What's It All About?

How to pinpoint the "why" of your story.

Since I started offering my script coverage services, I've read a lot of samples by newer screenwriters who are looking to break into the entertainment industry. And, as I said in my very first Friday post, I’m usually really impressed by how well-written their scripts are!

But one thing that takes a script from "Your writing is good" to "This script is good" is a clear premise. And many of the pilots or features that I read don’t feel like they have a driving force behind them. Instead, they’re an amalgam of moments. Well-written moments, yes. But still just moments, without that real connective, narrative tissue to bridge them together.

Oftentimes, when I finish a script by a newer writer, I don’t have a clear sense of why that story needed to be told.

That’s why the number one question I find myself asking emerging writers is "What is your story about?"

In response, the writer inevitably starts outlining the script’s major plot points. But that’s not what I mean when I ask what the story is about. I’m not asking about the characters or the plot or the big set piece in Act Three.

I’m asking, at its core, what is your story about? What’s the meaning of it? The purpose? The theme? The premise? In a sense, I’m asking, “Why did you feel compelled tell this story?”

Because if you, the writer, don’t have a clear idea of what your story is about, the reader won’t either. And if the reader doesn’t have a clear idea of why the story is being told… they will simply stop reading.

The truth is that, within the first ten pages, we should know what the story is about.

But that doesn’t mean that you have to lay out every plot point or twist right up front! Here are some examples of what I mean by "what the story is about" from popular shows you know and love:

Think about the pilot of LOST. Within the first few minutes, we know this is a show about a group of diverse strangers who survived a plane crash and now, have to survive on a deserted island. That’s what the story is about! And, if that feels like an easy one, it’s because most broadcast shows answer the "what is this story about" question pretty quickly.

So, let's try another one: WEDNESDAY. In the opening moments of the pilot, we watch Wednesday get expelled from her normal high school in spectacular fashion. Because of this, her parents enroll her into their alma mater, Nevermore, a school for outcasts and weirdos. Within the first few pages, we understand that this story is about a morose loner who has to go to a school for outcasts.

"Sure," you say. "But what about a show that's more subversive and harder to describe?"

My favorite watch of last year was SEVERANCE. And within the first 10 minutes, we can tell that the show is about a really freaking weird workplace. And that's enough to keep us watching!

So, when I say, "What is the story about?" I don't mean, "What is every single plot point of the show we're going to see." I mean, "What is the story about? What is the driving force of the action? Why is this story being told?" That's what we need to know up front.

We don't need to know in the first 10 pages of LOST that the island is magical.

We don't need to know in the first 10 pages of WEDNESDAY that she's the key to a centuries old prophesy.

We don't need to know in the first 10 pages of SEVERANCE that (REDACTED SPOILERS HERE!!)

But we DO need to know what the story is ABOUT. Right up front. And if it feels impossible to fit that key information into the beginning of your story, maybe you need to work on clarifying what your story is really about.

And feature writing is no different! Think about GONE GIRL. Right off the bat, we know that this is a story about a husband and wife who have a tumultuous relationship... and then she disappears. Knowing that premise doesn't spoil the twist!

What topics would you like me to cover in future newsletters? Sound off in the comments!