Dark Places Story Skeleton Part 1 of 2

Dark Places

This week we begin the dissection of a Mystery/Suspense novel Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.

*** SPOILER ALERT *** 

If you have not read the novel or seen the movie and plan to, stop reading now.

Genre: Mystery - Past story woven into Present Story. POV names and dates replace chapter numbers.

Premise: Victim unravels past murder mystery.

Primary and Secondary Characters:
Protagonist (Survivor) 
Friend 1
Friend 2
Suspect 1/Antagonist (convicted killer), motive satanic sacrifice.
Suspect 2 Father of abused girl, motive revenge.
Suspect 3 Father of protagonist, motive greed.
Suspect 4 Cult member, motive payback for nonpayment
Suspect 5 Stranger, motive compassionate euthanasia.
Suspect 6 Girlfriend of Antagonist.
Victims 1, 2, and 3, possible 4th.

Point of View Characters:
1. Protagonist First Person
2. Antagonist (protagonist’s brother) Third Person Close Up
3. Secondary Character (protagonist’s mother) Third Person Close Up
4. Suspect 5 (hired killer) Third Person Close Up

Chapter 1: POV Protagonist. Relates protagonist’s current situation, sprinkle of pertinent backstory, story goal stated, and suspect 1/antagonist introduced and his motivation given.

Chapter 2: POV Secondary Character.  Mother reveals pertinent backstory, points finger at Suspect 1/Antagonist, the person most opposed to the truth being revealed.

Chapter 3: POV Protagonist. She meets people who can help her obtain her story goal. Pieces of backstory suggest Antagonist/Suspect 1 isn’t guilty. She refuses the challenge to solve the mystery.

Chapter 4: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Begins relating what really happened from his  point of view. Introduces his relationship to Suspect 6 and delivers a critical clue to solving the mystery that won’t become apparent until the end.

Chapter 5: POV Protagonist. She reveals more backstory. Interviews person who thinks suspect 1 is innocent and begins to question his guilt.

Chapter 6: POV Secondary Character. Mother reveals more backstory pertinent to the situation at the time the crime was committed. Hints at motive for Suspect 5 that won’t be apparent until the end.

Chapter 7: POV Protagonist. She reveals more back story. Agrees to solve the mystery.

Chapter 8: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Continues the real story and that makes a false accusation look true, a red herring that complicates things.

Chapter 9: POV Protagonist visits Antagonist/Suspect 1 in prison. She promises to prove he is innocent.

Chapter 10: POV Secondary Character. Mother learns of false accusation that makes Suspect 1 look guilty.

Chapter 11: POV Protagonist. She looks for Suspect 3 and is unsuccessful. She relates backstory about her life after the murder. She learns of the false accusation which leads her to want to interview the accuser. Points finger toward guilt of  Suspect 2.

Chapter 12: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. Continues the backstory narrative. Introduces Suspect 4, a connection which made him look guilty.

Chapter 13: POV Protagonist finds accuser who asserts the accusation was true, but the protagonist doesn’t believe her.  Points finger at Suspect 2.

Chapter 14: POV Secondary Character. Mother learns of Antagonist/Suspect 1 connection to Suspect 4. Finger points to Antagonist/Suspect 1.

Chapter 15: POV Protagonist. She wants to interview a second witness and fails. Finds a clue that reveals relationship between Suspect 1 and Suspect 6.

Chapter 16: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1 continues the narrative and is confronted by the false accusation.

Chapter 17: POV Protagonist. She meets with people who believe in Antagonist/Suspect 1’s innocence. Finger points to Suspect 3. Protagonist resolves again to find him.

Chapter 18: POV Secondary Character. Mother continues backstory and the false accusation is reinforced. Finger points to Antagonist/Suspect 1.

Chapter 19: POV Protagonist. She remembers an important clue. She visits Antagonist/Suspect 1 a second time and asks for an explanation. He tells a partial truth. He denies knowing Suspect 6.

