My alliterative definition of Story.

A character we care about confronts complex challenges created by a compelling crisis with a cathartic conclusion.

On a recent walk through my neighborhood, I had this thought: If someone were to ask me, “Scott, how do you define ‘story’…

What would I say?

It’s funny, isn’t it? As writers, we’re all about story, yet I’ll bet that most of us, if suddenly put on the spot, would be stymied by this question.

What is a story?

Which is why on this particular brisk, sunny afternoon, I determined to come up with a nifty answer.

Having been a teacher for some years now, my mind often defaults to brainstorming mnemonic devices to help my students grasp concepts I present to them. In this case, I thought: alliteration.

The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Given my focus on character-driven storytelling, I began where I always begin: Character.

Okay, so let’s work with the letter “c”.

A character we care about.

Thar resonated with me. It’s the #1 writing commandment at Pixar per Andrew Stanton (Toy Story, Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo, Wall-e), one of the original members of the company’s Brain Trust: Make me care. If we are emotionally engaged by the characters, we are likely to follow them on their adventure.

Confronts complex challenges.

As writers, once we establish that personal connection, most significantly with the story’s Protagonist, then we can put the character into the midst of a series of tests, trials, and tribulations … (there’s some “t” alliteration for you).

In other words, complex challenges. A series of Complications, Roadblocks, and Reverals. Each challenge unique, each building atop each other, generating rising tension and stakes.

Confronts. That results in another alliterative word: CONFLICT.

As the saying goes, “There is no drama without conflict.” Indeed, for a writer, there is power in the presence of conflict. A Protagonist confronting complex challenges, often in the form of Nemesis actions, naturally engenders a central conflict which persists throughout the narrative.

Created by a compelling crisis.

It’s not just the challenges the Protagonist confronts which contribute to the crafting of a story. It’s the specific nature of that crisis which makes it compelling. That’s what I call the Narrative Imperative.

It is Fate. It is their Destiny. It is tied directly to the Protagonist’s inner state of Disunity. As Carl Jung says:

The psychological rule says that when an inner situation is not made conscious, it happens outside, as fate. That is to say, when the individual remains undivided and does not become conscious of his inner contradictions, the world must perforce act out the conflict.

They must confront the deepest form of their Disunity — in writer’s jargon their need or what I call their Unconscious Goal — in the form of the events they experience and the characters with whom they intersect.

In other words, the journey the Protagonist takes… is the one they must take.

What of the story’s resolution? Stories may end up in a limitless array of emotional and psychological places. In fact, the plot may not resolve at all.

However, most mainstream stories, as conveyed in movies or television, present a Unity arc: The Protagonist ends up moving toward a state of wholeness.

Therefore, let’s add another alliterative word: Catharsis.

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

This expresses the psychological resolution of a Unity arc narrative. When the Protagonist’s actions reflect their movement toward wholeness, there is a cathartic release of emotional energy. Thus, we may add this narrative element to my definition:

A character we care about confronts complex challenges created by a compelling crisis with a cathartic conclusion.

There you have it, my alliterative definition of story. I’d say that was a productive walk through my neighborhood, wouldn’t you?

I welcome your thoughts. What is YOUR definition of story?

What is the story of your life?