I haven’t been posting much lately because I’ve been working relentlessly on creating the ultimate story plot structure outline tool. In the process, I’ve looked at almost every article, video, and image related to plot structure on the internet. It has been a slow, painful process slogging through the slush pile of advice out there. So, to save other aspiring plotters time researching, I’ve compiled all the most useful content I’ve found into the list below.
46+ Popular Story Structure Graphs In 3 jpgs:
Videos Of The Hero’s Journey and Dan Harmon’s Adaptation:
“Perry Mason” is a detective mystery/court drama book series written by Erle Stanley Gardner in the 1930’s-1940’s. In two decades, he wrote 82 books, which were so popular, they were adapted into a black and white television sitcom in the 1950s that lasted 271 episodes. He was able to write so quickly and eloquently by inventing and using handwritten plot wheels. You can find pictures pictures of his original handwritten wheels here. The words are hard to read, but you can find transcriptions here.
You can write your own Perry Mason fan fiction by copying the contents of my spreadsheet into an Excel document and then using the “find and replace” function (Ctrl-F) to replace the variables. Once you’re familiar with how the pieces fit together, then you can move and change them to create more original stories. Over the next few months I’m going to break down a few more episodes and write an analysis that will help both of us understand Gardner’s formula better.
Perry Mason: Season 1 Episode 5: The Case of the Sulky Girl
BEAT
1
Introduce CLIENT Introduce VICTIM Introduce conflicting goals between CLIENT and VICTIM
Setup to MASON taking CLIENT’S CASE Introduce primary characters Setup the murder
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – STUDY
ACTION
CLIENT tells VICTIM she wants to be treated like an adult.
REACTION
VICTIM tells CLIENT to act like one.
OUTCOME
CLIENT leaves angry.
BEAT
2
Introduce WITNESS #4 (MURDERER).
Introduce WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE).
Setup introducing WITNESS #1.
Setup the time and place of murder.
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FOYER
ACTION
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) arrives at VICTIM’S HOUSE to see VICTIM
REACTION
WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) tells WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) that VICTIM is busy and to come back later, but WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) says he will be with WITNESS #1 until 10pm. WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) says to come back at 11pm.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) reluctantly agrees to return at 11pm and leaves.
BEAT
3
Introduce WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING).
State CLIENT’S goal and stakes.
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – CLIENT’S ROOM
ACTION
CLIENT tells WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) that she wants her money now, and she’ll get it now.
REACTION
WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) advises CLIENT not to do anything, but CLIENT says she’s out of patience.
OUTCOME
CLIENT is resolved to take action, and she leaves to go see Perry MASON.
BEAT
4
Introduce RED HERRING #2.
Show CLIENT enacting plan to accomplish goal.
(This is an unecessary beat and can be cut.)
LOCATION
EXT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FRONT YARD
ACTION
CLIENT gets in her car and leaves in a hurry.
REACTION
CLIENT almost runs over RANDOM GUY (RED HERRING), but he moves out of the way.
OUTCOME
RANDOM GUY (RED HERRING) angrily watches CLIENT drive away.
BEAT
5
Introduce MASON.
State CASE GOAL #1.
MASON accepts the case.
Introduce MYSTERY #1
LOCATION
INT. PERRY MASON’S OFFICE
ACTION
CLIENT enter’s MASON’S office and tells him she wants him to represent her.
REACTION
MASON asks CLIENT to state her goal. So she tells him that she wants him to break VICTIM’s control of her trust fund.
OUTCOME
MASON agrees to take her case, and she leaves.
BEAT
6
MASON sends INVESTIGATOR to find CLUE #1 on CLIENT.
MASON follows clues to find more clues.
LOCATION
INT. PERRY MASON’S OFFICE
ACTION
MASON calls INVESTIGATOR and asks him to find information on CLIENT.
REACTION
INVESTIGATOR says he’s busy, but MASON tells him to reprioritize CLIENT’s case.
OUTCOME
INVESTIGATOR agrees to investigate CLIENT, and they hang up.
BEAT
7
Setup conflicting goals between WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) and VICTIM.
Show motive for WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) to kill VICTIM.
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – STUDY
ACTION
VICTIM tells WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) not to comfort and encourage CLIENT anymore.
REACTION
WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) says she loves CLIENT, but VICTIM says if she continues to help CLIENT, he’ll fire her.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) sadly agrees not to help CLIENT and leaves.
BEAT
8
MASON recieves CLUE #1 on CLIENT from INVESTIGATOR
LOCATION
INT. RESTAURANT
ACTION
INVESTIGATOR tells MASON he found information on CLIENT.
REACTION
INVESTIGATOR tells MASON that CLIENT ran away to Miami recently, where she fell in love with DEFENDANT (RED HERRING), who is a starving artist.
OUTCOME
MASON thanks INVESTIGATOR and leaves to go see DEFENDANT (RED HERRING).
BEAT
9
MASON follows CLUE #1, which leads to a dead end.
MASON interviews DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) for a motive but finds no cause for suspicion.
LOCATION
INT. DEFENDANT (RED HERRING)’S LOFT
ACTION
MASON asks DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) to explain his relationship with CLIENT.
REACTION
DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) deflects, but MASON deduces DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) and CLIENT are married and expecting a baby.
OUTCOME
MASON is convinced DEFENDANT (RED HERRING)’s intentions are virtuous and leaves.
BEAT
10
MASON interviews VICTIM
State CLIENT and VICTIM’S conflicting goals.
MASON finds CLUE #2.
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – STUDY
ACTION
MASON asks VICTIM to explain why he won’t give CLIENT her money.
REACTION
VICTIM states CLIENT is too immature to have money until she’s 25.
OUTCOME
MASONs presses VICTIM, but VICTIM gets angry and kicks MASON out. MASON leaves convinced VICTIM’s intentions are not virtuous.
BEAT
11
MASON recieves CLUE #3 from INVESTIGATOR
CLUE #3: VICTIM invests money through WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’S bank.
MASON sends INVESTIGATOR to investigate WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’S bank.
Setup MASON receiving CLUE #10
LOCATION
INT. RESTAURANT
ACTION
INVESTIGATOR tells MASON he has information on VICTIM.
REACTION
INVESTIGATORs tells MASON that VICTIM banks at WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’s bank and is involved in real estate.
OUTCOME
MASON tells INVESTIGATOR to investigate VICTIM’s associates at WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’s bank.
