: Re: How to cover different perspectives/levels of thinking in one story? I was reasoning with a friend about why movies/novels often get highly successful while others, despite having an interesting

@Dunderdale623

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I get the impression that underneath this question is a question about ideal structure. That's too philosophical a topic so you have just presumed such a thing exists and based your question on that presumption. So to reword slightly: "Given the existence of an ideal plot structure and all that goes with it how do I, as a writer, take advantage of that to deliver superb writing nuggets every time?"

If it does exist, and I'm not saying it does, then it surely has it's root in the monomyth written about by Joseph Campbell. Many of the most popular stories adhere to the monomyth's "Hero's Journey" closely. Here's the rub: Many unpopular and quite terrible stories also claim to adhere to this structure, sometimes deliberately.

In fact the 12 stage hero's journey is something aspiring Hollywood screenwriters are taught as if it was some kind of scientific formula. Movie scripts are rigorously vetted for the "correct" rhythm of "story beats" to make the story "interesting" and "accessible" (excuse the quotation-mark madness but it's the only way to communicate the intensely dubious nature of all this).

When it pays off movies make stupid money and they also become long cherished favourites that generate income due to slightly ludicrously overgenerous copyright laws. Most of the time people identify what's been milled out of the Hollywood sausage factory as warmed over tripe of the worst variety.

So, what's the magic ingredient?

If there is one, and we're well into alchemy territory here, it lies in the difference between emotion and sentiment. If you genuinely care in a benign and honest way about the story you are telling, if you are just humbly trying to create the best damn story you possibly can and if you are talented enough to produce good written work, then these structures might be the final guidepost that help you produce something wonderful.

The final rub is this: This is true even if you know them thoroughly, have considered them deeply and then decide to completely ignore them because your story is better served by being itself and not by adhering to some anthropological recipe. So maybe the structure isn't as important as the care, talent and genuine honesty.

Which leads us into the middle of nowhere and leaves us to some very hungry conceptual wolves. As it should be.

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