The Anatomy of Story | John Truby | Cliff Note Books
“The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller” is a guide to storytelling written by John Truby. Truby is a renowned screenwriting teacher who has taught his 22-Step Great Screenwriting and Genre classes to over 20,000 students worldwide. The book is designed to be a practical guide to constructing stories, whether for film, television, novels, or other narrative forms.
In this book, Truby breaks down the components of storytelling into 22 steps. These are organized into sections focused on key aspects of the storytelling process, such as story structure, character, plot, and theme. The steps offer a detailed, systematic approach to crafting a compelling and emotionally resonant story.
Here are some key points from the book:
Premise: This is the basic idea for the story. Truby advises that you should be able to sum up your story in a couple of sentences, and that this premise should give an idea of the character, conflict, and potential for change.
Character Web: Truby emphasizes the importance of creating a web of characters around the protagonist. Each of these characters should have their own needs, desires, and arcs, and they should all interact and conflict with each other in ways that highlight different aspects of the protagonist and the theme.
Moral Argument: According to Truby, every great story is a moral argument that traces the change in the hero’s moral character from the beginning of the tale to the end.
Story Structure: The book presents a unique structural template that differs from the traditional three-act structure. Truby’s structure comprises of seven key steps: weakness and need, desire, opponent, plan, battle, self-revelation, and new equilibrium.
Theme: Truby highlights that theme is not a message or moral tagged onto the story but an integral part of the storytelling process. The moral argument of the story should explore different sides of the theme through the decisions and actions of the characters.
The book presents a comprehensive and detailed approach to storytelling that goes beyond traditional story structure. It delves into the deep thematic and character elements that make a story resonate with audiences and readers. “The Anatomy of Story” aims to equip writers with the tools to craft compelling, complex narratives.
Quotes from The Anatomy of Story
“All characters are a part of you, the writer. When you understand this, you can deliberately use the techniques of character to portray the human condition in a more accurate and fascinating way.”
“Good storytelling lets the audience relive events in the present so they can understand the forces, choices, and emotions that led the character to do what he did.”
“Storytelling is the art of expressing how and why life changes.”
“The goal of the storyteller is to give the audience a series of pleasure, in a particular order. To do that, you have to be clear about what your characters desire from start to finish.”
“Your ability to find the underlying structural forms in the story ideas you create is going to determine the quality and originality of your storytelling.”
“Every story is an argument about a particular value system. This is what the moral argument is: a battle of moral strengths and weaknesses where you are using the full range of characters to prove that certain behaviors are right or wrong.”
Biography of John Truby
John Truby is a well-known screenwriting teacher and story consultant who has been active in the film industry for many years. His teachings, books, and software are dedicated to improving the quality of storytelling in film and television.
Truby has a degree in English and a master’s degree in Cinema Studies from the University of California at Berkeley. He went on to teach screenwriting and develop his unique approach to story structure, which he then started teaching to others. His course, Truby’s Writers Studio, gained popularity and drew the attention of professional writers and industry insiders.
In his work as a story consultant, Truby has worked with major film studios, as well as independent and foreign film producers and writers. He’s known for his deep structural and thematic analysis of film and television projects, with an approach that goes beyond the typical three-act structure commonly taught in screenwriting.
Truby’s most well-known publication is “The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller”, where he lays out his unique and comprehensive approach to story structure and character development. The book has become popular among both aspiring and professional screenwriters for its detailed and systematic approach to crafting a compelling story.
John Truby’s approach has had a significant impact on the field of screenwriting and storytelling, and his teachings continue to guide and influence writers today.
Criticisms of The Anatomy of Story
While “The Anatomy of Story” by John Truby is generally well-regarded for its unique and detailed approach to storytelling, it has also received some criticisms, including:
Complexity and Lack of Clarity: Some readers find Truby’s approach overly complicated or confusing, with a lack of clear, practical examples to illustrate his points. The 22-step method can seem daunting to some, especially those who are new to storytelling or are used to more simplified structures.
Subjectivity of the Advice: Some critics argue that Truby’s guidelines are highly subjective, and may not be applicable to all types of stories or storytelling styles. What works for one writer or one type of story may not work for another.