Chapter 20: POV Antagonist/Suspect 1. He continues the story and reveals two key reasons one of the murders was committed that won’t become apparent until the end. Finds out possible motivation for Suspect 3. Also reveals false evidence planted by Suspect 6 that made him 1 look guilty. 

Next week, we finish dissecting Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.

House at the End of the Street Story Skeleton Part 2 of 2

Last week, we began the dissection of the movie, House at the End of the Street. This week, we finish it.

19. Device 2 Planted: Protagonist ignores warning to not be alone with antagonist and goes to his house. Forwards home phone calls to her cell, which comes into play at the climax. Antagonist pushes her away when he realizes the girl has escaped.

20. Urban Legend Supported: Girl attempts to escape. Makes it to the woods. People see her. Sister has been seen in the woods.

21. Interpersonal Theme stated: Protagonist’s Mom apologizes for being rude. Just wants to keep protagonist safe.

22. Twist 1: Antagonist puts girl in truck. Encounter with normal world. Targets next victim.

23. Normal World No Threat: Protagonist drawn into normal world, it isn't a bad place.

24. Twist 1 Continued. Antagonist reinforces lock on basement door. Keeps key.

25. Antagonist attacked: Antagonist visits normal world and is attacked. Sympathy invoked. Antagonist fights back. Runs away.

26. Device 2 Employed: Antagonist’s house is set on fire. Protagonist goes inside and puts out fire. Receives call from mother. Lies about her location and call forwarding works to her advantage. Protagonist finds clues there is a girl in the house (tampons, blue contacts).

27. Antagonist Ally: Cop warns people to leave the antagonist alone. Reassures Mom that he isn’t dangerous.

28. Lie employed: Protagonist finds locked door. Goes down to creepy basement to investigate. Finds girl and antagonist. Antagonist says it is his sister.  We see that it is a waitress.

29. Lie revealed: Protagonist looks at evidence again and finds waitress’s wallet. Realizes she is in danger. Antagonist insists it is his sister. Asks him about the wallet. He lies. Asks her to keep his secret about his sister. Protagonist attempts to leave. He knocks her out.

30. Antagonist justification: Antagonist admits his sister died that day and it was his fault. He takes the waitress away. He can’t have both of them.

31. Device 2 utilized: Mom Calls daughter, gets no answer, realizes the calls are forwarded. Tells cop. Asks him to go to Antagonist’s house.

32. Truth expanded: Protagonist asks to be freed. Finds out Antagonist was punished by his parents for killing his sister.

33. Climax part 1: Device 2 used again. Cop stops by. Antagonist tells him everything is fine. Denies seeing protagonist. Protagonist tries to free herself. Cop leaves and calls Protagonist’s house but hears phone ring inside antagonist’s house. Cop draws gun and enters house and is killed by antagonist.

34. Climax part 2: Antagonist Vanquished. Protagonist frees herself and fights back. Is recaptured. Breaks free again.  Mom arrives and is wounded. Protagonist defeats antagonist.

35. Protagonist dismissed: Protagonist returns to the city.

36. Antagonist is dismissed: Antagonist is locked up. Reveals his parents insisted he become his sister after his sister died, an explanation of antagonist's motivation. 

Check out the story skeleton of the horror movie Watcher In The Woods

Next week, we dissect Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. 

For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.

House at the End of the Street Story Skeleton Part 1 of 2

House Aat the End of the Street

Here is the basic skeleton of  the movie The House at the End of the Street.

***  SPOILER ALERT ***

If you haven't seen the movie, and want to, don't keep reading.

Synopsis: An American psychological thriller film directed by Mark Tonderai. A teenage girl and her mother move to a new neighborhood and find the house was cheap because there was a gruesome murder in the house at the end of the street. The girl becomes friends with the guy who lives there.

Genre: Psychological Thriller

1. Prologue/Alternative version: Backstory of family murder. It looks like the sister did it.

2. Inciting incident: Four years later. Protagonist leaves city for the country. Thanks to double murder, the house is affordable.