BEAT
12
Setup the murder.
Place DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) at the scene of the murder.
Place WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) at the scene of the murder.
Place WITNESS #1 at the scene of the murder.
Setup the murder Commit the murder Show the ruse Investigate the crime scene Take statements from witnesses
LOCATION
EXT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FRONT LAWN
ACTION
DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) approaches the house to see VICTIM.
REACTION
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) and WITNESS #1 drive up to see VICTIM. So DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) hides behind the house.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’s path to see VICTIM is clear, and DEFENDANT (RED HERRING)’s opportunity is closed.
BEAT
13
VICTIM is murdered.
Show WITNESS #2’S TESTIMONY
Introduce MYSTERY #2.
Introduce WITNESS #2
Introduce CLUE #4
LOCATION
INT. POLICE STATION
ACTION
WITNESS #2 is trying to have a relaxing night.
REACTION
VICTIM calls and says CLIENT is threatening his life, but he hangs up suddenly before he can finish.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #2 sends a patrol car to VICTIM’S HOUSE to investigate.
BEAT
14
Show RUSE.
Introduce CLUE #5
Introduce CLUE #6
LOCATION
EXT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FRONT LAWN
ACTION
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) leaves his meeting with VICTIM, and VICTIM yells out the window saying WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) goes with him to get some business papers from the bank.
REACTION
While driving away, WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) sees someone attack VICTIM in his study through the window.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER), WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE), and WITNESS #1 return to the house to investigate.
BEAT
15 – MIDPOINT TWIST
Midpoint twist
Introduce CASE GOAL #2
LOCATION
INT. PERRY MASON’S OFFICE
ACTION
MASON plans and practices the argument he’ll use in court against VICTIM.
REACTION
CLIENT enters and interrupts him and says VICTIM has been murdered.
OUTCOME
MASON’s plans are dashed, the stakes are raised, and he has to set a new goal, which is to beat the PROSECUTOR in court.
BEAT
16
Investigate the crime scene.
INTRODUCE CLUE #7
Setup PROSECUTOR’S ARGUMENT
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – STUDY
ACTION
Police investigate the crime scene.
REACTION
Police find evidence of a large ash tray used to kill VICTIM.
OUTCOME
Police plan to do an autopsy report and leave.
BEAT
17
CLUE #7 corroborates CLUE #6.
Setup PROSECUTOR’S GOAL #1
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – STUDY
ACTION
Police asks WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) what he saw as MASON stands by and listens.
REACTION
WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) says he saw a man through the window kill VICTIM with a large object, but he couldn’t see him clearly.
OUTCOME
The police aren’t sure if WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) is reliable, and MASON is worried CLIENT knows DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) killed VICTIM.
BEAT
18
MASON interviews CLIENT and finds CLUE #8
Pretrial Setback after Setback Build the PROSECUTOR’s case
LOCATION
INT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM
ACTION
MASON asks CLIENT what she knows about the night of the murder.
REACTION
CLIENT says DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) went to see VICTIM, and that’s all she knows.
OUTCOME
MASON leaves frustrated.
BEAT
19
MASON follows CLUE #8 and interviews DEFENDANT (RED HERRING).
MASON finds CLUE #9 (SETBACK #1).
Introduce SETBACK #1
LOCATION
INT. WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) CHARACTER #1’S LOFT
ACTION
MASON asks DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) where he was and what he was doing the night of the murder.
REACTION
DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) tells MASON he went to see VICTIM to beg, but saw WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) and ran and waited. Later, he heard WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) shouting and entered the house, finding VICTIM dead. Then he ran when WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) entered the room.
OUTCOME
MASON leaves frustrated.
BEAT
20
Enact PROSECUTOR’S GOAL #1
Introduce SETBACK #2
LOCATION
EXT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FRONT YARD
ACTION
PROSECUTOR tells WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) they’re going to reenact the events to determine if he is a reliable WITNESS #1.
REACTION
They reenact WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE)’s experiences and prove he can tell the difference between different people ‘s profiles through a window.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR is happy that WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) is reliable.
BEAT
21
Setup SETBACK #3
LOCATION
EXT. VICTIM’S HOUSE – FRONT YARD
ACTION
PROSECUTOR and WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) leave VICTIM’S HOUSE.
REACTION
INVESTIGATOR watches PROSECUTOR and WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) leave.
OUTCOME
INVESTIGATOR leaves.
BEAT
22
MASON states PROSECUTOR’S CASE and the stakes.
LOCATION
INT. PERRY MASON’S OFFICE
ACTION
INVESTIGATOR tells MASON about WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE)’s success identifying shadowy profiles through a window.
REACTION
MASON states that he can’t challenge WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE)’s testimony because WITNESS #1 and WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) will corroborate his testimony.
OUTCOME
MASON says he’s got a lot of work to do.
BEAT
23
Introduce SETBACK #3.
LOCATION
INT. DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
ACTION
District Attorney tells INVESTIGATOR he was seen watching WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) reenact the crime scene.
REACTION
District Attorney tells INVESTIGATOR he will be called as a witness to verify WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE)’s reliability.
OUTCOME
INVESTIGATOR reluctantly agrees to testify against his own case.
BEAT
24
State CASE GOAL #2
Foreshadow MASON receiving CLUE #10
Preliminary hearing
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – FOYER
ACTION
INVESTIGATOR and MASON leave the preliminary hearing.
REACTION
INVESTIGATOR says MASON lost to PROSECUTOR. So DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) will be tried for murder.
OUTCOME
INVESTIGATOR is pessimistic, but MASON is optimistic that he can find a clue in VICTIM’s financial records, which INVESTIGATOR says he will have soon.
BEAT
25
Begin the trial.
PROSECUTOR states his argument.
Opening statements
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR makes his opening statement to the jury, saying DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) killed VICTIM and was seen by three witnesses.
REACTION
MASON declines to make an opening statement.
OUTCOME
JUDGE allows PROSECUTOR to call his first witness.
BEAT
26
WITNESS #1 gives his testimony.
MASON is on the defensive and is visibly losing while gaining clues.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #1 to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #1 tells the court his account of the events.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR ends his turn.
BEAT
27
MASON questions WITNESS #1 and finds CLUE #11
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON cross-examines WITNESS #1’s testimony.
