Anatomy of a Premise Line: How to Master Premise and Story Development for Writing Success

201 Pages·2015·4.05 MB·English

by  Jeff Lyons

ANATOMY OF
A PREMISE LINE
If a story is going to fail, it will do so first at the premise level. Anatomy of
a Premise Line: How to Master Premise and Story Development for Writing
Success is the only book of its kind to identify a 7-step development process
that can be repeated and applied to any story idea. This process will save you
time, money, and potentially months of wasted writing. Whether you are trying
to write feature screenplay, a novel, develop a television pilot, or just trying to
figure out your next story move as a writer, this book gives you the tools you
need to know which ideas are worth pursuing. In addition to the 7-step premise
development tool, Anatomy of a Premise Line also presents a premise and idea
testing methodology that can be used to test any developed premise line. Cus-
tomized exercises and worksheets are included to facilitate knowledge transfer,
so that by the end of the book, you will have a fully developed premise line, log
line, tagline, and a completed premise-testing checklist.
Here is some of what you will learn inside:
● Ways to determine whether or not your story is a good fit for print or
screen
● Case studies and hands-on worksheets to help you learn by participating
in the process
● Tips on how to effectively work through writer’s block
● A companion website (www.focalpress.com/cw/lyons) with additional
worksheets, videos, and interactive tools to help you learn the basics of
perfecting a killer premise line
Jeff Lyons is a working writer, story editor, script and book doctor, and has
worked in the film, television, and publishing industries for more than two dec-
ades, helping thousands of screenwriters and novelists tell better stories. He is
an instructor through Stanford University’s Online Writer’s Studio, and is a regu-
lar guest lecturer through the UCLA Extension Writers Program. Jeff’s writings
on the craft of storytelling can be found in leading industry trade magazines
such as Writer’s Digest Magazine, Script Magazine, and The Writer.
“Story structure changed my writing life, and the magician who taught it to
me was Jeff Lyons. Every writer on the planet needs coffee, chocolate, and this
book!”
Caroline Leavitt—New York Times and USA Today bestselling author,
Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You
“This is a book for which many of us have been waiting, and if you are at all
like me, incorporating Jeff’s ideas and guidance into your work can make all the
difference.”
Barnet Bain—Producer, What Dreams May Come; Writer/Producer,
The Celestine Prophecy
“There is no book like this in the marketplace. It will help writers, producers,
and directors, and save everyone from wasted time writing drafts to find a story.
I wish I had this book when I was in film school.”
David Jeffery—Producer, Bones; American Family; Lesson Plan
“Working with Jeff reminds me of a quote from Michelangelo, ‘I saw an angel in
the marble and carved until I set him free.’ Jeff’s amazing tools have helped me
develop solid premise and log lines, and to chisel my stories free from the stone.
This book will help you do the same.”
Michael Perri—Staff Writer, NBC’s State of Affairs
“After reading Jeff’s terrific book I felt like rushing to my desk, new tools in
hand, and fixing all my unsold screenplays. I highly recommend to anyone writ-
ing a screenplay or novel.”
Nick Castle—Writer/Director, Escape From New York, Hook,
August Rush, Last Star Fighter, The Boy Who Could Fly,
Tap, Dennis the Menace
Before, I used to write myself into a corner, but thanks to Jeff Lyons’ premise
tools now I can see my story’s structure from the outside, to see what’s working
and what could be stronger. This book will help you draw a map through the
story forest, rather than getting lost in the trees. I’ve used this material with my
students with the same beneficial effect as with my own writing. I highly recom-
mend this book.”
Malena Watrous—Author, If You Follow Me;
Head Instructor Stanford University Online Writers Studio
ANATOMY OF
A PREMISE LINE
How to Master Premise
and Story Development
for Writing Success
Jeff Lyons
Visit the companion website for this book at
www.focalpress.com/cw/lyons
First published 2016
by Focal Press
70 Blanchard Road, Suite 402, Burlington, MA 01803
and by Focal Press
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Focal Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an
informa business
© 2016 Taylor & Francis
