The Anatomy of Story

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The book The Anatomy of Story is about the different elements that go into creating a successful story. In fairness to Mr. Truby, I have to say that I believe that he truly believes his system is the only right way to write stories. In fairness to me and everybody else, I have to say that he is wrong. His elaborate 22-step system is, to me, both artificial and awkward, and while he can impose it on certain stories (his favorites are The Godfather, Casablanca, and Tootsie), it's very like Aristotle basing his entire theory of drama on Oedipus Rex and thereby forcing generations of high school students to find Hamlet's fatal flaw. (Hint: he doesn't have one.) Truby insists that his formula is not a formula, but a formula is exactly what it is, just at a structurally deeper level than "boy meets girl." He also doesn't understand symbolism or irony, and he's somehow made a quite successful career as a script doctor without ever running into the idea that other people may write stories differently than he does and still have them come out okay. There is a downside. No doubt with sales in mind, this book keeps one foot firmly in the camp of formula. You get linear steps for iterative processes. This is a particular fault of an early chapter on developing your premise. A little more emphasis on examples that flout formula would have been nice.

Step 1: Write Something That May Change Your Life. This is a very high standard, but it may be the most valuable piece of advice you’ll ever get as a writer. I’ve never seen a writer go wrong following it. Why? Because if a story is that important to you, it may be that important to a lot of people in the audience. And when you’re done writing the story, no matter what else happens, you’ve changed your life.” Audiences love both the feeling part (reliving the life) and the thinking part (figuring out the puzzle) of a story. Every good story has both. But you can see story forms that go to one extreme or the other, from sentimental melodrama to the most cerebral detective story.Why have some ancient myths endured for centuries? They’re not just entertainment; they’re instructional. First, they explain the physical world. For example, the story of Persephone and why we have winter. Do we still think the seasons work that way? No, but it helps us to make peace with colder days and longer nights.

It implies a historical or biological explanation for what happens. Most Hollywood films are linear. They focus on a single hero who pursues a particular desire with great intensity. The audience witnesses the history of how the hero goes after his desire and is changed as a result. Genres are far more than types of stories. They are the all-stars of the story world that have achieved immense popular success over centuries. Writers who want to succeed professionally must write the stories the business wants to buy. Simply put, the storytelling game is won by mastering the structure of genres. I do not totally object the idea that all great stories have some common features and elements that any writer should at least be aware of. Also, it is very possible to look at the great stories (whatever the media) and try to identify these elements in them. However, I see it as a total impossibility or at least highly improbable that by just following this formula anyone could actually come up with a great story in the end.

Solid state physics Quantum theory Chemical bonds SCIENCE Physics Condensed Matter Física do estado sólido Mecânica quântica I found this book very interesting, in a no-I-will-not-join-your-cult way, but I cannot say that it was at all helpful. At work, we need to tell a compelling story to drum up business. A good story can determine whether we can pay the rent.

All in all, I'd say this book was good. It wasn't great, it wasn't poor, it was just plain good and not much more. In short, act breaks are external to the story. Three-act structure is a mechanical device superimposed on the story and has nothing to do with its internal logic--where the story should or should not go. And that’s the problem I struggle with when I read books like John Truby’s Anatomy of Story. You can think all day about your one-sentence premise or your seven key story steps or your three-part character equation or your four-cornered opponents, but you aren’t going to be able to construct a resonant story out of these bits and pieces until you tap into your hard-earned emotional wisdom. (I’ve spent a lot of time this week marveling at Rowling’s dazzling variety of disenfranchised, alienated characters – from Snape to Luna Lovegood to Neville Longbottom to Harry himself – and how many routes to redemption and community she finds for them.) Well, maybe I exaggerate. I didn't agree with Truby's contention that three (or four, or five) act plot structure, containing three plot points on which to hang the story, was artificial and useless. I'll stand by it; it was good enough for Shakespeare and it's good enough for me, and it helps with pacing. However, apart from the occasional minor niggle, I thought this book was absolutely brilliant.

This article goes through seven important lessons from John Truby's masterclass resource. Whether you’re looking to write your debut novel or hone your existing writing skills, The Anatomy of Story promises to guide you every step of the way. "Good storytelling doesn’t just tell audiences what happened in a life."