There’s tons of rules for great storytelling.
There’s the classic books by Joseph Campbell and his ‘Heroe’s Journey’.
And a butt-load of other books based on Campbell’s work too. Which is saying something because Campbell’s books are already pretty plump…
The bottom line is this…
There’s one super-important story element you need to always have. You can get rid of almost every story “rule” and still have a descent story. Everything but this one thing.
It’s what I use in my marketing.
And my comic books.
It’s what I taught my college students (and Girl Scouts by the way…).
Your stories need a VILLAIN.
Your bad guy is what powers your story.
Crappy villain=mediocre hero. Mediocre hero = mediocre story.
Cliffhanger was a great movie because John Lithgow was a great bad guy.
When we talk about Silence of the Lambs, do we talk about Jodie Foster? Nope. Hannibal Lecter, baby!
When you tell your story you better have a good villain. Your story is only as good as your defeat.
When you speak to your audience, who is their villain?
The gurus say to ask, “what keeps them up at night?”
F*#! that!
What pisses them off? What boogy-man is lurking in the dark that is going to get them?
Don’t believe me?
Ask someone who hates “The Vid” vaccine, what they don’t like about it. They will talk your ear off.
This would happen if the topic was medicine.
What to eat.
Religion.
How to raise kids. Whatever.
Don’t be milquetoast. Find what gets under your avatar’s skin and talk about it.
Need help? https://adamstreet.net .
Adam