The right of Jeff Lyons to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing.
As new research and experience broaden our understanding,
changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical
treatment may become necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own
experience and knowledge in evaluating and using any information,
methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using
such information or methods they should be mindful of their own safety
and the safety of others, including parties for whom they
have a professional responsibility.
Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without
intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Lyons, Jeff.
Anatomy of a premise line : how to master premise and story
development for writing success / by Jeff Lyons.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Motion picture authorship—Vocational guidance. 2. Motion picture
plays—Technique. I. Title.
PN1996.L845 2015
808.2'3—dc23
2015000347
ISBN: 978-1-138-91758-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-83885-7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-73376-0 (ebk)
Typeset in Garamond
By Apex CoVantage, LLC
This is for you Kimberley. You know why.
This page intentionally left blank
CONTENTS
FOREWORD xi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xiii
Introduction 1
PART 1 Premise and Story—Building the Foundation 7
Chapter 1 YOUR FIRST BOOK IN STORY
DEVELOPMENT 9
Tell Me Your Story 9
Story Comes First—Writing Comes Second 10
Storytelling and Writing Are Not the
Same Thing 11
The 7-Step Premise Development Process 12
Chapter 2 WHAT IS A STORY PREMISE AND
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? 14
Common Definitions of Story Premise 14
Historical Definitions of Story Premise 15
A Working Definition of Story Premise 17
Chapter 3 THE INVISIBLE STRUCTURE 19
The Blinding Ball of Information 20
The Invisible Structure 21
Character 21
Constriction 22
Desire 23
Relationship 23
Resistance 23
Adventure 24
Change 24
Backing Into the Story 26
vii
viii Contents
Chapter 4 THE VISIBLE STRUCTURE 27
The Invisible Made Visible 28
Protagonist 29
Moral Component 29
Chain of Desire 30
Focal Relationship 31
Opposition 32
Plot and Momentum 33
Evolution-De-Evolution 35
The Premise Line Connection 36
Chapter 5 THE POWER OF THE PREMISE LINE 38
The Story Structure-Premise Connection 38
Anatomy of a Premise Line 39
Mapping the Invisible Structure: The Four Clauses 40
Clause #1: Protagonist Clause 41
Clause #2: Team Goal Clause 42
Clause #3: Opposition Clause 43
Clause #4: Dénouement Clause 44
Premise Analysis 45
Chapter 6 A STORY VS. A SITUATION 49
What Is a Story? 49
The Magic Formula 51
What Is a Character? 51
What Is a Plot? 53
What Is a Story Again? 55
What Is a Situation? 55
The Five Components of a Situation 56
What Do I Do If I Have a Situation and
Not a Story? 58
Chapter 7 THE MORAL PREMISE 60
What Does “Moral” Mean? 60
What Is a Moral Component? 61
Moral Blind Spot 61
Immoral Effect 62
Dynamic Moral Tension 64
The Passive Protagonist Loop 64
The Active Protagonist Loop 65
Summary 68
PART 2 The 7-Step Premise Development Process 69
The 7 Steps 69
Why a Process and Not Just a List of Steps? 70
Forms, Worksheets, and Samples 71
Contents ix
Step 1 DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A STORY OR
A SITUATION 72
Why This Is the Hardest Step 72
Step 2 MAP THE INVISIBLE STRUCTURE TO THE
“ANATOMY OF A PREMISE LINE” TEMPLATE 75
Apply the Map to Your Story Idea 75
Three Test Cases 76
Step 3 DEVELOP THE FIRST PASS OF YOUR
PREMISE LINE 80
Step 4 DETERMINE IF YOUR PREMISE IS
HIGH CONCEPT 82
Which Is Better: High Concept or Soft Concept? 83
What Is a High-Concept Premise? 84
The 7 Components of a High-Concept Premise 85
What Is a Soft-Generic Premise? 87
The High-Concept / Log Line Worksheet Exercise 89
Step 5 DEVELOP THE LOG LINE 89
What Is a Log Line and Why Should You Care? 89
How Do Premise Line and Log Line Work
Together? 90
What Is a Tagline? 91
The Log Line / Tagline Worksheet Exercise 92
Step 6 FINALIZE THE PREMISE LINE 92
What Does Final Mean? 92
Step 7 PREMISE AND IDEA TESTING 93
What Is Premise Testing and Why Should
You Care? 93
How to Use the “Premise Testing Checklist” 95
PART 3 Development: A Few Remaining Nuts and Bolts 99
Chapter 8 I NAILED THE PREMISE AND LOG LINES—NOW
WHAT? 101
The Case for a Short Synopsis 101
The Synopsis Process 103
How to Use the “Short Synopsis Worksheet” 104
The “Short Synopsis Worksheet” Exercise 104
Chapter 9 THE THREE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT 113
Business Development Stage 114
Script Development Stage 115
Story Development Stage 116