The overarching ideas of a project are conceptual. The vision of a piece is bigger than the simple dots that make it appear. What drives your story?
Use these menus to help form the big picture items, the “through-lines,” or the silent drivers that exist always in the background of your narrative. Your narrative concept is one of the meta-narrative pieces that happens above and through the lives of the characters.
- Plot Concepts – basing a story on a mission, goal, or objective is a clean and clear way to develop a plot-driven story. Typical plots may include: rescuing, liberating, proving, saving, destroying, overthrowing, defeating, vanquishing, surviving, finding, overcoming, impressing, winning,
- Thematic Concepts – narratives based on lessons learned or the human condition are thematically driven. Typical themes may include: struggling to overcome something, following orders vs. doing what’s right, following one’s heart, overcoming fear, atonement, righting a wrong, saving someone from himself or herself, trusting in oneself,
- Conflict Concepts – battles — whether against others, nature, or oneself — drive the conflict-driven story forward. Typical conflicts may include: fighting a powerful foe, challenging oneself to overcome a fear, surviving against harsh natural conditions, fighting an oppressive agency, battling on despite insurmountable odds, fending off evil,
- Forces Concepts – the push and pull of the universe or the supernatural, harmony or discord and opposition, move characters about in a narrative driven by a force concept. Typical force concepts may include: good vs. evil, the relentless movement of time, the finality of death, love wins through against hate, fighting or following one’s destiny, balance and harmony prevailing through the chaos, the crushing power of loneliness, emotion vs. logic,