Why should authors care about story structure?

What is the most overlooked, misunderstood and yet most important part of the narrative? If you cheated and looked at the title, you already know that the answer is structure . Most writers have two different reactions to the idea of story structure. Either he thinks it's something grand, but too mystical and noble for mere mortals to understand, or he thinks it's formulaic nonsense that will run out of art and inspiration in their books.

When I started writing, I didn't even realize there was such a thing as story structure. From there, I moved on to reading complicated patterns that left me very skeptical, I admit. If that was a framework, then my story was pretty much already written for me before I even came up with a decent idea. No thank you.

What I didn't know, what most writers don't know, is that even though I'd relegated the idea of story structure to ignorance and ridicule, I was actually structuring my stories without even realizing it. In the intervening years, I have been introduced to many theories of structure, which confirm all the inevitable components found in all good stories, whether their authors structured them deliberately or were lucky enough to do so instinctively.

Some experts' approach to structure is incredibly complex. A must read The Anatomy of Story by John Truby that features twenty-two elements of story structure. Screenplay by Syd Field (which is as valuable to novelists as it is to screenwriters) breaks the story down into the simplest three-act structure. All of these approaches incorporate the same structural principles, but some of them break them down into smaller chunks. I prefer a happy middle ground between the two: ten passages that are found in every story and, when arranged correctly, give both author and reader full satisfaction.

As you probably already understood, all of this just goes to say that today I would like to start a new series of articles, in which we will explore the mysteries, mistakes and opportunities of the structure.

But first let's consider some of the reasons why every author should care about structure and why none of us should fear it.

Structure is required in all arts

Dancing, painting, singing, speaking – all art forms require structure. Writing is no different. To bring a story to its full potential, writers must understand the limitations of the form and how to put its many parts in the correct order for maximum effect.

The structure does not limit creativity.

Authors often fear that structure limits their ability to be creative. If they have to follow a certain path in their history and observe certain pit stops or mandatory passages, won't history already be written for them? It is not so. That's not the case. The structure has only one shape: the curve of the story arc that we all recognize as vital to the success of a novel. The only difference is that the structure allows us to be concrete and confident in our creation of that arch, making sure that the shape always comes out perfect.

The structure is not stereotyped.

Another fear is that if every story has the same structure, won't every story ultimately be the same? But is that no more true than the idea that because every ballet incorporates the same movements, every ballet must be the same. The structure is just the box that contains the gift. What that gift might be is as different as the wrapping paper it hides behind.

The structure offers a checklist of must-have items.

Don't we read how-to books because we want to discover and remember all the elements that make up a success story? Structure is nothing more than a list of those elements, all tied into one neat package. How useful is it?

The structure consolidates the mastery of the craft.

Learning to consciously understand techniques that you are probably already using on an instinctive level can only broaden your understanding and strengthen your mastery of the craft. When I first discovered the intricacy of the structure, I was amazed to realize that I was already incorporating most of the elements into my stories. Getting to know them then allowed me to strengthen my raw instincts into focused knowledge.

So are you ready to open up a new world of storytelling? The structure is exciting, comforting and liberating all at the same time. Whether you're discovering the details of the story structure for the first time or just brushing up on it, I hope you'll join us in the coming weeks as we'll get back to talking and delve into the most salient and crucial aspects of the story structure.