REACTION
MASON tries to get WITNESS #1 to prove he saw the murder from an unreliable vantage. He gets WITNESS #1 to say he never met VICTIM.
OUTCOME
MASON ends his turn.
BEAT
28
WITNESS #2 gives his testimony.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #2 to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #2 tells the court the details of VICTIM’s phone call.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR ends his turn.
BEAT
29
MASON questions WITNESS #2 and finds CLUE #12
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON cross examins WITNESS #2.
REACTION
MASON gets WITNESS #2 to admit he didn’t mention WITNESS #3 answered VICTIM’s call, making him an unreliable witness.
OUTCOME
MASON moves for WITNESS #2’s testimony to be thrown out.
BEAT
30
Fill time and raise tension.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
JUDGE asks PROSECUTOR if he objects to the motion to throw out WITNESS #2’s testimony.
REACTION
PROSECUTOR asks to delay deciding whether to throw out WITNESS #2’s testimony until they’ve heard WITNESS #3’s testimony.
OUTCOME
JUDGE agrees to PROSECUTOR’s request and orders WITNESS #3 be put on the stand after PROSECUTOR’s next witness.
BEAT
31
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) gives his testimony.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) tells the court the details of the events he witnessed.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR ends his turn.
BEAT
32
MASON questions WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)
MASON finds CLUE #13
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON cross examines WITNESS #4 (MURDERER).
REACTION
MASONs asks WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) about the nature of his meeting with VICTIM and gets him to admit it was about buying/selling securities.
OUTCOME
MASON ends his turn and says he may call WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) back to the stand later.
BEAT
33 (TURNING POINT)
INVESTIGATOR gives CLUE #10 to MASON.
MASON is on the offensive but is visibly losing while gaining clues. Dead ends and red herrings.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON sits down.
REACTION
MASON recieves the banking information he requested from INVESTIGATOR.
OUTCOME
MASON begins reading the information.
BEAT
34
WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) gives his testimony.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) tells the court the details of the events he witnessed.
PROSECUTOR asks MASON to cross examine his WITNESS #5.
REACTION
MASON declines to question the WITNESS #5, and PROSECUTOR learns that WITNESS #3 has arrived.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR informs JUDGE that WITNESS #3 has arrived.
BEAT
36
WITNESS #3 gives his testimony.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #3 to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #3 tells the court the details of the events he witnessed.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR ends his turn.
BEAT
37
MASON questions WITNESS #3 and finds CLUE #
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASONs cross examines WITNESS #3.
REACTION
MASONs argues WITNESS #3 didn’t know the identity of the caller, but PROSECUTOR says the argument is unfounded.
OUTCOME
JUDGE rules MASON’s argument is unfounded.
BEAT
38
WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) gives her testimony.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR calls WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) to the stand.
REACTION
WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) tells the court the details of the events he witnessed and says she saw DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) at the scene of the crime.
OUTCOME
PROSECUTOR ends his turn.
BEAT
39
MASON questions WITNESS #6 (RED HERRING) and finds she has a motive and opportunity to kill VICTIM.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON cross examines WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING).
REACTION
MASON gets WITNESS #6 ( RED HERRING) to admit she is leaving out details that raise suspicioun she had motive to kill VICTIM.
OUTCOME
MASON ends his turn.
BEAT
40 (Turning point)
MASON sets up his finishing move.
Mason is on the offensive and wins.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON sits down and tells INVESTIGATOR to get WITNESS #1 to talk to him oustside by the window.
REACTION
INVESTIGATOR asks why, but MASON insists he do it without explanation.
OUTCOME
INVESTIGATOR agrees and leaves.
BEAT
41
MASON questions WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) and uses CLUE #10 to prove he had a motive to kill VICTIM.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON calls WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) back to the stand.
REACTION
MASON calls WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) back to the stand and uses the banking information INVESTIGATOR gave him to prove WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) had a financial motive to kill VICTIM and states that he killed VICTIM as he was trying to call the police and then pretended to be VICTIM.
OUTCOME
MASON ends his turn.
BEAT
42
MASON questions WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) and uses CLUE #11 to prove he had an opportunity to commit THE RUSE.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON calls WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) back to the stand.
REACTION
MASON asks WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) to read a stack of cards very loudly while WITNESS #1 listens outside.
OUTCOME
MASON ends his turn.
BEAT
43
MASON questions WITNESS #1 and uses CLUE #11 to prove WITNESS committed THE RUSE.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
MASON calls WITNESS #1 back to the stand.
REACTION
MASON gets WITNESS #1 to admit he might have heard WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) tell WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) to bring WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) with him to get papers on the night of the murder.
OUTCOME
WITNESS #1 confirms WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE)’s voice came from the window, and WITNESS #5 (MURDERER’S ACCOMPLICE) admits WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) killed VICTIM.
BEAT
44
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) confesses to murdering VICTIM.
MASON wins and rests his case.
LOCATION
INT. COURT HOUSE – COURT ROOM
ACTION
PROSECUTOR looks to WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) to deny the accusation.
REACTION
WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) doesn’t deny the accusation.
OUTCOME
MASON rests his case.
CASE GOAL #1: Find a way to give CLIENT control of her inheritance from VICTIM.
CASE GOAL #2: Prove DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) didn’t kill VICTIM.
MYSTERY #1: What is CLIENT hiding?
MYSTERY #2: Who killed VICTIM?
RUSE: MURDERER faked an alibi by yelling at WITNESS #1 from a window.
PROSECUTOR’S ARGUMENT: All witnesses’ testimonies are reliable.
CLUE #1 (MYSTERY #1): Client is having a secret affair with DEFENDANT (RED HERRING)
CLUE #2 (MYSTERY #1): VICTIM is involved with large banking investments.
CLUE #3: VICTIM invests money through WITNESS #4 (MURDERER)’S bank.
CLUE #4: WITNESS #2 didn’t hear the caller’s voice change.
CLUE #5: WITNESS #1 heard WITNESS #3’S voice during the RUSE.
CLUE #6: WITNESS #5 saw VICTIM murdered with a large object
CLUE #7: VICTIM was killed with a large object.
CLUE #8: DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) was at the scene of the crime when VICTIM was killed.
CLUE #9: DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) was seen at the scene of the crime when VICTIM was killed.
CLUE #10: MURDERER owed money he couldn’t pay.
CLUE #11: WITNESS #1 has never med VICTIM and thus didn’t know the sound of his voice.
