On writing: Developing the premise #9
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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 revising the work you’ve done so far, particularly related to your premise, to solve all the glaring issues before you delve into the meaty parts of turning a premise into a full story.
-Are you able to summarize your story in a few sentences, or a single paragraph?
-Can you spot any inherent problems right at the premise line?
-Having in mind that the premise is your prison, are you happy with the special world you’ve chosen?
-Is the premise all that it could be? Does it seem too familiar? Is it too reminiscent of stories you’ve read before?
-Are you sure the reader hasn’t encountered this story before, or if he has, this offers a new and intriguing twist?
-Are you sure you have found your best story yet? What could be better?
-Are you sure that the dramatic focus of this story connects with the concept that “spawned” the premise? How does it connect to it exactly?
-Are you sure it doesn’t focus too much on character, without giving him or her something compelling to do?
-Does your story rely on “real life” to present obstacles to the hero’s quest? In that case, it could lead to episodic narrative without a central spine.
-Are you sure your story isn’t too small?
-Have you made your story sound big and important?
-Are you sure your story has enough potential for dramatic tension?
-Can you ensure that there’s something more at stake in your story other than the hero’s happiness, redemption, or restoration of self-confidence, which may only be part of their character arc?
-How do you have a concept with a kicker, conflict with high stakes, protagonist with a goal and theme with a heart?
-Is your story at risk of lacking a compelling plot because it lacks a natural antagonist or villain?
-Will it have unique imagery, buzz worthy scenes, and a few narrative surprises?
-Are you sure you don’t have a split premise? Make sure there’s a single cause-and-effect pathway, or else it will feel like it’s all over the place.
-If you are developing a premise with many main characters, each story line must have a single cause-and-effect path.
-Premise is something you need to nail. It is the beating heart of a story. When you do nail it, it can be stated in a few short, glowing sentences. If it needs explaining, chances are it’s not yet focused enough. The drama needs to leap from it; the stakes need to be clear.
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 revising the work you’ve done so far, particularly related to your premise, to solve all the glaring issues before you delve into the meaty parts of turning a premise into a full story.
-Are you able to summarize your story in a few sentences, or a single paragraph?
-Can you spot any inherent problems right at the premise line?
-Having in mind that the premise is your prison, are you happy with the special world you’ve chosen?
-Is the premise all that it could be? Does it seem too familiar? Is it too reminiscent of stories you’ve read before?
-Are you sure the reader hasn’t encountered this story before, or if he has, this offers a new and intriguing twist?
-Are you sure you have found your best story yet? What could be better?
-Are you sure that the dramatic focus of this story connects with the concept that “spawned” the premise? How does it connect to it exactly?
-Are you sure it doesn’t focus too much on character, without giving him or her something compelling to do?
-Does your story rely on “real life” to present obstacles to the hero’s quest? In that case, it could lead to episodic narrative without a central spine.
-Are you sure your story isn’t too small?
-Have you made your story sound big and important?
-Are you sure your story has enough potential for dramatic tension?
-Can you ensure that there’s something more at stake in your story other than the hero’s happiness, redemption, or restoration of self-confidence, which may only be part of their character arc?
-How do you have a concept with a kicker, conflict with high stakes, protagonist with a goal and theme with a heart?
-Is your story at risk of lacking a compelling plot because it lacks a natural antagonist or villain?
-Will it have unique imagery, buzz worthy scenes, and a few narrative surprises?
-Are you sure you don’t have a split premise? Make sure there’s a single cause-and-effect pathway, or else it will feel like it’s all over the place.
-If you are developing a premise with many main characters, each story line must have a single cause-and-effect path.
-Premise is something you need to nail. It is the beating heart of a story. When you do nail it, it can be stated in a few short, glowing sentences. If it needs explaining, chances are it’s not yet focused enough. The drama needs to leap from it; the stakes need to be clear.
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