"I don't know how to start a story. Please help."

#1
So, it's Wednesday night and your head is boiling with ideas for the next Ilyad. You sit down so that you can bear the weight of a million fictional worlds over your shoulder. You, the modern Atlas, is the only one who can bring these worlds into life.

There's only one problem: You know how to create an epic world, but you are struggling to write a story.

This thread is for you!



Linear Narrative Guidelines
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- B-But Media, guides SUXXX. Standards are made to be broken. So edgy. I'm the best writer, I don't need any standards. I don't need tips. I want to start my epic story about Empire VS Rebellion with my ***** character waking up to go to college

No!

Dear Author: If you want to break the standards and revolutionize writing, first you must know what these standards are and why they function the way they do for so many fictional works, especially in epic fantasies.

The Structure

We have Three Acts: 
Act 1 - Setting up the plot
Act 2 - Suffering heavy losses
Act 3 - Turning things around and winning

A reminder before we start: In a good story, EVERYTHING is at the service of storytelling. When Dostoiévski describes the messy and dark bedroom of Roskólnikov in Crime and Punishment, he's not actually talking about the bedroom; he's talking about the character. By describing the mess and damaged furniture, he's telling us that his nihilistic character just did not care.

Learn with him: if you are going to stop the plot so that you can describe the clothes/home of character, per example, make it so that the clothes tell something about the character. Maybe make the clothes soiled and old to inform that the character is poor; maybe make the clothes perfectly clean and ironed to illustrate that a character has an obsession with order. Fill his bedroom with posters and books so that we know that the character is a dreamer.

Don't waste your reader's time. Tell a story. Now let's begin!


Act 1 - The First Scene

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In the dark space, a tiny Rebel ship flees from an Imperial Star Destroyer that is 40 times as large! (See? Images are telling us about how powerful each faction is. No need for exposition to clutter the dialogue) The Rebel Ship gets disabled! The Imperial Troopers invade the ship and a firefight ensues! The Rebels are defeated and Darth Vader, the bad guy with an amazing design, is chocking people using the Force in search of the MacGuffin (The Death Star's Plan). Princess Leia, one of our heroes, makes two robots carry the Dearth Star's Plans. They go to the planet of Tatooine where our outcast Main Character will buy them as house equipment...

This is amazing. It's CRIMINAL to waste your First Scene. Don't do this.

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Here are the Three Things that a First Scene must do:

- Tell the tone. There is a reason why you don't start your epic adventure story with slapstick pie-in-the-face comedy. And there is a reason why you don't start your slapstick pie-in-the-face comedy with a torture scene. The first scene tells you what to expect from the story. It's the story in a nutshell. Ever wondered why Indiana Jones, an adventure-action movie, starts with a very elaborate adventure-action scene? It doesn't start with Indy waking up. That might work for romantic comedies, but not for an archeological race against the Nazis.

- Introduce the 'Power'. When Darth Vader Force Chokes a guy, the audience is told that there is Magic in this space world. If you are writing a LitRPG / Story with Magic, you can do the same: use the First Scene to expose the CORE (keep it simple) magic / Game Mechanic just so that the reader knows that the rules in this new world are not the same as ours.

- Sets up the Plot. Okay, the bad guys clearly want the 'Plans for the Death Star' (The MacGuffin. Think about the One Ring from 'Lord of the Rings': the MacGuffin is an item that motivates all the characters and puts the plot together). The Rebels clearly want to keep those plans. So Princess Leia stores the plans in a robot and sends it to Tatooine. Guess what will happen next? The Empire will go after the plans. Organic, isn't it?

So Luke Skywalker gets the robots and the Plans for the Death Star. But who is this guy and why should we care?

Act 1 - The Main Character
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Luke Skywalker gets the Robots, yet he doesn't seem to have that much interest in his current life. From the moment that he is buying the robots, we see that his Uncle (the man who raises him) is always pushing him around and telling him what to do. Then we see Luke Skywalker playing with some toy spaceships, denouncing that he has aspirations to become a pilot and explore the universe. One scene later, he's talking to his Uncle and his Aunt about leaving Tatooine to become a pilot; yet they turn him down because he needs to stay and help his Uncle tend the farm.

Then Luke Skywalker gets really sad because he once again will have to stay and relinquish himself from fulfilling his dreams. So he goes out and faces the Binary Sunset, which is in the sky (what he really wanted to explore). This scene is a perfect culmination of this simple, yet effective character set up:

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Everyone loved Han Solo, not Luke Skywalker. But the epic story would not work if Smuggler Han Solo or Rebel Princess Leia were the protagonists. Here's why 'Luke Skywalker' is a perfect archetype for YOUR complex epic fantasy story:

- The Outcast. Luke Skywalker has no idea about what is going on in the world. He's just a farmer. Star Wars might be a complex fantasy space opera, but Luke Skywalker is just a farmer. You don't need to understand the lore to know what a farmer is. A 'Rebel Princess' (what is she Princess of? Why is she a rebel?) and a 'Smuggler' (why is the trade illegal? Who pays him?), however, are much more complicated. When Luke Skywalker heads out to space, he'll learn about the Force and the history of the Empire; JUST LIKE THE READER. The fact that our protagonist and the reader are on the same page is amazing because any exposition will serve for both. The Outcast protagonist can be a Mercenary, a Pilgrim or even a farmer from an isolated corner of the world (Frodo from 'Lord of the Rings'); all that it matters is that he's stepping in this strange fantasy world along with us, the readers.

