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Thursday, July 7, 2011

Story Elements

Scene.
Character.
Conflict.
Climax.
Resolution.

These are the elements of every story. I mean imagine a story that takes place, well, nowhere.
Can you imagine it? No, really, try .......

It can't be done. A story can't happen without a location or scene. You need a garden or a home or a hospital room.

Every story needs a character: preferably one we love or love to hate. The characters we root for have conflicts that we hope they will overcome. Our eyes become riveted to the screen as they face their abusive father, or are tempted with a bottle of alcohol or weep at the grave of a loved one.

These are story elements and as I was reminded at The Storyline Conference last month, the same things that make up a good story also make a good life. Scene, character, conflict, climax .... all make up a good movie or book but a life.
Your life.
My life.
So how can we carve a great story out of lives...
from where we are (scene), with our family (characters), who mistreat us (conflict) despite the awesome new job we just landed (climax)?

How can we? More on this very question tomorrow!