The Terrible Temptation to do Good
I've been using Dan Wells' Seven Point Story Structure lately which is described as:
1) Hook - The Cool Thing that gets you into the story; think the dead body at the top of any cop show
2) First Plot Point/Inciting Incident - The thing that gets your character into the story; the call to quest
3) First Pinch Point - Where the villain enters and starts mucking up the protagonist's life
4) Second Plot Point/Reversal - When, because of the villain, the hero is pulled from reaction to action
5) Second Pinch Point - Where the villain ups the ante and our hero is at his or her nadir
6) Climax - Where our hero Heroes and All The Things Happen
7) Resolution - Solving all the last solve-y bits; tying up loose ends
Now, what I've REALIZED while outlining my current major works is that
all my pinch points aren't where the villain enters...but the saint.
I've always loved Brecht's quote from THE CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE:
And I think there's something inherently more HONEST about looking at stories where our protagonist is attempting to choose between two lies, both presenting themselves as truths, and then to have their lives disrupted by the unwelcome intrusion of Grace.
And what does it say that we look at Truth and shout: "Villain! Villain! Take the Light away!"
Because, as Terry Pratchett put it: there is nothing more terrifying than a truly GOOD man.
1) Hook - The Cool Thing that gets you into the story; think the dead body at the top of any cop show
2) First Plot Point/Inciting Incident - The thing that gets your character into the story; the call to quest
3) First Pinch Point - Where the villain enters and starts mucking up the protagonist's life
4) Second Plot Point/Reversal - When, because of the villain, the hero is pulled from reaction to action
5) Second Pinch Point - Where the villain ups the ante and our hero is at his or her nadir
6) Climax - Where our hero Heroes and All The Things Happen
7) Resolution - Solving all the last solve-y bits; tying up loose ends
"The terrible temptation to do good."
And I think there's something inherently more HONEST about looking at stories where our protagonist is attempting to choose between two lies, both presenting themselves as truths, and then to have their lives disrupted by the unwelcome intrusion of Grace.
And what does it say that we look at Truth and shout: "Villain! Villain! Take the Light away!"
Because, as Terry Pratchett put it: there is nothing more terrifying than a truly GOOD man.
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