- Relatable. Luke Skywalker dreams of great space adventures. Yet he's locked in his boring daily life of getting pushed around by his parents. He has little to no freedom. This is something we, the readers, can relate to. We might not be able to relate to the conflict of a Rebel Princess plotting a rebellion against the evil forces of the Empire; but 'just a dude with a dream who is getting repeatedly crushed by life' is something that anyone will understand and that transcends that fictional world. He is a character with a simple drama that could function in any other story. This is an anecdotal tip that I've learned: have good characters and any story works.

Luke goes back to his house after mourning his dead dream. He is cleaning one of the robots that he bought when he sees Princess Leia's message to Obi-wan Kenobi, a hermit, to transport the 'Death Star Plans' to the rebel planet. He falls in love with her, and he feels the urge to save her. But as of now, it's not going to happen. One night, the Robot leaves home and decides to go find Obi-wan Kenobi by itself. Luke goes after the robot...

Act 1 - The Mission & the Plot
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Luke Skywalker heads out to find the robot. But he is attacked by the Sand People. They are sacking Luke's vehicle until Obi-wan Kenobi shows up. Without fighting, the Sand People just cower away and run (basically telling us that Obi-wan means business and that he is powerful). Obi-wan takes Luke to his house and talks about the Force, the Jedi and the history of the Empire. We are learning WITH Luke about the epic universe and the bad guy. See how the protagonist came in handy?

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Obi-wan receives Leia's message and tells Luke to go with him deliver the Death Star plans to the Rebels. But Luke has to go home and do what his Uncle wants... So the boy heads out home and he finds out that the Empire has destroyed his house and killed his parents in their search for the Death Star's Plans. We see that Luke's life has fallen apart and we also get a glimpse of why the Empire is bad. It's time to head out for an adventure to free Leia, deliver the plans of the Death Star and DEFEAT the Empire. Luke decides to become a Jedi like his father before him.

Our Main Character, who only had an abstract goal of exploring the stars, now has a TANGIBLE mission to accomplish; and that mission is based on solid motivations that were established (Lust for Discovery, Lust for Leia and Lust for Vengeance for his Uncles).

Why is the 'Mission' / 'Plot' important?

- Putting the Cast together. People around Luke Skywalker are not just put together with him by accident. They all serve a purpose in Luke's mission. Han Solo and Chewbacca, per example, will cross paths with Luke because Luke needs someone to transport him. So we organically have two of the most interesting characters joining the story. The Side-Characters are an organic subproduct of the Mission: if a character wants to do X, there must be other beings in this world that share that goal (think about the Fellowship of the Ring) / or who have other plans that the character can help in fulfilling.

- Anchors the story. If you decide to skip 50 pages, you'll still know what's going on: Luke is working to defeat the Empire. We already know what to expect from the story. If this were a romantic tale, per example, the protagonist would be doing his best to get the girl.

- Allows a plot-twist. Stars Wars: A New Hope doesn't have a plot-twist. But this part would be perfect for you to build up a Plot-Twist. Maybe Luke heads out to space now thinking that his Mission is correct, but all of a sudden he discovers that Obi-wan killed his parents to convince him to go to space and that Obi-wan is, in reality, a bad guy who plotted for Luke to take the Plans for the Death Star to where the Empire could claim them! Plot-Twists are generally built UPON the 'Mission'. You make them by upsetting the established goal of the character. The Main Character makes so many decisions and builds so many bonds so that he can accomplish a mission only to realize that his motives were misguided from the beginning.




Act 2 - Things go south
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Luke, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Obi-wan head to the Death Star to free Leia. However, while they escape, Obi-wan engages Darth Vader in combat! Darth Vader kills Obi-wan and now Luke is crushed. The Empire destroys a planet and persuades Leia to tell where the Rebel base is. Now the Obi-wan is dead, and the Death Star is heading out to destroy the Rebel Base! Han Solo gets the hell outta there and leaves Luke and Leia alone to deal with the problem. Everything is lost. The story gets to its lowest moment!

We have already established the plot and the characters. What else is left? Drama.

Bad things and good things will always happen in life. Our Main Character is no exception. He/she will go through adversity and the reader will root for them to win if they are effective characters. First, we see Alderaan get destroyed by the Empire in an attempt to take information from Leia; then we see Obi-wan's death 20 minutes later. Then the Empire heads out to destroy the Rebel Base and a betrayal happens: Han Solo gets the hell out of there. 

There is not much to be spoken here. The 'Act 2' is the darkest part of the story and where the greatest tragedies should come. This is a row of examples:

- Death of the Master. A classic. The Death of the Master means that the Main Character is on his own and the guidance that the protagonist had is now gone. He is on his own and that is terrifying.

- The Unstoppable Bad Guy. The bad guy is on a winning streak. He won 3 for everytime that he lost 1. There is no reason to think things will change.