CLUE #12: WITNESS #2 didn’t answer the phone. So he didn’t know the caller’s voice changed.
CLUE #13: WITNESS #4 (MURDERER) buys and sells securities for VICTIM with a “power of attorney”
CLUE #14: WITNESS #3 didn’t know the caller’s voice changed after he handed the phone to WITNESS #2.
CLUE #15:
SETBACK #1: DEFENDANT (RED HERRING) was seen at the scene of the crime when VICTIM was killed.
SETBACK #2: WITNESS #5’s testimony is reliable.
SETBACK #3: INVESTIGATOR’s makes a mistake that helps the PROSECUTOR’s case and weakens MASON’s case.
This chart is an amalgamation of dozens of film script plot outlines I found on the internet, mostly on Pinterest. By putting these charts next to each other, you can see patterns, but it also becomes obvious there’s no single correct plot structure. Each outline focuses on different aspects of different kinds of stories with varying levels of detail. Many of the outlines and plot points I found were modified versions of other people’s, which is all the more reason not to put your full faith in any one source’s method.
Below are some choose your own adventure E-book templates and prompts I made. These are all public domain. So you can share them and profit off them freely. Click each link, download the Word Document and follow the instructions to create your very own choose your own adventure story.
This template is 2-pronged. Each step has 2 choices, which means you have few stories, but they’re longer. More 2-pronged templates will be coming soon.
Note: This guide doesn’t teach you the way to write pornographic short stories. There’s no single way to write about sex, and since sex is such an emotional and often spontaneous activity the topic lends itself to free-flowing, spontaneous writing. Having said that, good stories tend to follow a logical progression of events based on cause and effect. Good writing also caters to human psychology; readers want realistic characters with reasonable motivation, rising action, a climax and closure at the end. This guide takes all of these elements into consideration and lays out a useful formula to writing short pornographic stories.
Getting Started
Before you can write a story you need to decide what the story is going to be about. The trick to picking the right story isn’t to have a million brilliant ideas. The trick is to eliminate 999,999 of those ideas until you’re down to one. In order to do that you need to ask yourself two questions:
1. What do you want to write about?
2. What do your readers want to read about?
I would advise any writer in any genre to write about what they, themselves want to read about. Trying to guess what other people want to read can drive you mad, but since we’re all humans with the same brains and hormones, that means someone out there wants to read the same thing you do. If you write about your interests you’ll be able to flesh out your story with details that express your passion and make your story more genuine, and since you’ll be speaking from your own experiences and fantasies you won’t have to think too long and hard about how to express yourself. Plus, you’ll have more fun writing for yourself, and the more fun you have writing the more fun others will have reading your work.
The Introduction Scene
Every sitcom or movie you watch will begin by introducing the main character. Pornography is no different. Movies can spend the first twenty minutes illustrating who the main characters are, what they want, where they live and what they’re doing with their lives. Sitcoms have to do all of that in less than one minute. Pornographic vignettes have to do that in a few paragraphs.
There’s no set length for how long each segment of a story needs to be. It needs to be as long as it needs to be to say what you need to say. So don’t get hung up on the length of your writing. Just make sure you say what needs to be said. Understand though that people read pornographic vignettes to live out a quick fantasy. They don’t need or want to know the characters’ entire life stories. They just need you to set the stage for their fantasy and move on towards the climax.
Here are the details you do need to include in the first couple of paragraphs of your story: A physical description of the main character. His/her name, location and maybe their occupation. You also need to relate the state of your character’s sex life. Chances are there’s something missing in your main character’s sex life. They could be lonely, just getting over an ex, taking their relationship to a new level, looking for their next fling or even avoiding sex for some reason. Whatever the case may be the reader needs to know what the main character wants and how they feel about their sex life. This brings your characters to life, makes them easier to relate to and gives them credible motivation for whatever they’re going to do for the rest of the story.
If your story starts with your main character leaving the house and having sex with some random person for no reason your story won’t flow; it might not even make any sense. Another very important reason to get into the main character’s mind is because sex is as emotional as it is physical. Half the eroticism of pornographic writing is exploring the emotional aspect of sex. In order to relate that you need to explore your characters’ thoughts, desires, expectations, insecurities, and reactions.
Since every pornography story revolves around the main characters you need to write believable characters. The best way to do this is to use yourself as the main character, and have the person “you” have sex with be someone you actually know (or at least have seen). It might help you to use your real names when writing the first draft. Then change the names when you’re finished. When you write about real people they’ll feel like real people and you won’t have to worry about inventing every detail out of thin air. Of course, since fantasies are exaggerations of real life you don’t want the details to be completely based on reality. You can and should tweak the descriptions, thoughts, and behaviors to meet the needs of the fantasy (and to protect the real identities of the people the characters are based on).
The Cataclysm Scene
Once you’ve established who your main character is, where they’re at in life, what they’re missing and what they want, then you’ve set the stage to give it to them. During the introduction segment of the story, the main character was going on about their life as normal. In the cataclysm segment, the main character goes somewhere or meets someone who opens up the opportunity for the main character to fulfill their unfulfilled desire.
In an action movie, the cataclysm would be an intense event that completely throws the main character’s life off track like an alien invasion or the death of a loved one. In a sitcom, the cataclysm would be an idiosyncratic opportunity or inconvenience. In pornography, you don’t have to get so creative. The cataclysm is usually nothing more than the main character meeting the person they’re about to have sex with.
If the main character already knows the person they’re about to have sex with then the cataclysm needs to be some event that changes the nature of their relationship. The easiest way to orchestrate this is to have one of the characters take a chance and hit on the other one either for the first time or harder than usual. Whatever happens, both characters need to have a reason for doing whatever it is they’re doing. Usually, the reason they’re stepping out of their comfort zone is because they’re really, really horny, they have a strategic goal they can achieve by having sex or they have some philosophical/emotional justification/need.to.
The Decision Scene
Your story began by introducing your character, and then something happened to your character that opened up the opportunity to fulfill their sexual fantasy. It goes without saying that your character is going to accept this opportunity, but it’s important to tell the reader why. At the moment when the main character accepts the opportunity, you need to get into the character’s head and explain their thought process. It may only take a sentence or two, and the reason may be as simple as the character being uncontrollably horny, but the reader needs to know this in order for the events that follow to flow logically and for the reader to fully empathize with the character they’re living through vicariously. Your story can still be successful without this detail, but details are the difference between a good story and a great story.
