When to use frameworks to solve your story problems—and when to trust yourself and lean on your own story authority.
You’ve heard of Save the Cat! Story Grid. Blueprint for a Book.
These are all frameworks designed to help you edit a novel. If you don’t know these names, I bet you know others—Hero’s Journey, Freytag’s Pyramid, 7 Point Story Structure, Dan Harmon’s Story Circle, there are dozens more.
Each one promises that if you use it, you’ll be able to craft better stories. And because we want to write good books, the writers I know are constantly learning new frameworks and analyzing their stories through them.
I use frameworks like these in the editing process, after the first draft is already written. But I’ve seen many writers use them earlier, even before they begin writing.
It’s a tempting thought, right? What if you could use these frameworks to solve your story problems and make writing your first draft so much easier? What if you could build a story from the ground up that already fulfills everything those frameworks require from the very first draft?
Would that shortcut the creative process? Would it help you create a better story faster?
Or would it get in the way of your storytelling? Are there moments in the creative process when frameworks like these might just do more harm than good?
I’m a big fan of storytelling frameworks. But today, we’re taking a hard look at them to see what they offer, what they can’t do for us, and how to tap into your true authority as the writer of your own story.
Links mentioned in the episode:
Further listening:
- Ep. 79: Ask This Question When You’re Overwhelmed by Your Story
- B is for Book Coach: How to Take the Drama Out of Cutting and Rewriting Content
- B is for Book Coach: Comparison Isn't a Thief
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