- The Betrayal of the Friend. To make it even clearer that "All is Lost", the friends who made bonds with the Main Character to accomplish his/her goals start to leave. Despair grows.

Luke Skywalker, Leia and a small bunch of rebels are about to be destroyed by the Death Star. But they analyze the plans to the Death Star, which reveals a weak point. This is the last hope of the rebels: they either abuse that weak point or they are destroyed. Everything is at stake! Let's do this, boys!




Act 3 - Turning the Tables

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Luke Skywalker joins the Rebel Pilots in their mission to disable the Death Star and save themselves! It's the CLIMAX where everything comes together! Yet the pilots are getting destroyed one by one in the battle until there is only Luke left and Darth Vader is on his tail. Everything seems lost until Han Solo, the friend who had left, has a change of heart and decides to save Luke! He uses his ship to attack the pursuers and gives Luke a chance to save the day! Obi-wan, as a ghost, tells Luke to use the Force! Almost there, almost there... 

Three, two, one...!

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The day is saved! The Death Star is destroyed! Hurray!

The 'Climax' is a catharsis. The worse the trip, the more fulfilling it is. You have those 'Top 10 Anime Comebacks' moments in your head that are ready to be written? Fantastic. This is the time to go nuts and make the craziest (and coolest) thing possible! Everything comes together (Obi-wan's Death, the betrayal of Han Solo, the desperation of the Rebels, the protection of the Plans of the Death Star...) to make a perfect ending.

The Mission is now complete!

What comes after? A lot more than you expect...



Act 3 - The Reward
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Everything led to a final ceremony after the Death Star is destroyed. Yet this is more than a commemoration. Pay attention.

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What is in a good ending:

- Character Arcs are COMPLETE. A 'Character Arc' is the transformation of that character into someone else. Luke was just a farmer with dreams who turns into a courageous hero. Han Solo was a selfish smuggler who turns into a valiant hero that saves the day by returning at the last moment. Every good character has an inner journey that they go through. Han Solo's arc is especially important.

- Joy. That small blink in the gif above is a little humorous event, but it has a huge meaning. Not only it sets up the future of the novel, but also gives us a brief comedy moment that makes the commemoration feel real. The Rebels are not nervous and afraid, they are victorious and excited.

- It sets up a sequel. (If there should be one) - Darth Vader survives the destruction of the Death Star, Han Solo seems to have something for Leia, we still don't know who the Emperor is; the Rebels won the battle, but not the war. Here is a thing: A 'Three Acts' structure also applies to series of stories. 'The First Part' sets up the plot, the 'Second Part' is the lowest point and the 'Third Part' is the climax.




I hope that you've enjoyed this guide and that even if you don't follow what is being suggested, you still learned something.

I used 'Star Wars - A New Hope' as a reference because it is a widely known story.

https://i.imgur.com/ylmRlre.png
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RE: "I don't know how to start a story. Please help."

#5
'Tanaka Tomoyuki' pid='831575' dateline='1515003655' Wrote: Isn't the problem when Chris Paolini literally copies that linear approach with his Eragon and ends up with a super-similar story?

I remember a lot of people complaining that Eragon ripped off Star Wars.
And Star Wars itself ripped off 'The Hidden Fortress', a samurai movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hidden_Fortress

And also, Dam Busters, a WW2 movie:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dam_Busters_(film)

And 'Hidden Fortress' ripped off a story ancient than writing, which is the unknown hero leaving his zone of comfort in order to face chaos, surviving and turning chaos into a comfort zone; thus becoming a hero in the process.

It's pretty much the 'Tale of Humanity' if you think about it. The hunter goes to the wild and comes back with food / the farmer tames a wildland and turns it into a farm.
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RE: "I don't know how to start a story. Please help."

#6
'Tanaka Tomoyuki' pid='831580' dateline='1515010328' Wrote: I guess what I mean to say is that, if you want to write a good story, it's far more complex than following a linear narrative or set formula. Especially if you want to revolutionize something. Maybe.

Never mind, I don't know what I'm trying to say. Sorry. Please disregard all my posts.
I knew this discussion was coming up. It always comes up.

The director of the movie Eragon copied every single plot point from Star Wars, not only the structure: Princess Leia dispatches MacGuffin, Farmer gets MacGuffin, Farmer has dead unknown parents, Farmer has Hermit master, Farmer gets cocky and decides to go rescue Leia, Hermit Master dies while fighting Darth Vader as Farmer escapes Castle to rescue Leia, goes to Rebel Base; final fight.

Now think of a movie like Mad Max: the protagonist, Mad Max, is some outcast who just tries to survive (relatable character), and he always finds himself getting to a new land where there are a bunch of problems. He meets new friends, learns about these problems and saves the day in the end. The Three Acts, the outcast protagonist, the Second Act tragedy and the first scene are all there in Mad Max: Fury Road. Nobody will say Mad Max copied Star Wars, but both follow the same structure and they both work.

This structure becomes more useful for original universes because of all the exposition and the complex lore that the reader will have to face. Having a character that is somewhat on the same ground of knowledge as the reader is just helpful.

;)
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