Irony Builds Character

Recently heard, Matt Bird on the Narrative Breakdown talk about how irony is central to character and storytelling. He writes, "When stories seem meaningless, it is usually because they lack irony. When stories are especially powerful, you can be certain the author has packed it full of many different types of irony. "

Pixar’s Successful Storytelling Rules Examined in Insightful Video

 

 Produced by Bloop Animation.

The video explores what makes a great idea and how Pixar gets to the essence of their stories.

Written by Dean Movshovitz Based on the 22 rules of storytelling by Emma Coats.

Boiling Story Down to the Bare Bones

I saw this breakdown recently in giving guidance for how to put a logline together. Then as I looked at this, it really made me feel like this is a good guide for help to pull a story together and ask the right questions up front. It isn't too big of a checklist. It is compact to the point and gets you thinking in the right direction.


WHO
Who is it about?
(two or three words that describe main character in a way that is relevant to this story.)
Something descriptive of who main character is, in the context of this story. For example: "Young Woman" is far too generic.

GOAL
What is the goal?
(something SPECIFIC that we can identify and understand)
For example: Something more specific, then just "seeking a better life". Nearly everyone seeks (or at least wants) a better life.
What does the main character spend the majority of the movie doing?

PROBLEM
What stands in his way?
(something SPECIFIC that we can identify and understand)
What actively prevents the main character from attaining the goal?

STAKES
What happens if he fails?
(something SPECIFIC that we can identify and understand)

Finding Story Goals

In setting out the plot, we need to think about the main character.
What does the character want? What is the character's goal, the long term goal?
The character is striving toward something. It should be a measurable goal, achievable goal, though difficult.
The character's goal is something that the character is passionate about.

So I started banging my head trying to find the story goal that I would use. It is hard to get it out. Then I started looking at these lists to pick one.

• How to Create a Plot Outline in Eight Easy Steps
• The Story Goal: Your Key To Creating A Solid Plot Structure  
• Plot Goals Seeing Is Believing

Story Goals vs Plot Goals: There's a difference between story goals and plot goals. Story goals are the larger thematic goals that usually describe the character growth or the idea behind the tale. They're more conceptual, and work as a guide in determining the types of plot goals your protagonist will encounter. Plot goals are the physical things your protagonist does to achieve those more lofty story goals.
Story goal: To find love again after a bad breakup. (this is what the story is about)
Plot goal: To go to the museum and talk to cute guys. (this is one thing the protagonist does during the story)

From Goal - Conflict - Stakes. Why You Need All Three 

 

Do you have more ways to find a story goal?

Subtext

It isn't what your characters say; it's what they really mean. "Subtext"--what characters are saying between the lines. The subtext is all the underlying drives and meanings that are not apparent to the character, but that are apparent to the audience or reader.

Paraphrased from Subtext: The Delicate Art of Doublespeak

Subtext is a fascinating and intellectually stimulating tool in the prose arsenal. This raises the narrative from mere telling what happened, to asking the reader to think about what is being presented and look deeper into the meaning of the words and actions.

Here is a scene with subtext.

Subtext Dramatized

Man puts a log on the fire. His wife says that she wasn't cold, that there is no need to stoke the fire further. He responds that he puts a log on the fire every night, that the house will grow cold otherwise.
"Then put on a blanket," she shoots back, "or a sweater. Why do you need to fiddle with the fireplace."
"It's just a moment, the fire is already burning. Another log doesn't take any preparation."
"You've got to clean the fireplace. Don't you even think before you put on the log!"
"It's just a damn log. Fine I'll take it off, if that will make you happy."

The focus of the argument is about handling the fire in the fireplace, but the subtext is a deeper tension between the wife and her husband.

Hemingway’s “Iceberg Theory”

The Iceberg Theory from kbmorris

Ernest Hemingway from handat

5 Resources for Creating Character Flaws

I am working on giving characters more depth, to create that hypnotic bind that pulls the reader into the story.

I am looking at adding more dimensions to characters, particularly flaws.

Here are some resources I turned up in looking into this.

• Character Flaw Index
• 11 Character Flaws
• Character Flaws
• The Fatal Flaw
• Why Your Novel Characters Need Real Flaws

4 Things to Address in Your Character

• Who is the character?
• What does the character want?
• What is standing in the character's way to getting what he wants?
• What does he have to do to overcome the obstacle?