#15: How to Figure Out the Shape of Your Story

In today's episode, I'm going to walk you through how to figure out the big-picture shape of your story. Here's a preview of what's included: . [02:45] Each genre asks a specific story question. For example, in an action story, the central story question is some version of, "Will the protagonist defeat the antagonist and survive the encounter?" (This article has the start and end points by genre) [03:45] The central story question helps you create a framework for your story. That's because these two "ask and answer questions" become the global inciting incident and the global climax of your story. [04:00] The global inciting incident is a scene that raises the central story question in the readers's mind. It's the question that the whole story will work to answer. [05:55] The global climax is a scene that answers the central story question. It's what helps you deliver a satisfying emotional experience to the reader. [07:15] If you're writing an action story... the global inciting incident is usually some kind of threat or attack from the antagonist. These stories end with the protagonist defeating the antagonist (or not). [08:20] If you're writing a romance... the global inciting incident is usually the first time the lovers meet or appear on the page together. These stories end with these two individuals either committing to a romantic relationship (or not). [09:25] If you're writing a mystery... the global inciting incident is usually the discovery of some kind of murder or crime. These stories end with revealing the identity of the murder/criminal and bringing them to justice (or not). [10:35] If you're writing a worldview (or coming of age) story... the global inciting incident is usually a challenge to the protagonist's black and white worldview. These stories end with the protagonist maturing or staying stuck. [12:15] If you're writing a story with both an external and an internal genre, you can identify these key moments to create a story that feels like a cohesive whole AND a story that has more impact. [13:25] Key points and a quick recap of the episode. Subscribe & Review in Apple Podcasts Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I want to encourage you to do that today. I don’t want you to miss an episode! Especially because I’m adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the mix and if you’re not subscribed there’s a good chance you’ll miss out on those. So, click here to subscribe to the show in Apple Podcasts! If you're already a subscriber, and if you enjoy the show, I would be really grateful if you left a review over on Apple Podcasts, too. Those reviews help other writers find my podcast and they’re also super fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the show is or what you'd like to see on a future episode. Thanks in advance! Links mentioned in this episode: How to Figure Out the Shape of Your Story (article) How to Choose the Best Genre for Your Story (article) FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author! Support the show