There are two ways to adapt a favorite novel or short story for the silver screen — the right way and the wrong way. The first requires a comprehensive understanding of the original source material. The second only needs an ambivalence towards the mechanism behind what makes great stories great.

Finding meaning in the events that unfold in our lives is the responsibility of every screenwriter. Communicating that meaning with clarity and precision is the responsibility of effective story structure. Combine the two together and you elevate a simple biopic into something meaningful and lasting.

Dennis Lehane’s novel Mystic River offers a rare insight into the complex dynamics that make up a Main Character’s “arc.” The less straight-forward that growth is, the closer to real life the portrayal will be and the more meaningful it will be for the audience.

Screenwriters looking to write films that are a bit more complex and subtle in their approach, would do well to understand the mechanics behind the “bittersweet” ending. Juxtaposing success or failure in the main storyline with the emotional fulfillment (or lack thereof) of the Main Character leads to more complex, more true-to-life storytelling. When looking at the “sweet” half of bittersweet endings, the message is clear: sometimes losing can be the best thing.

The tragic story, while a downer for any audience, carries with it significant meaning. Authors who wish to write stories that tell of both personal and extra-personal destruction can do so through the use of a tragic story structure. The key is understanding that this destruction comes as a result of failing to resolve the story’s major problems.

Screenplays that strive to be about something more than explosions and attractive personalities must come to a conclusion with one of four meaningful endings. No matter how subtle or obvious the storytelling may be, every single complete story told will either be a Triumph, a Personal Triumph, a Personal Tragedy, or a Tragedy. In this first of a series of articles, Hollywood’s favorite — the Triumph — is examined.

Techniques to free up what might seem like a rigid tool for writing stories.

Dramatica can seem a bit overwhelming when you first start out. I remember flipping through the dictionary at the back of the theory book and thinking, “This is insane!” But after eight years of working with it, I’ve got the model pretty much memorized (at least down to the Variation level) and have a pretty good understanding of each of the terms.

A neat way of clarifying the judgment on your Main Character.

A closer look at the Plot Dynamics in a story.