3. Clue 1:  Protagonist goes into the spooky woods. Sees evidence someone has been sleeping in the woods.

4. Backstory Revealed/Story Problem: Conversation reveals protagonist’s backstory.

5. The Game is Afoot: Secondary Character sees a light in woods.

6. Normal World Flawed:  Protagonist encounter with normal world. Gossip about murders. Urban legend: sister isn’t dead. Lives in the woods.

7. Protagonist Warned:  Stay away from antagonist. Sees dark side of “normal world.”

8. Hint at truth: Introduce antagonist who seems harmless. Invoke sympathy. Clue: He makes up stories.

9. Protagonist Warned Again: Mom tells her to stay away from antagonist.

10. Secret revealed: Antagonist has crazy sister locked in basement to protect her. Invoke sympathy for him.

11. Allay fears: Protagonist has positive encounter with normal world.

12. Antagonist’s Ally: Mom talks to policeman who tells her the antagonist is innocent/misjudged.

13. Disarm: Protagonist has positive encounter with Antagonist. He feels guilty for damage done to his sister that led to her horrific act.

14. Device 1 Planted: Antagonist keeps his sister locked in the basement. Keeps her drugged. Keeps key on top of door jamb which allows her to get out later.

15. Character Flaw/Theme Stated: Protagonist conversation with Mom, you can’t save him. Sometimes people can’t be fixed (Theme).

16. Device 1 Used: Girl escapes and reaches Protagonist’s house. Antagonist keeps her from contact.

17. Antagonist Sympathy Conditional: Protagonist encounter between Mom, protagonist, and antagonist. Further sympathy for him. Warns them to not be alone together.

18. Antagonist Ally Reinforced. Mom talks to cop. Further reassurance antagonist is harmless. Protagonist makes people into projects (character flaw that draws her into the story problem).

Next week, we finish the analysis of The House at the End of the Street.

For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.

Learn Story Structure by Analysis

I spent several years dissecting television shows, movies, and books to learn about craft. I would pause at the end of each scene or chapter and take notes. Here are a few of the questions I kept in mind as I watched or read.

1. What was the story premise? For example, a woman who doesn't believe in ghosts moves into haunted house. What made me tune in?

2. What was the story promise? Genre is my term for the promise you make to your reader about the kind of story they will settle in for. Is it a cozy Mystery, gruesome Horror, or light Romance? What was the central question that made me keep reading or viewing for the answer?

3. Did they keep that promise or bait and switch? I don't forgive bait and switch. I watched a comedy once that ended up being about sexual abuse. I was not amused.

4. Did they meet my expectations of the genre? Were there good gotcha moments in a Horror film? Were the romantic entanglements, complications, and resolutions believable in a Rom-Com? Were the suspects' motivations believable in a Mystery? Were they successful at pointing the finger at different suspects? Could I guess the ending? Were the twists good or did they ruin it for me?

5. What made me keep viewing or reading? Were they able to keep the tension up? When did I feel my body responding to the plot? Did I tense up? Did it make me cry? Did it make me laugh? Where and why?

6. What interrupted my enjoyment of the story? Were there scenes or chapters that wasted my time: too many redundant information reveals, plot holes, ridiculous character choices, and "are you kidding me!" moments?

7. Were the characters fully fleshed out and worth rooting for or did the plot devices keep the story moving despite bland or token characters?

8. What made me toss the book aside or quit watching?

9. Would I read another book by that author or view another season of the show?

10. Do I remember the story long afterward or was it immediately forgettable?

I learned a great deal about what works and what does not, the techniques that make a story successful and factors that cause them to fail. I revealed my findings in the Story Building Blocks series.

Last week, I listed the Top Ten Reasons I Quit Reading. Many book lovers have shared these sentiments with me.

Over the next few weeks I will share my analysis of a novel and a movie to give you an idea of the beats at the heart of a story.

For more about how to craft plots using conflict check out, Story Building Blocks: The Four Layers of Conflict available in print and e-book and check out the free tools and information about the series on my website.