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Story Structure Architect: a writer's guide to building dramatic situations & compelling characters, by Victoria Lynn Schmidt (also author of 45 Master Characters), categorizes stories into 55 Dramatic Situations, as well as giving some detail on genres, storyforms, and the possible forms of conflict in a story. Here is a summary of Schmidt's ideas:
Five Dramatic ThroughlinesAccording to Schmidt, the main character's goal can end in any of the following ways:
Six Types of ConflictSay that Bob wants to go on a date with Alice. Here are six ways to make it difficult for him:
Twenty-One GenresSchmidt offers the following genres, some cut into even finer categories:
Eleven Master StructuresSchmidt goes into great detail on these. You know the three-act action illustration that looks like an upside-down checkmark, with the high point at the climax in the third act? Each Master Structure here has its own form of that illustration, and they are quite distinct from each other. Get the book from the library for that alone.According to Schmidt, the first six structures are more traditional (three-act structures), while the next two are "based on structure content rather than structure design" and vary in how they're developed. The last three "are somewhat anti-structure in design."
Fifty-Five Dramatic SituationsStarting with Georges Polti's Thirty Six Dramatic Situations, Schmidt combined a few of the overlapping situations (e.g., Rivalry of Kinsman and Rivalry of Superior and Inferior got stuck in the same Competition category). Then she:
Supplication and BenefactionDeliverance and SojournVengeance for a Crime and RehabilitationVengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred and Appearance of a New KinsmanFlight and PursuitDisaster and MiracleFalling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune and Becoming FortunateRevolt and SupportDaring Enterprise and The Healing JourneyAbduction and ReunionEnigma and InventionObtaining and Letting GoEnmity of Kinsman and Hero to KinsmanCompetition and ConcessionAdultery and FidelityMadness and GeniusImprudence and CautionCrimes of Love and Sacrifice for LoveSlaying of Loved One and ConvictionSelf-Sacrifice and Self-PreservationDiscovery of Dishonor of Loved One and Discovery of Honor of Loved OneObstacles to Love and Unconditional LoveConflict with a God and Supernatural OccurrenceMistaken Judgment and Intuitive JudgmentRemorse and EmpathyLoss of a Loved One and Rescue of a Loved OneOdd Couple and Fish Out of WaterBlank Situation TemplateThis last one is Schmidt's concession to the understanding that she, like Polti, probably didn't collect the definitive set of dramatic situations that can never be added to. She encourages writers to use the Blank Situation Template if they are very certain that they can't use one of the other Dramatic Situations for their story.This is a summary of Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schmidt; published by Writer's Digest Books (www.writersdigest.com), 2005.
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