QUESTION YOUR STORY

                       AFTER THE 1st DRAFT


These are the questions you should ask of your own story, and of the stories / movies you want to analyze:

  1. What world are we in?
  2. What is the event which sets the story in motion?
  3. What does the protagonist want at the beginning?
  4. When does the protagonist start to break the rules of the world?
  5. Who is the antagonist?
  6. What does the protagonist really want?
  7. What is the 2nd major character or event?
  8. When does the protagonist start his/her quest?
  9. When does the protagonist start to change internally?
  10. When does the protagonist makes his/her proactive decision towards his/her true path?
  11. When is the “calm before the storm”?
  12. What is the absolute worst thing that could happen to the protagonist?
  13. What is the resolution?
  14. How much does this world change by the end?
  15. Is there bookending?
  16. Are there any events forshadowed?
  17. What are repeated elements and what do they show?
  18. When does the protagonist realize what he/she really needs?
  19. When is the protagonist fully changed?
  20. What is the theme of this story?
  21. What are the defining flaws of each character?
  22. Who is the moral, guiding voice of this story?
  23. Is the antagonist also the villain?
  24. What drives the story?
  25. What is the emotional story behind the main plot?
  26. Are there underlying (unspoken) Intentions, Deceptions, Expectations, Desires or  Philosophy in this story to give it depth?
  27. Are there any unresolved events?
  28. Is there a dominant (visual) metaphor?
  29. What feelings are created in the audience by the end?

These questions will guide you to stay on the right track when you are writing your own story. Analyse other screenplays, films, TV-films to make it 2nd nature in your own screenplay writing.



Your writing should be GOOD and ORIGINAL, but be careful to keep both attributes at the same time....

“Your work is good and original. 
Unfortunately, the part that is good is not original; 
and the part that is original is not good.” 
Samuel Johnson 



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