The Crossing The Threshold Scene
You can’t lead your story up to a point where two people have decided to let go of their inhibitions and then immediately start having skin-slapping sex. There needs to be a transition scene that raises the emotional and physical energy in your story. If they just had full-on sex right now the story would be over. The reader wants to be teased and aroused before getting to the climax. Since your reader wants to be teased and aroused your character needs to be teased and aroused. So it pays to dwell on this phase of the courting ritual long enough to build some sexual tension. Have your characters make out and pet each other, and make sure to explain how the main character/s feel and think about the situation they’re in. Focus specifically on the first time your characters touch and the first time they kiss.
The First Rising Action Scene (Foreplay)
Once you’ve built up the sexual tension a bit you’ve set the stage for the clothes to come off and the characters to finally get their hands on each other’s genitals. Have your characters give each other oral sex, hand jobs, fingering or whatever foreplay your characters are into.
This scene should raise the physical and emotional connection between the characters Get inside their heads and elaborate on how elated they are and how they can’t believe what’s happening. Tell the reader how badly your character wants more. Describe how hard, wet, sweaty and hot the characters make each other.
The Second Rising Action Scene (Sex)
After your characters are on the verge of bursting physically and emotionally you can finally allow them to have penetrating sex. Describe the physical act in detail. Describe how it feels inside and out. Make the action go faster and faster. Let the characters lose control emotionally and tell the readers how the characters feel and what they’re thinking.
The Climax Scene
This segment of the story isn’t just about bodily fluids. This is the fulfillment of someone’s wildest dream. That’s a huge occasion that’s going to affect them emotionally. Take a moment to dwell on how emotionally and physically satisfying the experience is to the characters. Say how it affects them. Say how relieved and fulfilled it’s made them. Illustrate the emotional impact by how the characters act.
The Walking Off Into The Sunset Scene
Your readers don’t care where your characters are going to be ten years down the road. So you don’t need to dwell on the post-sex events of their lives too much, but at the same time, you can’t just end your story with, “…and then he came. The End.” Your readers are human beings, and human beings expect narratives to have closure.
Don’t overthink the ending, and if you’ve structured your story logically so far, the end will write itself. You just need to have your characters do the next logical thing that they would do in the situation you’ve created for them.
Like every other segment in the story, it’s not enough just to say what the characters physically do with their bodies. You need to tell the reader what the main character thinks and feels about the experience. How has it changed them inside? How has it changed their life? How happy did it make them? How will the experience change their life? What are the chances they’ll do it again?
Below is a summarized/modified version of this template sent to me by Carmen Webb, who has been using it to write their erotica shorts using about 1k words per section:
Synopsis:
Short blurb about what the story is about, this can BE the Blurb.
Introduction:
Physical description of the MC, name location, maybe occupation. Sometimes you can add details of their desires to relate the state of the character’s sex life. You need to relate the characters’ thoughts desires, expectations, insecurities and reactions.
The Cataclysm:
This is the event that opens up the opportunity for the MC to fulfill their desires. It could be as simple as meeting someone or as complex as you like.
The Decision:
This is the point that the MC accepts the opportunity presented and needs explaining why.
Crossing the Threshold:
This is where you tease and arouse to build sexual tension.
First Rising Action:
This is building on Crossing the threshold and is where foreplay starts.
Second Rising Action:
This is for penetrative sex; the characters have been driven to the verge of ecstasy.
Climax:
This is the point to really point out how this has affected the MC and others. How does it fulfill their desires?
The protagonist, setting and conflict are introduced.
ACT 2
The protagonist confronts the conflict and solves it.
ACT 3
The protagonist reaps the (usually positive) consequences of his actions.
Once you’ve summarized the 3 acts, expound on them by dividing each act into 3 parts:
ACT 1
PART 1
The protagonist and the setting are introduced
PART 2
The antagonist takes away that which is most dear to the protagonist
PART 3
The protagonist makes an irrevocable decision to confront the problem.
ACT 2
PART 1
The protagonist identifies a solution to the problem.
PART 2
The protagonist applies the solution
PART 3
The solution neutralizes the antagonist completely.
ACT 3
PART 1
The protagonist gets the prize.
PART 2
The protagonist uses the prize.
PART 3
The protagonist disappears into the sunset.
Once you’ve expounded each act into 3 parts, expound each of those parts into 3 segments:
ACT 1
PART 1
The protagonist and the setting are introduced.
SEGMENT 1
We see a snapshot of a day in the life of the protagonist.
SEGMENT 2
We see a snapshot of the kind of conflict that epitomizes his life and his dreams.
SEGMENT 3
We see the typical outcome of how he normally handles conflict.
PART 2
The antagonist takes away that which is most dear to the protagonist.
SEGMENT 1
An event knocks the protagonist’s life off track in the worst possible way.
SEGMENT 2
He reacts to the conflict in his typical manner.
SEGMENT 3
He fails to prevent the event from cutting him off from his dreams.
PART 3
The protagonist makes an irrevocable decision to confront the problem.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist asks what he can do to fix the problem.
SEGMENT 2
He weighs his options.
SEGMENT 3
He makes an irrevocable decision to confront the problem.
ACT 2
PART 1
The protagonist identifies a solution to the problem.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies a clue/path/opportunity to help him solve the problem.
SEGMENT 2
He follows the clue.
SEGMENT 3
It leads to the antagonist, who the protagonist is too weak to overcome.
PART 2
The protagonist applies the solution
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies the source of strength he needs to overcome the antagonist.
SEGMENT 2
He pursues the source of strength.
SEGMENT 3
He attains the source of strength.
PART 3
The solution neutralizes the antagonist completely.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist approaches the antagonist with his new strength.
SEGMENT 2
He engages the antagonist.
SEGMENT 3
He defeats the antagonist.
ACT 3
PART 1
The protagonist gets the prize.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist emerges from the battle.
SEGMENT 2
He reaches for the prize that will fix his life.
SEGMENT 3
He attains the prize.
PART 2
The protagonist uses the prize.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies the wrongs left over from the conflict.
SEGMENT 2
He goes about using the prize to set them right.
SEGMENT 3
We see the result of him setting things right.
PART 3
The protagonist disappears into the sunset.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies his plans for the future.
