CHAPTER 1 – Story Space, Story Time
The Teller and the Listener
The Story
The Story Body
Story Movement
Writing Your Story
CHAPTER 2 – Premise
What Is the Premise?
Developing Your Premise
CHAPTER 3 – The Seven Key Steps of Story Structure
Weakness and Need
Desire
Opponent
Plan
Battle
Self-Revelation
New Equilibrium
CHAPTER 4 – Character
Character Web
Character Web by Archetype
Individualizing Character in the Web
Creating Your Hero
Building Conflict
CHAPTER 5 – Moral Argument
Finding the Theme Line in the Designing Principle
Splitting the Theme into Oppositions
Theme Through Structure
Variants of Moral Argument
Combining Moral Argument
The Unique Moral Vision
Moral Argument in Dialogue
CHAPTER 6 – Story World
Finding the Story World in the Designing Principle
The Arena of the Story
Detailing the Story
Connecting the World to the Hero’s Overall Development
Time in the Story World
Story World Through Structure
CHAPTER 7 – Symbol Web
How Symbols Work
Symbol Web
Story Symbols
Symbolic Characters
Symbolic Themes
Symbol for Story World
Symbolic Action
Symbolic Objects
CHAPTER 8 – Plot
Organic Plot
Plot Types
Creating an Organic Plot
Revelations Sequence
The Storyteller
Genres
CHAPTER 9 – Scene Weave
Multistrand Plot Scene Weave
Detective or Crime Scene Weave
Crosscut Scene Weave
Love Story Scene Weave
Social Fantasy Scene Weave
CHAPTER 10 – Scene Construction and Symphonic Dialogue
Constructing the Scene
Complex or Subtext Scene
Dialogue
Scenes
Masterpiece of Scene Construction
CHAPTER 11 – The Never-Ending Story