Story Circles, Part II: Dan Harmon

Last week I began a series on story circles, which I think are great baselines to set our stories on because they align so closely with what we (as humans) expect a story to be. There are instances, of course, when we'll want to break those boundaries to surprise our readers, but it *is* helpful, before we start breaking rules, to know them and the structures readers most relate to.

I started with Joseph Campbell's monomyth/hero's journey, but I was recently introduced to Dan Harmon's story circle, and this one, to me, falls more in line with contemporary storytelling and character journeys/arcs.

Harmon's circle is closely related to Campbell's, though, and you can see some of the overlap even if the stages aren't exactly the same.

So we start with THE COMFORT ZONE.

This is the place the character knows. This is her familiar territory--life as it is.

Not long after this comfort zone is established, we learn about her NEED (or DESIRE). This is the discovery of a goal she may have (whether the goal is thrust upon her or appears of her own volition is up to the writer). 

In order to accomplish this goal, she will now need to enter an UNFAMILIAR SITUATION. At this point, she steps wholly out of her comfort zone in a brand-new "world," and we--the readers--get to watch her flail about as she finds her footing.

This becomes her struggle as she tries to ADAPT. 

At first, of course, a character is going to go about getting what they want in all the wrong ways, but this unfamiliar territory and their desperation to adapt is going to do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to filling those story pages. This is the bulk of your story, and where those obstacles build to a point of no return.

Finally, the character will GET WHAT SHE WANTS.

But . . . she will PAY A HEAVY PRICE or suffer to some degree for what she's gained because this isn't what she needed . . . not really . . . not until she can finally take her newfound knowledge and RETURN TO COMFORT with the CHANGES she's made.

Like many story circles, this begins with a Familiar Order, moves into Chaos, then returns to a New Order.

So there's a cute movie on Netflix right now called He's All That. I am of the She's All That era, so, naturally, I wanted to see what this updated gender swap looked like. Not only did I enjoy it, but the plot fits into Dan Harmon's circle beautifully. 

1) THE COMFORT ZONE

Padgett is a social influencer pretending to be wealthier and more "together" than she really is to keep up appearances.

After her celebrity boyfriend cheats on her and her reaction/breakdown is caught on a Livestream, her social status plummets. (This is the catalyst.)

2) NEED OR DESIRE

She needs to win her followers (and sponsors) back . . . 

3) UNFAMILIAR SITUATION

. . . so she makes a bet to turn the least popular boy in school into the prom king.

4) ADAPTATION

Padgett and Cameron begin to bond as she slowly makes him over. 

5) GET WHAT THEY WANTED

Cameron is becoming more accepted . . .

6) PAY A PRICE

. . . but soon she and her plans are outed publicly. Now she's lost Cameron (whom she was really beginning to like) and a "best friend" (who was actually an enemy) and everyone knows her "influencer life" was not her reality.

7) RETURN TO COMFORT

She goes to prom--which doesn't even matter to her anymore--and back to her life (without Cameron) realizing . . .

8) HAVING CHANGED

. . . what a massive mistake she's made and how she's been focusing on all the wrong things. Cameron realizes he, too, has changed and forgives Padgett. They are finally together and, post-high school, are traveling so he can work on his photography and she can be a new kind of (better) influencer.

Sure it's a light, cheesy, YA rom-com, but it works.

What's so nice about Harmon's circle? It's emotion-centric, in a lot of ways. Can we apply a story's plot to it? Absolutely. But we can also apply our character arcs to it. 

In He's All That, Cameron is undergoing his own changes. He has a need/goal and is thrust into a new situation he must adapt to (namely Padgett's interference in his life), but he, too, grows/matures by the end. 

Ergo, filling out one of these circles for each of your main characters will help deepen their interactions with one another as well as the impact they make within the overall story, satisfying the reader on multiple levels. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Story Circles, Part I: Joseph Campbell

I *love* Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell and the whole idea of the hero's journey and monomyth. 

I actually like the idea of story circles, in general.

I think writers who aren't familiar with this type of "official" storytelling still follow these guidelines to some degree, whether they are aware of it or not.

And if a story isn't working for some reason, I think it's good to break down the structure and plug the content into a circle of some kind to determine what's missing or what could be strengthened.

So . . . my next few blog posts are going to highlight a few different types of story circles, and we're going to start, of course, with Campbell. 

Campbell's monomyth contains 17 distinct steps:

But the overarching ideas can be broken down into twelve easy-to-apply stages:

THE ORDINARY WORLD

The story opens in the hero's world--a world in which he is missing something, or in which something has been taken from him. 

