deepstash
Beta
Deepstash brings you key ideas from the most inspiring articles like this one:
Read more efficiently
Save what inspires you
Remember anything
The 22 rules of storytelling, according to Pixar
1
Key Idea
Save all ideas
Rules of storytelling, according to Pixar
- Emphasize trying more than success.
- Having an initial theme while writing is important but don’t get too attached to it.
- Cutting things out is important part of the writing process.
- Challenge your characters with their polar opposite.
- Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle.
- Putting it on paper lets you start fixing it. If it stays in your head, a perfect idea, you’ll never share it with anyone.
- Audiences don’t like passive/malleable characters, so give yours opinions.
- Imagining what you would do in the place of your character helps you lend credibility to unbelievable situations.
- Give the consumers reason to root for the character. Stack the odds against them and make the stakes clear.
- Story is testing, not refining.
- Coincidences to get characters into trouble are great; coincidences to get them out of it are cheating.
- Trying to rewrite a movie you dislike into one you like without messing too much with the structure is a good exercise.
- Summarize the essence of your story. If you know that, you can build out from there.
205 SAVES
342 READS
SIMILAR ARTICLES & IDEAS:
4
Key Ideas
“What you’re trying to do, when you tell a story, is to write about an event in your life that made you feel some ..."
Pete Docter
Pixar’s Plotting Techniques For Structure And Purpose
The Story Spine structure: Once upon a time there was [blank]. Every day, [blank]. One day [blank]. Because of that, [blank]. Until finally [bank].
A story’s purpose: find why you want to tell this story, what belief of yours fueled that story, what does it teach and its purpose. Stories with a purpose that you are passionate about have a bigger impact.
6
Key Ideas
Storytelling is...
Why we tell stories
- Stories solidify abstract concepts and simplify complex messages;
- Stories bring people together: stories connect us through the way we feel and respond to them;
- Stories inspire and motivate, by tapping into people’s emotions and baring both the good and bad.
Good stories are …
- Entertaining. Good stories keep the reader engaged and interested in what’s coming next.
- Educational. Good stories spark curiosity and add to the reader’s knowledge bank.
- Universal. Good stories are relatable to all readers and tap into emotions and experiences that most people undergo.
- Organized. Good stories follow a succinct organization that helps convey the core message and helps readers absorb it.
- Memorable. Whether through inspiration, scandal, or humor, good stories stick in the reader’s mind.
4
Key Ideas
Hardwired for Stories
We love to tell and listen to stories. The 'Story Narrative' is hardwired in us, as we think and remember in stories.
A strong narrative can be the difference between succes...
Creative Problem Solving
Human beings are able to creatively solve problems, alone or in a group. This has given rise to many inventions, shaping common goals shared by a group of people.
We needed a 'sticky' idea to spread it among people, and the story narrative is exactly that.
Relating To The Characters
Stories cater to our Ego. A listener puts himself in the shoes of the protagonist of a story, and an idea is given emotional heft and sturdiness.
The more we are able to relate to the central character, the more engaging, effective and memorable a story narrative becomes.