SEGMENT 2
He steps into the sunset.
SEGMENT 3
He disappears into the sunset.
Finally, expound each segment into 3 scenes.
ACT 1
PART 1
The protagonist and the setting are introduced.
SEGMENT 1
We see a snapshot of a day in the life of the protagonist.
SCENE 1
Show the protagonist in his natural setting.
SCENE 2
Show him doing something that defines where he’s at in life.
SCENE 3
Show him doing something that defines where he’s going in life.
SEGMENT 2
We see a snapshot of the kind of conflict that epitomizes his life and his dreams.
SCENE 1
The protagonist is hit with a problem typical of his life.
SCENE 2
He responds to the problem as is normal for him.
SCENE 3
He succeeds or fails as is normal for him.
SEGMENT 3
We see the typical outcome of how he normally handles conflict.
SCENE 1
Show the immediate consequences of the protagonist’s success or failure.
SCENE 2
The protagonist reacts emotionally to his success or failure according to his values.
SCENE 3
Show how this affects his long-term plans/outlook.
PART 2
The antagonist takes away that which is most dear to the protagonist.
SEGMENT 1
An event knocks the protagonist’s life off track in the worst possible way.
SCENE 1
The worst thing that could happen to the protagonist begins to happen.
SCENE 2
The event continues to unfold.
SCENE 3
Show how this event will prevent the protagonist from continuing his life as normal if it is not stopped.
SEGMENT 2
He reacts to the conflict in his typical manner.
SCENE 1
The protagonist decides to take action to stop the event or its repercussions.
SCENE 2
He takes action.
SCENE 3
He fails to stop the event and it irrevocably prevents him from continuing life as normal.
SEGMENT 3
He fails to prevent the event from cutting him off from his dreams.
SCENE 1
The protagonist emerges from the event.
SCENE 2
He reacts emotionally to the event according to his values.
SCENE 3
He acknowledges that his life is forever changed.
PART 3
The protagonist makes an irrevocable decision to confront the problem.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist asks what he can do to fix the problem.
SCENE 1
The protagonist asks what he can do to address the conflict.
SCENE 2
He weighs his options.
SCENE 3
He states his conclusion.
SEGMENT 2
He weighs his options.
SCENE 1
Focusing on that one course of actions, he asks if it’s worth it or even possible to pursue.
SCENE 2
He does the cost/benefit analysis.
SCENE 3
He states his conclusion.
SEGMENT 3
He makes an irrevocable decision to confront the problem.
SCENE 1
He steps up to the point of no return.
SCENE 2
He crosses the point of no return.
SCENE 3
He emerges on the other side.
ACT 2
PART 1
The protagonist identifies a solution to the problem.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies a clue/path/opportunity to help him solve the problem.
SCENE 1
The protagonist identifies a clue left over from the cataclysmic event.
SCENE 2
He analyzes the clue.
SCENE 3
He gains some advantage from it.
SEGMENT 2
He follows the clue.
SCENE 1
The protagonist decides to follow the trail the clue revealed.
SCENE 2
He follows the trail.
SCENE 3
He reaches the end of the trail and finds an obstacle.
SEGMENT 3
It leads to the antagonist, who the protagonist is too weak to overcome.
SCENE 1
The protagonist approaches the obstacle.
SCENE 2
He engages the obstacle.
SCENE 3
He fails to overcome the obstacle.
PART 2
The protagonist applies the solution
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies the source of strength he needs to overcome the antagonist.
SCENE 1
The protagonist asks why he wasn’t strong enough to overcome the obstacle.
SCENE 2
He analyzes the question.
SCENE 3
He finds the answer.
SEGMENT 2
He pursues the source of strength.
SCENE 1
The protagonist identifies the source of strength he needs to overcome the obstacle.
SCENE 2
He pursues the source of strength he needs.
SCENE 3
He arrives at the source.
SEGMENT 3
He attains the source of strength.
SCENE 1
The protagonist approaches the source of strength.
SCENE 2
He reaches for it.
SCENE 3
He attains it.
PART 3
The solution neutralizes the antagonist completely.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist approaches the antagonist with his new strength.
SCENE 1
The protagonist approaches the obstacle with his new strength.
SCENE 2
He engages the obstacle.
SCENE 3
He overcomes the obstacle.
SEGMENT 2
He engages the antagonist.
SCENE 1
The protagonist approaches the antagonist directly.
SCENE 2
He engages the antagonist.
SCENE 3
The antagonist defeats the protagonist.
SEGMENT 3
He defeats the antagonist.
SCENE 1
The protagonist decides to make one last strike.
SCENE 2
He strikes the antagonist.
SCENE 3
He defeats the antagonist completely.
ACT 3
PART 1
The protagonist gets the prize.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist emerges from the battle.
SCENE 1
The protagonist rises from the battlefield.
SCENE 2
He reacts emotionally to the battle according to his values.
SCENE 3
He steps off the battlefield.
SEGMENT 2
He reaches for the prize that will fix his life.
SCENE 1
The protagonist identifies the prize.
SCENE 2
He acknowledges the prize’s significance.
SCENE 3
He reaches for the prize.
SEGMENT 3
He attains the prize.
SCENE 1
The protagonist takes the prize.
SCENE 2
He absorbs or releases its power.
SCENE 3
The protagonist and/or the world is transformed by the prize.
PART 2
The protagonist uses the prize.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies the wrongs left over from the conflict.
SCENE 1
The protagonist asks what loose ends are left over that need to be set right.
SCENE 2
He analyzes the question.
SCENE 3
He identifies the answer.
SEGMENT 2
He goes about using the prize to set them right.
SCENE 1
The protagonist focuses his attention on setting that/those thing/s right.
SCENE 2
He uses the prize to neutralize those problems.
SCENE 3
He succeeds at neutralizing them.
SEGMENT 3
We see the result of him setting things right.
SCENE 1
Show the consequences of the protagonist neutralizing the problems.
SCENE 2
The protagonist reacts emotionally to his success.
SCENE 3
The protagonist experiences the consequence of everything that has happened.
PART 3
The protagonist disappears into the sunset.
SEGMENT 1
The protagonist identifies his plans for the future.
SCENE 1
The protagonist asks what he should do in the future.
SCENE 2
He analyzes the problem.
SCENE 3
He states his conclusion.
SEGMENT 2
He steps into the sunset.