THE CALL TO ADVENTURE

This is where we learn the problem the hero will have to solve in order to "right" his world again. This will ultimately become the hero's goal (or one of them), but first. . . .

THE REFUSAL OF THE CALL

The hero isn't interested in solving this problem or facing this challenge--not of his own volition. He's going to need some convincing or a push in the right direction. 

MEETING WITH THE MENTOR

Enter the mentor. The mentor can't join the hero on his journey, but he can prepare him with information, advice, or some kind of tangible item that will help him along the way. 

CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

Now the hero is ready to solve the problem. He enters a new world where chaos ensues. 

TESTS, ALLIES, AND ENEMIES

The hero meets new people and faces obstacles on the path to fulfill his destiny. We are learning more about him and what he's capable of accomplishing. He is also failing all over the place.

APPROACH TO THE INNERMOST CAVE

The hero is closing in on his ultimate test. His allies have gathered, and his enemy or enemies lie in wait. The conflict has built and setbacks have occurred.

THE SUPREME ORDEAL

This is the key moment to which the plot has been building. This is the final fight, where the "boss" appears, and/or where the hero's life hangs in the balance. He may (or may not) lose his mentor (or someone close to him) at this point. 

REWARD, OR SEIZING THE SWORD

Because he has survived the supreme ordeal, the hero is rewarded. 

THE ROAD BACK

The hero still encounters tests and challenges on his way home and must determine if "home" is where he even belongs anymore.

RESURRECTION

This is a final test. The hero must gather his tools--including everything he's learned along his journey--to face this final obstacle in order to be "reborn." This often relates to his inner arc/growth.

RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR

The hero returns to his ordinary world a changed person. He presents his people with the gifts and/or knowledge/wisdom he has accumulated. In its own way, it becomes a new world. 

***

You can see where these stages would easily work in a fantasy story. Star Wars follows it. The Lord of the Rings follows it. Harry Potter follows it.

But with a little creativity, it's not hard to put the detective in your mystery novel on this path, or the heroine of your love story. Maybe the mentor isn't a wizard but a trainer or some authority figure--a grandparent, perhaps. And maybe the supreme ordeal isn't a physical fight but a break-up or separation.

There are many ways to apply these kinds of journeys to your story, with more to follow in the coming weeks.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~  

Conflict and Character Traits

The easiest way to create conflict between characters is to pit their different traits against one another.

If your character is more of a "homebody," for instance, put them with someone adventurous. If they are highly educated, pair them with someone who's street smart. If they are superficial, put them with someone who is kind and humble and caring. Are they tidy? Force them to room with a slob. Shy? Pair them with someone who is outgoing.

Think in terms of opposites.

Someone who is affable and sensible is going to act and react differently from someone who is disagreeable and disruptive. An optimist and pessimist see the world in two completely disparate ways.

Photo by Elizaveta Dushechkina from Pexels

Pair the opposites together, and the conflict creates itself. 

The tension builds naturally.

And this isn't just about pitting a "negative" trait against a "positive" trait. Some situations will call for street smarts over book learning. Some situations require disruption--for someone to act out to bring some new information to light. And not everyone responds to affability. Enter the character who is caustic and ruthless. They'll get the job done. 

In terms of arcs, think about these traits as the characters work against each other. It's easy to see that where one leaves off, the other can pick up--in some cases, they may even become complementary. 

Create a series of situations and watch these opposing characters naturally begin to influence one another, making room for their growth. 

Maybe your main character *is* a bit of a homebody. Maybe he needs the influence of that outgoing, adventurous girl so that he can have some escapades of his own to remember fondly. Maybe the one chasing adventure needs to learn to settle somewhere--to stop running--to put down some roots. Maybe the slob needs the neat freak to show them what a nice space could look like.

And remember to show, not tell. 

If a character is shy, how might that reflect in their behavior? Maybe they don't want to mention to the server that they were given the wrong order.

How "tidy" are we talking? Maybe their closet is organized by color and their towels are folded into thirds.

And don't feel boxed in with these traits. At some point that typically shy person is going to get sick of being offered the cheeseburger when she has repeatedly asked for the chicken sandwich. This is her chance to act out. And if the slob comes home to find his roommate's space dismantled, it's a clear cause for concern.

Fix your character's traits then subvert them, surprising us.

In sum, as you consider your character's traits, brainstorm how those traits can manifest or show themselves in your story, especially when they are forced to work with those who are not like them. Think about the ways in which they can act out of character. Think about who they are at the beginning of the story, and who they will be by the end.  

In other words, make them as real and as complicated as you and I.

Make them human.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~