Inapplicability to Certain Genres or Forms: Truby’s approach is primarily aimed at screenwriting, and some readers find that his advice doesn’t translate as well to other forms of storytelling, such as novels or short stories.
Prescriptive Approach: Some readers criticize the book for being too prescriptive or formulaic, arguing that following a rigid structure can stifle creativity or originality. They feel that successful storytelling requires more flexibility and individuality than Truby’s method allows.
Length and Pace of the Book: Some readers find the book too long and slow-paced, with too much time spent on theory and not enough on practical, actionable advice.
These criticisms should be taken in context, however. Many readers and writers find Truby’s method extremely helpful for understanding the deep structure of storytelling and for improving their own writing. As with any writing advice, what works will often depend on the individual writer and their particular style, process, and goals.
Summary of The Anatomy of Story
The Story Space, or Premise: This section emphasizes the importance of the initial story idea, or premise. The premise is the seed from which the entire narrative grows. It should be a single sentence that captures the basic situation or event that sparks the story. Truby gives tips on how to come up with a good premise, how to develop it, and how to test it to see if it’s capable of supporting an entire narrative.
The Seven Steps Story Structure: Truby introduces his unique seven-step story structure as a deeper, more organic approach than traditional three-act structure models. The steps are:
Weakness and Need: The main character starts with a weakness that must be overcome.
Desire: The main character wants something.
Opponent: Someone or something opposes the main character’s desire.
Plan: The main character devises a plan to overcome the opponent and achieve their desire.
Battle: The main character and opponent come into direct conflict.
Self-Revelation: The main character realizes how to overcome their initial weakness.
New Equilibrium: The character’s world settles into a new normal now that their journey is over.
Character: In this section, Truby presents a detailed exploration of character development. He emphasizes that character and structure are interlinked – that character growth should determine the plot. He talks about main characters, opponents, allies, and fake-ally opponents, and how these relationships form a web that helps to reveal character and push the story forward.
Moral Argument: According to Truby, all stories are moral arguments. They involve a change in the main character who starts off with a moral weakness that they must overcome by the end of the story. The decisions and actions of the character within the narrative construct this moral argument, which should give different perspectives on a moral theme.
Story World or Setting: Truby explains that the setting, or the story’s world, is integral to the narrative. It’s not just a backdrop, but interacts with characters and the plot. The story world often metaphorically represents the protagonist’s interior state, and changes as the character grows. By choosing and designing the story world carefully, writers can enhance the overall narrative.
Symbol, Dialogue, and Sound: Truby explores how to use symbols to represent and highlight the deeper meanings in your story. He emphasizes that good dialogue comes from character and conflict, not just clever lines. And, he discusses the importance of sound, including silence, in enhancing the mood and emotion of the story.
Plot: This part focuses on the structuring and pacing of the plot. Truby explains the four major types of conflict: internal, interpersonal, extra-personal, and non-human. He also discusses the importance of plot reveals and the plot ‘track’, a sequence of actions your hero will follow to reach the goal.
Scene Construction and Symphonic Dialogue: Truby details how to construct effective scenes, using a sequence of techniques that include setting, revealing character, conflict, and change. He further elaborates on dialogue, arguing that it should be like a symphony where each character has a distinctive voice that complements the others.
Genre: Truby breaks down the conventions and unique structures of various genres. He discusses how to use the expectations of genre to your advantage and how to create unique combinations and hybrids.
The 22 Building Blocks: In the final section, Truby brings together his principles into his full 22-step structure:
Self-Revelation, Need, and Desire
Ghost and Story World
Weakness and Need
Inciting Event
Desire
Ally or Allies
Opponent and/or Mystery
Fake-Ally Opponent
First Revelation and Decision: Changed Desire and Motive
Plan
Opponent’s Plan and Main Counterattack
Drive
Second Revelation and Decision: Obsessive Drive, Changed Desire and Motive
Audience Revelation
Third Revelation and Decision
Gate, Gauntlet, Visit to Death
Battle
Self-Revelation
Moral Decision
New Equilibrium