SCENE 1
The protagonist asks what he needs to do to achieve his goal/s for the future.
SCENE 2
He analyzes the problem.
SCENE 3
He states his conclusion.
SEGMENT 3
He disappears into the sunset.
SCENE 1
The protagonist steps towards the point of no return.
SCENE 2
He crosses the point of no return.
SCENE 3
He emerges on the other side.
Once you’ve finished plotting all your scenes, simply write the story following your scene summaries. Your story will flow seamlessly from beginning to end.
This is where you see the cause of what’s about to happen.
Delivery
This is the event the cause…caused to happen.
Outcome
This is what happened as a result of that thing happening.
Introduction
Introduce the protagonist and the setting. Show the protagonist in his natural setting doing what he always does the way he always does it. Show how life usually reacts to him doing what he usually does. Show what the protagonist loves, hates, fears and hopes for most. Show what he’s best and worst at. Show who he is and who isn’t, what he does and what he doesn’t.
Cataclysm
The worst possible thing that could possibly happen to the protagonist happens. He loses that which is most dear to him.
Decision
The protagonist must decide to set the universe right again. Show how he makes that decision and why.
Preparation
If the protagonist already had everything necessary to solve the problem then it would have been solved already. So he has to gather the resources he’ll need to use to solve the problem.
Engagement
Once the protagonist has those resources, he goes about applying them to the problem.
Neutralization
There is a key moment where the solution and the problem meet and the solution neutralizes the problem conclusively. For example: throwing water on a witch. The audience needs to see the final event in full detail.
Prize
There wouldn’t have been a journey if there wasn’t a prize. The audience needs to see the protagonist pick up the prize in full detail.
Reckoning
The protagonist didn’t come all this way to get a prize and just hold it up for the crowd to admire the rest of his life. He planned on doing something with that prize. Show the first thing the protagonist does with the prize…or what it does to him.
Sunset
For the sake of closure, show the audience what the long-term future holds for the protagonist.
In my post, “12 steps fictional characters must follow to accomplish a goal,” I explain how movie plots revolve around a hero fulfilling a plan to accomplish a goal that fills a need. In order to make his quest believable, his actions must follow the same 12 steps humans follow when accomplishing real life goals:
The hero doesn’t accomplish all of these steps in a single scene. To fill 90-120 minutes of screen time, you must spread them across self-contained actions sequences called “beats,” which I explain in more depth my post, “What is a beat in screenwriting.”
Beats are usually 1-3 minutes long scenes. However, training montages, fight scenes, travel scenes and chase scenes can span 2-4 scenes before resolving the central conflict of the beat. Every beat tends to follow the same 7-9 steps, which you can read more about in the post about beats I just mentioned.
Acts in movies tend to last 8-20 beats, with the average being 10. This means it’s usually mathematically impossible to devote a full beat to every step of the 12 step goal accomplishment cycle. It’s even more impossible to fit 3 story lines into a 10-beat Act. The solution to this problem is to insert multiple steps into a single beat.
The more steps you combine in a single beat, the faster the story will move, which is good for action sequences and action movies in general. The fewer steps you combine in a single beat, the slower the plot progresses, which is good for dramatic sequences and dramatic movies in general. It’s best to only combine 2-4 steps in a single beat. Any more than that, and your story will start getting jumbled and start to narrate itself.
THE 12 STEPS DIVIDED INTO FOUR TYPES OF BEATS
Quest introduction beats:
Steps 1-5 revolve around the hero’s internal thought process. It begins with him identifying a need and ends when he enacts a plan to get it.
Step 1: State the hero’s need.
Step 2: State the stakes of completing/failing to fulfill the need.
Step 3: State the condition of fulfilling the need.
Step 4: State the hero’s decision to fulfill the conditions.
Step 5: State the hero’s plan to achieve his ultimate goal.
Action beats:
Steps 6-9 revolve around the hero’s external actions. It begins with him taking action and ends with him succeeding or failing to achieve a major goal.
Step 6: The hero enacts his plan to meet the condition.
Step 7: The hero encounters an obstacle or complication.
Step 8: The hero reacts and adapts to the obstacle or complication
Step 9: The hero fulfills the condition of the need.
Outcome beats
Steps 10-12 revolve around the hero getting the incentive that fulfills his need. They begin after he has neutralized all obstacles between him and the incentive.
Step 10: The hero attains the incentive.
Step 11: The repercussion
Step 12: The sunset
Listed below are some common combinations of steps you can pool into a single beat:
You can combine any combination of the first 7 steps into a single beat
6, 7, 8
7, 8, 9
8, 9, 10
9, 10, 11
10, 11, 12
6, 9
6, 9, 10
10, 11,
11, 12
Step combinations have to be logical. It wouldn’t make sense to put steps 3, 8 and 12 into one beat, because the result would be a scene in which the hero states a condition of filling his goal, reacts to to an obstacle that doesn’t exist and then walks off into the sunset without accomplishing his goal or fulfilling his need.
CONDENSING THE FIRST FOUR STEPS
The purpose of the first 4 “quest introduction” steps are to introduce information that sets up the hero’s quest. It would be tedious and unnecessary for the hero to spend an entire beat on each of those steps in every Act, especially if/when the information has already been stated, or is implied or obvious. So they are often condensed into 1-3 beats to free up more.
EXAMPLE 1:
Beat 1: The hero states his goal, the stakes, conditions and his plan.
EXAMPLE 2:
Beat 1: The hero states his ultimate goal and the stakes of completing the goal.
Beat 2: The hero states the conditions of completing his goal and his plan to meet the conditions.
EXAMPLE 3:
Beat 1: The hero states his goal, stakes, and conditions.
Beat 2: The hero enacts his unspoken plan to meet the conditions.
In the clip below, the second beat begins at minute 1:30.
EXAMPLE 4:
Beat 1: The hero states his goal and the conditions.
Beat 2: The hero states the stakes and his plan to meet the conditions.
Option 5:
Beat 1: The hero states his goal.
Beat 2: The hero states the stakes.
The hero states the conditions and his plan to meet the conditions.
Option 6:
Beat 1: The hero states his goal and stakes.
Beat 2: The hero states the conditions, reiterates the stakes and decides to commit to the quest.
In the clip below, the second beat begins at 33 seconds and ends at 2:30 .
