Familiar Patterns of Story

While working on a script for WEYA 2012, I came across this website my friend recommended me to take a look for reference in crafting stories.

Tim Hull shares on his website how we can identify and create different familiar patterns of stories.
"The types of conflict that reside within a story carry with them a unique narrative code, much like the genetic code within DNA. And just as a different combination of certain genomes determines the eventual type of human they’re responsible for, the mixture of these dramatic narrative forces ultimately decides the personality of a story."



The 4 major situations of conflicts can occur is simplified on this diagram and it is outline by the dramatica theory of a story.A problem or any conflict can find itself in one of this boxes in this chart. A good writer uses the 4 important throughlines to successfully convey the entire scope of the overview of the story. Such details in stories include main character, influential characters, romantic stories and Overall Story, four throughlines and four general Areas of Conflict. Place a throughline in each area and the story will feel complete. Insert them in a similar pattern to other stories and the stories themselves will begin to feel strikingly familiar.


Where an Author ultimately decides to focus the conflict in their story determines the personality of that story. A popular combination, especially in Western culture, has the Main Character in a Problematic Situation, the Influence Character in Fixed Attitude, the Overall Story in Activity and the Relationship Story in a Thought Process. Why? Chances are the predominant gender behind most Western film (i.e., men) find it more comfortable placing a conflict they don’t quite understand (Thought Processes) in a throughline they generally don’t get (Relationships).

Personally I believe using similar concepts and theories in a story improves and enriches the contents and relevant themes found in a story. This makes it useful when doing stories in essays or in scripts.

Covering a Familiar Theory
This shows a good example of how we can use the matrix on the stories, essays or scripts we write.

Check this post out:
http://storyfanatic.com/articles/story-structure/familiar-patterns-of-story-structure