On writing: Developing the premise #7
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Are you happy with your concept? Then grow a premise out of it. Premises involve a task to be accomplished and a character that must accomplish it in the midst of conflict.
The following notes, gathered years ago from many books on writing, focus on trying to ensure that anyone other than yourself would give a damn about the story you want or need to tell. I don’t focus much on what a random person will think about my stories; for me, the “target reader” is a fantasy. You can only truly satisfy your own subconscious, and you satisfy random readers’ subconscious to the extent that their neural pathways mimic yours. That said, considering your story from an outside perspective can improve your work.
-Create an elevator pitch for your story. Three paragraphs: 1) a character and situation; 2) the push into the plot; 3) the main story question.
-Write the pitch in three sentences: MC’s name, vocation, initial situation. “When” + main plot problem. “Now” + the death stakes.
-See if you can formulate the idea into a compelling, 30-second pitch. At least three sentences. First describes the character, his vocation, and initial circumstances. The second is the doorway of no return. The third is the death stakes.
-Your story’s logline should include the main character, the objective, and the major source of conflict.
-Why would anybody want to see or experience this story?
-How does the premise make people excited to learn more about the story just by hearing the one-line story summation you’ve come up with?
-Does your premise have an inherent appeal, or are you relying solely on your execution to make the story compelling?
-Is the one-sentence description of your story uniquely appealing?
-How does your premise seduce, make people want to read the story?
-How does it promise drama, conflict, stakes and emotional resonance?
-How is your premise cool and provocative, even if it’s actually impossible?
-How is the problem introduced in your premise larger than it looks? Why does it matter to us all?
-Could the premise be so strong that it could draw readers by itself, not depending on other components such as execution?
-Does this premise have a kicker that would make readers ask questions they would want answered?
-What controversial or sensitive issues or themes can be at the core of this idea so that it will tug on readers’ hearts?
-Would the premise appeal to a wide and inherently commercial readership? Or does it focus too narrowly on a specific corner of life, even if that issue is important to you?
-How would your story make the readers experience wonder?
-Imagine you have a gatekeeper’s attention. How will you describe your story? When you launch into your ten minute summary, will they like what they hear?
-Is this a story anyone can identify with, projected onto a bigger canvas, with higher stakes? Could you write into it the emotions you know, putting those emotions into a more extreme situation with a lot more at stake?
-Go through each of the following audience attractors your story could contain, and try to explain how your story would include them:
--Laughter
--Lust
--Adrenaline rush
--Bloodlust
--Power fantasy
--Romantic fantasy
--Pathos (something devastating)
--Beauty
--Cognitive dissonance (blew your mind)
-Is what happens to your characters exciting and dramatic, out of the ordinary, and most importantly, meaningful?
Are you happy with your concept? Then grow a premise out of it. Premises involve a task to be accomplished and a character that must accomplish it in the midst of conflict.
The following notes, gathered years ago from many books on writing, focus on trying to ensure that anyone other than yourself would give a damn about the story you want or need to tell. I don’t focus much on what a random person will think about my stories; for me, the “target reader” is a fantasy. You can only truly satisfy your own subconscious, and you satisfy random readers’ subconscious to the extent that their neural pathways mimic yours. That said, considering your story from an outside perspective can improve your work.
-Create an elevator pitch for your story. Three paragraphs: 1) a character and situation; 2) the push into the plot; 3) the main story question.
-Write the pitch in three sentences: MC’s name, vocation, initial situation. “When” + main plot problem. “Now” + the death stakes.
-See if you can formulate the idea into a compelling, 30-second pitch. At least three sentences. First describes the character, his vocation, and initial circumstances. The second is the doorway of no return. The third is the death stakes.
-Your story’s logline should include the main character, the objective, and the major source of conflict.
-Why would anybody want to see or experience this story?
-How does the premise make people excited to learn more about the story just by hearing the one-line story summation you’ve come up with?
-Does your premise have an inherent appeal, or are you relying solely on your execution to make the story compelling?
-Is the one-sentence description of your story uniquely appealing?
-How does your premise seduce, make people want to read the story?
-How does it promise drama, conflict, stakes and emotional resonance?
-How is your premise cool and provocative, even if it’s actually impossible?
-How is the problem introduced in your premise larger than it looks? Why does it matter to us all?
-Could the premise be so strong that it could draw readers by itself, not depending on other components such as execution?
-Does this premise have a kicker that would make readers ask questions they would want answered?
-What controversial or sensitive issues or themes can be at the core of this idea so that it will tug on readers’ hearts?
-Would the premise appeal to a wide and inherently commercial readership? Or does it focus too narrowly on a specific corner of life, even if that issue is important to you?
-How would your story make the readers experience wonder?
-Imagine you have a gatekeeper’s attention. How will you describe your story? When you launch into your ten minute summary, will they like what they hear?
-Is this a story anyone can identify with, projected onto a bigger canvas, with higher stakes? Could you write into it the emotions you know, putting those emotions into a more extreme situation with a lot more at stake?
-Go through each of the following audience attractors your story could contain, and try to explain how your story would include them:
--Laughter
--Lust
--Adrenaline rush
--Bloodlust
--Power fantasy
--Romantic fantasy
--Pathos (something devastating)
--Beauty
--Cognitive dissonance (blew your mind)
-Is what happens to your characters exciting and dramatic, out of the ordinary, and most importantly, meaningful?
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