How to Stop Struggling with Story Structure

In this video I walk through the specific elements of the story circle and how you can use them in your screenplay.

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Twitter: @JTylerMowery

#Rewriting #Storytelling

[nehemiahjordan]

This video was very helpful to me. Instead of being perfectionist, I'm wanting to move towards more of a flow in my writing and understanding that as I work on each element and part of my story, other parts will begin to come together. It's very easy for me to get stuck on one part and not move forward until I've solved it, as if it's in a vacuum. Thanks!

[peaceandloveusa]

I have come across this wheel many times. I understood roughly how to apply it to my story before, but drawing the lines and walking us through how each of them connect to one another really helped it click in my brain. It is no longer, "look at the chart if I get stuck, " but rather a flow I just naturally end up with when writing. I wanted to come back to this video and thank you for helping the concept click in my brain. It has been a big help!

[ZackBellGames]

This is one of your best vids yet, T. I have been in the never-ending, "outline forever" phase. I have been in the phase where you Google and YouTube every structure template and Sorkin pro-tip before actually starting something. I have tracked down every book that claims that all the other books are garbage. I have analyzed and over-analyzed myself until I am more worried about not being ready or perfect yet and never actually getting to the blank page.

Your advice about ignoring the outliers and just PRACTICING basic storytelling again and again is absolutely PROFOUND. Creating a body of work is insanely overrated. Every writer thinks their first script needs to be their A Few Good Men. IT. WON'T. BE...And that is totally ok~

[Nkanyiso_K]

This really came at the right time for me because and help me finally sit down and outline my short film. It'll be my first short in 10 years & I want it to encapsulate the lessons I've learned. So up till now I've been very in my head thinking about the Crew, Equipment, location but now that I've started it's intoxicating (I love making Short films) 🇿🇦

[Alex-czkt]

You explain this better than a lot of my teachers at my film college. My short film screenwriting teacher hasn't even gone over story structure like this XD. You are a godsend, thank you for the amazing free recourses!

[TomEyeTheSFMguy]

I always thought point two was the inciting incident (that would make them want something), and point three was when they decided to cross the threshold into the unfamiliar situation.

[Vakama]

Hey Tyler, just wanted to let you know that you're an incredible human being creating and releasing these videos, it's such an invaluable resource.

[madebyange]

You, sir, are a wise and giving man. Thank you for your breakdowns!!!

[Rejoice]

So, as in your example using the Martian, he goes from 3, "Unfamiliar Situation", then to 4, "Adapt", then he proceeds to 5, the "Get", but then, because of another "Unfamiliar Situation" (the habitat explodes), he has to go back through number 4 again. Then, using this, you can "jump around" to a certain extent, and go through various steps along the way? And, you can then add nuances to the story, and the Character(s) within the story, to make it have more depth, convolutions, and Character.

[Bailey-ebtr]

I know his channel is about shoes and movies but his videos have been so helpful with the book I'm writing thank you!

[samonamission_]

Thank you for this clarification! 👍Nice to call it a 'check' or 'tool' for story momentum. That makes it easier to use. I always struggled with the story circle because my brain tries to read it as an even timeline. But if point 7 is all of act 3...? Wow, big relief. The word 'take' was distracting for me. If that would be the climax, the timeline would be very off. And the wrapping up part would take forever. 🤣 So, I'll just stop seeing it as a timeline. And just use it to check for a logical cause-effect flow.

[lovettuduebor]

This is better than film school or screenplay class. Vet good video.

[WW_Studios]

As I was just about to start writing, this comes at a great time :) thanks.

[arcaces]

Ok. So don't focus on one of the ideas if you didn't get it right. Go back to the start and find the flow through the ideas, so you don't get confused. If you feel like the adapt part or "rising action" didn't feel right, go back to the previous one which is want and you can how the rising action part isn't just oOoOO obstacles, it's obstacles in pursuit of the want and then you can go to the next story beat which is... Oh they finally got it (or at least have a clear plan with really no obstacles) then boom twist or a unexpected big problem, then they make a choice... And blahdeblahdeblah, hope you get the point of these parts are not their own individual part.

[lovettuduebor]

This is better than film school or screenplay class. Very good video.

[alwayspositive]

Awesome video- very nicely explained- would be nice to have a video where you talk about how you present flashbacks in a script- to relate to what happened in the past etc.to move the story forward- Pros and cons of flashbacks. thanks

[bradweiergallery]

Your video is one of the best for understanding the basic Idea and this helps me greatly! Much appreciated! Thank you!

[brendarice-davis]

great.. resolution to what was confusing for so long....thanks😊

[mrkshply]

"you ask about exceptions when you haven't done a lick of work" 😂🤣 love that line. Is true. Go make bad art and then we can talk. Would it be helpful to study a film-maker who hates structure to show how he still uses structural elements in their movies? I was doing this with kill Bill the other day. Was pretty fun

[elinapiller]

Thank you for your videos, they help me to see my mistakes. Your are always the BEST!!!