The Ultimate

Story Structure
Worksheet
Hey there, fellow scribe!
If story structure has ever given you a headache, youre going to love this
16-page, 2-part worksheet. Its a trusty framework that will help you create
a strong backbone for your story.
You might even want to fill it out multiple times during your writing
process. For example, you can answer the questions, at the very beginning,
when you first think of your brilliant movie ideaand then later, after
youve done more research on your story world.
At first, you may not be able to answer every question. Thats okay. Write
down as much as you can. Your creative genius will fill in the blanks
eventually!
For more screenwriting tips and story structure secrets, make sure to visit:
scribemeetsworld.com
I wish you much success on your writing journey.

ScribeMeetsWorld.com
Presents

Part I: Concept
In a nutshell, what is your movie idea?




Below, jot down all your initial thoughtsany images you see, lines of dialogue
you hear, ideas for subplots, set pieces, character relationships, theme, etc.
By the time you refine your movie idea, these initial thoughts may be discarded.
But its good to keep a record of these story seeds. If you get stuck (especially at
the end), these seeds often contain the perfect solution.















Briefly describe your hero.




What is his profession?

What is his overall goal?




Who or what is stopping him from achieving it?




Whats at stake if he fails?






Now, rewrite your movie idea as a one-sentence logline.
If you have difficulty, try using this simple logline formula:














An interesting hero must accomplish a goal (x),
despite extraordinary obstacles (y), because of
emotionally-compelling stakes (z).


Part II: Structure
Inciting Incident
What is your heros everyday world like?



What event changes everything (ie the inciting incident)?



Is this event:
Passive?
Disruptive?
Personal?
Causally linked to your first act break?
At what point in your heros life does your story begin?



Time-wise, how far away is your story beginning from the inciting incident?




If you HAD TO, how could you begin your story closer to the inciting
incident?






Optional:
Does your story beginning coincide with a special occasion? (This is what Hal
Ackerman refers to as a propitious or auspicious event in Write Screenplays
That Sellthe Ackerman Way.)
Yes
No
If yes, what is the special occasion?




Still puzzled about the inciting incident?
Uncover the secrets behind this essential plot
point with my fluff-free writing guide, Inciting
Incident: How to Begin Your Story & Engage
Audiences Right Away.
Click here to learn more, or type this link into
your web browser:
http://scribemeetsworld.com/inciting/

First Act Break
Describe the events which conclude Act One (and begin Act Two).




Do these events, in combination, directly lead to your hero taking a
concrete step towards his overall goal?
Yes
No
Can they be described as your logline in motion?
Yes
No
If the answer to these questions is no, choose a different pair of events
for your Act One ending/Act Two beginningor reword your logline. Do so here:





Optional:
Does your first act break involve a change in geographical location?
Yes
No

If the answer is yes, where does your hero journey to?


By the end of Act One, what background information does the audience know
(about your hero, about your story world, etc)?





If you HAD TO, could you delay revealing any of this information until
Act Two? How could you accomplish this?






To achieve his goal, does your hero need to assemble a team (OCEANS 11) or
toolkit (HARRY POTTER AND THE SOCERERS STONE)?
Yes
No
If yes, describe this team and/or toolkit here:



When will this assembly occur?
During Act One
During the first half of Act Two (2A)
Other:

Does this assembly lend itself to set pieces? Describe possibilities
here:
















A definition of a set piece, courtesy of John
August:
A scene or sequence with escalated stakes and production
values, as appropriate to the genre. For instance, in an
action film, a set-piece might be a helicopter chase amid
skyscrapers.
In a high-concept comedy, a set piece might find the
claustrophobic hero on an increasingly crowded bus, until
he cant take it anymore. Done right, set-pieces are
moments you remember weeks after seeing a movie.



Midpoint
The midpoint of Act Two is a fulcrum which usually takes your story into a new
direction, and at the same time, frequently increases the stakes.
What event could be the midpoint of your movie?



Does this event have set piece potential?
Yes
No
If no, how could you tweak it to create a set piece?



In five words or less, what overarching principle could govern Act 2A?
Examples: On the rundefensive (MINORITY REPORT)
Please ex-boyfriend (LEGALLY BLONDE)

In five words or less, what overarching principle could govern Act 2B?
Examples: Prove innocenceoffensive (MINORITY REPORT)
Please herself (LEGALLY BLONDE)



All Is Lost, aka the Trough of Hell
At the end of Act Two, the hero is often described as being the furthest away from
his goal. This low point is what I like to call the heros trough of hell.
How could you dig a trough for your hero and completely destroy his odds of
success? Check all that apply:
Unmasking of true identity
Capture
Physical peril
Banishment
Alienation from friend or romantic partner
Betrayal by a supposed ally
Other:

Kurt Vonnegut once advised writers to, Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and
innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to themin order
that the reader may see what they are made of.
At the end of Act Two, have you been cruel to your hero (in a way which is genre-
appropriate)?
Yes
No
What kind of pain does your hero endure? Check all that apply:
Physical pain
Emotional pain
Psychological pain
Psychic pain


What is the silver lining of the major setback (or series of setbacks) which occurs
at the end of Act Two?
Does it, for example, enable your hero to learn new information, critical to
achieving his goal? Does it force him to do the very thing he wanted to avoid, but
which he must, in order to succeed?




Does your hero realize the lesson of his setback(s) on his own?
Yes
No
If no, who pushes your hero into that realization? Name him/her
here.






Need help figuring out your heros all is lost
moment, ie his trough of hell?
Discover how to combine pain, emotion, and
paradox into a powerful Act Two ending with my
writing guide, Trough of Hell: How to Wrap Up the
Middle of Your Story with Maximum Impact.
Includes special tips for thrillers/action movies,
comedies, and romantic comedies.
Click here to learn more, or type this link into your
web browser:
http://scribemeetsworld.com/trough/

Climax
Does your hero have to conduct any last minute preparation before the climax?
Like what?



Describe the climax of your story.




Where does it take place?

On a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), how much set piece
potential does your setting contain?
1
2
3
4
5
If your rating is 3, how could you change the
setting to increase its set piece potential?




Does your climax fulfill genre expectations? How?


Does your hero receive assistance at the climax?
Yes
No
If yes, from whom? And have you established the existence of this
helpful personage beforehand?


Optional:
Is there a moment within your climax, where it looks like your hero is going to
fail? (This is what Blake Snyder refers to as the high tower surprise in Save the
Cat! Strikes Back.) Describe it here.



Resolution







A note on endings from Michael Hauge:
the audience is willing to hear that life is hard, that life is
sad, or even that life is tragic. But they dont want to hear
that life is crap.
Given a choice, give your movie a happy ending, because, by
and large, happy endings sell.
~ Writing Screenplays That Sell



How does your story end?



Have you wrapped up all loose ends:
for your A story (main plot)?
for your B story (subplot)?
for your C story, etc?
Have you given the audience closure?
Yes
No
Optional:
Is this ending of your story the reverse of its beginning?
Yes
No
If yes, how, specifically?


Briefly explain the theme of your story.





If you had to pick one image to end your story, what would it be?


Does this image reflect your storys theme?
Yes
No

* * *

Good Luck with your story!