Constructing a story

Constructing a Story is designed for writers of fiction in any medium. Yves Lavandier, himself a filmmaker, breaks down the inner workings of narrative and proposes an accessible step-by-step method. Whether you're an experienced writer or just starting out, you'll be captivated by Lavandier's original and cheerful approach to storytelling.

Leam how to build the foundations to any story, and how to master such tools as milestones, the enriched structure, and thematic subplots. Discover how to create a complete character arc, and how fractal theory can be applied to storytelling. See how to avoid deus ex machina and easy outs, and how to install, exploit, and resolve the powerful tool of dramatic irony. Find hundreds of tips on meaning, comedy, endings, exposition, stakes, villains,... and the real three-act structure.

Constructing a Story takes a global view. Its many rich story examples from around the world include The Apartment, Casablanca, A Christmas Carol, Citizen Kane, City Lights, Cyrano de Bergerac, A Doll's House, Groundhog Day, Hamlet, The Lives of Others, North by Northwest, Once Upon a Time in the West, Oedipus Rex, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, 1001 Nights, Some Like It Hot, Tootsie, and Toy Story.