Storytelling 101: The Snowflake Method and Story Circle
Learn the basics of storytelling with the Snowflake Method and Story Circle. The Snowflake Method is a way to begin with a deep, simple theme and then, over time, develop and add complexity. The Story Circle is an 8-step character development process.
Jamie Russo
Building https://t.co/XVXKXGoujR to $50k/mo. Tweets about the journey. Author of The Underdog Paradox.
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Your writing doesn't suck.
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Your 5th-grade English class sucked.
Storytelling 101: -
1. The Snowflake Method:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
A writer begins with a deep, simple theme and then, over time, develops and adds complexity.
• Idea
• Sentence
• Paragraphs
• 2-pg summary pic.twitter.com/Z3D5VMQ92X -
2. Story Circle:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
8-steps of character development:
• You - establish a protagonist
• Need - something isn't right
• Go - crossing the threshold
• Search - the road of trials
• Find - meeting goodness
• Take - paying the price
• Return - bring it home
• Change - mastery pic.twitter.com/5ihK8E9JZu -
3. Fichtean Curve:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Rising and falling action through a series of crises and resolutions to increase tension and suspense.
• Fast tension
• Crisis #1
• Bigger problem
• Crisis #2
• Worsening problem
• Climax
• Height of tension
• Resolution pic.twitter.com/XQIlp6N4u5 -
4. Story Spine:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
8 simple phrases to structure a story:
• Once upon a time...
• Every day...
• Until one day...
• Because of that...
• And because of that...
• Until finally...
• And ever since then...
• The moral of the story... pic.twitter.com/Vb4e8AxOpf -
5. Hero's Journey:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
A hero embarks on an adventure, faces challenges, achieves a decisive victory, and returns home transformed.
• Call to adventure
• Meets mentor
• Trials + failure
• Growth
• Death + rebirth
• Revelation
• Atonement
• Gets gift
• Returns changed pic.twitter.com/uvU7yz0pec -
6. W-Plot:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
A progression of peaks and valleys (forms a "W" shape) to represent a character's emotional journey.
• 1st triggering event
• Set up the problem
• 1st turning point
• Recovery
• 2nd triggering event
• Worsen the problem
• 2nd turning point
• Resolution pic.twitter.com/qz6E2LUhcY -
7. Freytag's Pyramid:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
A five-part dramatic structure that rises and falls in the shape of a pyramid.
• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling action
• Resolution pic.twitter.com/pr54anYTv8 -
8. Nutshell Technique:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Identify the protagonist's central flaw, the crisis that forces them to confront it, and the resulting transformation.
• Set up want
• Point of no return
• Crisis
• Climatic Choice
• Final step pic.twitter.com/1m2ynqIhdZ -
9. Todorov's Narrative:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Establish a status quo. Disrupt it and attempt to restore it. End with a new normal.
• Equilibrium
• Disruption
• Recognition
• Resolution
• New Normal pic.twitter.com/JLVjZ77cyF -
10. M.I.C.E. Quotient:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Four storytelling elements create a well-rounded narrative with conflict and rising tension.
• Milieu - setting
• Idea - theme
• Character - growth
• Event - plot pic.twitter.com/Wke5hByrae -
11. Kishōtenketsu:
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
This four-part East Asian narrative is a non-conflict-driven approach to storytelling vs. Western narratives that rely heavily on conflict.
ki - introduction
shō - development
ten - twist
ketsu - conclusion pic.twitter.com/lhjjZZ5h8l -
Thank you for reading.
— Jamie Russo (@jamierusso) March 21, 2023
Follow me @jamierusso for more on my life, business, and journey to $50k/mo.
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