Note: At any point, in any beat, you can reiterate and escalate the stakes, like in the scene from “Snatch” when Micky suddenly tells Turkish all the amenities he wants his mother’s caravan to have, if Turkish loses their bet.
HOW TO EXTEND BEAT CHAINS
If you condense the first 4 introductory steps down to one or two beats, you can use the beats you freed up to expand on your introduction with more forward-moving action and tension, or the hero can proceed to enact his plan to fulfill the condition/s of his goal.
Listed below are ways to increase the number of beats it takes the hero to accomplish a goal:
Assign multiple conditions to completing a goal
Assign multiple steps to fulfilling a condition at the beginning of a quest
The hero doesn’t know the condition to achieving a goal and must discover it
New conditions are created or revealed along the way
The hero encounters multiple unexpected obstacles and opponents
The hero wins a mid-beat conflict, but it’s a false victory.
The hero fails a mid-beat conflict.
The last option on the list needs to be elaborated on. In every beat, the hero has an immediate goal he’s trying to accomplish, which he must encounter/overcome an opponent to complete. At any step of the way, the hero can fail to achieve his goal, and since he still needs to accomplish his goal, he’ll have to spend another beat trying something different.
Alternately, he could step away from the quest/story line and spend the next beat working towards a different story line goal and return to his failed quest under different circumstances.
Listed below are common reasons why the hero may fail a mid-beat conflict:
The hero runs out of time.
The hero is weakened from a previous event.
There’s an unexpected, catastrophic complication while executing the plan.
The hero has insufficient/missing skills, resources or allies
The hero uses a flawed/cursed skill, resource, character trait, ally or plan
The opponent’s skills, strategies, resources or allies trump the hero’s
The opponent is an impassable force
The hero doesn’t/can’t know the condition to win until he tries and fails
Listed below are common ways the consequence of failure extends the hero’s quest:
Changes the condition of passing the opponent
Changes the condition of achieving the ultimate goal
Changes the conditions of achieving another storyline’s goal
Adds a new condition of passing the opponent
Adds a new condition of achieving the ultimate goal
Eliminates/nullifies the hero’s skills, resources or plan
Increases or improves the antagonist’s skills, resources, strategy or allies
Nothing changes. The hero must simply have a rematch with the opponent and do better next time
Sometimes you only need to extend a beat chain by one beat. Listed below are multiple ways the hero can accomplish a failed goal in the next beat:
The hero immediately returns to the opponent and uses a different skill, resource, strategy or ally
The hero immediately returns to the opponent prepared to fulfill the condition of passing the opponent.
The hero immediately circumvents the opponent
If you want to extend the hero’s quest further, you can plan to have the hero spend multiple beats on a side-quest before he attempts to fulfill the condition of his goal again.
Listed below are common activities the hero can spend one or more full beats doing before attempting the original goal again.
The hero tries to abandon the quest but is reminded of the stakes and returns willingly, he’s forced to return, or the problem follows him
The hero creates a new plan to overcome or circumvent the opponent using information learned from the conflict
The hero trains/learns a new skill
The hero fixes a psychological flaw
The hero fixes a physical flaw/weakness/injury.
The hero fixes a flawed/cursed resource
The hero retrieves the resource required to fulfill the condition of passing the opponent
The hero performs the task required to fulfill the condition of passing the opponent
The hero seeks out and learns the condition of passing or circumventing the opponent
The hero journeys somewhere else where he will need to accomplish a goal
The hero seeks/gathers new or old allies
The hero reconciles with an estranged ally or allies
The hero builds, assembles, stages, sets up or prepares a resource or situation
You can further extend any beat chain by having the hero fail steps or by adding more expected or unexpected steps, conditions, obstacles, opponents, setbacks and complications to his quests. Listed below are some common beat chains:
EXAMPLES OF COMMON BEAT CHAINS
TWO-BEAT CHAIN
1 condition
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, 1 condition and plan.
Beat 2: The hero enacts the plan and fulfills the condition.
THREE-BEAT CHAINS
1 condition with 1 failure
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, 1 condition and plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero enacts Plan-A and fails.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero enacts Plan-B and fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 planning beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, and 1 condition.
Beat 2: Introduce the plan.
Beat 3: The hero enacts the plan and fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 debate beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition.
Beat 2: The hero debates whether he can/should enact his plan.
Beat 3: The hero enacts the plan and fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 traveling beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, 1 condition.
Beat 2: Step 1: Travel to the location of the condition.
Beat 3:Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition
1 condition with 1 expected conditional quest
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero fulfills the conditional quest.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 unexpected condition
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero enacts the plan and fulfills the condition but learns there’s another condition.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the second condition.
1 condition with 1 missing skill and 1 training beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires a skill the hero doesn’t have.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero trains to fulfill the condition.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 missing resource and 1 resource gathering beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires a resource the hero doesn’t have.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero attains the missing resource.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 resource building beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires a resource to be built.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero builds the missing resource.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 resource preparation beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires the hero to deploy resources before he can enact the plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero deploys his resources.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 resource fixing beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires the hero to fix a resource before he can enact the plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero fixes his resources.
Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 missing ally and 1 recruitment beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires an ally the hero doesn’t have.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero recruits the missing ally.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 estranged ally and 1 unification beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, plan and 1 condition that requires an ally the hero is estranged with.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero unifies the estranged ally.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 unknown condition
Beat 1: Introduce the goal and stakes. State that the condition is unknown and the plan to learn the unknown condition
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero enacts his plan and learns the condition of the goal
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition of the goal.
2 conditions
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, 2 conditions and a 2-step plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero fulfills condition 1.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills condition 2.
1 condition with 1 escalation beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, conditions and plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The problem gets worse, and the stakes escalate.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 refusal beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, and condition.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero refuses to enact the plan and learns he must accomplish his goal.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 conflicting internal flaw
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, condition that conflicts with the hero’s internal flaw.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero fixes his internal flaw.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 conflicting physical flaw
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, condition that conflicts with the hero’s physical flaw.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero fixes his physical flaw.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 defense beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, condition and plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The hero is attacked and defends himself.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 chase beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, condition and plan.
Beat 2: Step 1: The condition or opponent flees, and the hero gives chase.
Beat 3: Step 2: The hero fulfills the condition.
1 condition with 1 escape beat
Beat 1: Introduce the goal, stakes, condition and plan.
The Wise Sloth 