Story Structure Foreword: The Path of Least Resistance

Some people argue that traditional story structure is confining, or produces predictable stories.  But in my experience, this just isn't true.

The same laws of physics apply equally to clapboard shanties, concrete bunkers, two-story Tudor homes, stone castles, and glass skyscrapers.  But no one would argue that all those buildings look alike, would they?

In the same way classical Greek architecture is still pleasing to the eye (just look at Washington DC) a well-structured story will always be pleasing to the mind. This is why traditional structure is not confining, but empowering.

The way I see it, story structure is all about creating a path of least resistance for the reader to follow.

All things in nature follow the path of least resistance; water runs downhill, electricity flows through the best conductor, and readers--for the most part--only finish books that are easy and fun to read.  All too often, the path of least resistance through a book is straight out.

Storytelling is a fundamental part of human existence.  The flow of a story is something we are either born knowing, or learn very young.  The rhythms and patterns of story already exist in the reader's mind, and it's up to you to write something that jives with them, or doesn't.  There is always room for syncopation, but every beat needs purpose, or the whole composition falters.

A good author should be the path of least resistance.  It's very easy to dig in your heels and do what you want to do.  It's easy to refuse to follow a structure you've never learned.  It's very hard to forget about yourself and what you want and put the reader first (that doesn't mean you pander to trends, it just means it's your job to make them happy, not the other way around).

It's easy to write something that's difficult to read.  If you don't know how difficult it is to write something that's easy to read, then you don't know the first thing about writing, which is:

Writing well is hard.

Just as the hallmark of a good businessman is putting the customer first, the hallmark of a good author is creating a path of least resistance for the reader to follow.

This series is all about my approach to story structure.  A lot of it will be stuff you've heard before, but I have some ideas of my own that have helped me in my own work.

So without further ado, let's get into my take on Four Act Structure.