration stories that start with something like, "I was always driving past this gazebo on my way home, and I started to wonder what kind of story I could tell that would include that gazebo." They didn't have a story that demanded a gazebo; they saw a gazebo that inspired a story. Structure can work the same way.
It doesn't have to, of course, and it's not like I'm telling everyone to pick a structure or mechanic first and go from there. But it can be a source of inspiration if you're so inclined.
I guess I'm just saying it's a chicken/egg thing. In the end you need a fully-developed story that also makes sense, which means your structure should suit your story. Which one you choose first doesn't really matter as long as you have both.
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